Microsoft became a household name via its Windows operating system and Office (now 365) suite, but it’s sold PCs under the Surface brand for years. Whether you’ve owned Surface devices in the past or are contemplating your first, the current lineup can be pretty confusing, since it employs a variety of similar-sounding lingo. For example, the word Pro refers to one of the original and most mainstream Surface devices—a detachable Windows tablet rather than a professional creative laptop. Microsoft regularly releases new Surfaces with ever-changing specifications. Fortunately, our expert reviewers have tried and tested the many iterations (as they have with all PCs for 40 years) to help you sort through the product names and component options. Here’s a rundown of every current Surface device so you can decide which, if any, is right for you.The Surface Tablets: The Original 2-in-1 DetachablesMost people consider Windows an operating system for desktops and laptops, but the OS is more versatile than that. Microsoft created the Surface tablet to showcase how Windows can power touch-screen devices without integrated keyboards, and in many cases it’s worked splendidly. Indeed, the flagship Surface Pro has been a frequent Editors’ Choice award winner as arguably the definitive Windows tablet.At its core, the Surface Pro is a sleek 13-inch touch-screen tablet that can be used either by itself or with an optional detachable keyboard (called a keyboard cover because it folds to protect the screen). The slate’s signature physical feature is an integrated kickstand with fully adjustable hinge. It lets you recline the screen through 165 degrees of range, from standing at attention to nearly flat. The Surface Pro also works with an optional (and recently upgraded and enlarged) stylus, the Slim Pen 2.
Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (SQ3) (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
If the detachable design appeals and you’re not interested in the nitty-gritty details, we can cut to the chase and recommend the 2024 Surface Pro as the most recent model. If you’re not certain, however, there’s a lot to unpack; things have gotten more complicated in recent times, particularly with the introduction of processors based on the Arm instead of familiar x86 architecture. This will affect your decision about whether the 2024 model suits you, so we suggest reading on to make the right call.Back in 2022, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Pro 9 in two different flavors, one with traditional Intel x86 CPUs and one with an Arm-based chip dubbed SQ3 (replacing an earlier Arm version, the Surface Pro X). Our review of the Surface Pro 9 SQ3 model, with highly touted features including 5G support and smart camera technology, praised its epic battery life but found slower performance than the usual Intel offerings. We next reviewed the Surface Pro 9 Intel version, whose 12th Generation Intel “Alder Lake” processor brought superior performance and compatibility but which lacked its cousin’s fancy features. We also complained that both models dropped the headphone jack.
The Intel-based Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (Credit: Molly Flores)
Despite the downsides, that was not the end of Arm on Surface. Indeed, Microsoft doubled down on the alternative architecture in 2024 with its Copilot+ PC program launch. A Copilot+ PC is a Windows laptop with an AI-ready processor inside to run artificial intelligence tasks and Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant locally instead of via the cloud (along with some other required features). As part of this announcement, Microsoft revealed that the next Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices would use Arm chips exclusively, at least at launch. Qualcomm and its flashy Snapdragon X Arm processors lead this first Copilot+ PC wave, though Intel and AMD will have their day later in 2024. The message was that, this time, Windows would run on Arm-based chips more efficiently and effectively than ever.Therefore, the 2024 Surface Pro mentioned earlier is one of the first Copilot+ PCs and the first Snapdragon-powered Surface we’ve reviewed. Most shoppers are more confused than enthused by the distinction between x86 and Arm processors, but at least (unlike the previous generation) Microsoft is sticking to one rather than both architectures for the newest Surface Pro—though that may well change when Intel and AMD launch Copilot+ PC-ready processors.
The Snapdragon-based 2024 Microsoft Surface Pro (Credit: Brian Westover)
While we have some compatibility caveats, the Snapdragon X is a quick and efficient processor that runs Windows well (see the linked 2024 Surface Pro review for our extended thoughts on the subject). The new tablet’s battery life is better than ever, its optional OLED display is brilliant, and its Wi-Fi 7 support is speedy. Some past Surface Pro hardware issues remain, as do scattered Arm compatibility concerns, so while we’re generally pleased with the latest Surface Pro we again recommend you read our review for the ins and outs.The Most Portable Surface Device: The Surface GoFor users who don’t need quite as much raw power, Microsoft also offers the Surface Go family, which offers most of the Surface Pro’s features in a smaller, more affordable form factor. 2021’s Surface Go 3 was the last mainstream model released and one of the best budget Windows tablets available, but its smaller screen and less potent Intel processor mean it’s more suited to people who prioritize portability and cost savings over a proper laptop replacement. Microsoft is no longer highlighting the Surface Go 3 on its site, but we still see some stock available online.
(Credit; Tom Brant)
Microsoft took an interesting turn with its next mini tablet, last year’s Surface Go 4. Exclusive to professional sales channels, it’s designed as a fleet device for offices, mobile employees, and the educational market. Microsoft says its new low-power Intel N200 processor is twice as powerful as the Surface Go 3 chip, and upper-tier models flaunt an improved UFS storage solution. The Surface Go 4 starts at $579.99 without a keyboard when bought individually. There have been no Arm-based models or other Surface Go enhancements in almost a year; perhaps a future iteration will carry a Snapdragon processor, but we’ve seen no indication that any new Go device is coming.
The Surface Pro and Go Lines: Current Models, Tested
The Surface Laptop Family: Microsoft’s Most Powerful SurfacesWhile the Surface Pro tablet can potentially do everything a laptop can, not everyone needs a laptop replacement. So a few years ago Microsoft decided to add conventional clamshell-hinge notebooks to the Surface family. The previous Surface Laptop 5 had Intel inside, but the sixth-generation 2024 Surface Laptop is also part of the Qualcomm Snapdragon revolution.
The 2024 Microsoft Surface Laptop (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Setting aside its new AI-ready silicon, the latest Surface Laptop succeeds in the same areas as its predecessors: it combines elements of the Windows tablet experience (chiefly an excellent touch screen) and the laptop experience (a full keyboard for comfortable typing, a haptic touchpad, more powerful performance, and more connectivity). Like the new Surface Pro, the 2024 Surface Laptop carries some caveats regarding Arm software compatibility, but it’s a beautifully made and generally snappy, long-lasting device available in either 13.5-inch or 15-inch screen sizes (we tested the smaller model) and multiple colors.
The 2024 Surface Laptop’s lid (Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Like the Surface Laptop 5 before it, the 2024 model is also quite pricey; the $999.99 starting price may be palatable, but our review configuration cost two grand. Other professional and creative laptops in that ballpark offer faster CPUs, OLED screen options, and in some cases discrete GPUs instead of slower integrated graphics.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 (Credit: Kyle Cobian)
Since the Intel-based Surface Laptop 5 is still available, you might want to consider opting for one before you’re funneled toward the 2024 Snapdragon model. That’s not to knock the new edition’s quick performance and long-lasting battery, but if your workflow requires out-of-the-mainstream software, you should double-check your applications before getting an Arm-based PC.For Mobile and Creative Users: The Surface Laptop Go and Surface Laptop StudioAs with the Surface Go tablet, Microsoft distilled some of the best parts of the Surface Laptop experience into a smaller, cheaper package—the Surface Laptop Go, which has a smaller 12.4-inch display but a lower starting price. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 didn’t bring many changes over the Go 2; its baseline specifications moved up a notch, but we don’t consider it a great deal at $799.At the other end of the price spectrum, Microsoft sells the Surface Laptop Studio, a flagship Windows 11 notebook aimed at creative professionals (not to be confused with the Surface Studio desktop, which we’ll get to in a moment). It advances the state of the art for mobile computing with a haptic touchpad and a 120Hz-refresh-rate display that pulls forward so you can lay it flat on top of the keyboard for pen input. It’s not the most powerful laptop for the price, but it’s still impressive.The most recent iteration, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, updates the flagship system with an AI-enhanced CPU and all-new aluminum chassis. It courts creative pros with optional Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 and 4060 upgrades from its Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics, with a workstation-class Nvidia RTX 2000 Ada available for heavy-duty work such as 3D rendering. The Editors’ Choice award-winning Surface Laptop Studio 2 starts at $1,999.99, putting it on the same level as the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch, though configurations with discrete graphics cost significantly more. It’s been a minute since its 2023 launch and there’s been no Snapdragon update yet.
The Surface Laptop and Laptop Go Lines: Current Models, Tested
Surface Studio: Microsoft’s Sleek All-in-One DesktopThe sole desktop PC in the Surface lineup is the Surface Studio, an all-in-one (AIO) first launched in 2017 as a beautiful, cost-no-object choice for content creators, artists, and professionals who want a large 28-inch touch screen. The Surface Studio 2 came a year later, with the Studio 2+ arriving in October 2022 (and not reviewed here). As the name implies, it was a half step up from the previous version rather than a full 3.0 release, since it used the same design and focused on internal upgrades.
Microsoft Surface Studio 2 (Credit: Zlata Ivleva)
The Surface Studio’s unique design comes from Microsoft’s decision to store the computing components in the base rather than behind the screen as with most AIOs, allowing for an extremely thin display panel. The Apple iMac is an obvious influence, but the difference is the emphasis on touch input, reflected in the rear hinge. Two metal arms extend from the base to support the screen, meeting in the middle at a hinge that lets you use the screen vertically or flex it horizontally. The desktop is also well integrated with Microsoft’s Surface Pen and Surface Dial accessories for onscreen or near-screen interaction.
Recommended by Our Editors
Microsoft Surface Studio 2+ (Credit: Kyle Cobian)
As you’d expect, the Surface Studio 2+ is eye-wateringly expensive at $4,499. While its component upgrades represent a substantial leap over its predecessor, they’re dated and underwhelming today—the sole configuration combines an 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11370H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 mobile GPU.
The Surface Studio Line: The Last Model We’ve Tested
Discontinued Surface Products: Surface Duo Phones and the Surface BookThere have been many other Surface products, which we won’t belabor as they’re no longer available new but which deserve a mention. First, let’s look back at Microsoft’s smartphone efforts.
Microsoft Surface Duo 2 (Credit: Sascha Segan)
While it’s made many excellent tablets and laptops over the years, Microsoft has met with much less success in the premium phone arena. After the original Windows Phone operating system was put out to pasture, the company tried again with the Android-based Surface Duo and Duo 2, the latter a pricey phone-tablet with a foldable screen. It was an ambitious improvement over the original Duo, but while other foldable devices have taken off, it was a flop that ended Microsoft’s career in the phone business.
Microsoft Surface Book 3 (15-inch) (Credit: Zlata Ivleva)
On the laptop side, there were three generations of a unique entry dubbed Surface Book, whose detachable display defied categorization as either a notebook or tablet. While impressively engineered, it was a costly novelty. The Surface Book 3 was aimed at professional content creators and after-hours gamers, with a powerful, optional Nvidia GPU; it looked a lot like a Surface Laptop but its mechanically locking hinge let you separate its screen from the keyboard base. Unlike Microsoft’s smartphone efforts, these devices weren’t failures, but evolved into the more purpose-built Surface Laptop Studio line.
Now-Defunct Surface Devices We Reviewed
That’s a Lot of Surface! Which Is the One for Me?With more than a handful of devices in many product categories and dozens of possible configurations, the Surface lineup is still tricky to navigate, even once you know what all the names mean. So let’s look at a few everyday use cases and match them to the Surface products that suit them best. The Best Surface for Students and Budget Buyers Is…Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
Although it’s missing some nifty features from the pricier Surface Laptops, the Surface Laptop Go 3 fills the bill for many buyers seeking a well-designed, lightweight laptop with adequate performance that doesn’t cost a fortune. We wish the Laptop Go 3 had kept the extra-low price point of the Laptop Go 2, but $799 is still a decent starting price. The little laptop is one of the better choices for budget buyers eyeing a Microsoft device, as the clamshell design is much more pleasant to type on than the Surface Go’s snap-on keyboard. The Best Surface for Mainstream Work Is…Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
Again, while the 2024 Surface Laptop waves the Snapdragon banner, we still like the x86-based Surface Laptop 5. It’s a snappy machine with a satisfying keyboard, good battery life, and no compatibility concerns. People who need to type all day will appreciate the comfortable keyboard and touchpad, and the range of color and material options will help everyone find a match. Its display quality is excellent, though its skimpy port selection will have you eyeing Microsoft’s Surface Dock or a generic USB hub.The Best Surface for Content Creators Is…Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Studio 2 handily takes the reins from its predecessor, improving upon it in several ways. Besides ramping up performance with modern parts and dedicated AI processing, it adds formerly missing features like a USB-A port and microSD card slot, while improving the unique pull-forward touch-screen design with higher-end materials. We hope this 2023 Editors’ Choice winner is due for an update and doesn’t go the way of the Surface Book.
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