Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Review: Love at first sight or nothing

Pros

-Extremely Lightweight (starts at 891 grams)
-Exceptional Battery life
-No compromise performance for daily tasks
-Still a style statement
-High-quality hinge

Cons

-Lacks ports
-OS still needs to become touchscreen-friendly
-Limited use-case at this price point

Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is a 2-in-1 Windows machine that offers something very unique. While this uniqueness makes it a great buy, it also limits the use case of the machine. Don’t get me wrong, there is a buyer out there who will see the Surface 8 Pro and know that that machine is made for them. Say you’re an illustrator who is accustomed to the Windows ecosystem, the Surface Pro 8 has the capacity to make your workflow independent of heavy laptops and desktops. It may still not be your primary device but it lets you work where you want when you want.

Display

The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 comes with a 13-inch display which is packed in a much compact form factor. The display comes with a 120Hz refresh rate and support for Dolby Vision. Now coming to the experience, the display is crisp and dark levels are pretty well managed. While it is not as good as on an OLED panel, it is still the best you can find otherwise. Watching media on the device is a pleasure, the benefit of not being OLED is that the panel gets bright enough for outdoor spaces as well. However, the thing I least appreciated was the reflectiveness of the display panel. Working in a well-lit area can become troublesome due to the glossiness of the panel..

Performance

The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 starts from the Intel Core i5 variant and it will set you back by around Rs 1,15,999. The unit we worked with comes with 11th Gen Intel Core-i7 1185G7 with 16GB RAM. The machine we had handled workflows with ease. The compact form factor has its own limitations but the Surface 8 Pro does a good job with heat dissipation despite its slimness. The form factor helps as well, if you keep it on your lap while working, the vents face the sides of the screen and the warm air doesn’t bother. On the other hand, the 2-in-1 form factor does make laptop typing a challenge. The fans can be heard when the machine is under load.

Battery

The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 battery claims are pretty bold. The company claims a battery life of 16 hours with typical device usage. In my experience, the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 may not hit the 16 hour-mark but the battery life was undeniably one of the best for the performance it offers. A single day’s worth of work can be achieved with a single charge if your brightness levels are at half or less than half.

Microsoft Surface Slim Pen 2

The Slim Pen 2 has also been upgraded. The Surface Slim Pen 2 can pair and charge wirelessly. It is also stored securely in the Microsoft Surface Pro Signature keyboard which is extremely convenient for both charge access. In order to test the Slim Pen 2, we asked illustrator to use it. We found that Slim Pen 2 is extremely good with pressure sensitivity. However, it lacks the slant sketch feature which is found in the latest Apple Pen. The 120Hz display also plays its part in reducing latency for the input substantially.

Verdict

The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is a great addition to your travel bag. The machine is built to travel with you and at the same time expect the least amount of compromise. It is an easy recommendation if you require mobility with performance. However, the price tag can be a strong deterrent for non-professionals. But that’s what the ‘Pro’ stands for. The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is for the Pro on the move.

The post Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Review: Love at first sight or nothing appeared first on BGR India.