Microsoft Surface Pro Review - Review 2022

Best of the Year 2022 The Microsoft Surface Pro is the Windows 2-in-one detachable-hybrid tablet that other PC makers take spent the past four years trying to create. The competition is getting closer to achieving an optimal balance between design and features, merely the Surface brand is withal the ane to beat. The Windows 10 tablet is bachelor in a broad range of prices and configurations, from the $799 base model up to a $ii,699 acme-of-the-line version. Our $2,199 unit includes upgrades similar an Intel Cadre i7-7660U processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It's expensive, just the Surface Pro delivers the design and build quality along with the speed and overall operation to lure artists and media professionals to the tablet camp, making it our latest Editors' Pick.

Smoothed Out and Sleek

At outset glance, the latest iteration looks almost identical to the Microsoft Surface Pro four, which, until at present, was our top pick for high-end consumer tablets. At seven.ix past xi.five by 0.33 inches (HWD) they are the same size and weight (1.75 pounds alone; ii.41 pounds with the Type Cover; 2.45 pounds with the Type Cover and Pen). The edges of the new tablet'due south shell are subtly more round, and the vents take been redesigned to look thinner, but you'd take to dig deep to notice other physical differences. Competitors similar the Dell Latitude 5285 ii-in-1 have almost identical dimensions, attesting to the popularity of the design.

The dorsum panel is matte silver/platinum-colored magnesium alloy. A prominent (and shiny) Windows logo is centered on the kickstand, which enables the touch screen to recline to an almost-apartment 165-caste angle. Tablets like the Dell Latitude 5285, the Surface Pro 4, and the HP Aristocracy x2 ($ane,499.11 at Amazon) stand farther upright when fully reclined. As a result, y'all can easily doodle on the display using a fingertip or the Surface Pen while resting your palm on the screen. Or you can use the optional Surface Punch without danger of it sliding off.

Improved Pen and Keyboard Cover, Both Optional

It'southward comfy drawing on the flatter screen with the Surface Pen ($99.99), though unlike with its predecessor (and competitors like the Latitude 5285 ($899.00 at Dell Technologies) , the Lenovo Miix 510, and the Samsung Galaxy Book), it's not included. The new Surface Pen now has stronger magnets to agree it to the tablet, which lets Microsoft omit the pocket prune here. Pressure level sensitivity is improved from one,024 to 4,096 levels from the 2022 iteration of the stylus, giving artists more granular control while creating and modifying images. The Pen also includes new functions for Windows Ink, like tilt-sensitivity, letting you use the pen similar a brush. Thanks to a new digitizer and faster components, the Pen reacts a bit quicker than its predecessor, a boon if you frequently apply illustration programs.

Microsoft Surface Pro (2017)

Microsoft sent u.s.a. a cobalt blue Surface Pro Signature Blazon Cover ($159.99), which is too available in burgundy or platinum. Like the Surface Laptop's palm balance, the Signature Blazon Cover is covered in Alcantara, a constructed suede sometimes seen on luxury sports motorcar seats and steering wheel covers. The fabric is comfortable to impact, though it's the only notable upgrade to the chiclet-style keyboard from the Blazon Encompass of the Surface Pro iv. It's comfortable to use, and has a two-stage magnetic latch that helps secure and bending the keyboard, though it was somewhat flappy when I tried to type in my lap during the test period. A clamshell similar the Surface Laptop works better in this scenario, though I had no trouble using the Signature Type Cover and the Surface Pro for hours at a time at my desk-bound or in a coffee shop. The touchpad is centered, correct where you lot expect it, speeding cursor command when you're not using the Pen or the impact screen. Like with the Pen, it's a pity that yous have to budget extra for the Signature Type Cover, because many other 2-in-one tablets similar the HP Spectre x2 ($549.99 at Amazon) , the HP Elite x2, and the Samsung Galaxy Volume come with keyboards.

Same Screen, Still Sugariness

The 12.iii-inch screen offers a ii,736-past-1,824 resolution, and is simply equally brilliant as the display on the Surface Pro 4. Text and graphics look clear and shine. Colors popular a bit more than on the Super AMOLED screen on the Samsung Galaxy Book , simply that tablet is less convenient for picture show-viewing on a tabletop or airline tray, since information technology lacks a kickstand. Both the Milky way Volume and the Surface Pro are easy to concur in one arm as a drawing slate, though the Surface Pro's stylus feels a bit quicker to react to input. The screen has a three:ii aspect ratio, which is closer to the size of a sheet of newspaper, following the trend started by the Microsoft Surface Pro three ($275.00 at Amazon) and continued past much of the contest. Information technology feels more natural to agree in one arm than a 16:9 screen, which feels unduly long, and therefore more awkward in mitt.

Microsoft Surface Pro (2017)Microsoft Surface Pro (2017)Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) Microsoft Surface Pro (2017)

Like the Surface Pro four, the new tablet comes with an IR sensor built into its front-facing webcam. This allows you to quickly log on to your Microsoft account by glancing at the screen after yous've set up Windows Hello. The arrangement comes with TPM 2.0 technology for security, and you can purchase an optional $160 Type Cover with a fingerprint reader. The v-megapixel front-facing photographic camera and 8-megapixel rear-facing camera take clear snapshots and closeups, though images can get grainy in depression light. Since it's front and middle, the webcam is prefectly situated for Skype calls. Video recording is clear and stutter free.

Limited Ports, Solid Audio

Ports are a bit sparse, owing to the Surface Pro's limited real estate around its circumference. On the left, you'll detect a headset jack. On the right side are the Surface connector (for power and docking), a mini DisplayPort, and a USB 3.0 port. Underneath the kickstand is a microSD card reader, compatible with up to 256GB cards. At that place's a USB charging port on the included Ac adapter, and then you can juice up your phone and connect a USB hard drive to the tablet simultaneously. These are identical specs to the Surface Pro 4, and the lack of USB-C or Thunderbolt iii is disappointing. I'm not ready to phone call the lack of USB-C a bargain billow, merely well-nigh of the competition from Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung back up USB-C for connectivity and charging.

Microsoft Surface Pro (2017)

A pair of slits on the left and right sides of the screen are openings for the internal stereo speakers. They emit enough sound to fill a small, quiet room with music or audio from web videos. Understandably, the tiny speakers tin can't attain ultra-low bass registers, but I could hear hints of thump on our test tracks. Dialogue, music, and audio effects were clear while watching the Star Trek Beyond movie trailer.

Monster Chapters, Monster Price

As tested, this penultimate configuration of the Surface Pro comes with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD (an upgrade to 1TB would another $500). The upgraded storage (and its faster Intel Core i7-7660U processor) are about of the reason this model is so expensive, simply it's justifiable being that information technology's aimed at digital artists and media creators. The base $799 model comes with 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and a lower-powered Intel Core m3 processor.

Storage in this configuration is beefier than the Samsung Milky way Book, which comes with but 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. The Dell Latitude 5285 we recently tested has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, though information technology can be customized with plenty retentivity and storage for $2,010 to lucifer our test unit, merely its CPU and screen options can't mirror the Surface Pro. Microsoft backs the tablet with a one-year warranty.

Enthusiasts and Artistic Types Need Employ

The Core i7 CPU with its integrated Iris Plus 640 graphics is 1 of the nearly powerful we've seen in a tablet. Information technology made quick work of our multimedia benchmark tests, including earning top marks on the Handbrake test (one:47) and the CineBench test (407 points). Those results were much better than those of the Core m7-equipped HP Spectre x2, the Cadre i7-powered Dell Latitude 5285, and the Surface Pro 4 with a Core i5 CPU. Our Photoshop test was completed in 3:15, a few seconds backside the Dell Latitude 5285 and 5 seconds behind the Surface Pro four ($574.95 at Amazon) . The Surface Pro finished a close second backside the Latitude on the PCMark 8 Work Conventional examination. The Latitude 5285 has a lower-resolution screen, which likely gives it a slight border on the latter two tests, since it has fewer pixels to manage and render.

While it'due south not a gaming PC, the Iris Plus 640 graphics helped the Surface Pro attain decent frame rates in the Heaven (33fps) and Valley (35fps) tests at medium-quality settings. We consider scores above thirty fps to exist playable, and it was the simply tablet hither to breach that barrier. 3D tests at native or full Hard disk drive resolution returned single-digit frame rates that were petty better than slideshows, simply that'southward par for the category. The Surface Pro, which topped both 3DMark tests, is ready for low-cal-to-moderate 3D gaming and GPU-accelerated tasks similar photo editing.

Microsoft Surface Pro (2017)

Lasting just shy of 14 hours on our rundown exam, battery life is splendid and only backside the Samsung Milky way Volume (14:06). That'south notable, considering the Surface Pro'south fantabulous criterion results and its higher-resolution screen, both of which tend to negatively touch battery life. The next competitor is the Dell Latitude 5285, which lasted nearly three hours less (eleven:09). It's a meaning improvement over the x hours and 19 minutes the Surface Pro 4 hit on the aforementioned examination.

Microsoft Surface Pro (2017)

Long-Lasting and Packed With Ability for Mobile Artists

The new iteration of the Microsoft Surface Pro is a performance-oriented laptop replacement that impresses with close to 14 hours of bombardment life, a vivid college-than-full-HD screen, pinnacle-notch benchmark results, and excellent build quality. Y'all'll need to budget for the Blazon Cover and Surface Pen, and, admittedly, that's a pricey proposition. Withal, the as-tested Core i7 power, 16GB of RAM, and 512 GB SSD are justifiable upgrades for artists who need that ability for photography, 3D rendering, and video tasks. Since Surface tablets just keep getting better, this 1 replaces the Surface Pro iv as our Editors' Selection for loftier-end Windows tablets.

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