How to choose the best Microsoft Surface laptop or tablet (2021)

This is the closest simulation to Apple’s MacBook Pro series. Thanks to the standard 10th generation Intel processor and the optional independent Nvidia GPU in the keyboard dock, you will get the amazing performance of a portable device. In addition, you can also get the expected Surface product suite-Windows Hello, gorgeous high-resolution screen, luxurious backlit keyboard and large, silky smooth glass trackpad.

Surface Book 3 is available in a 13-inch or 15-inch package. In our battery test, the 13-inch model lasted about 12 hours. In our actual test, we can easily use it for a full working day before it needs to be plugged in.

Specifications to look for: 13 inches, Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD.

This is a streamlined, cute little laptop, I dare say, it is to the Surface Laptop what the Surface Go 2 is to the Surface Pro. In other words, the nickname “Go” means that the emphasis is on portability and price, not power. Surface Laptop Go (7/10, wired recommendation) Will not amaze you by benchmarking, but it is very portable and stylish. It is also fun to use.

It is small and slender, with clean lines, and gives a solid feel-which is rare at this price point. The top is aluminum, and the bottom is polycarbonate resin, which is harder and stronger than typical laptop plastic. It feels like a $1,000 laptop, but it does make some compromises to keep the price so low. The biggest is a substandard screen, not even a high-definition (1080p) resolution. This means that the text may appear slightly pixelated.

Nevertheless, if you like the portability of the Surface Go hybrid, but want a more traditional clamshell design, the Surface Laptop Go is a good choice. There are three available configurations, all using the same Intel i5 chip, but with different RAM and SSD sizes. The middle option is the most valuable, offering 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of SSD. The low-end model costs $550, but it only has 4 GB of RAM, which won’t let you go too far now.

Specifications to look for: Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD.

Although the Surface series has never been as diverse as it is now, there are still some flaws that may affect your enjoyment of the shiny new Microsoft computer. When you add the device to the shopping cart, the first annoyance begins. If you are buying a Surface and want to use the famous, Fabulous face pen With it, you need to purchase it separately. In the past few years, both Surface Pro and Surface Book included Pen, but this is no longer the case.

The port is another mixed package for Surface devices. You will find USB-C ports in the entire Surface series product line, but Thunderbolt 3 is still not supported. You get connector support but not full speed.Despite the USB-C port, Microsoft still insists on using its magnetic Surface Connect charger (confusingly, you Able to You can also use USB-C to charge). If you missed Apple’s MagSafe era, this is not a bad thing, but if you look forward to a future of connectors, Microsoft has not implemented this correctly.