Microsoft
Surface Pro 4
There's a new reigning king of
Windows tablets and its name is the Surface Pro 4. Building on everything the
last iteration got right, this new slate introduces a larger screen more
sensitive touchscreen perfected for everything from penning documents to painting
images. Thanks to a newly redesigned island keyboard, tapping away on the Type
Cover feels almost as good as a real laptop and the glass trackpad feels simply
superb. Internally the Microsoft's latest also features a faster processor and
storage, all in a shell that's actually lighter and thinner than the Surface
Pro 3. Overall, these improvements make the Surface Pro 4 an affordable Windows
tablet that really can replace your laptop.The
Surface Pro 4 fits a larger screen with a higher resolution into a slightly
slimmer body than last year's model. The pen and keyboard cover are also
improved, and this is one of the first mobile systems shipping with Intel's
latest processors. Performance and battery life:
Battery
life in normal use has been on par with the Pro 3 as well, lasting me about 5
hours or so between charges. The Pro 4 went for 6 hours and 37 minutes in our
rundown test, which is about an hour less than the Pro 3 managed. Neither is
what I’ve come to expect from a premium laptop, and the Pro 4 still lags in
this area. I still adore the Pro 4’s tiny little charging brick, which also
gives me a USB port to charge my always-thirsty smartphone.
Windows 10, which is
now available for every Surface save for the ill-fated and oft-forgotten
Surface RT, works well on the Pro 4, though it still feels like a work in
progress. Since Windows 10 launched earlier this summer, Microsoft has been
fixing a lot of bugs and issues, but there are still a number that crop up in
my daily workflow. For example, the standard Mail and Calendar apps continue to
have trouble syncing with my Google Apps account, and the Microsoft Store often
crashes. These are rather specific bugs, and I wouldn’t consider either of them
show stoppers, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t note them. I’d still rather have
Windows 10, bugs and all, than Windows 8.1.
With the Surface Pro 4,
Microsoft has hit the refinement stage of its Surface idea. It spent years
working out the basics, and now that those are more or less sorted out, it has
focused its efforts on improving the experience. The Pro 4 won’t be the machine
that wins people over to the Surface camp, and it does nothing to improve the
"tablet to replace your laptop" idea.
What it does do is
sharpen the Surface’s skills, make life slightly easier for those actually
wanting this type of computer, and modernize the Surface lineup with the latest
processors from Intel. If the Surface Pro 3 was Microsoft’s best idea for the
tablet that can replace your laptop, the Pro 4 is the best execution on that
idea.
It’s still not the
computer for everyone, but for the Surface believers, it’s the best yet.
But,Microsoft still refuses
to include the Type Cover keyboard by default, forcing a separate purchase. Battery life still isn't enough for a full day. The Bottom
Line A host of small refinements cements the Surface Pro 4's position as
the best-in-class Windows tablet -- so long as you're prepared to pay extra for
the required keyboard cover accessory.
CPU: 2.4GHz
Intel Core i5-6300U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 520 | RAM: 8GB
| Screen: 12.3-inch, 2,736 x 1,824 PixelSense display | Storage:
256GB $889.99
No comments:
Post a Comment