The flat position of the screen is ideal for note taking or drawing with the Surface Pen.Īround the screen are relatively large bezels, at least compared to Dell’s XPS computers. But you’re not going to want to use it in place of an iPad or other lightweight tablet for watching movies or reading in bed, it’s just too bulky and heavy to practically do so. This mode makes sense for drawing or writing - the screen is flat and it’s easy to lean over it and start working with a pen. I struggled to find a good use case for this mode other than watching movies on an airplane tray table or poking around on the touchscreen, as the angle of the display is still too vertical to comfortably write on it with a pen.įrom the “tent” position, you can then lift the screen up and flatten it down entirely, turning the computer into an awkward and heavy tablet. Magnets in the deck grab the edge of the screen to “lock” it in place. You can then park it halfway across the deck, tenting it above the keyboard, but still providing access to the trackpad. Pulling the screen forward is a bit awkward - you have to reach up and bend the top half backward until the magnets holding the bottom half in place release, and then you can bring it closer to you. At over four pounds and 0.7 inches thick, this isn’t exactly an ultra-portable laptop, but it’s not a huge chore to lug around, either. The Surface-signature 3:2 aspect ratio makes working with documents and browsing websites more comfortable, but it also gives the Laptop Studio a footprint that’s almost as big as a 15-inch laptop. The 120Hz refresh rate provides much smoother scrolling with the cursor, better touch interactions, and reduced latency with pen input.
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It’s bright and color accurate, just like other Surface displays, and it’s large enough to comfortably split the screen between multiple windows using Windows 11’s new Snap layouts. The screen is a 14.4-inch touch display, with 2400 x 1600 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate.
It has options for more powerful components than you typically find in a convertible laptop or Microsoft’s own thin-and-light Surface Pro 8, as well. The Laptop Studio’s design is also sturdier-feeling and more stable than the typical convertible laptop with a 360-degree hinge. The magnesium and aluminum chassis is sturdy and well made, with nary a flex to be found. The main hinge is stiff and doesn’t wobble - a common problem with Microsoft’s older Surface Book design - but you can still open it with one finger easily. The Laptop Studio’s top half is only a little bit thicker than a normal laptop lid, but otherwise is completely normal when using it as a typical laptop.
The “tent” position of the Laptop Studio’s screen blocks the keyboard but provides access to the trackpad. The Laptop Studio works just as well as a standard laptop as it does as a device for making digital art.
It’s an evolution of what Microsoft did with the Surface Book line, but without that computer’s compromises in performance and portability.
The company envisions digital artists using the screen in its various positions to draw on it, or lay it flat when docked to a monitor, mouse, and keyboard for digital note taking. Microsoft is not the first manufacturer to deploy such a design, but the Surface Laptop Studio is certainly the sleekest laptop yet with it. Though you can use the Laptop Studio just like a standard laptop, you can also pull the screen forward to bring it closer to you for touch interaction, or lay it flat to write on it like a tablet. The similarities to Apple’s MacBook Pro designs are undeniable - the rounded corners, the layout of the keyboard and trackpad on the deck, even the port layouts all scream Apple.īut in typical Surface fashion, there’s something different going on when you look closer. If you don’t peer too closely, you’ll see what appears to be a standard, clamshell laptop. Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop Studio is both familiar and unique at the same time.