Qualcomm is promising Snapdragon 800 processors for Windows 8.1 RT tablets before the year is out. 

The company says it has expanded its Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors portfolio to include support for Microsoft Windows RT 8.1, meaning we could see a faster Microsoft Surface 2 later in the year.

The Microsoft Surface was first announced in 2012, and although the Surface Pro is only just seeing a global rollout rumours are already gathering pace that Microsoft could be about to announced a successor to its first tablet, perhaps as early as BUILD at the end of June. 

READ: Windows 8.1 release date and what you need to know to get ready

Getting all-technical for a moment, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors feature an integrated multimode 3G/4G LTE modem and CPU speeds of up to 2.2 GHz per core for tablets, convertibles, and notebooks. Other capabilities include USB 3.0 and support for Windows RT 8.1 features and services. Those newer services, announced by Microsoft on Monday, include tethering and Miracast support. 

Microsoft has already confirmed that a preview of Windows 8.1 RT will be available on 26 June, following the company's developer conference in San Francisco.  

New devices based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors and Windows RT 8.1 are expected to be available later this year.

The Snapdragon 800 is Qualcomm's fastest processor at the moment and will be welcomed by those wanting to get a Windows RT tablet with faster performance.