Edit after some hardcore use:
I took my Surface Pro out to a client manufacturing facility (they make trucks) for a city water survey. I had it in a Moko case. I was absolutely blown away with a few aspects of this device.
I was marking up a very large PDF, a layout of the entire building I was in, complete with all city water plumbing drawn. Zooming, panning, marking up, nothing ended up fazing this device performance wise. I used Drawboard PDF, which was exactly fit for my purpose.
I was there surveying for 6 hours, no breaks and no charging. I ended up with 63% battery left! Amazing considering the workload(this was a LARGE PDF)!
I really cannot say enough good things about this device. I ended up buying the Surface Pen and it is absolutely worth it over the Ciscle. I don't have a single complaint at the moment about this device. I highly recommend it.
Original Review:---
I was debating between a new i5 Pro6 and a refurb i5 Pro 5, until I learned that the new i5 in the Pro 6 is a real 4 core 8 thread. I opted for the 6, and oh boy am I glad I did.
Performance wise, it really is kind of amazing that a system this powerful can run on passive cooling. I have been mostly using the Surface to annotate PDFs of building blueprints using Drawboard. Zooming, panning, writing, all of it is as fluid as I could ask for, even on massive PDFs of entire factory buildings.
Aesthetically, the Surface is a REALLY handsome device. Very pleasing to the eye, and very ergonomic as well. I love folding down into studio mode for drawing.
Drawing is great. I opted for a cheap 3rd party pen(Ciscle), but I think I will probably buy a Surface Pen before too long. It is impressive how little lag there is for drawing, it really does feel very natural.
I was debating long and hard with myself whether to get the Surface Pro 6, or just get a cheap windows tablet. 300% price difference, but I am absolutely, hands down glad I got the Pro. Awesome device.
To provide context, I bought the Surface Pro 6 to replace my Surface Pro 4 which I traded in at my university's tech store.
Display:
The display on the Surface Pro 6 is noticeably better than that on the Surface Pro 4 for one reason: contrast ratio. The blacks are blacker and everything is just more vibrant. There is also an sRGB color mode for those of you interested in editing photos or videos. In addition, backlight bleed is virtually nonexistent which was a minor issue on my SP4. The display also gets quite a bit brighter than that of the SP4 which helps significantly in outdoor use.
Performance:
The performance of the SP6 is noticeably faster than that of the SP4 in day to day tasks, mostly due to doubling the cores and threads (4 & 8 vs 2 & 4). Jumping through powerpoint, excel, word, multiple tabs, and even the notorious CPU hog that is Skype was much snappier. Doing a quick Geekbench, the SP6 is in the performance range of a non-overclocked desktop i5 3570k. SSD performance is also very fast, but it still trails behind what Apple is able to achieve.
Battery Life:
This is the main reason I wanted to upgrade, as the SP4's battery life was its Achilles heel even when it was new. With my mixed workload of web browsing, MS-office, youtube, Onenote, etc., I would get about 4.5 hours of battery life on the SP4. With the SP6, it's about 8.5 hours. Naturally, your mileage will vary depending on your unique use case, but needless to say, the battery is no longer a weak point of the Surface Pro line.
Connectivity:
This is honestly the flawed aspect of the SP6. The only ports are a headphone jack (thank you!), a surface connect port, a USB A 3.0 port, and a mini-display port. Not having USB C (preferably thunderbolt 3) on a new device in 2018 is going to be a dealbreaker for some. Personally, the surface acts as my mobile machine with a desktop for work at home, so I almost never need to connect it to a display/peripherals. For those looking to use their surface as a primary machine, it may be a dealbreaker; it depends on your workflow. In terms of Wifi performance, I've had no issues.
Keyboard and Pen:
I'm using the same keyboard and pen that I used with the SP4, because they are forward compatible. The SP6 keyboard is virtually identical to the SP4 keyboard, so my commentary should still apply. The keys have great spacing and travel, and the trackpad, while small, is smooth and accurate. I can't comment on the latest generation Surface Pen, but for those coming to the SP6 with an older pen in tow, you do still benefit from the improved latency of the SP6 compared to the SP4 and older models. It was a pleasant surprise, and writing on the SP6 feels even more natural as a result.
The Little Things:
Windows Hello is still awesome and faster than ever. With the instant wake of the SP6, I'm in within 2 seconds of tapping the power button. The build quality is also still exceptional.
Overall, the Surface Pro 6 feels like a solid upgrade for users of the Surface Pro 4 and older with significantly better performance and battery life. Being able to use older accessories is on the SP6 is just icing on the cake.
As a first-time Surface user, I didn't know what to expect. I've been using a Samsung i7 3rd gen Intel laptop for 5 years so my comparison is based on that. The image quality is just gorgeous and top-notch. The audio output is super loud and crisp, not what I expected from a tablet. I don't even need to use a Bluetooth speaker! The build is superb and sturdy. Battery is great, lasts the entire day on Battery Saver and "Suggested" brightness but even with the "Balanced" and "Brighter" setting, it still lasts long. Very responsive (of course it's an 8th gen chip). Windows Hello works well even if the tablet is vertically oriented. Haven't tried games yet except for Asphalt 9 but I haven't detected any hiccups. The lack of USB-C isn't an issue to me. All in all, a great product.
The seller is also very speedy in their delivery. I ordered this at the same time as the Type Cover and Pen from a different seller and it arrived earlier than those two.
Update: Now that I have the new Surface Pen and Surface Type Cover, this beauty is amazing. I can't imagine reading books and annotating and highlighting without a pen now. The keyboard is very clicky and a joy to type with. The trackpad too is great.
Lived up to the name , same day shipping and received on time. The laptop is so elegant. Light weight, and the battery life last more than a day. The picture quality is so clear and the sound quality is one of the best. I don't need to use Bluetooth speakers anymore.
My 3rd surface device: surface 3 had problems w charging USB cable, surface pro 2017 (5) ( have for 1 1/2 yrs, doing great), now surface pro 6 for my wife. Great combination of laptop, tablet & desktop.
Feature Product
- A best-in-class laptop with the versatility of a studio and tablet
- More power - now with the new 8th Generation Intel Core processor
- Ultra-slim and light, starting at just 1.7 pounds
- All-day battery life, with up to 13.5 hours of video playback
- Pair with our Signature Type Cover* in luxurious Alcantara material and rich colors for a full keyboard experience
Description
From the manufacturer Your laptop, your way Wherever you are, new Surface Pro 6 makes it easy to work and play virtually anywhere, with laptop-to-tablet versatility that adapts to you. More power for your ideas Professional. Student. Creator. Whatever you do, let next-generation Surface Pro 6, featuring the latest 8th Generation Intel Core processor and all-day battery life, help you take your ideas to the next level. Mix, match, make it your own Personalize Surface Pro 6 to suit your style with a choice of two colors — Platinum or bold, new Black. Make it a full laptop with our Signature Type Cover, Surface Pen, and Surface Arc Mouse. Do more with the Windows you know With Windows 10 Home, enjoy familiar features like password-free Windows Hello sign-in and Cortana intelligent assistant — and create your best work with Office 365 on Windows. Laptop mode Open the built-in Kickstand and add our Signature Type Cover for a full laptop experience anywhere. Tablet Mode Close the Kickstand, and remove or fold the Type Cover back for a powerful, stand-alone Intel tablet. Studio Mode Lower the Kickstand for the perfect 15-degree writing and drawing angle with Surface Pen. Signature type cover Add a touch of luxury to everyday tasks with the Surface Pro Signature Type Cover in our next-generation Alcantara material — a perfect blend of sophisticated style, comfort, and technology. Surface Dial Create your best work with Office 365 on Surface. Work smarter with powerful inking capabilities and show every angle of your story with 3D. Surface Pen Write and draw naturally, with precision ink on one end and a rubber eraser on the other. Surface Arc Mouse Slim, light and ready to travel, Surface Arc Mouse is designed to conform to your hand and snaps flat to fit easily in your bag. Connects via Bluetooth. Style:Surface Pro | Size:8GB RAM, 128 GB | Color:Platinum | Configuration:Intel Core i5 Unplug. Pack light. Get productive your way, all day. Collaborate on projects, perfect a presentation, manage email, and stream a show when it's all done. From office to home, airport to open road, power your life on the move with new Surface Pro 6, the laptop that adapts to you - now more powerful than ever with the latest 8th Generation Intel Core processor for faster, smoother multitasking.
Image is just stunning, the sound is clear and loud, no distortion at all. The build quality is excellent, looks and feels like a premium product. Computer is very fast, battery lasts a whole day, and it rarely gets a bit warm, and it's completely silent as the Core i5 is fan-less.
I haven't had a need for a full PC in years. I rarely do anything interesting in my leisure computing. I was compelled to buy a Surface Pro when I needed to do tasks outside my work computer that couldn't be fulfilled by my Samsung tablet. I'm pleasantly impressed by this machine. It's the perfect hybrid -- extremely lightweight, highly portable but capable of doing all those things that lazy developers haven't brought to the tablet universe yet. I'm totally sold. I really love this design. It was a bit of an investment (~$1k with the keyboard accessory) but the sting eases as you use it. It's a powerful little travel companion, keeping me well connected on the road. I'll admit. It's not the fanciest machine or the heaviest duty processor but it's a good household machine for when you want some distance to have hobbies outside of your work life. (Admit it. You're using your work computer to read this review...) Plus these days if you really need advanced compute, you can use an AWS workspace to spin up the right machine for that specific task and spin it down. Overall, I'm converted. I can't imagine not having this machine in my arsenal. I feel like a wizard. I'm much more organized and productive having a machine that's capable of being both a tablet and a legitimate PC. Huge win in my book.
Great product for me. Was tired of carrying my laptop around and wanted something lighter. This is perfect for me to use for work with spreadsheet and word docs. And then I can easily turn it into a tablet to watch movies or play games.
Please check, because I didn't receive what I paid for.
I've been looking for a way to ditch the big box PC and go mobile, and after assessing my real use ond needs I realized I didn't need a lot compared to what's available today vs. 20 years ago when my first PC had a 120 MB MFM drive the size of a small car.
I usually get the biggest, fastest most feature packed, everything, that I buy. It's the Boy Scout in me I guess, always prepared for the unexpected. However, after realizing I just couldn't ditch Windows OS just yet in lieu of going all the way Andriod, I had to start looking at 2 in 1's etc.
I landed on this, the Surface Pro 6. Next was trying to convince myself I needed to change my ways becasue the truth was, I didn't need an i7, 1Tb $2000+ Surface Pro. I actually heeded advice from reviews and benchmarks showing, nothing I do anymore would ever get me to performance of that machine. So next, after looking and discovering that the 2 Tb drive in my big box PC was only at about 250gb capacity with all the years of crap I had on it. Removing the things I really didn't need to have on the machine itself, like a lot of music, and a documents folder that looked like a decades old closet in a hoarders house, I accepted that I could, for the 1st time, accept the minimum spec machine. So I bought the 256gb machine instead because, well you never know,. And, prices dropped! And Black became available at the same dropped price and was in stock.
So here I sit typing on the Burgundy Signature Type Cover attached to my new Surface Pro 6 in matte black, with a black Surface Pen firmly attached to the side of the Surface Pro 6 looking as cool as I've ever thought I could never actually look outside of my head! It looks that good!
In just a day or so of setting up, adding my apps and programs starting to get used to being so mobile. So far, it's an easier transition that I thought, but I'll still be making a slow move before pulling the plug on the big box.
Is it perfect? No, Windows isn't perfect. There's little things like the task-bar will sometimes seem to retreat and not want to come back out with your finger or pen for a short while, but ctrl-Esc pops it right up. Sometimes it seems like when going to Tablet Mode and back, some of the task-bar items don't show back up or are moved around but also easy to fix and so far nothing that's major. Surprisingly the onscreen keyboard(s) aren't as much of an issue as some report. There are options for what keyboard you want and whether you want to keep it on the task-bar etc. and you can pop it u\open and close it for when you need or don't need it, in either PC or tablet mode.
Overall, I'm really pleased with my new Surface Pro 6 in matte black, i5, 256gb variant with a Burgundy Signature Type Cover and Black Surface Pen. Going from a desk and big keyboard and a 24" plasma TV as the screen will be a change but so far I can see it being not to bad of a move. I can't always get the Surface Dock and connect it that way if I really need a large screen fix.
FYI, for battery life, changing the battery mode makes a big difference. Using max power, makes a few things run smoother and faster as you're expect., like quickly scanning through pictures and videos (like viewing a micro SD card from a game camera quickly skipping past each) but cutting it back to max battery savings also extends it a lot. Some reviews claim battery life isn't near what's advertised, but what's advertised is best scenario and can't account for everyone's usage. I've found the more conservative battery setting is more than enough for most of what I do, with only minor differences when there is a difference. It's a case of YMMV, you're in control of battery life but either way, it's really good!
I can't not mention graphics. Wow!! Images are incredible, video, streaming etc. is amazing. It's hard not to want to say it's the best display I've ever experienced.
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