Customer Ratings & Reviews

I reach for this device when I need more flexibility or power than my iPad affords but don't want to lug around my laptop or sit at my desk. I travel frequently for work and have to create and edit doc files, spreadsheets, presentations, and photoshop graphic files. My Surface Pro has replaced my 15" Macbook Pro as my traveling work machine. It's a great companion for vacations as well - that screen (and the connectivity) is great for managing and touching up high resolution photos from my DSLRs when I'm on the go. I also find myself reaching for my Surface over my iPad when I know that I'll have to more than 20 words - like filling out forms when I'm shopping online or responding to emails. Build quality is excellent. I Zagg my Apple products because they scratch easily. I've left my Surface un-cased and the body isn't scratched up - though it will smudge fast. The unit is rigid and solidly built. The kick stand is great (I love the click)...but forget using the kickstand/keyboard laptop mode if you don't have a solid surface to rest the device on. The screen is excellent, and the aspect ratio of the machine does away with the letter boxing I get with my iPad when I watch HD movies. However, that same width makes it feel odd when you hold the device in "tall" portrait mode. It always wants to be held in landscape. Performance is great...makes my iPad 3 feel sluggish and is capable enough to do light Photoshop work with. It does get warm with heavy use. Boot times are ridiculous fast. Battery life is on the short side (I get about 4hrs with mixed use)...but if I'm expecting a 6 hour marathon session, I've got a full sized rig for that. I actually like Windows 8. It feels like the OS (specially with the 8.1 update) was made for this machine. Fun facts: -Extend your storage capacity by adding microSD cards (get a Class 10) -Portability, microSD slot, full sized USB 3 port, and screen resolution makes it perfect for managing and looking at my vacation photos on the road -Fits perfectly on an airplane tray - beats taking a laptop through TSA -SmartGlass App lets me stream *some* videos to my XBox 360s -Powerful enough to run Adobe Creative Suite -Writing with the Wacom pen is great but is both under utilized and under-rated -The DisplayPort socket in the machine is exactly the same as my 17 MacBook Pro -If you connect your laptop to your car (I do) - this is the perfect device

I have been lusting over this pc/laptop hybrid since it was announced. It's been very noticeable that the pundits give it a B or C while most users seem to be giving it an "A." Oh, this is the first non-Mac I've owned as my primary personal laptop -- ever. And I am 41 years old. Why I love it: - love the "rip" to tablet feature....no lining up ports...the magnets "grab" it and it docks. - It is fast as hell. Light years faster than any tablet you could buy with an Atom or ARM processor. - Very portable and light. It's as light as the MacBook Air but with a responsive touchscreen and tablet feature. - It is a full PC in a tablet form factor. What could be better: - it gets hammered for it's battery life. However, the battery is better than my work computer - a 2009 era MacBook Pro unibody which is much larger and heavier. I just don't "get" this criticism. - I am replacing the combination of a MacBook Pro (2007) and Asus Transformer Prime with this. I usually watch videos or read twitter or the news when I am working out at my gym on my Prime...so I wish there were cases out there to protect my new SP while I have it sitting on the treadmill. - the speakers aren't so great. The iPad has the SP beat in this category. - some of my favorite iOS and Android Apps aren't available - BUT - you can installed Bluestacks and run any Android app out there since this is a real PC! - I've never used a laptop in my lap...but if I had to with my SP, I would either lie it completely flat, or detach the keyboard and use it in "tablet" mode. That is another criticism of the SP that I didn't "get."

AT FIRST GLANCE THIS COMPUTER IS NICE BUT TAKE IT HOME AND TWO DAYS LATER IT WILL BEGIN TO FREEZE AND SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT COME WITH IT WONT ALWAYS WORK. I THOUGHT I WOULD LOVE THIS NEW COMPUTER BUT I DONT

I have had them all Ipad,Asus a nd samsung android tablets, Asus vivotab smart, and Surface RT. This product is before it's time. The speed of this PC is unmatched compared to Surface RT and Windows 8 Atom processors. The full HD display makes text, video and photo super share with extreme detail. Although it might seem expensive the value of what you are getting is amazing. The included digitizing pen, all metal body, 128 SSD drive (83 GB#, expandable micro SD, full USB 3.0 all in a small under 2lb device. The battery life can be altered with battery settings and depends on what you are doing. Playing Steam games will drop your battery faster then surfing the web and email. Touch and full fast PC all in one. If you are onsidering having something with the battery and speed of an IPAD I suggest the Vivotab Smart with the atom processore, so at least you get full windows, but no graphics intensive games #steam# and some app crashes when the RAM gets overloaded. Otherwise the Surface Pro 64 GB or 128GB is the product to get. If you compare getting and Ipad/Android with a case, USB adaptor, cost of apps, video out adaptors to try to get similar functionality you will be around the same price as the Surface. Office, photoshop, dual screen mode with ALL APPS #for example ESPN app turns into a news and score ticker when docked; watch Netflix while writing an email; or write a review on the web while watching youtube docked on my left!!) It is all here and you need to get one and try it at home and about to appreciate the capabilities of the amazing device.. if you can find one.

I'm a devote Apple fan. My company got me this SP128 and I'm very impressed. For reference, I own a high-rez tricked out 15" MacBook Pro, iphone 5S, two iMac's #old white and one about a year old# and the latest 64 gb ATT iPad. The only thing this Surface Pro is missing is a cellular card option. 1. Screen is very dgood. Almost as good as the retina on my ipad. But, in comparison to the ipad, the overall shape/size of this screen is better. 2. Font size. I can adjust it, adjust the resolution, but I'm 51 years old and need my reading glasses to use this PC. My iPad functions well for me with no glasses. Surface Pro does let me zoom in using the pinch gesture just like iPad. So, mixed bag but overall a very good experience. 3. Keyboard. This sucker is excellent. I mean, really really excellent. Good touch tactile feedback and it seems pretty indestructible. Kind of flexes/bends. Attaches magnetically and serves as a cover. Great design. I've got big hands and I've got zero issues typing on it. The hinge has some smarts in it. If it's folded all the way back or flat with the keys touching the table surface, the Surface Pro "knows" to default to the virtual screen keyboard. And, convenient arrow keys, lower right. I know, I'm gushing over a freaking keyboard. Ridiculous but it just completes the experience. I looked at several other PC Win8 tablets and really didn't like any of the keyboard add on things. This one looks like a joke at first glace, flimsy, thin, blah blah blah. Try one before you judge. 4. Screen virtual keyboard is okay, but I'm more used to the ipad version so I'm biased. I do like the numerical keypad that pops up however. But on some apps, I have trouble getting it to pop up. 5. Battery life is decent, much dependent on screen brightness. Considering the horsepower of this baby, I can't complain. 6. Horsepower. Excellent. One of my counterparts at work chose a different tablet because it had the cellular card. It also has a slow low end CPU and it bogs down on him. Running the exact same proprietary program our company sells, his lags and really stresses his system where my SurfacePro just flies along with no hiccups. I have 128gb hard drive one. Internal ram is sufficient. 7. Apps -- I had to have a PC based system, had to have a USB port, but still love the tablet format of my ipad. This bridges the gap nicely. The Metro apps took a bit to get used to and here's not nearly as many as Apple App store offers. But, here's the rub. How many apps do you really use all the time? For me on my ipad, it's weather, airline app, stock app, Netflix, and games. Games on the ipad are much more available #I'm a big car racing game fan#. But, other than that, there's not a lot I love to do on the ipad that I can't get an app for with the SP. 8. 802.11n is rock solid, has a great range and logs in automatically where I want it to. I get around the lack of a cellular car by simply creating a hot spot on my iphone 5. Mission accomplished. 9. The power connector is a "mag safe" type design that apple uses. But, and this is a huge but, the darn thing doesn't connect nearly as easily as any of the apple ones I've owned. It always takes me longer than it should to get it connected. But, it's better than plugging something in that I'll eventually snap off. I guess I'll get used to it eventually, but I can't connect it easily by touch. I have to look at it. 10. It's Windows 8, love it or hate it. I have no real complaints since they are making it more Mac OSX-like all the time. The lines are blurring a bit between the PC and Mac. But, where Win8 lacks in apps, it makes up for with all the regular PC programs I can load up that I need. Eventually maybe Apple will put a USB port on a tablet. 11. Almost forgot to add, the pen is really accurate. I don't use it that much but there are a few fine operations in normal windows mode that my fat fingers can't navigate very well. Getting option settings tweaked and such. For day to day workflow, I don't use it. Terrible idea trying to use the magsafe port as a way to secure the pen. Bad word "secure". I've lost it around the house 3 times now. 12. Flip back stand is well integrated into the design. But it's locked at one angle. Good and bad. Better than no stand at all however If you need a real PC with great horsepower, lightweight rugged construction, beautiful screen and great keyboard, this is your tool of choice. And this is from a diehard Apple stockholder.

As a mini pad the surface does not come close to the Ipad. It is nothing more than an over-priced mini computer with little hard drive space.

I bought this a week ago and so far I love it. I am a full time student and as a student, the surface pro has many features that make it ideal. It is small and light making it easy to slip into a bag, unlike my laptop. It runs the full office suite which is essential for any student. It also has a program called one note which I have found to be the most useful feature. With one note, I can "print" power points that I download into one note, then using the stylus I can write directly on the power point slides. Before getting the surface pro, I would print out the power point slides on paper to take notes on, which resulted in me having to carry around several heavy binders. Another feature that has helped is being able to use the surface pro like a tablet. In one of my classes, I had to give a presentation and I brought the surface up with me and connected it to the projector and gave my presentation while holding the surface which was much more natural and comfortable than dealing with a laptop. One thing that I have to say is that while the surface can function as a tablet, it is NOT a tablet, it is an ultrabook. The on screen keyboard works in a pinch, but you have to switch between the number/character keyboard and the qwerty keyboard. Whats not so great: My complaints are fairly minor with this little machine. First of all the mouse on the key board is completely useless, it is too small for it to really be usable. Luckily, however, it includes a stylus which is a very capable replacement, and you can always buy the surface mouse. Another issue is trying to use the surface pro on your lap. The kickstand on the back only goes out at one angle so you need to accommodate the surface rather than it accommodating you. The last real issue that I have with it is that the battery life is not that great. Throughout the course of my day, I generally need to give it a full recharge. This is to be expected as it runs a full i5 and I knew about the battery life before I purchased it. What I would like to see would be a keyboard with an extended battery like with the transformer tablets. For Gaming: I am a gamer and one of the reasons that I bought this is that it could run the 2 PC games that I play, XCOM and Civ 5. I installed steam on here and then downloaded those games and they both play beautifully. Civ 5 especially because it has a touch screen mode. Those are the only games that I have tried so if you want to do a little bit of light gaming, the surface pro works well.

Looked for a product more screen sensitive as a tablet. Still not sure if it is better than Apples IPad. IPad has more apps available

I have been following the unveiling of the Surface Pro since it's announcement. While I was intrigued by the Surface RT, I knew I wanted to hold out for the Pro, since it was able to run legacy software (Windows 7 programs). I've had the Surface Pro for roughly two months now. I purchased the tablet to replace my current tablet and laptop. This tablet is very powerful. I knew it would more than suit my needs for day-to-day use, but I was pleasantly surprised by it's performance in other areas. For instance, I have been able to load several games that I thought it would have difficulty running, but it is able to run these without issue (Mass Effect 2, Bulletstorm, and others). It has no problem running Adobe's software either. I'm running Photoshop on it without performance problems either. The only issue currently is the lack of pressure sensitivity, though I read a fix is on it's way. The kick stand and type cover (I purchased along with the tablet) are also very excellent. If there is one complaint, it would be the battery life. I knew when purchasing this tablet that it's battery life would be less than other tablets. When compared to a laptop or ultrabook however, the tablet is very much in line with their battery life, which is what I expected. Bottom-line is that there is no other tablet that compares to the Surface Pro's performance. It's very easy to recommend.

So disappointed. Was looking forward to it but my experience with it made me want to run back to iPad. The touch screen is unresponsive, it gets stuck all the time, interface is clunky, it is not comfortable to hold, it is heavy, the variety of apps is limited, not all of them work properly and most of them are way unsophisticated.

While this is an upgrade over the Surface RT (that's not saying much) I would go for a Samsung or Lenovo tablet.

Bought the RT for my wife a few months back since she doesn't need a full featured computer as I do. This is not to be confused with a regular tablet such as an iPad, it can easily replace both a tablet and a laptop. My one complaint is that the screen is small but the portability of the device trumps a small screen size. The touch cover is nice, but the type cover is a bit faster and I think, more suitable to the pro. I have a work subscription to office 365, and having full featured office on a tablet cant be beat. The i5 is super fast and I am getting about 6 hours of battery by doing 2 simple things, change the power plan to power saver and turning Bluetooth support off. Six hours is plenty for me although the 9 hours the RT gets would be better. Windows 8 is frustrating at first, but very productive once mastered. It doesn't take too long and I continue to uncover more hidden gems in the OS. Setting this up if you already have a Microsoft ID and another windows 8 machine is a breeze. Go to store, expand the hidden menu and start installing all your apps. I installed about 25 apps in a few minutes, the worst part was moving the tiles how I wanted them. If you need to travel light and want to consolidate devices the Surface Pro is for you.

Too hard to move around on screen.. Things stay in background, can't x out. Not easy to navigate.

It's ok but im still happier with my ipad. This tablet i think wasnt quite what i was looking for.

I purchased this while on the road a few weeks ago and was really loving the device. It's very fast and responsive compared to my current laptop and tablet I had with me. The screen is very beautiful, though HD on an 11" screen leaves you looking for your reading glasses at times, and the wifi signal always worked well in the numerous hotels I encountered on my business trip. However there are 4 issues I had with it. 2 I could live with and 2 that stopped me from keeping it. The 2 I could live with were the heat of the unit, which got quite warm at times, and the battery life which was not unlike a 4 year old laptop. The 2 issues I couldn't deal with: The more expensive keyboard offering #Type cover# was too flexible, which meant that not only would it not register all the keys typed on it when in my lap, but it also missed keystrokes even on a solid table. That knocked it out of contention as being my one machine on the road. I would have preferred a solid keyboard that weighed a bit more over a keyboard that doesn't register all of your typing, no matter where it's being used. Also, being that it's a keyboard without a hinge mechanism that you lock the screen into, it will not hold the screen up unless you use the kickstand, which means it's stuck at one angle, or you have to prop it up using your legs or something else on a counter if you want a larger angle than the kickstand provides. This made it difficult to use sitting up or sitting in bed. The combination of non adjustable angles of the screen and non-registered keystrokes meant that, for me, I could really only use it as a tablet. Trying to use this as a laptop was just too frustrating, especially when there are now lightweight Ultrabooks avail that can do touch and have a laptop convenience for getting work done. I'm in hopes that if Microsoft doesn't abandon this effort soon that there will be a different, more solid keyboard available in the future. Maybe even one with a battery built in and backlit keys. If so then I will revisit this. As is, I was kind of sad to take it back because all the other things it does, it does extremely well. If you mainly want a tablet experience, it's a great little offering. But trying to replace a laptop with office work is a bit too much of a kludge.

I was a bit torn between the Surface Pro and a convertible ultrabook. I watch the rest of my family using tablets (Samsung and iPAD) and liked the idea of a tablet for evening e-mails, but didn't want to waste the money on something that wouldn't run the work-horse apps on my notebook computer or desktop. The Surface Pro not only satisfies these requirements, but the stand is ingenious, allowing me to work on my lap as though it were a desktop (I use the type cover). The pen allows me to work with the small screen easily. This was my first experience with Windows 8, and I hated it, but I understand it now, am somewhat used to it and like some features of it very much - such as typing in something I need and instantly searching the computer by touching a category. I'm not thrilled by the limited drive space, but installed a 32GB MicroSD that is always encrypted with TruCrypt, and it works flawlessly - remaining installed after numerous turn on/off cycles. I suppose if it gets down to it, I will uninstall and re-install applications if I need to - they install and uninstall very quickly. I am able to work with my power applications (circuit simulations, various documents, etc.) more immediately than ever before, allowing me to put more time into my work more easily. The computer is very fast, too. The sound is impressive, too - wide matrix audio. It is a bit heavy, but I carry it in a bag/case so there is no longer a problem there. I've now had the unit for nearly a month. There were times the unit's wifi would stop working and stop allowing me to even see any wifi settings, but it was updating the driver and eventually self-healed or succeeded. That was a bit nerve-racking.

I have now spent two days with my Surface Pro and it has blown away my expectations. This device has allowed me to retire 3 previously beloved and heavily used devices. My iPad, my MacBook Air and my Fujitsu convertible tablet! I knew it would be great to have a real OS on a tablet because I have been using a Tablet Convertible for years. I knew I liked Windows 8. What I did not know was hoe revolutionary it would feel to have so much power in such a small device! This thing is LIGHTNING fast. Even with my power saver settings set to be rather aggressive (giving me closer to 6 hours than the normal 5) I have not seen this bad boy slow down yet! The screen is beautiful, better than I expected. It's easily as responsive as an iPad and the digitizer is a deal sealer. I have loved my iPad since getting the first gen at launch and upgrading to the 2 and 3. But as an art lover I have always found using even the expensive stylus' a less than steller experience on the iPad. Always kept my beloved Fujitsu convertible tablet around for that. But the Surface' technology allows a real Wacom stylus, with precision and pressure sensitivity. And the importance of being able to rest my wrist on the screen while drawing can not be over stated. All my real Windows games and Apps run on this beast! Even a massive MMO like Star Wars The Old Republic (or WOW) can be played! Now I have heard some claim the Surface is overpriced. I honestly do not see that as a fair criticism. The Macbook Air 128GB (which I own) costs $1,099 and has the EXCACT same specs (same processor, ram, graphics card), I never hear anyone saying that is overpriced. Try and find a Windows 8 tablet with comparable specs for less. Especially with the pen and digitizer. Microsoft have a really amazing piece of hardware on there hands. Now if only they can figure out how to market it. Making the RT model available first was a massive mistake. Not that it matters, tablets running real operating systems (as in not mobile OS' like IOS and Android) are the future. Apple don't seem to be interested in making one and Google are a long way from making Android a Windows alternative. The Surface is the first real contender on the market but in 5 years I am betting that this type of tablet will have replaced laptops altogether. There will still be room for low end consumer tablets like the Nexus and the iPad though.

Have to spend more to get keyboard..can't use my Norton protection on this device.

So far I like it and have no major complaints except that the volume is very low.

I have been using this tablet for over 4 weeks as my main computer and am very pleased with it so far. I am an IT professional that travels by plane every week to visit clients and this tablet is fits my needs very nicely. I have almost retired my Lenovo laptop completely and would do so right now if some key business applications ran on Windows 8. If you or your company use Webex for conferencing, or you have to use a Cisco VPN client to access corporate networks, then this tablet or any others running Windows 8 will not work for you. I have to use those applications which is why I still have to have my Windows 7 laptop. While there are some ways work around the VPN issue buy using some register hacks and some other tricks, I would rather wait for an official VPN client to come out from Cisco. Other than that, the tablet works with everything else very nicely. I use Office 2013 along with Vizio 2013 and Project 2013 with no problems. Connecting to different WiFi hotspots is a breeze. Even Gogo internet on my flights works very well and connects without any issues. I have noticed some issues connecting several devices thru the USB port using different USB hubs. I have tried different USB 2.0 and 3.0 hubs and get inconsistent connection to some Bluetooth and wireless devices. There is a notice somewhere that you need to keep any 2.5 Ghz devices several inches away from the tablet, but I have not seen any issues yet. So far I have used the Microsoft keyboard with the tactile feedback and it works great, although the touchpad is a bit small and takes a little time to get used to it. I also have used a Logitech Bluetooth portable keyboard and a USB keyboard with excellent results. I like the Logitech portable keyboard the best, but the Microsoft keyboard is more convenient when traveling and working on a crowded plane using those very small tray tables. I also use a Bluetooth or wireless mouse when I am working at my desk. It is a lot easier to use than the small touchpad. I have also been using dual external monitors using a Rocketfish HDMI to VGA converter. The Surface Pro drives 2 external monitors at 1920 x 1080 resolution with no problems. I have not tried to see if the Surface Pro can drive 2 external touchscreen monitors yet, but will do so soon. I have also tested the Surface Pro using a Mini HDMI to HDMI converter cable and connecting it up to external HDMI monitors and televisions with no issues. The screen on the Surface Pro is very clean and hi-def. Text is very easy to read (well, easier than most other 10" tablets) and if you watch movies, make sure you download the HD versions. Watching an HD video on this tablet is crystal clear. One note to mention, the audio driver on the Surface Pro produces a very good quality sound, but the amplification could be improved. I listen to music or watch videos sometimes on a plane and even with the volume turned all the way up and using a Bose Quiet Comfort noise cancelling headset, it is sometimes hard to hear. BTW - I am also the CTO of my company and part of my job function is to test different technologies as they come out so that I can recommend them to ourselves and our clients. As such I have purchased and tested several Android, Apple and Windows RT and Pro tablets. So far I like the Microsoft Surface Pro the best. If your company uses some type of MDM (Mobile Device Management) software to mange your smartphones, tablets and laptops, then make sure that the vendor you are using has a Windows 8 client that works before purchasing the Surface Pro. Many MDM vendors do not have a fully functional client yet. Overall I like the Surface Pro over several other Intel based Windows 8 tablets that I have tested.