SUBWAYMicrosoft’s latest Windows 11 tablet gets faster and easier to service in Surface Pro 9, while offering more options than ever before. But is it still the best tablet for PC? Only if you choose the right one.
Microsoft has brought its two high-end tablet lines together under a single model name. The standard Surface Pro 9 costs £1,099 ($999.99 / A$1,649) without a keyboard and picks up where the Surface Pro 8 left off in 2021, equipped with new, faster 12th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 chips and a improved internal layout.
But joining under the same banner is the £1,299 ($1,299.99 / A$2,599) Surface Pro 9 5G, which is the continuation of Microsoft’s Surface Pro X lineup that uses ARM-based chips similar to those of your smartphone. It’s a very different proposition with some serious tradeoffs.
The latest Surface Pro 9 machines are 12g lighter than last year’s models, but otherwise look nearly identical to their predecessors. They’re modern, well made and come in a range of pretty colours, with Microsoft’s excellent kickstand on the back to prop up the tablet at a wide range of angles.
The good 13-inch screen is slightly brighter than last year and can dynamically switch between a 60Hz or 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling while balancing battery life. The keyboard and Slim Pen 2 stylus are the same as last year with few flaws, except they’re not included in the box and cost an extra £260 as a bundle.
Within the tablet has become more repairable. It has an easier-to-replace battery and user-upgradable storage in a small flap on the back, and a service manual and spare parts are being made available. It’s not exactly the user-repairable ideal demonstrated by the Laptop Framework, but it’s a big step in the right direction for Microsoft.
The only negative is the removal of the headphone jack, leaving a USB-C dongle (not included) or Bluetooth as the only options. Using a variety of Bluetooth headsets released in the past two years with the Surface generally worked well, though call audio quality is worse than using a wired headset.
Specifications
-
Screen: 13-inch LCD 2880×1920 (267 PPI) 120Hz
-
Processor: Intel Core i5 or i7 (12th generation)
-
RAM: 8, 16 or 32GB
-
Storage: 128, 256, 512 GB or 1 TB
-
Graphics: Intel IrisXe
-
Operating system: Home Windows 11
-
Camera: 10 MP rear, 5 MP front, Windows Hello
-
Connectivity: Wifi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, 2x Thunderbolt 4/USB-4, Surface Connection
-
Dimensions: 287 x 209 x 9.3mm
-
Weight: 879g (without keyboard)
intel vs arm
The Wi-Fi-only Surface Pro 9 comes with a choice of Intel Core i5-1235U or i7-1255U processors, which are roughly the same power efficient but up to 35% faster than the previous generation. That keeps the Surface Pro 9 in line with PC competitors when it comes to speed.
The top version of the Core i7 feels a bit snappier when resuming from standby and other daily operations than its direct predecessor. As you’d expect, it handles complex image edits with affinity photo 2 with aplomb and ran quietly for the most part, with the fans audible only when connected to a Thunderbolt dock with an external monitor or when running intensive benchmark tests.
Battery life comes in at about eight hours of constant work, which should last the workday but not much longer. It’s not great compared to some laptops that can manage 16 hours between charges, but it’s more or less in line with similar tablet PCs.
The story is very different for the version with the Microsoft SQ3 ARM chip. Its raw computing power is similar to Intel’s version, so when using applications built for ARM chips, such as Microsoft’s various programs, including Office and the Edge browser, it performs very well.
However, most Windows programs are written for Intel or AMD chips. This means that they need the help of tools built into Windows 11 to be able to run on the ARM processor. But this “emulation layer” makes Intel apps (Evernote, Affinity Photo 2, Chrome, or even just the WhatsApp desktop app) extremely slow. Some as Google Drive sync softwarethey just refuse to run at all.
Windows 11 with support for Android apps
Surface Pro 9 runs Windows 11 and supports Windows Hello facial recognition to sign in to the tablet or authenticate within apps or for payments. It has grown into a solid operating system and recently added support for running Android apps.
These mobile apps can be found in the Microsoft Store and can be downloaded via Amazon Android App Store, but the selection is very scarce on the ground. Most major apps already have Windows versions available, including Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, so they’re not available as Android apps on Windows. The big exception is the Kindle App for Androidwhich works great and roughly matches the experience you’d get on an Android tablet or iPad.
Sustainability
The tablet is generally repairable, with a service guide available and a removable SSD. He out of warranty service charge battery replacement costs £380.52, while anything else like a cracked screen costs £474.72 when repaired by Microsoft.
The tablet does not contain recycled material. Microsoft operates recycling schemes for old machines. He also posts a company-wide sustainability report and a breakdown of the environmental impact of each product.
Price
Microsoft Surface Pro 9 starts at £1,099 ($999.99/AU$1,649) with Intel Core i5-1235U, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Models with an i7-1255U chip start at £1599 ($1399.99 / A$2549). ARM SQ3 models start at £1299 ($1299.99 / A$2599).
The Signature keyboard costs £159.99 ($179.99/$259.95) alone or £259.99 ($279.99/$429.95) with the thin pencil 2.
For comparison, the Surface Laptop 5 starts at £999the Surface Go 3 costs £369Dell’s XPS 13 2-in-1 costs from £999 and the 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro costs £1,249.
Verdict
Microsoft’s best Windows 11 tablet gets what seems like a minor but necessary speed boost over the Surface Pro 9, adding 12th-gen Intel chips.
It’s a bit snappier, the battery lasts about the same workday as previous versions, it has a good 120Hz display, and it’s still one of the most compact and adaptable tablet PCs you can buy. The removal of the headphone jack is a bit of a pain, as Microsoft still doesn’t include the essential keyboard in the box.
But hidden is a bigger update: an easier repair. The SSD can be upgraded from a small door on the back of the tablet, while Microsoft has changed the interior to make the battery easier to replace, has made a comprehensive service manual available, and is making spare parts available. the repairmen. It’s not quite a revolution to fix the way the Framework Laptop can be, but it’s still a big step in the right direction for Microsoft.
Therefore, the Surface Pro 9 with Intel chips is one of the best Windows 11 tablets you can buy.
But that’s not the case with the 5G version with the Microsoft SQ3 ARM chip, which like the Surface Pro X before it, is still held back by software incompatibility. Unless you exclusively use Microsoft’s own apps and not the wide range of third-party apps and tools Windows is known for, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Advantages: good 120hz display, good Intel performance, Thunderbolt4/USB-4, great keyboard (additional purchase essential), great kickstand, Windows Hello, solid build, great stylus (optional purchase), removable SSD, easier to repair.
Cons: expensive, keyboard must be included, no USB-A port, no microSD card slot, no headphone jack, average battery life, Microsoft SQ3 and Windows on ARM still not good enough.
