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Microsoft’s 12th-edition Surface Pro for Business doubles down on its reputation as a premium, ultra-portable device with a sophisticated build and some net-new features in the lineup. The Microsoft Surface Laptop features a privacy screen built into the display to limit viewability from off-axis viewers, as well as support for Windows’ new OS-level Advanced Haptics, while the Surface Pro features Intel’s latest Series 3 processors and support for 5G.
I recently used the 13-inch Surface Pro for Business with an Intel Core Ultra 5 as my main driver over the course of two weeks and found it to be a responsive, flexible device that successfully replicates the laptop experience while being a capable tablet in its own right.
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The option for 5G connectivity secures it as more than just an office device, and from an IT perspective, it has robust management capabilities with Microsoft Intune and the Surface Management Portal.
Business users will appreciate these features, but the small form factor and tiny trackpad require a commitment. There’s also the fact that the keyboard and accessories are sold separately — a hard sell at a time when Windows alternatives are more affordable than ever.
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Build and hardware: What’s new
At its core, the Surface Pro for Business is a solid tablet with a premium build and functional built-in kickstand. The 12th-edition model comes with an Intel Core Ultra 5 335 or 7 366H (Series 3) processor and integrated GPUs. Onboard memory scales from 16GB to 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM, with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB removable SSDs for enhanced repairability across the board: Virtually every part is replaceable.
The 13-inch OLED touchscreen display is bright and vivid, at 267 PPI, with up to a 120Hz refresh rate, an anti-reflective coating, and 3K resolution. It supports 10-point multi-touch and scales up to 600 nits of brightness for standard content and 900 nits for HDR, making it a capable tablet in its own right, barring business use cases.
Looking at the eighth-edition Microsoft Surface Laptop, it features Microsoft’s new integrated privacy screen, a built-in filter that, when activated, limits viewability of the screen from off-axis viewing angles. It works on the hardware level, using in-cell TDM technology to turn down the luminance of individual pixels.
In practice, it looks like the screen is significantly dimmed from the sides — but how much depends on the brightness of the rest of the display. At max brightness, you can see the display from the sides, but it’s too dim to notice details. At half brightness or lower, it looks like the screen is powered off completely. In either case, it is effective.
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There is no shortage of third-party privacy screens on the market, but they often affect the visibility of the display head-on as well. Not the case here — when it’s on, there’s no evidence of it for the user. It can be activated with a single hotkey (F1) in Windows, and for business users, it can be managed by IT.
Another net-new feature unique to the Surface Laptop is advanced haptics, not just in the touchpad, but built into the OS itself. Introduced in Windows 11 and (for now) unique to Surface devices, Advanced Haptics is a system-level interaction language that provides tactile feedback across user actions, such as snapping Windows to a grid, double-clicking icons, or prompting the user to take action in important windows.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop with the privacy screen activated.
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
Not everyone is going to want this, of course, so it’s completely optional. The haptic feedback also extends to the pen, with subtle signals that confirm supported actions or respond to usability triggers like extending beyond canvas borders, scaling or rotating visual elements, or hovering over certain buttons.
Microsoft says it’s all part of overarching Windows improvements and usability designs extending beyond visual cues — a good thing as Windows becomes more inundated with information and prompts at every turn. As of now, only select apps support Windows’ Advanced Haptics, including Wondershare Filmora, but more will follow suit later this year.
Pro enough for business
Microsoft’s front-facing Surface Studio camera features a Quad HD 1440p camera with an ultrawide field of view. Quality is good, but it has a preference for lower-light settings, as it tended to look overblown in harsh or bright lighting. All the AI-powered camera features are hard at work here, and it’s evident in a processed look that defaults in the video conferencing apps I used (Google Meet, Zoom, and Teams). By contrast, opening the Camera app in Windows resulted in the clearest, most natural image for me.
A camera this good is worsened by all the processing and feathering; the most natural look is typically the best — something Apple understands well with its Center Stage camera system. Still, it’s one of the better webcams you can get on a PC once you can make the necessary adjustments for your environment.
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For business users on frequent video calls, the Surface Pro performs well. The video call experience is very good overall, with loud, clear audio (the 2W speakers are louder than some laptops), dual studio mics with Dolby Atmos, and physical volume buttons.
I should mention that the back of the tablet, where the camera apparatus is housed, does heat up a bit during longer calls, with the thermal system expelling hot air around the edges of the top half of the device.
As anyone who has gone robotic in the middle of a call knows, however, hardware is only half the battle. Microsoft attempts to mitigate these issues with an array of connections, including support for 5G, allowing an internet connection wherever there’s cell data.
Activating 5G plans on a personal device can be expensive and technical, however, so they’re still best managed by IT teams with cellular enterprise packages that can be professionally deployed to devices, leaving the end user only to click the 5G icon in the Windows system tray.
Usability and battery life
The 13-inch Surface Pro for Business might feel cramped for any long-duration use, despite the crisp, 120Hz display. The tiny trackpad certainly isn’t going to be ergonomic for everyone, and the detachable keyboard, while responsive, doesn’t fully replace a laptop keyboard. Luckily, the device drives up to three external monitors at 4K/60Hz, making it an exceptional dock-to-dock option.
Both USB-C ports support fast charging with a 60W charger, and both support DisplayPort 2.1 and Thunderbolt 4.
The detachable keyboard can be positioned in two configurations: elevated, with the pen folded underneath, or flat, with access to the pen. Its magnetic attachments snap to the tablet easily and securely, and the whole thing feels solid. It’s still sold separately, however, along with the mouse and even the charger, which only comes with the device in certain markets. In most others, you’ll be paying $70 for it.
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Battery life is quite good as well. Microsoft cites up to 17 hours in its video playback test and 11 hours of normal web usage. I took the Surface Pro to work for several days in a row and got over 10 hours of normal use (working out of the browser, taking a few video calls, and intermittent periods of idle).
ZDNET’s buying advice
The 12th-Edition Surface Pro for Business succeeds as a premium tablet in its own right, with a rich array of business-centric features that add up to a premium package. It’s a well-engineered device with a nice display, and the 5G makes for a sustainable connectivity solution that shouldn’t be overlooked, albeit one best suited for the enterprise user.
Of course, it comes with a price tag to match its premium build, starting at $1,949 for the lowest-tier configuration and only going up from there, with the detachable keyboard and charger sold separately. The small form factor and textured keyboard make for a statement-making package, but the fabric is best suited for the office, away from dust, spills, or dirt.
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The portable form factor requires commitment. Although the keyboard and trackpad are well-designed, they have their trade-offs when compared with full-size laptops. As a premium device with some serious security features, however, it succeeds as a functional package with tons of options.