Business Highlights from Microsoft's Windows 10 Device Event: The Surface Book and Surface Pro 4

Microsoft made some exciting announcements this week, showcasing a number of new devices to go along with Windows 10. While all of the devices, ranging from the Lumia 950 Windows 10 smartphone to a developer-ready HoloLens, are intriguing, the two that interest us most are the  Surface Book, Microsoft's first bona fide laptop, and the Surface Pro 4, an even more business-ready version of Microsoft's increasingly popular hybrid tablet line. 

Microsoft Windows 10 Devices

Surface Book

This is the most intriguing of Microsoft's new devices because it signals that Microsoft, like Apple and Google, is now fully in the enterprise hardware business. The Surface Book is a powerful 13.5" laptop meant to compete with the likes of Apple's Macbook Pro, and its specs don't disappoint: 6th-gen core i5 or i7 processor, up to 16GB RAM, up to 1TB SSD storage, and powerful graphics and video capabilities.

What sets the Surface Book apart, though, is that it's still a Surface: it includes a detachable touchscreen, giving the user a tablet as well. This is intriguing given Apple's continued insistence that touchscreens and laptops don't mix.

The Surface Book will be available October 26th, priced from $1499 to $2699.

Surface Pro 4

Microsoft also announced significant upgrades to its already formidable Surface Pro hybrid tablet line. These include a larger display, an upgraded keyboard, an upgraded pen stylus with an "eraser," and impressive under-the-hood specs: 6th-gen Core i5 or i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of SSD storage. These improvements show that the Surface Pro 4 promises, like its predecessor, to be an enterprise-ready tablet that, for some users, can even replace a laptop all together.

The Surface Pro 4 will be available October 26th alongside the Surface Book, priced starting at $899.