Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Review

[quick_offer id=34975]

Review Score

[review]

[wpsm_inline_list][/wpsm_inline_list]

Overview

Microsoft has hammered home the entire “Surface tablets can change your laptop” mantra for a long time now, so much so that it’s lost most of its meaning. Sure, the statement is correct, Surface Pro’s are excellent machines, if relatively expensive, however, I feel like Microsoft must get the hint that we know this already. The thing is, the latest Microsoft Surface Pro 4 not only replaces your laptop, however, your desktop and notepad too, but it’s also one hell of an all-encompassing device.

Specifications

Design

Without a huge difference in design or function from the Surface Pro 3 before it, Surface Pro 4 is a 12.3-inch tablet. The optional detachable keyboard supports set this device apart from different tablets, providing up to a decent laptop expertise as nicely, and the built-in kickstand goes a long way to making this possible. One small design tweak that’s welcome, although, is the addition of a few magnets on the left-hand facet. These hold the Surface Pen that is included with the device – firmly to the side of the device. How firmly? Strongly sufficient that, on a flat desk, I can drag the Surface Pro 4 along just by holding the pen and pulling. It isn’t quite as safe as an internal docking slot, but it comes close enough for me to quit complaining about not having a place to put the pen.

Keyboard and Trackpad

Microsoft managed to substantially widen the spacing between the keys for a chiclet-style approach. What this does is make keeping track of which keys your fingers are on by feeling a lot easier, and it permits for each key to be individually backlit. The new Type Cover is also barely thicker and far more rigid than before, allowing for deeper key travel and punchier feedback – to not mention a sturdier, quieter surface to type on – that brings it a lot closer to the actual laptop keyboard. Panay’s team also managed to widen the touchpad and coat it in glass rather than plastic.

Display

The 12.3in screen is brilliant, almost painfully so, with beautiful color accuracy and contrast. It also has an excessive resolution of 2736×1824 pixels, although that’s generally as much of a hindrance as it’s a benefit. Although the advantages of a high-resolution screen are obvious, some Windows applications still haven’t been updated to take advantage of all these pixels, so hazy, pixelated graphics or unreadably small text are still recurring problems, although not quite as common compared to simply a year ago.

Audio and Graphics

Modern laptops could learn a thing or two from the Surface Pro 4, whose dual, front-facing speakers located on both side of the screen project audio toward your ears, rather of to the sides or inside a desk like some other systems make. The speakers aren’t super loud. However, they will fill a medium-sized room fairly nicely, and the re’s almost no distortion. The Intel HD Graphics 520 in the SP4’s sixth Gen Core i5 chip is a significant improve from previous integrated solutions. That doesn’t mean each game is going to do nicely at its native resolution of 2736 x 1824.

Hardware and Performance

The largest knock against the Surface Pro 4 is that it looks just like the Surface Pro 3. However honestly, that’s not a big complaint since the Pro 3 still appears like a wonder of engineering today. Their frames are similarly thick and weigh at or near 800 grams making them a tad heavier and thicker than most large tablets. Unfortunately, Microsoft didn’t add a lot in the way of ports. The re’s still only one USB 3.0 socket and a Mini DisplayPort, which could pose a drawback for road warriors with lots of peripherals. Wherever you’re in that boat, while, you are probably also traveling with a USB hub. The re’s a microSD card slot supporting the kickstand, which lets you add up to 128GB of extra storage. However, the most demanding workstation level tasks. Our system came provided with a 2.4GHz Core i5 6300U dual-core processor, 8GB of memory, and a 256GB SSD and

The Surface Pro 4 has a fan. However, it never became loud sufficient to be intrusive unless we pushed it with something demanding such as our video editing test. Even then, it wasn’t as flawed as another Windows tablets which not only have big fans but also pump out uncomfortable amounts of fan via their cooling events.

Battery Life

The compromises Microsoft has made with Surface Pro 4 are cheap and similar to these of the Surface Pro 3. It’s a little bit quicker than this year’s MacBook Air, however in our battery exams gave out after 7hrs 41minutes. Out in the real world, you may probably squeeze about eight hours of regular use out of it – not relatively a full day, for most people, however close.

Configuration Option

Please Microsoft, provide a bundle that comes with a keyboard, because without it, the Surface isn’t going to replace anybody’s laptop, and the not-so-optional accessory provides an extra $130 to the actual price. Models begin at $899 (without a Type Cover) for an Intel Core M3 CPU with 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD and may cost up to an unusual $2,699 for 16GB of RAM and Intel Core i7, 1TB SSD. The 512GB SSD option needs at least an i5 CPU, However actually, unless you wish to have a lot of processing you will never use, our i5, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD evaluate unit hits the sweet spot regarding price and efficiency, at $1,429 with a Type Cover.

Conclusion

The Surface Pro 4 builds on the very best parts of the Surface Pro 3, and it lastly delivers a solid typing experience with the revamped Type Cover (which is unfortunately sold separately). It’s the perfect hybrid tablet in practically each way it’s as light as a tablet, however as productive as any laptop. The only problem is you are stuck with ordinary battery life.

As good because the Pro 3 was, working on Windows 8.1 performed it a practical product. The Pro 4 should view the Microsoft’s hybrid vision ultimately realized on the fourth time of asking. After spending The Best a part of two weeks with the newest Surface, that magic moment has patently declined to miss. While an update comes along and fixes the problems I’ve been having with the Pro 4, I’ll happily re-evaluate it.

Where To Buy

[quick_offer id=34975]

We hope you love the article ‘Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Review’ Stay tuned for more updates.

Read Next ⇒ Microsoft Surface Pro 5 Release Date and Rumors