The switch is supposed to lead to better battery life and improved LTE support, the main features propping up the Surface Pro X. Instead of the x86 architecture used in many computers today, the new processor uses what’s known as ARM architecture, found in mobile devices like your smartphone. Inside the Surface Pro X is an experiment of sorts: the SQ1 chip, a joint effort between Microsoft and Qualcomm. The most striking change isn’t its exterior, however. It’s a big mistake, and frustrating to think about shelling out even more money on a pretty expensive device in order to type (the cheaper Surface Keyboard lacks the Signature Keyboard’s slick divot for simultaneously storing and wirelessly charging the $145 Surface Slim Pen, should you choose to get one at a later date).
The standard-issue Surface Keyboard will run you $139, or you could pay $269 for the complete package of Surface Signature Keyboard and bundled Surface Slim Pen. Microsoft doesn’t include a keyboard with the $999 Surface Pro X, considering it (and the Surface Slim Pen) optional. Unfortunately, the 2-in-1 design does not include a headphone jack, an unfortunate omission considering the already sparse port count and less than stellar integrated stereo speakers. Still, it has the redundant Surface Connect Port used to charge the Surface or connect it to docks, a necessity made obsolete by the progress of the universal and capable USB-C port, of which the Surface Pro X has two, like Apple’s MacBook Air. Its 13-inch touchscreen display is a delight to stare at, making text, images, and video look crisp. Its rear camera shoots in 4K resolution, while its front-facing camera does 1080p, and supports Windows Hello’s facial recognition for password-free logins. It retains the iconic (and, depending on how you’re sitting, inconvenient) kickstand that allows it to stand up like your standard laptop, or lay nearly flat, easel-like, for any drawing you’d like to do. The Surface Pro X, in its matte black aluminum, looks downright cool.
Its construction, a sleek and contemporary interpretation of its Surface design language, makes few compromises. Unfortunately, the Surface Pro X drops the ball where it matters, and puts the idea of Microsoft’s commitment to such radical change into question. But instead of building on traditional laptop technology, it’s adopting innovations from the mobile world, and betting on boosted battery life and always-on connectivity to woo the working Joe on-the-go. Microsoft’s Surface Pro X represents a major transition for the company, showcasing its vision for the future of mobile productivity.
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