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Microsoft Surface Pro 8 (1983) with Signature Keyboard with Slim Pen 2 review

Microsoft Surface Pro 8 (1983) with Signature Keyboard with Slim Pen 2

CHOICE Expert Rating

74%
What is the CHOICE Expert Rating?
Good points

Good Points

  • Very good keyboard
  • Very good audio quality
  • Very good Wi-Fi speed
  • Short time to charge to 80 per cent
  • Very good screen
  • Excellent viewing angles
Bad points

Bad Points

  • No SD card slot
  • Small touchpad
  • Can be hard to rest in lap due to kickstand and loose keyboard

Type

Ultraportable
Ultrabook
Tablet mode
Operating system
Windows 11 Home

Recommended products

Recommended
Not recommended
Recommended for tablet use

Test results

CHOICE Expert Rating
74%
Performance score
59%
Tablet use score
79%
Ease of use score
74%
Battery life score
74%
Display score
84%
Audio score
80%
Wi-Fi score
80%
Storage write-speed (MBps)
1583
Storage read-speed (MBps)
2346
Wi-Fi speed (MBps)
43
Average battery life – heavy usage (hours)
5:26
Charging time to 80% full (h:min)
1:09
Expert tester comments
Compared to the previous model, the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is faster, has a bigger and brighter screen, and it adds much-needed Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports. It's not passively cooled like the previous model (there is now a fan), but its fan was not noticeable during our tests. It's a Windows tablet that's well worth considering, and with the keyboard cover accessory (with which we tested and priced this model), you can also use it as a capable notebook computer.

Sustainability

Shop Ethical rating
C
Warranty (years)
1
Replaceable battery
Not collected
Replace/upgrade RAM
Not collected
Slots for additional RAM
Not collected
Replace/upgrade storage
Not collected
Slot for additional storage
Not collected
Replace/upgrade Wi-Fi
Not collected
Country of origin
China

Related products

Availability
Discontinued model

Cost

Price
$2,128.00

Specifications

Screen size (inches)
13
Native screen resolution (pixels)
2880 x 1920
Processor (CPU) type
Intel Core i5-1135G7
CPU frequency (GHz)
2.4
RAM (GB)
8
Video graphics type
Intel Iris Xe
Storage capacity (GB)
256
Available user space (GB)
199
Storage type
SSD
Wi-Fi version
6
Weight of laptop (kg)
1.2
Weight of power supply (kg)
0.26
Size (mm, H x D x W)
15 x 215 x 289

Features

Screen finish
Glossy
Touchscreen
USB-C
USB 2.0 ports
0
USB 3.0 ports
0
USB 4 as USB-C port
0
USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 1 or 2, not Thunderbolt 3 or 4) ports
0
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 (as USB-C) ports
2
SD card slot (full-size)
SD card slot (micro)
HDMI port
Gigabit ethernet port
Rear camera
Backlit keyboard levels of brightness
3

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