Which Microsoft Surface should I buy?

In June 2012, Microsoft announced its first Surface Hybrid Tablet. Not only was it the first of its kind, but the first hardware designed, manufactured and sold by Microsoft to operate seamlessly with the Windows operating system of the software giant.

Since then, the company has built its range of surface equipment to meet the needs of students and domestic and professional users. Microsoft's new Surface Go, a two-in-one easy-to-use 10-inch detachable, could potentially suit these three groups depending on performance needs.

If you do not know where to start or even what Microsoft Surface has to offer, you can start here. Plus, in the end you can see our recommendations for some of the best surface alternatives available.

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Pro Surface

The one that started everything (if you forget the Surface RT and you should do it). The best tablet PC from Microsoft is still the category reference, although it is a relatively minor update to Surface Pro 4 .

The Detachable design of the Surface Pro is the best as a tablet and laptop second, especially if you use it on your lap more often. The keyboard is excellent and certainly makes an excellent choice when you have to travel as light as possible. Keep in mind that the keyboard cover and the pen are not included and that they are not cheap: The Type Cover is $ 130 or $ 160 and the Surface Pen is 100 $

Now available in Wi-Fi only as versions Wi-Fi Plus LTE Advanced configurations start at $ 800 and offer enough performance for home or student use, while that experienced users can charge a Core i7 processor, 16 GB of memory and a 512 GB SSD for $ 1,900. Read the full CNET notice.

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Surface To Go

The Go is Microsoft's latest Surface device and it's essentially a new, improved version of the budget 10-inch Surface 3 . It is smaller and lighter than this device, which also makes it more user friendly than the current Surface Pro of 12.3 inches.

The small tablet however runs on a low-end Intel Pentium processor, so if you need high performance, you'll want to stick to Surface Pro. The Go should work as a complementary device to a laptop or a more powerful desktop computer or for anyone with basic laptop needs, eg. web browsing, email, word processing, note taking and simple sketches as well as a tablet for media consumption.

Prices start at $ 399, but like the Pro, the Go does not come with its $ 130 type cover or $ 100 surface pen. We have not tested it yet, but it sounds like a promising competition for the entry-level iPad and Acer Chromebook Tab 10 . Read the first practical impressions of CNET.

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Microsoft Surface Book 2

Despite initial appearances, the original Surface Book ( and this update) is a two-in-one design that, like the Surface Pro, is detachable from its keyboard. But its keyboard base is more than just a few keystrokes, a touchpad and a few ports. Inside is an extra battery and sufficient graphics power for content creation and games, thanks to a discreet Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 in the 13.5-inch version or a GTX 1060 in the 15-inch model.

Book 2 is tailor-made for the creative who can appreciate the large pen display and the high performance and design of a complete laptop. Read the full CNET notice.

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Microsoft Surface Laptop

If you do not need a removable two-in-one, Microsoft has a laptop for you. While Surface Pro targets business types and Surface Book targets creatives, the laptop is designed for students. Its traditional slim and lightweight flapper design makes it a great choice for campus travel. With over 10 hours of autonomy in our tests, you will not have to worry about finding a point of sale between courses.

Prices start at under $ 700 (and that's before school discounts), but our preferred setup will cost you around $ 1,000. Read the full CNET notice.

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Surface Studio

It's the Surface Pro, but big and definitely not portable. The all-in-one 28-inch Windows PC has a touch screen with a resolution of 4,500 x 3,000 pixels that folds at a 20-degree angle and has a wide range of colors (Adobe sRGB or P3 color spaces). ). It's also expensive (the base price is $ 2,999) and runs on obsolete hardware.

While we really liked the Surface Pro when it was launched in 2016, it's also time to do it. Unless you can get a good deal on one, we recommend you hold on to see if Microsoft is charging it with eighth-generation Intel processors and the latest Nvidia graphics chips later this year. Read the full CNET notice.

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Alternatives to the Surface

The flexibility of Windows 10 (and Windows 8 earlier) to operate as an operating system for touch screen devices and a traditional desktop OS has led to a lot of detachable two-in-one notebook designs. Here are some of our favorite alternatives.

Best Surface Pro Alternative: Lenovo Miix 720

Good performance, good autonomy and good price, the Miix is ​​undeniably modeled according to the Surface Pro. Unlike Microsoft, however, Lenovo includes its keyboard cover and active stylus – and they're great for getting started. Read the full CNET notice.

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Best Go alternative surface: Apple iPad

Yeah, yeah, I know. It does not work on Windows and it's not even a "real desktop OS". The 9.7-inch entry-level iPad, however, is a direct competition for the Surface Go, and if you do not need to run a Windows-only software, this will not be the case. Is your next best bet for money. Read the full CNET notice.

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Best Alternative Surface Book: Dell XPS 15 2-in-1

Although it does not disassemble itself as the Surface Book, the XPS is the smallest two-in-one finest convertible currently available. It is also one of the first PCs to use an Intel processor coupled with an AMD Radeon Vega M GL GPU which, in our tests, has proven to be performing without harming the life of the drums. Read the full CNET notice.

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Best Laptop Alternative Surface: Asus ZenBook 13

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It might not have the build quality of Microsoft's 13-inch touchscreen, but it has excellent overall performance from its eighth-generation Intel processor and discrete Nvidia graphics chip, not to mention a Battery life of almost 11 hours, wrapped in a slim, lightweight and attractive package for just under $ 1000. Read the full CNET notice.

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Best Alternative Studio Surface: Dell XPS 27

To be honest, there is no good alternative at the moment for the Studio. The closest is the XPS 27, which is also old (but not as old as the Studio). Its display is excellent, but not as good as that of the Studio, and even if it 's a touch screen and can be adjusted up to your desk, it' s not the same. is not compatible with the stylus. It's a fraction of the price, though. Read the full CNET notice.

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