Let us start with the necessary details of the newly launched Microsoft Surface Pro X. As the name suggests, it is created by the well-known company, company: Microsoft.
This 2 in 1 detachable tablet computer belongs to the family of Surface Product, and the new model of Pro X is of the 7th generation.
Based on this, it's safe to say that this one is a master product and so far the most advanced one in the market.
But let us analyze the facts to see how true this is.
It has the Windows 10 Home Operating System and the Microsoft SQ1 CPU along with solid-state drive storage. We will discuss all these features in detail.
Pricing
The device has been recently launched on the 5th of November 2019 in the United States of America and on the 19th of November in the United Kingdom.
The cheapest model costs $999 depending on the storage capacity, which can be increased up to 8 GB, 16 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB with a maximum to 512 GB. The company has also promised that the Surface Pro X has a battery life of 13 hours.
Distinctive Features
This new model of the Surface family is perfect for the right user but may not be for the rest of the audience. For the rest, the Surface Pro 7 is the one to go for. There is no doubt in the fact that the Microsoft Surface Pro X has all the latest and advanced features, some of which are not available in any other device.
This includes the specification of its CPU, which is Microsoft SQ1. This is a combined processor, unlike any other so far. This one is an ARM processor that combines Microsoft and Qualcomm. This latest and distinct processor is based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8cx.
The earlier products of the Surface family had X68 processors. Due to Microsoft Surface Pro X's processor, it is believed to work three times better than the Macbook air. What else could a tech freak wish for? The ARM processors are the most efficient and latest ones in today's time.
Introducing - Microsoft Surface Pro X
And will remain at this position for the foreseeable future. There is no doubt about that.
Such amazing features and efficiency justify the cost of the Surface Pro X. Moreover, the design of the tablet computer is one that catches the eye. The tablet computers are already a pleasant sight for the eye, and on top of that, the Microsoft design is a tremendous one.
A tablet computer is a mobile device, popularly called a tablet. This tablet usually works on a mobile operating system. And its display is a touchscreen. These tablets come with a rechargeable battery.
Various distinctive features of the tablet computer are:
There is little to debate that Microsoft Surface Pro X is the most beautifully fashioned computer in 2019.
Specifications
The Surface Pro X comes only in the classic color black. This fact and its design give it a thoroughly professional look. The frame of this tablet computer is made of metal, which makes it look like a masterpiece. It is the thinnest frame that has descended upon the market so far, measuring just 7.3mm.
The weight of the Microsoft Surface Pro X is only 1.7 pounds, which is just 775 grams. The other Surface Pro 7 was a little bit thicker measuring 8.5mm, but there is not much difference between the two when it comes to weight.
The proper dimensions of the device are 11.3x8.2x0.28 inches. These modest measurements make users feel like they are using an iPad Pro, the feel of a solid yet premium, and the lean device made of metal.
Camera
As we mentioned that it provides an experience of both a computer and a mobile. Given that, how can the camera feature lack behind? The new Surface Pro X has an 11 megapixel (1080p) rear autofocus camera along with a front camera of 5 megapixels (1080p).
This front camera is accompanied by dual studio mics, which will give an astounding conference call experience.
Moreover, such enhanced cameras can only be seen in the Surface Pro X and Windows 10 PC as of now. What do they provide the user with? These cameras render brilliant sharpness and provide the utmost clarity as well. What more could you ask for?
Other details include the security system of the Windows Hello Face authentication camera. This is the bio-authentication system provided by Microsoft via facial recognition. This system works efficiently because of the Qualcomm ARM processor, and so the system powers up almost instantly.
Sound Quality
Let's talk about the Microsoft Surface Pro X's audio features now. Surface Pro X has dual front-facing speakers which give out the best quality audio. This is because they are similar to the Apple iPad's and the sound quality of the iPhone. So they are clear, loud, and vibrant at the same time.
Microsoft Surface Pro X and Pro 7 Hands-On
Keyboards
The price of the Surface Pro X does not include the cost of the keyboard, which needs to be bought separately.
The standard black keyboard will cost you $140. The other Signature keyboard, which also has the Slim pen bundle, will cost $270, including the price for the slim pen, which is $145. This Signature keyboard uses the black Alcantara fabric.
Now, let us look at the design and feel of these keyboards. The keyboard is as good as the Surface Pro 7's. It also has three stages of backlighting along with a glass-topped trackpad. The keyboard also provides users with plentiful key travel.
The only additional feature can be the small magnets with the help of which the 2-in-1 combination is held firmly together. There are no further advancements in the structure and functionalities of the keyboard.
Shortcomings
So far, we have not mentioned the details about the ports included. The Surface Pro X provides 2xUBS 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1xSurface connect 1x nano-SIM, and Surface Keyboard connector.
So this detail shows that there are not many ports provided by the Microsoft Surface Pro X, and they can be used only for charging, data transfer, and display out. The thing which can be disappointing for some is that none of the three ports are Thunderbolt 3.
The device neither has a micro-SD card reader nor a headphone jack. But for this, Microsoft provides a headphone adapter at the cost of $12. This can be beneficial for people who do not prefer using Bluetooth. Apart from this, even though the device has WiFi 5, it does not have the latest WiFi 6 AX.
The device lacks the jack for headphones but can be comfortably used via Airpods or other devices that connect through Bluetooth.
The Surface Pro X supports a Bluetooth of 5.0, the WiFi 5, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X24. As we are mentioning, all the technical and physical details of the device, let's also talk about its GPU, which is none other than Adreno 685.
Upside
This lies in the design of the device, which is its modularity. You will find the replaceable M.2 2230 NVMe SSD right below the door, which is itself beneath the kickstand.
The nano-SIM card slot will also be found there that is required for the 4G LTE modem. All of this contributes to the modularity of the design. Users can also upgrade or increase their storage by purchasing the smaller M.2 2230 drives as they are replaceable.
And, these can be purchased online at low prices. So the design, features, and premium look of the Microsoft Surface Pro X justifies its pricing and gives reasons for its purchase.
One great thing for travelers in this is that the Microsoft Surface Pro X renders wireless connectivity through 4G LTE X24 modem. Users do not need a physical sim for this modem. Instead, they can sign up for an eSIM, which can be done directly in Windows 10.
Also, the option to switch between the two types of sims is available, physical or eSIM — this how it is beneficial for travelers.
Display
Surface Pro 7 had a display of 12.3 inches, but this one here has a more prominent display of 13 inches.
This is possible because of its thinner side bezels. This size makes it more delightful to use. Also, users get a 267 pixel-per-inch density due to the display of 2880 x 1920. This is better than the one in Surface Pro 7, but there was not much difference in the resultant display as the size of Surface Pro 7 was small.
Microsoft promises a display of brightness 450 nits in the Microsoft Surface Pro X, which is more. But it is possible that there is not much difference in the color gamut of the Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X. And being the latest, Surface Pro X is expected to render above-average values of the sRGB and AdobeRGB.
Surface Pro X provides an option to switch to an enhanced display as well. This gives a better-saturated look along with higher contrast.
Surface Slim Pen
Microsoft providing a pen for its touch-devices is not a new thing. But the pen for Surface Pro X is a bit different. Its name itself shows that this one has a distinct shape. It does not have the traditional round shape that pens usually have, instead, and it looks more like a carpenter pencil.
Users can stow away this pen in the tray provided by Microsoft in its design of the Signature keyboard.
This tray allows the pen to charge wirelessly and also holds the pen with the help of magnets. The tray is placed in the design in such a manner that the pen can never be lost unless instead, you put it in your bag. Moreover, if you place the pen wrongly on the tray, the tray will flip the pen itself so that it can be charged.
Functionality
It has the same functions as the previous Surface Slim pens. There is a Bluetooth button on the other end that can also be used as an eraser. And two buttons are provided near the tip of the pen, which can be assigned functions as per requirement.
The Surface Slim pen can accommodate pressure levels of 4096 and works in a tilted position. Now, these details reflect that this pen can be used on other Surface PC's and the previous Slim pens can also be used on the Surface Pro X as well.
This pen can be used by artists for drawing purposes as the pen jitter still works. But this pen is great for taking notes and marking documents, etc. It looks like Microsoft has designed this pen specifically for work purposes rather than artistic ones.
Now when it comes to price, this slim pen is not cheap. It will cost you an extra of $145 apart from the Surface Pro X. The extra $45 may be mainly because of the facility of wireless charging.
Benchmarks and Battery
The performance, battery, and speed of the Microsoft Surface Pro X are commendable. This is mainly because of its processor, the Microsoft SQ1, which is backed by none other than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx that too at 3 GHz. And this is why it runs smoothly on Windows 10.
If we talk about its performance in terms of the application run, then the native apps, this means the apps recompiled for ARM64(the processor of Microsoft Surface Pro X) run flawlessly in comparison to the applications of the earlier desktop versions. One example of the native app here can be Browser.
Microsoft has said that the Surface Pro X covers 95% software that people usually run on devices. The two limitations to this are the 64-bit x 86 apps and the Adobe software. On the other hand, Qualcomm also stated that Snapdragon 8cx would work best with the 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor.
And this has been found true. When applications that are based on the UWP or are recompiled for the ARM64 processor are run on the Surface Pro X, one can see that they work at an unmatched speed.
Though if we get into the details of the performance of the battery. Then as Microsoft has said, it will give 13hrs of battery, so it can be believed that the user will get at least 10 hours of battery life using native apps and 7hrs of battery life while working on emulated apps.
Even with this, it still provides the highest battery life. Also, one can recharge the system quite fast, with 70% charging per hour. The device can also be charged using the Type-C ports alternatively.
Storage and RAM
The Microsoft Surface Pro X provides the maximum storage so far of 2000/800MB speed. This is because the SSD has the support of the PCIe NVMe. And this storage is higher than the previous Snapdragon PCs.
When we talk about RAM, the Surface Pro X provides 8 GB of RAM. And the other model provides a RAM of 16 GB.
The performance and efficiency of the new LPDDR4x are the most desirable of all. Another thing that enhances performance is the fact that the device never gets warm, and even if it does then that happens rarely as the thermals are quite efficient.
And also there are no fans for ventilation, so one does not have to worry about the noise.
So Who Should Buy It And Why?
This device is mainly designed for people who work or want to work independently as It is made for enterprise mobility.
As the Chief of Microsoft Surface hardware said that this is a 'crazy tool' for people who work on a train, bus, plane, park, or at Starbucks rather than a typical office. Professionals of the tech field, writers, road-warriors, students, along with real estate workers and journalists would find this to be an ideal device.
The decision to buy this device or not depends on your requirements. It is suitable or rather the best device for several professions, but for someone who does video editing or who is a software developer or someone who wants a gaming PC, then going with the Surface Pro 7 might be the best choice for them.
It all comes down to requirements, and the decision should be made accordingly.
