If you have a fifth-generation Surface Pro, which is also known as the Surface Pro Model 1807, or just Surface Pro "5," Microsoft has bad news: your tablet is no longer supported. January 15, 2024, marks the end of the life of this computer, meaning it will no longer receive driver or firmware updates.
Microsoft introduced the fifth-generation Surface Pro on May 23, 2017, at a special event held in China. Apart from the OG Surface Pro from 2012, it was the only Surface Pro without a number in its name. The gist was that the computer did not have enough changes to justify a true generation upgrade. Despite promising "over 800 new enhancements," Surface Pro "5" was a minor spec bump with mostly new processors. On the outside, the fifth-gen Surface Pro was identical to its predecessor, down to its color, port placement, etc.
Still, the tablet introduced a few notable changes. For example, there was a fanless configuration with a base-level seventh-gen Intel Core i5 processor. Upper-spec models with Intel Core i7 chips featured a reworked thermal design for improved heat dissipation. And the biggest upgrade of all was an optional LTE configuration, a returning feature from the ill-fated ARM-powered Surface 2 and the entry-level Surface 3, the only Surface to ever ship with a micro-B USB port (remember those?).
Despite not offering enough visual changes or earth-shattering updates, the fifth-gen Surface Pro was a much better device than its predecessor. It had better battery life, more performance, and much less troublesome hardware. Intel"s Skylake generation gave plenty of headaches for Surface Pro 4/Surface Book owners, and the Surface Pro 5, with its Kaby Lake chips, offered a much less stressful experience.
Interestingly, in late 2018, Microsoft announced the Surface Pro 6, which was also virtually the same as its preceding generation. It got a properly numbered name despite not having enough changes for a "true new generation." Also, did you know that the Surface Pro 6 reached its end of life much earlier than its predecessor? Microsoft ended Surface Pro 6 support on June 30, 2023.
Although Microsoft launched the LTE version of the Surface Pro 5 a few months later, it ended its life alongside the standard Wi-Fi version. The end of support means the computer will no longer receive new drivers or firmware updates. You will continue getting operating system updates as long as it remains supported, but the overall experience might get worse with time, especially with Microsoft planning to add new features to Windows 10. As a reminder, the fifth-generation Surface Pro does not officially support Windows 11.
With the Surface Pro 5 now being six feet under, the next Surface device to kick the bucket is the Surface Pro 7. The last Surface Pro in the classic design (minus the Pro 7+ for enterprise) will reach its end of life on February 28, 2024.