Why the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 Is the Best PC Tablet Money Can Buy
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Microsoft forever changed the portable PC landscape when they introduced the world to the original Surface. The device was quite a sight back in the day, featuring a unique metal kickstand and a snap-on keyboard — a duo of features that defined the product for the following decade and still do. Over a decade later, they've launched the Surface 9 Pro — featuring loads of exciting design and hardware updates.
• 12th-generation Intel Core i5, Core i7 CPU; Intel Iris Xe graphics
• 13-inch PixelSense Flow touchscreen (2,880 x 1,920 pixels), 3:2 aspect ratio, 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision
• Up to 32GB of RAM, up to 1TB SSD
• Two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4; Surface Connect port
Surface Pro 9
amazon.com
$993.81
amazon.comI spent more than a month with the Surface Pro 9 as my go-to computer in and out of work. I used the product in office, on-the-go, and home settings, and it excelled. This is the 2-in-1 PC to get — here's why:
DESIGN: 9/10
Like many new iterations of devices, there's no telling the all-metal Surface 9 Pro apart from its predecessor at first glance — and that's totally fine. Its screen has slim side bezels and slightly more prominent top and bottom ones (in landscape mode) to accommodate the front-facing camera tech and the detachable keyboard. The thicker bezels match in size, giving the device a uniform look any way you hold it in tablet mode.
Even though it looks identical to the Surface Pro 8, the Pro 9 brings two significant design changes — one good and one that's a little underwhelming. We'll get to the good stuff first — the Pro 9 is available in two new striking colors, forest and sapphire (pictured here). The appropriately named forest color is a beautiful green tone that's more saturated than the sage color option of the entry-level Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2. Ditching the standard audio jack is the not-so-great design change. The Pro 8 has the functionality, yet the indistinguishable follow-up lacks it. Although an external accessory is an affordable option to get the audio jack back to the Pro 9, nothing beats having the feature built-in.
Speaking of external accessories, the must-have Surface Pro Signature Keyboard is now available in forest and sapphire colors that perfectly match the Pro 9. However, given how essential the snap-on keyboard is for using the product on the move, we wish it was included in its retail package instead of costing extra — the same goes for the Surface Slim Pen 2.
As expected from a product in its price range, the Surface Pro is exceptionally crafted. The device's sleek aluminum housing and Gorilla Glass-covered screen are durable and pleasant to interact with. Its adjustable kickstand is sturdy and equally reliable to use on a flat surface or in your lap with the Signature Keyboard attached.
DISPLAY: 9/10
Unsurprisingly, the 13-inch PixelSense Flow touchscreen of the Surface Pro 9 is excellent. It's sharp and capable of producing deep contrast and stellar brightness. Thanks to a 3:2 aspect ratio, the screen is also perfect for multitasking — I liked viewing apps and documents side by side while using the Pro 9.
The display panel has a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz for faster and smoother interactions, just like the screen of the Surface 8 Pro. The functionality makes scrolling through web pages, documents, and social media feeds, among many other everyday tasks, more enjoyable. On the other hand, its Dolby Vision compatibility made watching enhanced content on Netflix noticeably more dramatic.
As expected, the Surface 9 Pro screen is also tailor-made for the Microsoft Surface Slim Pen 2. The optional accessory delivers haptic feedback, making all interactions feel precise and satisfying.
PERFORMANCE: 8/10
Microsoft equipped the latest Surface Pro with 12th-generation 10-core Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, which are more capable than the 11th-generation silicon that powers the Pro 8. The slate can effortlessly conquer demanding productivity tasks and projects even in entry-level guise with a Core i5 chip and 8 GB of RAM.
I tested the higher-end version, equipped with an Intel Core i7 chip and 16 GB of RAM, during several incredibly busy workweeks in November and December. My workflow consists of an open browser with 10-15 active tabs, modifying images in Affinity Photo, cranking out emails and Slack messages, editing text, participating in remote work sessions, and keeping tabs on social media — and the Surface 9 Pro aced it all, allowing me to switch between all tasks at rapid speed.
When it comes to sound, the Dolby Atmos-capable stereo speakers produced a surprisingly boomy sound during my testing, especially considering how thin it is. Its front- and rear-facing cameras performed exceptionally during remote work sessions, as did its onboard microphones.
With up-to-date Wi-Fi 6E, the slate took full advantage of my home's pricey gigabit internet plan. The 2-in-1 PC also linked flawlessly to a few sets of wireless earbuds, courtesy of Bluetooth 5.1.
The duo of Thunderbolt 4-compatible USB-C ports of the Pro 9 allowed it to deliver fast data transfer speeds to and from external storage drives. I also relied on the wired connectivity to link the slate to a 4K monitor at my work desk, seamlessly transforming it into a full-blown desktop computer with a wireless keyboard and mouse.
During my testing, the battery performance of the Surface Pro 9 ranged from excellent to adequate. Like many other devices, lowering the brightness of its screen below 50% and disabling the 120 Hz refresh rate helped me get through an entire workday between charges. Although I couldn't quite reach Microsoft's claim of up to 15.5 hours, given that such feats are usually accomplished in lab scenarios with perfect Wi-Fi and low screen brightness, I didn't try to. Cranking up the brightness and enabling smoother interactions significantly impacted the PC's battery endurance. Beginning my day with these Pro 9 settings around 8 am guaranteed that I had to look for its charger around 2 pm.
Having said that, power-ups were always fast and easy with the bundled Surface Connect charger or a third-party adapter and cable via the device's USB-C ports. The latter also makes using compatible battery packs easy.
WRAP-UP
There's no doubt that the Microsoft Surface 9 Pro is the best PC tablet you can buy right now — and that's by a considerable margin. Even though the product has been on the market for a decade giving rival PC makers plenty of time to catch up, no competitor offers the same amalgam of elegance, power, and versatility as the latest Surface Pro. And it's important to remember that like every Microsoft Surface, the Pro 9 offers a clutter-free Windows experience sans bloatware, unlike rivals from other brands.
If you're a PC user looking for the convenience of a touchscreen device and the power of a desktop rig, this is the device to get. Pricing starts at $999 for an entry-level Surface Pro 9 with an Intel Core i5 chip with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.
If ultimate mobility and longer battery life are your top priorities, consider the Qualcomm-powered Surface Pro 9 version. It's not as powerful as the Intel iterations, but it has 5G, a fancier front-facing camera with automatic framing for video calls, and longer battery life.
Lastly, the Pro Signature keyboard and the Surface Pen cost extra, but deals and discounts occur pretty frequently. You can also save a pretty penny by buying the accessories as a bundle.
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