Microsoft's Surface Pro 8 can convert into a laptop with the Brydge SP+ keyboard

Brydge SP+ Keyboard
Brydge SP+ Keyboard (Image credit: Brydge)

What you need to know

  • Brydge announced the Brydge SP+ wireless keyboard with a built-in touchpad.
  • The device converts the Surface Pro 8 into a traditional laptop.
  • Brydge also announced its Stone Pro TP4 docking station today.
  • Pricing for the Brydge SP+ is not available at this time.

Microsoft unveiled its Surface Pro 8 earlier today. The company calls it the "most significant leap forward since Pro 3." It has thinner bezels than its predecessor and is more than twice as fast as the Surface Pro 7. We expect the Surface Pro 8 to make our list of the best tablets, but there's one thing that it's not, a traditional laptop. In comes Brydge with its new SP+, a wireless keyboard with a touchpad that's built for the Surface Pro 8. Brydge hasn't shared pricing for the SP+ at this time.

Brydge's new keyboard allows people to keep the versatility of the Surface Pro 8 while also having the option to use the device like a clamshell laptop. The Surface Pro 8 slots into clasps on each side of the Brydge SP+ keyboard. The keyboard also has a touchpad that supports multi-touch gestures. The Surface Pro 8 can easily be removed from the Brydge SP+ to act as a 2-in-1.

Brydge has been in this market for quite some time. Last year our executive editor Daniel Rubino reviewed the Brydge SPX+. People should expect a similar experience with the Brydge SP+ for the Surface Pro 8. Brydge also makes similar keyboards for iPads.

Alongside its new keyboard, Brydge announced the Brydge Stone Pro TP4 docking station. It features 12 ports, supports Thunderbolt 4, and can deliver 90 watts of power. It also has transfer speeds of up to 40 GB/s.

This keyboard converts the Surface Pro 8 into a traditional laptop. It has a built-in multi-touch trackpad to help the Surface Pro 8 provide a full laptop experience.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott brings nearly a decade of experience covering Microsoft and Windows news to Windows Central. He joined our team in 2017 as an app reviewer and now heads up our day-to-day news coverage. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com.