Something to look forward to: A Microsoft Surface hardware event is only days away, but one of the key surprises of the event may have been spoiled prematurely by a retailer's listing of the Surface Pro 8. Alongside a sleeker, refreshed design of the popular 2-in-1, some important details around its hardware have also surfaced, including a 120Hz high refresh rate display, Thunderbolt support, and user-replaceable storage.

The Surface Pro 7 is our current top choice for best productivity tablet, despite the slow pace at which the 2-in-1 has been updated by Microsoft over the years. While some of our complaints were addressed by the mid-cycle Pro 7+ refresh, its successor appears to finally bring much-needed refinements to the device.

Details around the upcoming Surface Pro 8 come from Twitter user, Shadow_leak, who posted a retail listing of the device. Users still hanging on to their old Surface Pros may finally have a reason to upgrade, considering the new Pro’s sleeker design and hardware changes.

Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Exposure ✅

- Intel's 11th-generation Core processor
- 13" 120Hz High Refresh Rate Narrow Border Screen
- Windows 11
- Dual Thunderbolt Interfaces
- Replaceable SSD Hard Drives#Microsoft #Surface #SurfacePro8 pic.twitter.com/ITFftYG4dg

— Sam (@Shadow_Leak) September 19, 2021

The 2-in-1 has always stood out for its display quality, and adding a 120Hz refresh rate into the mix will only sweeten the experience. It’ll also likely be thinner and lighter given the replacement of the 1 x USB-A and 1 x USB-C with Thunderbolt-capable dual USB-C ports.

The leak suggests the addition of user-replaceable SSDs as well. Microsoft made the leap in the aforementioned Pro 7+ refresh, so it’s not surprising that the successor will include this, too. The convertible is expected to ship with Windows 11 out of the box, as will other new Surface variants that are expected to be reveal at the September 22 Surface event.