Why we recommend this Windows tablet over an iPad and Lenovo Yoga when traveling on business

There has been a lot of hype surrounding the 2024 Copilot+ PC. When it was first announced in May, Microsoft detailed how good it would perform, how much better it would be than the M3 MacBook Air, and all the new features coming. With. So far, consumers seem to have responded to the hype, believing the company has finally been able to create a worthy Windows on arm system.

This summer I had the opportunity to try out one of the following machines: Microsoft Surface Pro 11th EditionAnd I had one question in mind about it: Does it live up to the hype? Now that I’ve had a chance to test it out, I can confidently say that this device lives up to the hype in some ways and doesn’t in others.

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It starts with the model’s hardware. The Surface Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite, which could make this laptop a “MacBook killer.” It certainly performs well enough. The browser ran smoothly even with multiple videos playing and many tabs open. Its first-party software and some third-party apps also performed quite well.

However, we had some difficulties testing the hardware properly. The Snapdragon X Elite chip is so new that many of the common benchmark tests we use at ZDNET don’t yet work as intended. Geekbench With a score of 14,564, the processor is higher than the M3 MacBook Air but lower than the M3 MacBook Pro. During this propose The new Surface Pro is better than Apple’s hardware, so it’s hard to say without proper testing.

To get a better picture, you’ll have to wait for the developers to update their benchmark software. Efficiency and performance will also improve over the coming months as Windows releases additional updates to optimize the performance of the new chips.

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When it comes to third-party app performance on your new Copilot+ PC, you’ve probably heard that some apps are slow, glitchy, or don’t work at all. Thankfully, Microsoft’s Prism emulator allows you to run many of these apps on your Arm PC on Windows (similar to how Apple’s Rosetta lets you run non-native apps on MacOS), but not everything works perfectly yet. .

As a Copilot+ PC, the AI ​​features are a big part of the device’s appeal. But in practice, most of the features available out of the box were a bit disappointing. The content quality in the Cocreator AI image generator was low. Real-time subtitles were often slow and inaccurate. Studio Effects, on the other hand, was pretty good. Among other things, it improves the already fantastic 1440p webcam by improving lighting in video calls, centering the camera, and blurring the background.

Speaking of work, professional users will love the gorgeous PixelSense Flow touchscreen. It is a 13-inch OLED display with an image resolution of 2,880 x 1,920 pixels. PixelSense also offers a 120Hz refresh rate for velvety-smooth visuals. And with all the software enhancements, the image quality is amazing.

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The Surface Pro’s speaker system was also surprisingly good. I was expecting very little audio, but the output had great bass. Although the driver doesn’t fill the room, it makes you feel like you’re watching a movie and participating in the action.

Accessories also play an important role in the Surface Pro ecosystem. I had a chance to try it out myself. surface slim pen and flex keyboardBoth were really enjoyable. In my experience, tablet keyboards are of low quality, so I didn’t have high expectations, but Microsoft did a really good job with this keyboard. The new generation features a more robust design made from carbon fiber, delivering an incredible typing experience in a lightweight yet sturdy product.

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As for the pen, I liked its accuracy. The accessories perfectly followed the sloppy writing I wrote on the screen, and that level of accuracy was carried over to the illustrations as well. Every brushstroke and scribble is accurately depicted. Additionally, the flat end of the pen is a handy button. A double tap opens the app configured for immediate access.

One of the best things about this laptop is the battery life, which is truly amazing. I did a typical test running a YouTube live stream at 720p and 50% brightness. At full power, the Surface Pro lasted just under 13 hours on a single charge, just shy of Microsoft’s claimed 14-hour battery life. In real world use, this device can easily last for several days on a single charge.

Buying advice from ZDNET

Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition This is a great computer for professional artists who want a high-performance machine with a gorgeous display. The era of Windows on Arm laptops has finally arrived. I want to be a part of that era.

Prices for the device start at $999.99. Our review unit, featuring a 12-core Snapdragon However, it’s important to remember that this price doesn’t include accessories such as the Flex keyboard. It costs extra, and the Flex keyboard and Slim Pen combo sells for $449, so it’s not exactly cheap.