Which Microsoft Surface is best for you?

Microsoft Surface

The newest batch of Microsoft Surfaces have arrived. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5, Surface Pro 9 and Surface Studio 2+ offer better performance, improved graphics, uprated hardware over earlier models and are available to buy now. Some of them even make an appearance on our best laptops list – a glowing endorsement for Microsoft’s long-running range.

But will a 2-in-1 fulfil your needs, or is your money best spent on something more powerful? Do you mind being tethered to a desk, or would you rather be able to take your work with you? Is the Surface Duo 2 a dud, or is it worth the dough? Here, we take a look at the Surface options out there and which is the best one for you.

Additional copy by Chris Rowlands

Best for school: Surface Laptop 5

The Surface Laptop 5 bills itself as the laptop for multitasking. Or should that be “laptops”? The choice of 13.5in and 15in screen sizes helps widen its appeal. At around 1.5kg it’s still luggable, mind, even if it’s nowhere near as slender as the Surface Pro 9’s 879g.

A smaller screen sucks down less juice, so the 13.5in model promises greater battery life – up to 18 hours, versus the 15in model’s 17 hour lifespan. Both models are Intel-powered, with 12th-gen Core CPUs promising lightning speed when switching between apps. 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of on-board storage should cover all the bases as far as productivity is concerned. An upgraded front-facing camera is also well optimised for meetings and online classes.

For those who live their life with dozens of tabs open at a time, the Surface Laptop 5 is the best fit.

Best for creative pros: Surface Studio 2+

The Surface Studio 2+ all-in-one is a doodlers’ delight. Its Zero Gravity hinge that allows for tilting and turning into an oversized graphics tablet. The 28in PixelSense display is ideal for note-taking as well as sketching. The internals promise a major uplift over the outgoing model, too.

An 11th-gen Intel Core h45 processor delivers as much as 50% faster CPU performance, and five times the power of the original 2016 model. Microsoft has also given graphics a boost with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 360. The dedicated GPU might be a laptop-grade chip, but it’ll still manage 3D rendering, video editing and even some gaming on the side. Add in some USB-C/Thunderbolt ports on the back and we reckon there’s enough here to set even die-hard iMac owners’ pulses racing.

The only problem? The Surface Studio 2+ is going to be expensive. UK prices were still TBC at the time of writing, but US customers can expect to part with $4300 to get on on their desktop.

Best for the hybrid office: Surface Pro 9

With more people than ever ditching full-time office work in favour of something more flexible, there’s big demand for devices that are equally versatile. The Surface Pro 9 is exactly that. At 287x208x93mm it’s compact enough to throw in a backpack. It’s also light enough to carry all day even with the optional keyboard cover attached.

There’s a choice of Intel- and Qualcomm-powered models, with the latter giving up a little performance but gaining 5G connectivity. It’ll also manage more time between charges, lasting up to 19 hours versus the 15.5 hours of the Intel version. Both come with a 30-day Xbox Game Pass Ultimate trial, transforming into an all-in-one entertainment device the likes of Apple can’t compete with.

It’s creatives, rather than gamers, that are expected to snap these up. The snap-on keyboard, touchscreen display and Surface Pen should be perfect for architects and illustrators alike. If you’ll never detach the keyboard, or have no use for a digital stylus, the extra money may not be worth it.

Best for multi-tasking: Surface Duo 2

Software updates have transformed Microsoft’s second-gen Duo into a solid productivity tool, at least one worthy of a four star review. It won’t replace your personal smartphone, but performance from the Snapdragon 888 CPU provides enough grunt to load apps quickly and make multi-tasking slick – meaning the Duo 2 broadly fulfils its business brief.

Like the first version, the Duo 2 sports two 5.8in screens held together by a sturdy hinge. Folded flat to create a ‘single’ 8.3in panel, there’s no crease in sight, but a narrow gap to look past instead. Glass front and back gives it a premium feel, while thin halves render the Duo 2 small enough to pop in a pocket.

Three rear cameras can produce reasonable snaps, but noting to trouble the latest handsets. Likewise, battery life falls short of most flagships – although there’s enough fuel to get you through an average work day, which is what the Duo 2 will spend most of its time doing.

Best for budgets: Surface Go 3

Microsoft flaunted its newest Surface Go as a simple and wallet-friendly 2-in-1 that can handle sketching, content creation and most everyday tasks for a starting price of £369. And it technically lives up to that marker, albeit with a few caveats. It’s not overly powerful – in fact, its CPU leaves much to be desired. Its screen size, 10.5in, is smaller than its rivals, and much needed extras, such as a keyboard and pen, makes the Surface Go 3 pricier than first anticipated.

But with all that in mind, the Surface Go 3 has its good points. A 5-megapixel webcam is great for image quality, and there’s a 8-megapixel rear camera that takes 6-megapixel photos. It’s made from sturdy stuff, and is small and light enough to chuck in a backpack. Is it set up to run Photoshop without a hitch or play games on? Not exactly, but for an entry level Microsoft Surface that doesn’t cost the Earth, the Go 3 is worth considering.

Best all-rounder: Surface Laptop 5 

The Surface Pro 9 is convenient and creative. The Surface Studio 2+ is a great office computer that encourages collaboration on its giant touchscreen. But each has a niche target market. For those who want a computer that does everything and does it well, we reckon the Surface Laptop 5 should be your go-to.

• Read: The Surface Pro 9 is Microsoft’s most powerful 2-in-1

Surface Laptop Studio review: Microsoft’s top new quirky portable PC | Microsoft Surface

The Surface Laptop Studio is Microsoft’s creative workstation that replaces the unique outgoing Surface Book line with a slightly more normal laptop-like form but is still very unusual.

The new top of Microsoft’s laptop line costs from £1,449 ($1,399.99/A$2,399) and is a chunky machine geared up as a desktop replacement, rather than a thin and light notebook you carry everywhere.

From the top it doesn’t look that unusual: a standard laptop made of magnesium and aluminium with a traditional hinge at the back. Open the lid and it has more than a passing resemblance to the Apple’s MacBook Pro from the 2010s, with a decent-sized and great-looking 14.4in LCD touchscreen with a slick 120Hz refresh rate.

It has Windows Hello face recognition for logging in, four good speakers, a great keyboard and a new “haptic touchpad” that brings Microsoft’s trackpads up to par with the best-in-class models from Apple.

The display has a second hinge halfway up its back that allows it to unclip and tilt into various positions such as stage (top left) and studio (top right) modes, or all the way over (bottom left) so it faces away from you, which could be handy for presentations. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

But grab the display at the top and twist it backwards and things get interesting. The screen magnetically unclips at the bottom so you can position it in “stage mode” on magnets hidden just in front of the trackpad or fold it all the way down on to the deck in “studio mode”.

Stage mode is designed for watching video while studio mode turns the laptop into a drawing screen with Microsoft’s excellent, but optional, Slim Pen 2 stylus similar to its unique Studio desktop computer. It makes editing photos, sketching out ideas and even marking up documents a breeze.

Turn the laptop over to reveal another unusual design: a stepped back fan base that is hidden when on a desk.

The Slim Pen 2 magnetically attaches under the front lip of the laptop for charging and storage. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The base houses the discrete Nvidia graphics chip and H-series Intel processors, both of which are more powerful and generate more heat than the typical models you find in slimmer machines. The fans weren’t needed for general browsing and light work, but kicked in after a minute or so of photo editing being audible but not distracting.

Specifications

• Screen: 14.4in LCD 2,400×1,600 (201 PPI; 120Hz)

• Processor: Intel Core i5 or i7 (11th generation)

• Ram: 16 or 32GB

• Storage: 256, 512GB, 1 or 2TB

• Graphics: Intel Iris X or Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti

• Operating system: Windows 11

• Camera: 1080P front-facing, Windows Hello

• Connectivity: wifi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, 2x Thunderbolt 4/USB 4, headphones, Surface Connect

• Dimensions: 323.3 x 228.3 x 18.9mm

• Weight: 1,743 or 1,820g

Performance and battery life

It takes 93 minutes to fully charge the battery using the supplied 120W power adaptor, hitting 50% in just over half an hour. But its port selection is slim with only two Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 ports and a headphones socket for connecting peripherals. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The performance of the Laptop Studio is a mixed bag. As tested with its highest specification, including the Core i7-11370H quad-core processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics chip, it sails through every day work, complex image-editing and other fairly demanding general tasks, as expected.

While it can handle everything I would want to do, it is limited on raw power compared to workstation competitors of a similar price, which typically have more performant 6 or 8-core processors. For those looking to render or convert lots of video, process large 3D models or compile mountains of code the Surface comes up a bit short. It can’t manage AAA games with anything greater than low graphics settings, either.

The Laptop Studio’s battery life is surprisingly good, lasting almost nine hours of light work, including lots of browsing, note taking, document and spreadsheet-editing and a short bit of image-editing. That’s longer than the 13.5in Surface Laptop 4, but miles behind the 14 hours of the 14in MacBook Pro.

More demanding work, such as advanced photo manipulation in studio mode, reduces the battery life to about three hours, while you could expect more than 10 hours of just watching video.

Sustainability

The Slim Pen 2 is held securely in place by strong magnets under the front lip of the laptop for storage and charging. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Microsoft does not provide an expected lifespan for the Studio Laptop’s battery. Similar batteries typically last in excess of 500 full charge cycles while maintaining at least 80% of their original capacity. The laptop is generally repairable with an out-of-warranty service fee of £551.46 including the battery.

The SSD storage is modular, but Microsoft states it should only be removed by technicians. The company operates recycling schemes for old machines, publishes a company-wide sustainability report and a breakdown of each product’s environmental impact.

Windows 11

There are still a few rough patches and irritating niggles with Windows 11, but overall it complements the adaptable nature of the Laptop Studio well. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The Laptop Studio runs Windows 11, which like other Surface devices is free of trials for anti-virus programs and other unwanted software that can often cause problems, except a pre-installed trial of Microsoft Office.

The new and improved touch keyboard and handwriting recognition make using the machine in studio mode easier. The haptic feedback built into the Slim Pen 2, which makes it vibrate a little as you write on the screen making it feel more like a biro on paper, is fantastic.

Price

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio starts at £1,449 ($1,399.99/A$2,399) with an Intel Core i5, 16GB of Ram and 256GB of storage.

Versions with Intel Core i7 processors and Nvidia graphics start at £1,899 ($1,899.99/A$3,149) with 16GB of Ram and 512GB of storage. The Slim Pen 2 costs £119. 99 ($129.99/A$189.95).

For comparison, Dell’s XPS 15 with Nvidia graphics costs £1,750, the Razer Blade 14 with Nvidia graphics costs £2,200 and Apple’s 14in MacBook Pro starts at £1,899.

Verdict

The Surface Laptop Studio is another unusual and adaptable Windows 11 laptop from Microsoft. It may not look quite as novel as the Surface Book it replaces, but it offers almost all of the same functionality in a less complicated form.

As an expensive standard laptop, it is a bit chunky but great to use on a desk. Fast, generally quiet in operation, with a great screen, keyboard and the best trackpad you can get on Windows. But unclip the screen and it transforms into a brilliant drawing tablet quite unlike any competitor, particularly when used with the excellent Slim Pen 2 stylus, which absolutely should be included in the box not sold as a £120 accessory.

However, those looking for a really powerful portable workstation may find its performance lacking in some areas compared to better-specced, but less adaptable rivals at this price. That leaves the Laptop Studio in an awkward middle ground: too expensive to be a standard laptop and with not enough power to be a developer or render’s best friend.

If you need a laptop that transforms into a drawing tablet and can pull double-duty as a desktop replacement, the Surface Laptop Studio is the quirky Windows 11 machine for you.

Pros: great keyboard and trackpad, great screen with articulating modes, Thunderbolt 4/USB 4, decent battery life, discrete Nvidia graphics card option, good as a laptop or drawing deck, Windows Hello.

Cons: chunky, expensive, no 6 or 8-core processor options, very limited port selection, no SD card slot, Slim Pen 2 not included.

The Surface Laptop Studio looks deceptively normal from the top or when closed, with a sleek magnesium lid. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Other reviews

• Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 review: Windows 10 as it is meant to be

• Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: small Windows 11 tablet can’t keep up

• Microsoft Surface Laptop Go review: missing the sweet spot

• Surface Duo 2 review: Microsoft’s dual-screen Android needs work

• 14in MacBook Pro review: putting power back in Apple’s laptop

• Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 review: flexible laptop with beautiful OLED screen

Induction hob AEG IPE84571FB

org/BreadcrumbList”>
• 009 Description
• Characteristics

• Description

Induction hob AEG IPE84571FB

induction hob, color: Black, individual slider for each cooking zone 9 levels, 3-stage residual heat indication, acoustic signal (on/off), “Booster” function, Bridge combining zone, automatic boiling, safety lock Child, Control panel lock, Alarm clock, Timer, Pause function, Sleep timer with Eco function, Silent mode, Beveled edges (4 sides)

• Specifications

Code	00-00000552
Model	IPE84571FB 900 35
Certificate	Induction hob AEG IPE84571FB
Related products	KR + MV 90 035
Country of origin	Germany

• Reviews / 0 /

Reviews Induction hob AEG IPE84571FB

There are no reviews for this workshop.

Rate the work of KINZA.STUDIO

Your name:

Comfort and cleanliness in kinza-studio

Professionalism and attentiveness of the chef

Responsiveness and friendliness of the staff

Interesting recipes and delicious dishes at the master class

Fun, relaxed atmosphere of the event

Your review:

Induction hob AEG IPE84571FB

induction hob, color: Black, individual slider for each heating zone 9 levels, 3-stage residual heat indication, acoustic signal (on/off), “Booster” function, pooling zone Bridge, Automatic boil, Child lock, Control panel lock, Alarm clock, Timer, Pause function, Sleep timer with Eco function, Silent mode, Beveled edges (4 sides)

Features

Code	00-00000552
Model	IPE84571FB
Certificate	Induction hob AEG IPE84571FB
Related products	KR+MV
Country of origin	Germany

Code	00-00000552
Model	IPE84571FB
Certificate	Induction hob AEG IPE84571FB
Related products	KR+MV
Country of origin	Germany

Rate the work of KINZA.

STUDIO

Your name:

Your review:

Comfort and cleanliness in the kinza-studio

Professionalism and attentiveness of the chef

Responsiveness and friendliness of the staff

Interesting recipes and delicious dishes at the master class

Cheerful, relaxed atmosphere of the event

All fields are required.
By continuing, you consent to the processing of personal data.

There are no reviews for this workshop.

Hob Rodmans Studio BHG 6412 TDS BL black

• Of which WOK burners (turbo)

  1

• Number of gas burners

  4

• Device

  hob

• Functions

  gas controlauto ignition

• Surface type

  gas

• Working surface

  strained glass

• Decor

  classical

• Type

  independent

• Frame

  absent

• Control

  rotary switches

• Color

  Black

• Grids for burners

  cast iron

Source: e-katalog.