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Microsoft Surface Pro X: Windows on "mobile hardware"

Martin Jud
14.10.2019
Translation: machine translated

A Surface with an ARM processor is not a bad idea. Thanks to "mobile hardware", battery life is possible that cannot be achieved with conventional processors. In New York, I realised that the device not only has a lot of charm but also question marks.

Microsoft has called and invited me to New York. Of course I wanted to go straight away. Unfortunately, however, I wasn't allowed to try out the future dual-screen products or the new saucer earbuds that my colleague Philipp Rüegg presented in his article on the Surface event.

Surface Pro X: Qualcomm and Adobe are on board

It weighs less than 800 grams, is 7.3 millimetres thin and has a 13-inch display (2880 × 1920 pixels), which comes in a 12-inch format thanks to its narrow edges. This makes it the same size as the Surface Pro devices without the X. What is surprising about the fanless product is that it is not powered by an Intel processor, but by an ARM chip called SQ1 developed with Qualcomm.

The built-in SoC has an integrated LTE modem and a power consumption of just seven watts. It is also supported by an AI accelerator, which corrects your gaze during video conferences, for example, so that the person you are speaking to always seems to be looking you in the eye.

Type Cover with integrated Surface Slim Pen

I really like the new Type Cover with integrated Surface Slim Pen. The pen can be stored directly in the cover and is also charged via induction. This means there is never any risk of a flat battery. When tested, the pen fits comfortably in the hand despite its flat shape. Handwritten notes can be created just as easily as entries translated directly from handwriting in Office programmes.

Drawing, however, takes some getting used to. I'm not a great artist, but I've tried various Wacom products and I have to say that the interface of Wacom products is easier to use. Tablets or 2-in-1 devices have a slippery surface in comparison. With graphics tablets, on the other hand, it feels more like you're drawing on paper.

During testing, the Surface Pro X also runs smoothly with many open browser tabs. I'm very excited to see how the tablet performs in a detailed test. The first devices are due to be delivered in this country on 19 November. <p

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Martin Jud
Senior Editor
martin.jud@digitecgalaxus.ch

I find my muse in everything. When I don’t, I draw inspiration from daydreaming. After all, if you dream, you don’t sleep through life.

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