Microsoft Surface Pro 9 review: 5G pricing

Depending on the model you choose, Surface Pro 9 is either a capable laptop/tablet hybrid built for the home or office, or a long-lasting 5G machine designed to take you to work almost anywhere. Masu. I spent the better part of his week testing the latter version, and found that the always-on connection and superior battery life came at some significant sacrifices.

No matter which Surface Pro 9 you buy, get the latest version of your favorite 2-in-1 laptop with a great display, versatile design, and great keyboard and stylus experience for those who want to splurge on accessories. Enjoy. However, not all flavors of this flexible notebook are created equal, so choosing the wrong one can leave you terribly disappointed.

Proven design (now in color!)

Surface Pro 9 follows the same reliable design that made last year’s model your favorite 2-in-1 laptop. The aluminum body is sturdy yet lightweight, the flexible kickstand lets you instantly transform from a laptop to a nearly flat drawing canvas, and for the first time, the tablet is available in some fun colors. I won’t lie, the new Sapphire and Forest options look gorgeous in the photos, so I was disappointed that my review unit was the same old Silver (or Graphite if you prefer something darker) option is also back). Considering the new iPad Pro is still limited to a silver hue, we’re glad to see the Surface Pro 9 offers some more pop options. I also love blue.

We also like that the Surface’s new colors are complemented by the optional Signature Keyboards ($180 alone, $280 with Slim Pen 2) that let you mix and match and create a clean, unified look . Also, most older Surface Pro keyboards will still work if you upgrade.

Microsoft’s detachable keyboard connects to your Surface with a simple and satisfying magnetic snap, while still feeling great, with resilient keys and a soft-touch Alcantara coating to keep your wrists comfortable during long hours of typing. . We also appreciate that the top of the keyboard is stuffed with a little nook for the Surface Slim Pen 2. Not only does this keep your stylus charged and out of sight when you don’t need it, but it’s also a safer solution than magnetics. Hang the pen on the side, like on the iPad Pro.

Great display and pen experience

The Surface Pro 9’s display is the same as last year’s model, which means it’s better. Thanks to the fast 120Hz refresh rate, the mouse cursor moves smoothly across the screen, and I love how the hours of sports and YouTube videos I watch on this device look colorful and crisp. The Pro 9’s top and bottom display borders are still a little thicker than I’d like (especially coming from the near-seamless iPad Pro), but it’s still a great screen, and when you put your pen down, It really comes alive. in addition.

I tested the Pro 9 with the $130 Surface Slim Pen 2, which provided the best stylus experience on a tablet. Microsoft’s premium pen has advanced haptics built in to better simulate the feel of the virtual tool you’re using, whether it’s a pencil or a paintbrush. I’m no artist, but doodling on Microsoft’s 13-inch slate felt great, and I found it much more satisfying than the static experience I get with the Apple Pencil on my iPad or the S Pen on my Galaxy Tab. We also appreciate that the Slim Pen 2 has programmable physical buttons on the front and back. I found it more reliable than the $129 Apple Pencil 2’s tap-based controls for things like changing tools and undoing actions.

Samsung’s S Pen (included with the Galaxy Tab S8 series) earns points for additional features such as the ability to translate text just by hovering over it, but it’s also great for taking notes or drawing on a digital screen. When it comes to drawing and drawing, there’s nothing better than this. Microsoft stylus.

Amazing battery life and ample webcam

The 5G-based Surface Pro 9 I tested doesn’t offer the best performance (more on that later), but it makes up for it with really good battery life. Microsoft’s 2-in-1 lasted 11 hours and 43 minutes of 4K video playback in our battery test, beating top Windows laptops like the Dell XPS 13 (8:31) and nearly twice as long as the new iPad Pro M2. I did (6:10). This device can be used all day on the go, an ideal feature for a 5G-enabled laptop designed to work from anywhere. We haven’t tested the Intel-based Pro 9 version, but based on our experience with similar machines, you can expect battery life to be affected if you choose a more powerful processor.

The Surface Pro 9’s 1080p webcam is very good, producing selfies as sharp as the Dell XPS 13, but slightly less sharp than the MacBook Air M2. I was able to have regular video calls without any problems. The integrated Windows Hello feature made it easy to log into the machine by simply scanning my face. The Pro 9’s rear 10-megapixel camera is relatively blurry and dull compared to your average smartphone, but I’m not sure how many people are running around holding a 13-inch tablet in their hands taking photos.

The Surface Pro 9 comes in two flavors, one with an Intel processor that delivers the kind of performance you’d expect from a mainstream laptop, and one with Microsoft’s SQ3 chip that trades speed for speed. It offers cellular 5G capabilities that allow you to connect online. Anywhere, even without Wi-Fi. I tested the latter model and quickly realized the sacrifices I was making for the always-on connection.

Surface Pro 9 units with SQ3 felt sluggish right out of the box, and even basic operations like typing text into Slack or sorting emails could feel frustratingly slow. . That’s not to say that this version of Pro 9 is completely unusable. Daily split-screen multitasking worked smoothly. But for a machine starting at $1,300, you’d expect much better performance.

These impressive speeds are backed up by benchmark tests where Microsoft’s 2-in-1 consistently lagged behind the competition. In the Geekbench 5 single-core test (a good measure of a laptop’s basic productivity gains), the Pro 9’s relatively low score of 1,122 is about 22% lower than the Intel Core i5-powered Dell XPS 13 , a whopping 40% slower than the incredible performance you get from the M2-powered (and similarly priced) MacBook Air and iPad Pro. Even last year’s Surface Pro 8, which we tested with a previous-generation Intel Core i7 processor, was faster than the Pro 9 in the single-core test. Our Surface Pro 9 model couldn’t even run the graphics part of his Geekbench 5. So don’t expect too much light gaming (unless you’re streaming from the cloud) or video editing.

The Surface Pro 9 5G’s battery life is great, but if you can live with a little less durability and no cellular connectivity, we highly recommend getting the Intel-based model.

If you own a Surface Pro 8, there’s no reason to upgrade this year.This is virtually the same device Microsoft released in his 2021 year, but with a new processor, some new color options, and even more. few The number of ports has increased compared to the previous model. The Pro 9 still has the same two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and its own Surface Connect charging port, but it also ditches the headphone jack, so you’ll have to rely on Bluetooth headphones or a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter. Must be selected. Although this trend is becoming more common in mainstream tablets and laptops, the latest MacBooks still have headphone jacks, and Dell at least provides a free adapter for the jackless XPS 13.

Surface Pro 7 owners benefit considerably by upgrading to Pro 9 with a smoother 120Hz screen, sleek design with thinner display bezels, and more USB-C ports. can make it, right. But for those clinging to Pro 6 and earlier, you’ll see the biggest leap forward here. With the Pro 9, the modern era finally arrives with USB-C connectivity and vastly improved performance and battery life.

Surface Pro 9 ships with Windows 11, Microsoft’s recently released operating system. Windows 11 brings a much-needed visual refresh to Windows, along with a wealth of useful multitasking features and general quality of life improvements. The problem is that the Pro 9 is designed for a mouse and keyboard, so it’s not that great as a standalone tablet.

There’s no dedicated tablet mode like Windows 10. This means you have to manually navigate through the software’s relatively small icons and menus to do anything. It feels like a touchscreen on a laptop without a keyboard, and it’s a far cry from the intuitive, touch-friendly navigation of something like the iPad Pro. Surface Pro 9 really shines when connected to the great Signature Keyboard. Also, pair it with Slim Pen 2 for the best pen experience. But it costs an additional $280 and requires turning it into an actual computer.

Surface Pro 9 is a great 2-in-1 laptop, especially if you’re buying a Surface for the first time or upgrading from Pro 7 or earlier. However, this is only if you choose the right model. I think I’d recommend the Intel version for most people, unless you absolutely need constant 5G connectivity or can tolerate moderate performance in exchange for battery life. Prices start at a cheaper $1,000 and should offer at least slightly better speeds than the much more expensive $1,300 5G version. This price difference is especially noticeable considering that you’ll need to pay an additional $280 for the keyboard and pen to get the most out of this machine.

If you just want a great Windows laptop, the Dell XPS 13 (starting at $1,000) gives you more than enough money for the money without having to splurge on additional accessories. And if you’re primarily looking for a powerful tablet to replace your laptop, the iPad Pro (starting at $800) is unmatched in terms of performance. We also highly recommend considering the nearly similar and often discounted Surface Pro 8 (starting at $800), which launched last year. It’s not very fast, but it has the benefit of a headphone jack. But for everyone else who is willing to spend money to buy the best detachable Windows laptop, especially for drawing and sketching, the Surface Pro 9 is the best. Of course, if you set it up properly.