Microsoft has been gradually making inroads into shifting techies using Apple's devices to its own products with its Surface line of tablets. The company's upcoming Surface Pro 4 is now rumored to outperform both Apple's line of laptops as well as tablets.  The laptop/tablet hybrid - also called "laplet" - is the first device to run the all-new Windows 10 operating system and will also be powered by Intel's new Broadwell line of processors for a powerful performance.

Earlier reports from TechRadar had stated that the Windows 10 operating system would be released in July 2015, based on a conference call involving AMD and a number of analysts and investors. As for the Surface Pro 4, VCPost has confirmed that the laptop/tablet hybrid would also be released in July along with Windows 10. The new OS will be Microsoft's tool to unify all of its products (PC, Windows Phone, Windows Embedded, Xbox One) to a universal application architecture.

The Surface Pro 4 is expected to be released in two variants - a mass-geared device with a 12-inch screen powered by the fifth-generation Core M Broadwell CPU from Intel, and a 14-inch model powered by an Intel i5 and i7 processor. The Surface Pro 4 is likely to feature a 2K screen resolution at 2,160 x 1,440 pixels, double memory of 16 GB, a maximum of 1 TB internal storage and a stylus pen like the Surface Pro 3.

Given the smaller size of Intel's Broadwell CPUs, the Surface Pro 4 will reportedly be thinner and quieter than its predecessor, as well as fan-less, while retaining compatibility with Surface Pro accessories. Intel has claimed that its Core M chip can also increase battery life by an additional 1.7 hours, as compared to a Haswell-based Core i5 powered system.

A report from CNET states that Microsoft has slashed $150 off its Surface 3 mid-range model until May 23, fuelling reports that the Surface Pro 4 would be coming soon. The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is reported to be priced between $1,200 to $2,000.