The most noticeable difference between the old Surface Pro 4 and the new Surface Pro 2017 is the latter's improved battery life: more than 12 instead of 7 hours in our Wi-Fi test. No other contestant was able to get even close.

solid; classy design; noiseless; very good battery life (12 - 17 hours; decent camera with support for Windows Hello; very good microphone; bright display with good sRGB coverage; charges in 2 hours; very good performance in short bursts <2 minutes

significant throttling in sustained load scenarios; no USB Type-C; Signature Type Cover (2017) optional; Surface Pen (2017) optional; high price

After first windows update, the facial recognition function of the camera no longer working. Wasted a few days tried all the resolutions available online, no luck. It seems to be a known issue for a few years for the Intel image front camera. No definitive solution to it.

Microsoft's Surface Pro is the best 2-in-1 you can buy.

Excellent notebook performance in a tablet format; Significantly improved battery life; Outstanding build quality; Type Cover offers a quieter experience; Surface Pen is more precise and faster

Connectivity is minimal and lacks USB Type-C; Signature Type Cover and Surface Pen are costly add-ons

There's one word you will rarely hear from Microsoft when it talks about the new Surface Pro: "tablet". Yes, if you take off the Type Cover (or just don't buy it), the Surface Pro looks and feels very much like a tablet. But Microsoft doesn't want you to think of it like that.

I really like the feel of the Surface Pro.

There was no shortage of question marks when Microsoft announced plans to launch its own line of Surface PCs, but credit where it's due, in the space of five years, Surface has become a benchmark for others in the industry.

Truly versatile form factor; Laptop performance in a tablet; Choice of excellent accessories; Incredibly quiet; if not silent; Delightful 3:2 display; Good battery life

Premium price tag; Surface Pen no longer included; Lacks USB Type-C

A funny thing happened as we were evaluating the latest iteration of Microsoft's , a now iconic that the company describes as " " despite its tablet-first design. A rumor emerged suggesting would phase out its Surface line within the next couple of years.

I chose the Surface Pro because I needed a completely silent computer. Nothing else on Earth would've persuaded me to pay this much money for this very average spec, which isn't even a laptop as you have to buy all the expensive extras to turn it into one!

When the original Microsoft Surface ( Review ) and Surface Pro were launched over five years ago, the entire world took notice. Both devices drew attention not only for their style, but also because their existence meant that Microsoft was willing to compete with its own partners in the consumer...

Microsoft's dream of merging the laptop with the tablet is realising bit by bit. The Surface Pro is a device that screams confidently that the dream has already come true. Should we pay heed though

A touchscreen display par excellence; Crisp audio; Magical accessories that complete the Surface Pro

Lukewarm performance; Cumbersome to handle at times; Those magical accessories are expensive