The Surface Pro 8 is Microsoft’s top of the line laptop. It is the best 2-in-1 that they make and this year’s update just took the Surface Pro 8 a notch higher. For the longest time, the Surface line-up pretty much looked the same, with the chunky bezels and a boxy design.
Complains were made and Microsoft responded with the Surface Pro X. This device was everything that people had been asking for especially on the design aspect, but it lacked in one area. It was an ARM based device meaning that most X86 apps were not supported. This led to a lot of disappointment.
But this year, they finally did it with the Surface Pro 8. The chunky bezels have been eliminated, they finally delivered on 120Hz refresh rate and this device now features Thunderbolt 4. These are just but a few of the crucial updates that Microsoft made. In this article, we are going to review the Surface Pro 8, its pros and cons and I will finally give you my final verdict.
Specs.
- Screen: 13” PixelSense™ Flow Display
- Resolution: 2880 x 1920 (267 PPI)
- Up to 120Hz refresh rate (60Hz default)
- Aspect ratio: 3:2
- RAM – 8GB, 16GB AND 32GB
- Quad-core 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7 Processor
- Quad-core 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1185G7 Processor
- i5 and i7 options with storage 256GB and above built on the Intel® Evo™ platform
- Comes with Windows Hello face Sign-in
- Windows 11 Home
- Storage – 512GB or 1TB (Removable SSD options 128GB OR 256GB)
- Up to 16 hours of battery life
- Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics (i5, i7)
- 5.0MP Front-Facing camera with 1080P FHD Video.
- 10.0MP rear-facing camera capable of shooting up to 4k.
- 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos.
- Dual far-field studio Mics.
- Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax compatible
- Bluetooth – Wireless 5.1 technology
- Materials – Casing: Signature anodized aluminum
- Colors – Graphite, Platinum4
- Starts from $1099
Design language.
There is no doubt that the Surface Pro 8 is a well-crafted piece of machine. Although the 2-in-1 design is appealing, this device is made specifically for a niche group of people. Sure, you can get one but how practical is it in your regular workflow? Even at that starting price of $1099, Microsoft still has the audacity to ship the device without the Surface Pro signature keyboard and the Surface Slim pen 2. They are sold as separately yet they are the very same accessories needed to complete the device. Microsoft should really take note of this.
Other than that, the Surface Pro 8 is coated in anodized aluminum which has been a trend in the industry for premium devices. At the back, we have a 10MP camera capable of shooting up to 4K. This is an overall improvement from its predecessor which had an 8MP camera. All things considered, it takes above average photos and you can definitely get by scanning some documents.
At the Front we have a 5MP camera which is capable of shooting up to 1080P. In contrast with most PCs in the market, this front camera is definitely one of the best. You can be sure to get by a Zoom meeting well enough. The microphones located on the front part also offer an excellent audio quality. As part of the front camera system, we have an infrared camera for windows hello facial recognition sign-in. Works like a charm every time.
Display, Ports and battery life.
The Surface Pro 8 comes with a 13” PixelSense Flow display which is the ideal size for a 2-in-1 device. One of the most anticipated features which Microsoft was lagging behind on is the addition of 120Hz refresh rate. Nearly all devices from phones to next-gen consoles feature a higher refresh rate from the standard 60Hz. What this means is faster response time coupled with a buttery smooth user experience.
On the downside, a higher refresh rate means a lower battery life. This is another area where Microsoft let us down. Most devices feature an adaptive refresh rate. This means that the device is able to vary the refresh rate depending on the content being viewed. For example, when reading articles, the refresh rate can be lowered up to 10Hz. But when gaming, the maximum refresh rate is utilized. A good example of this is Apple’s Pro motion display technology. This is another sector where Microsoft needs to up its game.
The battery life on this device is hands down impressive. Microsoft claims up to 16 hours but this is under very minimal load. Under normal usage, you can expect around 13 hours which is good enough, but if you switch to 120Hz you should expect even lower numbers.
The port selection in this device is good enough by todays standards. It features two Thunderbolt 4 ports which is absolutely amazing. This means that you can connect high speed SSDs, EGPUs and multiple 4K monitors. Below the Thunderbolt ports, we have the Surface connect port which delivers power. In addition to that, it also provides the Surface Pro 8 with access to special docks. This device also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack and a Surface type cover port. That’s it for the ports in this device.
Why should you consider buying this laptop?
As I stated earlier, the Surface Pro 8 is specifically designed for a niche group of people. It really depends on your workflow. If you are a heavy user of creative apps such as Adobe Photoshop or procreate, you can take advantage of the touch screen and the Surface Slim Pen 2. The 120Hz refresh rate is just the cherry on top. If you fancy portability, fashion and 2-in-1 devices, then this device suits you.
At just 891g (without the Surface Pro signature keyboard), this device is a sheer pleasure to walk around with. It is as light as these devices can get. There is no denying that the guy with a Surface device in a coffee shop often looks classy. Surface devices give an impression of elegance and style which is what most people are looking for. All in all, the Surface Pro 8 is a well-crafted 2-in-1 PC, which you should consider buying. At that price point, the Surface Pro 8 competes with the Ipad Pro 12”. If you are torn between which device to buy, I would highly suggest reading our article on the new M1 Ipad Pro 12”
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