Surface Pro 8 review: Nearly 10 years in the making, Microsoft finally figures it all out
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Microsoft has been riding the modern Surface Pro design since 2022's Surface Pro 3, which finally nailed the iconic design with a 3:two display. Microsoft has always made modest improvements over the years, including fanless i5, angled typing, improved cameras, better thermals, a larger display, and improving the Surface Pen. But the design started getting stale in 2022 every bit companies moved towards thinner bezels and adopting Intel'due south Thunderbolt 3.
While Surface Pro 7+ made things better with Intel 11th Gen and a larger battery, it was aimed only at business concern users. At the time, nosotros speculated Microsoft wanted to significantly revise Surface Pro just not amerce its enterprise users who rely on consistency. That hypothesis was correct equally Surface Pro 8 is an entirely new device that shifted ports effectually, replaced others, and won't work with expensive accessories like the super cool Kensington SD7000 dock.
Luckily for fans of Surface Pro, the new Surface Pro 8 is effectively flawless. Sure, battery life tin always be ameliorate, merely between the new design, larger 120Hz display, new Slim Pen ii with storage, thinner bezels, and much more, well, information technology is hands the near exciting update to the most iconic Surface.
Because Surface Pro turns 10 years old adjacent June, Surface Pro 8 is a fitting tribute to one of the most pregnant PCs of the modern era.
Surface Pro 8
Lesser line: Surface Pro eight finally hits its full potential with the all-new redesign for 2022. With Thunderbolt 4, optional LTE, 120Hz display, new haptic Slim Pen, 11th Gen Intel, and a new graphite colorway this is a worthwhile upgrade.
Pros
- Excellent 120Hz display
- Thunderbolt 4
- Slim Pen 2 with haptics
- Large thirteen-inch display, thin bezels, better speakers
- Very proficient performance + battery
- Fantastic webcam
- Adaptive colour sensor
Cons
- Very glossy display (no AR)
- No Core i3 model (consumer)
- No Type-A or dongle included
- LTE models come afterward, commercial just, no 5G
Surface Pro 8: Toll, availability, and specs
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Cardinal
Surface Pro 8 is now available in nine markets. Those in the The states and other markets can order information technology through Microsoft, All-time Purchase, Amazon, and other third-party retailers. Those ix initial markets include:
- United states of america
- United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland
- Canada
- Austria
- Frg
- Ireland
- Switzerland
- French republic
- Japan
Due to an ongoing global chip and processor shortage that affects Microsoft quite substantially, some markets may not run across Surface Pro 8 until early 2022, while others may run into it in belatedly 2022. Those markets include:
- Commonwealth of australia
- New Zealand
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- Denmark
- Finland
- Kingdom of norway
- Sweden
- Italy
- Espana
- Portugal
- Poland
- Republic of bulgaria
- Croatia
- The Czech Republic
- Estonia
- Greece
- Hungary
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
Starting cost is $1,099 for the Core i5 model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. That's a college price than Surface Pro vii due to Microsoft dropping Core i3 models with 4GB of RAM from the consumer market (there are commercial models with Cadre i3 and 8GB of RAM). The move volition probable give some breathing room for Surface Pro X, which at present starts at $899 for Wi-Fi but and is an excellent alternative to that Cadre i3.
| SKU | Price |
|---|---|
| Intel Cadre i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage | $one,099.99 |
| Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage | $i,199.99 |
| Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB storage | $i,399.99 |
| Intel Core i5, 16GB RAM, 256GB storage | $one,399.99 |
| Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 256GB storage | $ane,599.99 |
| Intel Cadre i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage | $1,899.99 |
| Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 1TB storage | $2,199.99 |
| Intel Cadre i7, 32GB RAM, 1TB storage | $two,599.99 |
The above pricing does not include the Surface Pro Keyboard ($140) without the Slim Pen 2 or the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard with Slim Pen 2 ($280). Those keyboards come in 4 colors, including Poppy Red, Ice Bluish, Platinum, and black.
| Accessories | Toll |
|---|---|
| Surface Pro Keyboard | $140 |
| Surface Pro Signature Keyboard | $180 |
| Surface Pro Signature Keyboard w/ Slim Pen two | $280 |
| Surface Pen | $100 |
| Surface Slim Pen | $145 |
| Surface Slim Pen 2 | $130 |
Before getting to the specs, hither is a general overview of what is new and unlike from Surface Pro seven:
- Rounded chassis "compliments fluid UI design of Windows 11"
- Thinner bezels expand the display real estate by 11%
- Chassis made from recycled anodized aluminum (versus magnesium)
- New ambience color sensor to dynamically adjust brandish colors based on room lighting
- 120Hz display makes pen latency "seemingly undetectable"
- IR camera has been improved substantially for speed and accuracy
- Microsoft'south AI lets Windows Hello dynamically adapt to changes in your appearance (glasses and facial hair)
- 5MP full Hd RGB camera has larger 1.4-micron pixels for meliorate low-calorie-free performance
- The camera also has tuning optimizations to keep your face in focus
- Dolby Vision (HDR) and Dolby Atmos (surround sound)
- Surface Pro 8 supports up to 23-watt TDP for the 11th Gen Intel processor
- You tin can get LTE in Core i3 and Core i7 models for the first fourth dimension (commercial markets)
- Bombardment has increased to 50.4WHr upward from 43.2WHr
- Uses new carbon composite thermal dissipation system
- 46% faster compute and 75% boost to graphics processing compared to Surface Pro 7
The addition of Thunderbolt 4 (2 ports, right side), Surface Slim Pen ii with storage, and a larger display cheers to the thinner bezels are the about notable changes. But as you tin come across in a higher place, Microsoft redid most everything on Surface Pro 8 from the ground upward compared to Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro 7+, making it feel similar an entirely new device.
| Category | Surface Pro 8 |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows eleven Dwelling Windows 11 Pro (commercial) Windows 10 Pro (commercial) |
| Processor | Consumer: Intel Cadre i5-1135G7, Core i7-1185G7 Commercial: Intel Core i3-1115G4, Core i5-1145G7, Core i7-1185G7 |
| RAM | 8GB, 16GB, 32GB LPDDR4x |
| Graphics | Intel UHD (i3) Intel Iris Xe (i5, i7) |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB SSD (Wi-Fi, LTE) 512GB, 1TB SSD (Wi-Fi) |
| Display | thirteen inches 2880x1920 267 PPI 3:2 aspect ratio Upwards to 120Hz (60Hz default) Touch |
| Ports | 2 Thunderbolt iv Surface Connect 3.5mm audio |
| Audio | Dual 2W stereo speakers Dolby Atmos Dual far-field studio mics |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.ane Snapdragon X20 LTE eSIM support |
| Camera | IR camera Front-facing 5MP (1080p) Rear-facing 10MP (1080p, 4K) |
| Keyboard | Surface Pro Signature keyboard Not included |
| Touchpad | Precision |
| Pen | Surface Slim Pen ii Not included |
| Security | TPM ii.0 IR camera |
| Battery | 50.2WHr Up to 16 hours |
| Dimensions | eleven.three 10 8.2 ten 0.37 inches (287mm x 208.3mm x 9.4mm) |
| Weight | 1.96 pounds (891g) |
| Color | Platinum Graphite |
Since the SSD is accessible, users can manually upgrade storage to 1TB (maybe fifty-fifty 2TB). Too new this yr is the ability to become up to 32GB of RAM.
Surface Pro 8: How to upgrade the SSD (and which 1 to get)
Surface Pro 7'due south bezels (left) vs. Surface Pro 8 (right). Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
For this review, we are using the $one,600 model with Cadre i7, 256GB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and a Platinum Surface Pro Signature Keyboard with Slim Pen 2, bringing the total price to $1,880 before taxes.
Surface Pro 8 ships with Windows eleven, with Windows 11 Home for consumer editions while the business models become Windows 11 Pro or Windows 10 Pro. Users can always upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for an extra $99.
It'southward finally modernistic
Surface Pro eight: Pattern and features
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Putting the Surface Pro 8 next to Surface Pro X (Microsoft's ARM variant) and looking straight on, you couldn't tell the difference between the two. But looking at the side profiles, the deviation is evident: Add some vents and push button the dorsum out a few millimeters to cool those 11th Gen Intel processors, and you get Surface Pro 8. That'south a proficient thing equally Surface Pro X is the best designed Surface Pro.
Those changes mean Surface Pro 8 weighs 0.26 pounds (118g) more than Surface Pro 10 and Surface Pro 8 and is nearly 2mm thicker than Pro X (and 1mm thicker than Pro vii/vii+). I recollect it's about impossible to detect the weight divergence when conveying the two. Pro 8 is noticeably fuller in overall size, but I can't complain about information technology either.
New removable SSD. Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
This twelvemonth, Microsoft swapped out magnesium for aluminum in the chassis with a new Graphite colorway. The result? Microsoft finally nailed blackness. Whereas previous black Surface Pros were fingerprint magnets, this chassis is most impervious to the greasiest hands. It's these small details that I capeesh.
That chassis is besides subtly more than rounded than previous Surfaces, which had more than stark edging. The slightly sloped and contouring edge feels soft and pleasant to concord and matches Windows eleven (with rounded corners).
Microsoft keeps it uncomplicated for ports. Below the power button are 2 Type-C on the right-hand side. Both back up Intel'southward Thunderbolt four, which means you tin at present connect this PC upwards to an external GPU (eGPU), utilise Thunderbolt 4 docks, and super-fast external Thunderbolt drives. The feature is long overdue and finally makes Surface Pro 8 a genuinely mod PC. Content creators will love it.
Surface Pro 7/seven+ (left) vs. Surface Pro 8 (right). Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Key
Beneath those Type-C ports is the Surface Connect along with its included 65-watt charger. Surface Connect with its magnetic zipper is a fan favorite, and while you lot can charge via Type-C, you get some fast charging with Surface Connect, including going from 0 to 80% charge in an 60 minutes.
On the left-mitt side are a headphone jack and volume rocker. That headphone port is no large deal, but something Surface Pro X omits.
In the top bezel, which is absolutely thicker than the balance, is a stellar 5MP total Hard disk drive camera that puts everything else to shame (salve for Surface Laptop Studio, which is like). Microsoft uses some AI trickery to enhance lighting and track your confront, and so the focus doesn't mistiness out if you lot take a swig from your java. If you spend a lot of fourth dimension on video calls, Surface Pro eight is a superb choice.
In that location are also a couple of microphone and infrared sensors for Windows How-do-you-do to log into Windows eleven with your face (biometric security). It's insanely fast. New this year is an adaptive color sensor too. More than on that in the display part of the review below.
A 10MP camera (up from 8MP) is on the rear that matches the one in Surface Pro Ten. It can now practise 4K video. It's a good camera for screenshotting a whiteboard for OneNote or other essential tasks.
I struggle to come up upward with words to describe how much better the dual 2W speakers (upwardly from i.6W) are with Dolby Atmos (spatial audio). With that slightly thicker chassis and more than powerful speakers, Surface Pro 8 at present has a resonance, resulting in a much richer sound profile than older Surface Pros. I think it even sounds as adept if not ameliorate than the quad speakers of Surface Laptop Studio. These are some solid speakers for watching movies, playing games, or when on a Microsoft Teams telephone call.
The Surface Pro Signature Keyboards are the same design as Surface Pro 10 and are interchangeable with that model. You do, notwithstanding, get the new Windows eleven logo, which is a prissy affect.
The new platinum color is a darker grayness this year and looks great. Information technology's supposedly also slightly more rigid. The bigger deal is the tray for the Surface Slim Pen or Surface Slim Pen 2. The pen now tucks away when not in employ and fifty-fifty recharges it. Information technology's a genius pattern and makes this Surface Pro that much amend than previous iterations, as you lot'll no longer lose that pen in transit.
The touchpad is smooth, uses Microsoft Precision drivers, and clicks very loudly, which is abrasive in a serenity room. Microsoft solves this on Surface Laptop Studio with a non-moving haptic trackpad where you lot can adjust the "click" volume. I'd like to see that tech used here in the future.
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Primal
I've always loved typing on the Surface Pro keyboards, and that is true hither. The angle, the manner the keys respond, the backlighting, information technology's besides super enjoyable.
It'southward worth noting that Microsoft finally added some small magnets in the keyboard, too, so information technology now stays closed and won't flop around. Surface Pro X did this, and information technology's a welcomed addition here also.
My only minor gripe with Surface Pro viii is that the kickstand is slightly more than difficult to open considering the notch is harder to discern with the smoothed edges. It's super minor, but the Pro 7's kickstand is easier to grip to open.
A LOT to talk most
Surface Pro 8: Display and inking
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Cardinal
The centerpiece of Surface Pro is its display, and there are numerous significant changes for Surface Pro 8, all for the amend.
Moving to a more prominent 13-inch brandish is non only easier on my aging optics, but also results in those bezels beingness thinned out. An 11% increase in screen size may not sound like much, but it'south a meaning difference in usage, with Surface Pro eight being even more immersive.
Plus, it merely looks better.
Sure, those bezels all have different proportions (not an issue on Surface Laptop Studio), only I don't intendance. The result is a bigger, bolder brandish.
Pixels per inch (PPI) is still 267 despite the large size thanks to the increased resolution of 2880x1920 (versus 2736x1824). The display aspect is as well all the same 3:two — a signature of Surface that closely resembles A9 paper size.
And that display is good. Using a colorimeter, I measured 100% sRGB, 81% AdobeRGB, and 83% DCI-P3 — that's a vast improvement. By comparison, Surface Pro 7/7+ was just 98% sRGB, 73% AdobeRGB, and 72% DCI-P3.
Brightness peaked at 441 nits (just shy of claimed 450) and bottoms out at a super depression 1.nine nits making this an first-class PC for apply in a pitch-black room as you won't be blinded.
Still very cogitating 👎 ... Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Also new is the 120Hz screen refresh. Past default, Surface Pro 8 is set for 60Hz, just users can become into Settings > Display > Avant-garde Brandish > Choose a refresh rate and gear up it to 120Hz (at the detriment of slightly worse battery life). Animations and video are smoother, making Windows xi experience zippier.
Speaking of, Windows 11 now supports Dynamic Refresh Rate, which lets displays instantly shift between 60Hz (idle) and 120Hz (scrolling, inking). That should help prolong bombardment life while likewise delivering that faster display refresh. Disappointingly that feature is not even so enabled, although Microsoft expects a firmware update later to enable it.
That 120Hz is also responsible for the lack of latency with Surface Slim Pen 2. The college refresh lets the ink "catamenia" better, simulating a real inking experience. That pen also supports haptics, a type of "force feedback." Haptic inking merely works if the app supports information technology, but in that location are quite a few that already practice, including:
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Periodical
- Microsoft Whiteboard
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Adobe Fresco
- Sketchable
- LiquidText
- Shapr3D
Users can control how strong the haptics feel under Settings, equally well as turning it off. Past default, it is set up to l% though I institute turning information technology upwardly to well-nigh 100% is a better feel. The feature makes it experience like friction when writing simulating using a pencil on paper. Changing to pen or marker changes it again. And the pen gives a little "kick" when using Adobe Fresco and the lasso tool when yous are nearing the grab points.
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Pen haptics is a smashing feature, only not quite jaw-dropping either as it's subtle. But when combined with the new pen tip in Surface Slim Pen 2, information technology positively enhances the overall experience. Toss in 120Hz refresh for no latency, the ability to tuck information technology away in the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard (where it also recharges), and the whole set is a very impressive advancement in digital inking.
For the first time, Microsoft is also using Dolby Vision, a form of high-dynamic-range (HDR), which enhances dissimilarity with video content. When linked with movies graded for Dolby Vision, you lot go deeper blacks, amend contrast, and richer colors.
Dolby Admission app is an optional install. Source: Windows Central
By default, there are no settings for Dolby Vision, but users can install the Dolby Admission app in the Microsoft Store. That app can tune audio (Dolby Atmos), and video (Dolby Vision) with some presets.
Likewise, there is now an adaptive color sensor. That sensor sits virtually the front-facing webcam and automobile-adjusts the white balance to match your current ambient lighting resulting in more than consistency beyond different environments. Apple has been doing this for a few years now (aka "True Tone"). The effect is harsh whites become mellowed out under warmer lighting conditions. Oddly, while I dislike True Tone on the iPhone, I enjoy it here. Of course, users tin can disable it under Settings > Display.
Plenty of options in the display settings. Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
I am pleased to study that Microsoft does at present let users disable Intel's "adaptive contrast," long a bugaboo of Surface fans. Adaptive contrast dims blacks and reduces dissimilarity to decrease power consumption, making information technology a valuable feature for the battery conscious. All the same, the experience can create jarring shifts in brightness when jumping between a primarily white spider web page and something predominantly blackness.
When you combine 120Hz, Dolby Vision HDR, adaptive color, and excellent color accuracy in a larger xiii-inch screen, you get the all-time Surface Pro display feel ever. It's terrific. Using Wi-Fi half-dozen and streaming the new The Matrix: Resurrections 4K trailer is incredibly delightful with bold, bright, contrasty colors. It's an enormous difference.
Surface Pro 8 (lesser) vs. Surface Pro seven (meridian). Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
My merely protest with the Surface Pro 8 display is an old one: It's besides glossy because of no anti-reflective (AR) layer. HP, Dell, Lenovo, and peculiarly Apple utilize AR in their pen-enabled products like the iPad Pro. AR keeps contrast and color accurateness while making the device more than comfortable under bright lights or outdoors. It's a frankly baffling oversight, and Microsoft has been unable to provide me with a justifiable answer for its absence.
11th Gen delivers
Surface Pro eight: Performance and bombardment
Surface Pro 8 + Razer eGPU = living the dream. Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Although Surface Pro 7+ launched earlier this yr with Intel 11th Gen U-serial processors, Surface Pro 8 gets slightly updated ones for the higher-end Core i7 range. Instead of a 4.7GHz Core i7-1165G7, the Surface Pro 8 brings the slightly faster 4.8GHz Core i7-1185G7.
The integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics are also clocked slightly college (1.35GHz vs. i.3GHz). That i7-1185G7 is now Intel vPro compatible with Intel Trusted Execution Technology and Full Memory Encryption, which is in line with Windows xi'due south focus on hardware and software security.
Direct comparisons with previous Surface Pros are challenging every bit we accept had a mix of Cadre i5 models, but with reworked thermals and the Intel EVO platform, the Surface Pro 8 has some fantabulous results.
Despite existence more than thermally constrained (smaller, tighter chassis), the Surface Pro 8 with i7 matches Surface Laptop 4 (13-inch) with the same Core i7 in PCMark 10, which measures overall system functioning using a mix of CPU and GPU. That'southward very good as typical Surface Pros struggled to match more than traditional laptops.
Indeed, even on Cinebench 23, which is all CPU, Surface Pro viii leads the pack of like laptops with the aforementioned Core i7-1185G7 processor confirming that Microsoft did some crazy thermal work with the new design (it's also mode alee of Surface Volume 3 with a 10th Gen i7). Likewise, on Geekbench 5 where Surface Pro 8 is in range of the superb Razer Volume 13 and Dell XPS 13 (9310).
The top venting for cooling. Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
No surprise that Surface Pro eight is not ideal for gaming, merely Iris Xe is withal a meaning improvement over Intel UHD graphics from years prior. Surface Pro viii should be no better or worse than any other Cadre i7 Ultrabook in 2022. And with the ascension of PC deject streaming via Xbox Game Pass, the delta between a gaming rig and ultra-portable PC is narrowing. (Plus, eGPUs are now possible).
Speaking of, using an eGPU with an NVIDIA RTX 2080, I was able to go easily get 120+ frames-per-2nd in Dying Low-cal 2 running at 2K and higher resolutions on an external brandish. Since most games these days are GPU-heavy, it's the graphics carte du jour yous use in that GPU that matters most instead of the Surface Pro 8'southward quad-core CPU.
Turning to the SSD and Microsoft continues to brand strikes in performance, although not as much as with Surface Laptop Studio. Surface Pro viii, which at present has a replaceable SSD, managed 2,400MB/southward for sequential read and 1,600MB/s for sequential write. While not phenomenal compared to other laptops, that is a large jump from Surface Pro 7's 2,000MB/s for read and just 752MB/s for write.
Battery life is tricky every bit there are at present so many variables. For this test, we disabled battery-saving features like auto-brightness and adaptive contrast while keeping performance set to "recommended." Display brightness is set to 40% to match our previous Surface Pro seven/7+ battery benches.
Using PCMark ten Modern Office, which constitutes calorie-free to medium productivity piece of work including video chats, web browsing, and Office apply, Surface Pro 8 at 120Hz managed a respectable 9 hours and 3 minutes. Knocking downwardly the refresh rate to 60Hz (default setting) and battery life increased to 10 hours and 45 minutes. That'south just shy of Surface Pro vii+ (11 hours and 12 minutes), merely Surface Pro 8 has a slightly faster processor and a larger display. But information technology is ameliorate than Surface Pro 7, which but garnered ix hours and 52 minutes.
Source: Windows Primal
Of form, if you set the display brightness to 80% (or higher) with 120Hz on while gaming or using the GPU, y'all'll shave many hours off those results. Display brightness is one of the most extensive battery drawers, so auto-brightness and adaptive dissimilarity are enabled by default to aid improve things.
The bottom line is, comparatively, Surface Pro 8 is not that dissimilar from previous Surface Pros, just slightly better. While the battery is larger (50.2WHr) than Surface Pro 7 (43.2WHr), the increased screen size and other advancements offset some of the gains from Intel 11th Gen. Nonetheless, it is likewise OK to say this is the best battery life of any Surface Pro even if those gains are small.
Thermal measurement of Surface Pro 8 under load. Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Finally, turning to heat and fan noise, even the Core i5 model is now actively cooled. But while that fan kicks in under duress, eastward.g., Windows Update, compiling, rendering, or gaming, the fan itself is quiet, with but the whooshing of air being pushed through the chassis being audible. It's non loud, and there is no whine, but you will hear it. Compared to most Ultrabooks, however, I'd classify Surface Pro viii every bit very tranquillity. During regular light use like web browsing, electronic mail, etc., it's silent.
Temperatures are also very nominal and in line with previous Surfaces. The back can become warm but is never hot to the bear on. I measured a peak of 108°F (42°C) on the upper dorsum panel, which cools down rapidly once the CPU and GPU settle downwards.
Send in the clones
Surface Pro 8: Competition
Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable (2021). Source: Windows Key
Depending on how yous feel most the overall pattern of Surface Pro'south tablet + PC features, there are a few worthy alternatives out there.
Showtime is Surface Pro 10, which originated this updated pattern. The new Wi-Fi-only model for $899 is the alternative to the non-existent Core i3 Surface Pro viii for consumers. It has worse functioning due to that crumbling Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen ii/Microsoft SQ2 ARM processor, only it makes up for it with a few actress hours of battery life plus 4G LTE. You don't become haptic pen compatibility, only information technology is slightly thinner and lighter.
Aimed more as businesses, in that location is Dell's Breadth 7320 Detachable. Information technology has a more flimsy kickstand, but you get Thunderbolt 4, a 13-inch display (just full Hard disk drive), 11th Gen Intel and a 5MP total HD camera. The battery is smaller, though, at 40WHr.
Lenovo also has its new ThinkPad X12 Detachable, which is like to Surface Pro but aimed at enterprise. It has a lower-res full Hard disk brandish and some weak speakers but brings all of Lenovo's magic over, including its famed "smile" keyboard design. In that location are also options for 4G.
HP besides has the Surface Pro-like Elite X2 G8, likewise with Intel 11th Gen and even an optional 3,000x2,000 resolution in a 13-inch display. You become iii Type-C ports, with 2 being Thunderbolt 4.
If you want just a traditional clamshell laptop, Surface Laptop 4 13-inch with Intel is a skillful option every bit you'll get similar performance. Indeed, all of our best Ultrabook picks are worthy alternatives.
Information technology's terrific
Should yous buy the Surface Pro 8?
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Key
Who it'south for
- Content creators
- Artists, notetakers, designers
- People who desire a light and compact Windows PC
Who information technology isn't for
- Gamers
- People who demand a discrete NVIDIA GPU
I've been using Surface Pro since its incarnation in 2022. Information technology was a rough start at commencement as the thought was ahead of the hardware in those days resulting in terrible bombardment life and some awkward tradeoffs. Only Microsoft persevered, and it was between Surface Pro 3 and Pro 4 where the thought finally began to click with consumers.
Nearly a decade on and Surface Pro 8, I'd argue, realizes that original idea of what this device could be. Sure, the tablet angle has waned with the demise of Windows eight, but the utility and convenience of Surface Pro's design is an essential option in the body of water of laptop PCs. Not everyone needs to love it, but a lot of united states do.
Simply what makes Surface Pro 8 so good is Microsoft simply did what fans accept been asking for: Thunderbolt four, 120Hz display, improved inking, better performance, thinner bezels, etc. These were all at the top of people's lists of how Surface Pro could be better, and now they're hither.
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Yeah, gaming is nonetheless a challenge, simply at to the lowest degree you can at present utilise an eGPU with an NVIDIA RTX 3080 GPU for your desktop setup and game like a dominate, all from a single PC. And deject streaming for Xbox games is as well condign a reality.
At that place are some small-scale gripes: Battery life is still not astonishing, multi-core performance is lagging, and in that location is a fan. Apple has solved some of these with its M1 processor, although even the 2022 iPad Pro 12.nine gets merely six hours at max brightness and when set at fifty% brightness just eight hours and 35 minutes. That'due south proficient, only not exactly miles ahead of Surface Pro viii, the superior PC.
Where does Surface Pro get from here? Adding AR to the glass and getting better processors is all that is needed. A microSD slot would exist OK, but its use is diminishing each yr. While LTE is nice, information technology is odd non to offer 5G in 2022 (my bet is Surface Pro 10 gets it first).
Microsoft is likely to ride this new Surface Pro design for the adjacent three to five years. The practiced news is they did it correct. Falling into a bicycle of minor processor improvements and refinements will be A-OK.
Just requite me AR, side by side time, kthxbai.
Surface Pro 8
Basically perfect
Bottom line: Surface Pro 8 finally hits its full potential with the all-new redesign for 2022. With Thunderbolt four, optional LTE, 120Hz display, new haptic Slim Pen, 11th Gen Intel, and a new graphite colorway this is a worthwhile upgrade.
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