Introduction Microsoft Surface Pro or Surface Laptop:
Meet the new Microsoft Surface Pro and the new Surface laptop powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite or plus processors, the first co-pilot plus PCs to land here at CNET.
I’m going to go into whether you should upgrade, what I like and dislike, and more importantly, demo some of the new co-pilot AI features. There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s get to it.
The Surface Pro and laptop are similar but definitely not the same. So while there’s some overlap, they’re different devices for different users.
I’m team Surface Pro because it really is the best example of a Windows detachable 2-in-1. And the laptop, while good, is well, a laptop, and there are lots of them to choose from.
The Surface Pro is essentially the same device it’s…
Surface Pro 11:
The Surface Pro is a Windows tablet PC with a built-in kickstand, detachable keyboard, and stylus. This model costs $1,500 and comes with a Snapdragon X Elite processor, 16GB of memory, 512GB of storage, and an OLED display.
The base config, which starts at $1,000, comes with a Snapdragon X Plus chip and an LCD display instead of OLED. The Surface Pro Flex keyboard and Pen are an additional $450, while the regular version costs $280. Neither is automatically bundled, adding to the overall cost.
I’m not a fan of the pen, which feels fine on the display but can get uncomfortable to hold after a while. The nib also rattles slightly. The OLED display, on the other hand, is worth upgrading for, with a default Vivid setting that covers 99% P3 and a peak brightness of 574 nits.
In terms of performance, the Surface Pro’s multi-core processing is comparable to Intel Core Ultra 7 laptops and the M3 MacBook Air. However, Apple’s upcoming M4 chip may leave this Qualcomm chip behind. We’ve only had these devices for about a week, but we’re seeing great results so far.
The performance and battery life are great, with roughly 13 hours in our tests on the Surface Pro. This is a nice compact package, with beautiful hardware that feels solid in your hands. Having a 13-in tablet with a desktop operating system and OLED display is a better option than a mobile OS for getting work done.
However, I do wish the keyboard and Pen were included for $1,500. If you need better battery life, consider the Surface Laptop instead.
Surface Laptop 7:
The Surface Laptop is another story, with the 13.8-inch model we tested running for just under 20 hours. It also offers competitive performance to the Surface Pro, making it a great option.
The configuration we tested costs $2,000 and comes with an elite chip, 32GB of memory, and a 1TB SSD. However, it’s worth noting that both the Surface Pro and Laptop are not ideal for gaming or demanding content creation.
The Qualcomm Adreno GPU is roughly on par with Intel’s integrated Arc graphics, making it suitable for less demanding games and cloud gaming. However, it’s not designed for heavy gaming or content creation.
Aside from performance, the Surface Laptop is a well-built device with a stiff and solid metal body. The keyboard and touchpad are comfortable and responsive, making it a great option for productivity.
One drawback is the lack of an OLED display option, but the LCD touchscreen is good and covers 96% of P3 at its default Vivid setting. However, it doesn’t support pen input, so if you need that feature, the Surface Pro is a better option.
Now, let’s talk about the NPU, the Neural Processing Unit, which enables AI-powered features and improves overall performance.
AI Features:
The Neural Processing Unit (NPU) is designed to help with AI tasks and is a key feature of co-pilot plus PCs. Co-pilot is an AI chatbot that can perform various tasks, and it’s easy to launch from the taskbar or with the co-pilot key.
There are other AI-powered features baked into the system, including Recall, which has been delayed due to privacy concerns. Recall is designed to keep track of your activities so you can quickly find things using co-pilot.
Another AI tool is Restyle, which can take photos and recreate them in different styles. For example, you can open a photo in the Photos app, edit it, and select AI to access various restyling options.
Restyle offers various options, including Fantasy, Surrealism, and Impressionist. The NPU kicks in to help with processing, allowing you to quickly experiment with different styles.
Another feature is Studio Effects, which can be used for video chats. Studio Effects offers various options, including automatic framing, portrait light, and eye contact.
Automatic framing will zoom in on you and adjust as you move. Portrait light adjusts the lighting on your face, while eye contact tracks your eyes to make it look like you’re always looking at the camera.
Background effects like blur can also be applied to hide cluttered backgrounds. The NPU takes care of the processing, speeding up overall performance and extending battery life.
In summary, these AI tools can be useful for various tasks, and the NPU helps take the load off the CPU and GPU.
Final Thoughts:
Final Thoughts on the Surface Pro and Laptop:
For the Surface Pro, you get an excellent OLED display, very good battery life, great NPU performance, and competitive CPU performance. However, I’m not a fan of paying up to $450 for a keyboard and Pen.
For the Surface Laptop, you get up to 20 hours of battery life, a nice keyboard and touchpad, really good build quality, and strong NPU and CPU performance. The only drawback is the lack of an OLED display option.
Conclusion:
The Surface Pro and Laptop are the first of many co-pilot plus PCs rolling out this year. Even if you’re not interested in the AI aspects, you’ll still get a fast laptop with long battery life.