Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro 7, and Surface Pro X review

Time passes, trends change, and what was fashionable and modern yesterday is of no interest today. For fans of Microsoft products, 2019 can be very interesting due to a whole series of updated laptops, because it is in this direction that the company decided to strengthen its position. Yes, such a decision looks a little strange, since laptops are not super-devices and are intended more for mobile and comfortable daily use, but for ordinary users such a decision will definitely be a pleasant surprise.

Among the interesting features of the updated Surface Laptop line, we can highlight support for Windows 10 out of the box for all models, the presence of the Surface Slim Pen stylus (which received not only a new look, but also the long-awaited wireless charging function, so now the need to replace batteries will disappear completely) and , of course, a very ambiguous choice of the main material of the case covered in Alcantara. It is also worth adding here a rather large starting price tag of $ 749 for the simplest model and $ 2299 for the top-end configuration.

The Surface Laptop 3, Pro 7 and Pro X review will surprise with unexpected technical innovations and solutions from engineers, because the devices were created specifically to impose competition on the market, and therefore have rather attractive characteristics and high quality.

Uncertainty

Despite the fact that the Surface laptop line was officially presented on October 2 (at the Microsoft presentation in New York, after which the pre-order option immediately started), they will not go on sale until November 5. At the same time, it is not known whether the company plans to enter the Russian market, which, of course, will only complicate the process of acquiring this device.

Surface Laptop 3

The review begins with a junior notebook model, which has not changed much in appearance compared to its predecessors. However, something immediately catches the eye, and that is the lack of Alcantara cover, which will now have to be paid for separately as a useful option. However, the choice, which is present not only in the choice of finishes, but also in such points as performance and screen size, can certainly be considered a plus.

Screen

Bigger, more powerful and more diverse - this is how you can describe the approach of engineers to the development of the Laptop 3, because the third generation of laptops will finally receive two popular screen sizes. Among them is a standard (as in previous models) 13.5-inch display with an aspect ratio of 3: 2 and a modern IPS-matrix. You can immediately notice that such a ratio was chosen for a reason - it is it that is optimal when working with all kinds of spreadsheets, graphic editors and text documents. The screen resolution is sufficient for this size and provides a clear picture - 2256 x 1504 pixels.

The second version of the laptop will get a more square shape at the same ratio and increased in size to 15 inches. The resolution will also increase to a comfortable 2496 by 1664 pixels.

It is worth noting that all screens are touchscreen (PixelSense) and will support work with stylus.

Keyboard design, body and features

Probably, for many people, the Surface series is primarily associated with laptops covered with Alcantara (a material that resembles suede, but is artificial). However, all new items in 2019 will lose this feature without fail, it can be obtained as an additional paid option.

Now the case will resemble many other laptops, because it is made of all-metal and made of aluminum. And yes, although it is not very original, it always looks very good.

It is interesting that the new Laptop 3 did not become the record holder for lightness (its weight is from 1.3 to 1.5 kg, depending on the version), but at the presentation in New York they did not forget to mention the fact that the MacBook Pro 2019 will be as much as 200 grams heavier. ...

From the interesting, it is also worth highlighting the area of ​​the touchpad increased by 20%. This solution will definitely appeal to those who often use Windows gestures. But with the keyboard, there was only one worthwhile change - it became slightly smaller (1.5 mm of travel was replaced by 1.3 mm). However, the engineers assure that this will not affect convenience in any way and will even make the dialing more comfortable (tactile feedback will remain the same).

And finally, I would like to once again mention the Alcantara coating. There have been enough tests on the network, both by professional testers and ordinary users. And they all agree that the life of a branded coating is on average 4 years, after which its presentation is quickly lost. It is also worth noting that even such impurities as drips of coffee and wine, when removed quickly (up to several minutes), are removed quickly and without a trace.

Performance

As mentioned above, in 2019, Microsoft engineers were finally allowed to experiment a lot. By the way, rumors about the company's refusal from Intel processors were confirmed, but only partially.

So, Laptop 3 (13.5-inch) will receive a 10th generation Intel CPU Core. There are Ice Lake Core i5 and Core i7 series processors to choose from. The developers claim that the power of these processors is twice as much as in the Surface Laptop 2. However, the fifteen-inch version looks more presentable, because there, on board the Ryzen Surface Edition, is a processor developed by AMD and Microsoft to achieve full optimization. The Ryzen Surface Edition is also the most powerful processor in its class.

But the graphics for all third-generation models are integrated. Moreover, if the model with a 15-inch screen received a good Radeon RX Vega 11 (there are options with RX Vega 8, 9, 10), then the younger ones were equipped with simple Intel Iris Plus Graphics.

The largest choice will be given to the buyer when selecting the volume of the SSD. The fact that the drives are now removable, so you can also purchase models with 128, 256, 512 GB or 1 TB from the box. It's a pity that the RAM is still soldered on the board, which makes it impossible to replace it, the choice will be 8 and 16 GB RAM.

Interfaces and ports

Anyone interested in Microsoft laptops has heard about a certain "minimalism" of their laptops, which consists in a minimal set of ports. In 2019, it was not possible to get rid of this problem completely, but the first steps have already been taken. So, finally, a USB Type-C port will appear (unfortunately version 3.1, not Thunderbolt 3), which can work in conjunction with a regular USB and 3.5 mm mini jack audio output. From the unexpected - the company will not give up the Surface Connect fast charging connector, although everything was going to revise this technical solution. It is also unclear that there are no additional ports, because there is room for them (at least in the 15-inch version).

And finally, an important feature - the announced Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) module, which has a higher bandwidth, will be installed only on the younger models, that is, all laptops with AMD processors will receive Wi-Fi 802.11ac.

Autonomy

Here, the manufacturers, as always, promised excellent performance - so, regardless of the screen size, laptops should keep a charge for 11.5 hours from a single charge.At the same time, there is the possibility of fast charging up to 80% in one hour. The first tests will show how these numbers correspond to reality.

Outcome

Taking a short conclusion, one cannot fail to notice that Microsoft has indeed decided to revise its policy in the niche of "regular" non-gaming laptops. This decision had a positive effect both on the variety of versions and on the characteristics of the devices themselves, and the appearance of laptops with a rather powerful battery and good functionality aimed at comfortable work with documents and similar software in conditions of distance from home is also encouraging. The graphics of some variations were a little disappointing, but you should immediately understand that this is more a laptop for study than for active games. And putting aside the unpleasant moments with limited ports and the nuances of Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), we can safely say that Laptop 3 is a rather interesting and high-quality novelty with an overpriced price tag.

• Variety of versions;
• Alcantara cover is now an option;
• Stylish aluminum body;
• The emergence of USB Type-C;
• Long-term work from one charge;
• Convenient for work;
• You can replace the SSD yourself (if you wish, you can save a lot in this way, because buying a more capacious drive like M.2 2230 will be cheaper than buying a top-end laptop model);
• Versions with good processors and video cards are available.

• The starting price is too high;
• Surface Connect as fast charger
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) is available only in low-end models;
• Few interfaces and ports.

Table for reference:

Surface Laptop Pro 7

What was praised so well by the company's representatives, namely the speed of work and the modern design of the novelty, was rather coldly received by many foreign critics. Microsoft got the most of the negative for the belated introduction of USB-C, which, among other things, is not the most modern Thunderbolt 3. The design also got it, because in spite of everything, we must admit that the Laptop Pro 7 almost completely copies its predecessor (Pro 6). And the performance gain was achieved only due to a decrease in battery life.

Display

Oddly enough, Microsoft decided to limit itself to just one variation of the display size, so anyone looking for a compact and affordable laptop with a 12.3-inch screen (PixelSense) is in luck. After all, the model, which received a bright and detailed IPS-matrix, an easy-to-use aspect ratio of 3: 2 and a resolution of 2880 by 1920 pixels, oddly enough, is equipped with the simplest and correspondingly affordable Core i3 processor.

And even if such a decision looks rather strange, the price tag for this model is quite democratic - $ 749.

Appearance, keyboard and innovations

Unfortunately, there is practically nothing to describe here, because the manufacturer has made all laptops in the series almost identical (except for the size) and similar to the previous models. The features of the Laptop Pro 7 include more comfortable work with Surface Pen, which allows working with tables and graphic editors to a new level without any delays and freezes, as well as a nice feature in the form of handwriting recognition from the box.

As for the appearance, the aluminum laptop cover with the company logo, although it looks very impressive, is no longer able to surprise anyone.

It is also worth recalling the presence of good sensors with the ability to record video in FULL HD - the main 5-megapixel camera and an 8-megapixel front camera. With their help, you can take advantage of the Windows Hello function for face recognition (identification occurs within a few seconds without obvious problems and glitches).

Among the sensors, the device will have an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer and light sensor.

The keyboard has not undergone major changes and this is probably for the best, because everything in it is just perfect from the backlight to the depth of travel (it is attached with powerful magnets, so you don't have to worry about reliability).

Performance

Perhaps this is the only point where there really is something to tell about. As mentioned above, Microsoft "shoved" a brand new mobile processor Intel Core i3 (2-core) into the Pro 7, due to which it was able to significantly reduce the price of the device. By the way, it is this variation, complete with integrated Intel UHD Graphics, 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB SSD, that is considered the most affordable (price $ 749).

In addition, there will be more serious variations, for example:

• A model with a nimble quad-core Intel Core i5 (1035G4) and Iris Plus Graphics, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. Price - $ 899;
• For an improved version with the same Core i5 and the same amount of RAM, you will have to pay $ 1199. And then the question arises - is it really all about the SSD, which has increased to 256 GB? So yes, Microsoft does charge $ 300 just for the drive. Fortunately, notebooks of the series have become collapsible and replacing the disk is not difficult;
• And finally, the top version of the laptop with a Core i5 and 16 GB of RAM with a 256 GB solid state drive will cost $ 1399;
• Next come interesting versions with a quad-core Core i7 (1065G7) and 16 GB of LPDDR4x 3733 MHz RAM. The graphics remain the same - Intel Iris Plus Graphics (interestingly, this graphics is quite a bit superior to its predecessors with the Pro 6, which is almost imperceptible in practice). The difference in them, again, is only in the amount of storage. In the first case, it is 256 GB (for $ 1499), and in the second, 1 TB (for $ 2299).

As you might expect, many netizens were upset by the lack of versions with 32GB of RAM, as well as the significant overpricing of drives. True, here, in defense of Microsoft, we can mention that the Surface series is not intended for "heavy" work, but for this price there are much more interesting competitors, which should also not be forgotten.

Finally, an interesting fact - in a number of tests, the new notebook drives showed a rather modest increase in speed (on average, about 269 MB / s against 202 MB / s in the Pro 6).

Interfaces and ports

There are no significant differences from Surface 3 here - it's all the same USB Type-C, regular USB and 3.5 mini jack. It is worth highlighting that it also uses not the newest Wi-Fi 802.11ac, instead of the expected 802.11ax. In addition, there is Bluetooth 5.0, Qualcomm Snapdragon X24 LTE, Gigabit LTE Advanced Pro5 and MicroSDXC ports, SIM Surface ConnectSurface and Type Cover.

Autonomy

It is only known that a 65 V battery will be used as a power supply, and the estimated battery life will be up to 11 and a half hours. Many users have already conducted their own tests and, based on them, we can conclude that the battery actually holds a charge for 8 hours.

Outcome

It is impossible to call the new Laptop Pro 7 a failure, however it is quite difficult to find something new and interesting in Microsoft products today. It should also be added to the frankly weak integrated video cards, boring design and, of course, overpriced. However, I am pleased with the variety, the appearance of the necessary connectors and the possibility of independent replacement of the SSD.

• Large selection of configurations for any amount;
• The presence of all the necessary connectors;
• The body has become partially collapsible;
• Surprisingly high quality main and front cameras (provide images with almost no interference);
• The stated operating time is up to 11.5 hours;
• Bright and detailed matrix;
• Good sound (the speakers produce good sound and fill a small room with clear sound without distortion without problems);
• Convenient for work;
• Compact.

• Artificially inflated prices for storage devices;
• Boring design;
• The number of ports is poor;
• Just one screen variation - 12.3 inches.

Table for reference:

Surface Pro X

Although the Pro X belongs to the Surface family, this device is still radically different from similar universal tablet computers. The fact is that this model, despite the external similarity, runs on the unique Qualcomm Surface SQ1 chipset, which raises it above the entry-level devices (it should be noted that the structure of this chip is still based on ARM, but already at the highest possible level - performance is similar to Intel Core i5-8250U in preliminary tests). Of the features, the recognizable design of the series and a fairly small weight of 774 grams are also striking.

Screen

The "X" version also has only one variation of the screen (PixelSense) - 13 inches (it is worth highlighting really thin frames) with a resolution of 2880 by 1920 pixels and an aspect ratio of 3: 2. This lightweight laptop has an excellent matrix capable of surprising with its detail and brightness. However, it still falls short of the level of its closest competitor - Apple iPad Pro 12.9. It should be noted that the thickness of the display is only 5.3 mm.

Working with the stylus is very convenient - no "faults" were found. And a notch on the keyboard allows you to quickly and securely attach Surface Slim to magnetic slots, without any inconvenience. By the way, the stylus has finally got the possibility of wireless charging (during contact with the grooves), so that the owners of the novelty can forget about the batteries forever. By the way, this decision also speaks of a decrease in the weight of the stylus itself, which will also have a positive effect on the ergonomics and usability of the device.

External features, cameras, sensors

Besides the fact that the pro X looks much thinner than the other models in the series and has a slot for a "pen", it is impossible to say something new about it. It is still the same all-metal aluminum case in two colors - platinum and matte black. As with previous models, you can buy the keyboard and stylus separately.

But the quality of the front camera has improved, so now you can record videos in 4K with it. The main sensor is completely similar to the Pro 7 models - 5 Mp (FULL HD video) with a good picture without noticeable distortion.

The set of instruments remained standard: gyroscope, accelerometer, light sensor, magnetometer.

Performance

A skilful combination of Microsoft and Qualcomm technologies has created a truly innovative processor (the most powerful among the company's mobile processors) powered by an AI accelerator and provides excellent power and energy efficiency (performance per watt is three times higher than the Pro 6). In addition, the use of the ARM architecture supports data transmission via LTE, so this looks like an excellent option for a laptop, given that access to the network can be done through the built-in modem.

The Pro X video card is also integrated, but it's still unique in its way. So, the graphics core Adreno 685 theoretically has a higher performance than the similar Adreno 680 due to the increased clock frequency. Whether the first tests will show this, because so far Adreno 685 has not been used in any device.

With RAM, everything is also standard - 8 or 16 GB of unsoldered RAM to choose from. With internal storage also stability - 128, 256, 512 GB to choose from. It is known that price tags start at $ 999 and this is far from the worst offer on the market.

Interfaces and ports

Nothing new here again, so a simple list is enough to get you started:

• Communication means: Wi-Fi 5IEEE 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac /, Qualcomm Snapdragon X24 LT and Gigabit LTE Advanced Pro5 modems (eSIM and nano-SIM supported), NFC (available only in Pro X models);
• Ports, sensors: USB Type-C (two pieces), Surface Connect, SIM slot.

Interestingly, you can notice the presence of NFC, which makes it much easier to work with networks (tags will help not only distribute Wi-Fi to friends without the need to share a password, but also listen to music, and even start the device when any activity appears).

Autonomy

According to the assurances of the developers, the battery can hold a charge up to 10.5 hours, although in practice this figure will probably be less. Supports 65W fast charging via Surface Connect, and is expected to charge up to 70 percent in less than one hour.

Outcome

Pro X - without any exaggeration, can be called the most interesting laptop in the series, because in addition to the productive and economical filling, it also received a very affordable price tag. The Surface Pen has been refined to perfection, and the laptop screen is crisp and color-accurate. I am pleased with the low weight and dimensions of the device, with all the necessary functions and connectors (including NFC), it is worth mentioning the camera capable of shooting 4K video. But the disadvantages of the device remained the same - this is the lack of uniqueness of design, inflated prices for internal drives and many minor flaws like a decrease in battery life compared to its predecessors.

• Lightweight and compact;
• Convenient for work;
• Surface Pen wireless charging
• NFC;
• High-quality display;
• Good cameras;
• Powerful processor;
• Fast charging;
• Energy efficiency;
• Replacement of the drive is possible;
• Good price for younger models.

• SSDs are too expensive;
• Battery life is shorter than its predecessor;
• Stylish yet dated design;
• Pen and keyboard sold separately.

Table for reference:

Output

After reading the new products from Microsoft 2019, there are rather conflicting feelings. So, on the one hand, the engineers of the company did a good job creating compact devices with modern components and, finally, added many necessary functions. The variety of models is also pleasing, and even the price tags for some of them are quite competitive. It is also difficult not to admit that today the Surface series is without exaggeration one of the most reliable and perfect.

However, the exhibition brought a lot of disappointment - the desire to develop is visible, but at the same time the developer completely ignores the work on the design of the device, its functionality (meaning the small number of ports) and artificially inflates the prices of solid-state drives, while adding the possibility of their own replacement.

Summing up, we can say that Microsoft, as always, released a quality product and at the same time spoiled the ratings for itself, in fact, in simple questions. As for laptops, they definitely deserve public attention, especially the Laptop 3 (15 inches) as the most interesting, Laptop Pro 7 (with Intel Core i3) as the most affordable, and Pro X as the most advanced.