With that big Windows 10-centric press event coming up, you’d think improving the graphics of aging Surface Pros and fixing their Windows 8.1 software bugs would rank pretty low on Microsoft’s list of priorities.
Yet certain Wi-Fi stability loose ends still need to be tied up, and while Redmond’s there, why not work on battery drain issues, various compatibility aspects and DirectX performance too? That seems to be the logic behind the newest Surface firmware and driver update, which may be the largest in (many) months.
Sent out over-the-air late on Thursday, and detailed on the TechNet blog after the process started, the goodie pack’s change log highlights Intel HD Graphics tweaks. Among them you have a number of extremely specific system hangs and crash patches, but also more general, far-reaching improvements.
These include video display and zoom speed acceleration in DirectX apps, better compatibility with Samsung and Dell monitors, and expanded support for Panasonic and Actiontec Miracast adapters.
Moving on to the area we know you’re dying to see mended once and for all ever since Surface Pro 3’s launch, let’s stress the number of bullet points under wireless network controller and Bluetooth driver update is shrinking.
That’s probably good news, unless Microsoft just folded to the age-old Wi-Fi malfunctions. Browsing through the comments section of Windows Central, we can find around a dozen happy customers reporting their connectivity woes are behind them, so it looks like Microsoft finally pulled it off.
Of course, such critical, large-scale mishaps can’t be resolved by magic, so odds are they’ll linger on a collection of devices. But clearly, strides are being made.
The same goes for Bluetooth Power settings, audio stability and, surprise, surprise, Windows 10 support. Yes, boys and girls, Redmond is paving the way for Surface Pro 3’s leap to Windows 10. Sadly, RT-running family members have been shut out of the January firmware update altogether, signaling the end is near.
