Microsoft Surface Pro Review

Specs

CPUIntel Core i7 7660U
Operating SystemWindows 10 Pro
RAM16GB
RAM Upgradable to
Hard Drive Size1 TB
Hard Drive Speedn/a
Hard Drive TypeSSD
Secondary Hard Drive Size
Secondary Hard Drive Speed
Secondary Hard Drive Type
Display Size12.3
Highest Available Resolution
Native Resolution2736 x 1824
Optical DriveNone
Optical Drive Speedn/a
Graphics CardIntel Iris Plus Graphics 640
Video MemoryShared
Wi-Fi802.11ac
Wi-Fi ModelWi-Fi: 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking, IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n compatible,
BluetoothBluetooth 4.1
Mobile Broadband
Touchpad Size4 x 2.9-inches
Ports (excluding USB)USB 3.0
Ports (excluding USB)Surface Connect
Ports (excluding USB)Mini DisplayPort
Ports (excluding USB)Headset
USB Ports
Card SlotsmicroSD
Warranty/Support1 year standard warranty
Size11.50 x 7.93 x 0.33 inches
Weight1.73 pounds 2.39 pounds with Type Cover
Company Websitehttp://www.microsoft.com

Design: If it ain't broke, don't fix it

Not wanting to tempt fate by messing with an exceptional design, Microsoft made the new Surface Pro look almost identical to the previous two models.
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) 
Sure, the company has rounded off a few edges to make the Surface Pro a little curvier and more pleasant to hold, but all the familiar elements are here, including the kickstand, power button, volume rocker and front-facing speakers.
The one noticeable change is on the kickstand, which now opens all the way to 165 degrees. This lets the Surface Pro transform from a standard laptop into a low-profile drawing surface, giving you a drawing experience like what you get on a Surface Studio, but in a much more compact body.
Measuring 11.50 x 7.93 x 0.33 inches and weighing 2.39 pounds (including the Type Cover), the Surface Pro is noticeably lighter than standard laptops or 2-in-1s, even ones as svelte the 2.7-pound Dell XPS 13 or the 2.85-pound HP Spectre x360. Meanwhile, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is ever-so-slightly lighter and thinner, at 12 x 8.7 x 0.27 inches and 1.57 pounds.
Like the Surface Laptop, the Surface Pen and Signature Type Cover are available in platinum, burgundy, cobalt blue and gold, which is a nice touch since the Surface Pro itself comes only in gray.

Ports: Where's my USB-C?

Connectivity on the new Surface Pro hasn't changed a bit. You get one USB 3.0 port with an old-school Type-A connector, a mini DisplayPort, a headset jack, a Surface Connect port and a microSD card reader hidden behind the kickstand.
That's pretty disappointing, because there's no option for USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 ports, which almost every other premium 2-in-1 offers. So, you can plug in one accessory while using the Surface Connect port to recharge the system, but that's about it.
Microsoft says it chose not to put a USB-C connector on the Surface Pro because consumers don't understand the value of the new port. However, that reasoning seems flimsy, because Microsoft featured a USB-C port on the Lumia 950 back in 2015. On top of that, a company as large and influential as Microsoft should be influencing connectivity standards instead of kicking the can down the road.

Display: Pixel perfect

The Surface Pro's 12.3-inch PixelSense display is simply one of the best LCD panels on the market. With a resolution of 2736 x 1824, it looks exceedingly sharp, and its 3:2 aspect ratio strikes the right balance between offering enough vertical screen real estate for when you want to get work done and still being wide enough that you won't be too distracted by letterboxing when you want to watch some movies.

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