So, last month, Microsoft unveiled its newly updated 2-in-1 laptop, the Surface Pro 9, With some amazing upgrades but also some interesting drawbacks, a few of which I’d like to discuss. This is the Good & The Bad of the Surface Pro 9 1 month later Let’s talk about it.
Raw Stats and Performance
To start off, here are the raw stats of the Surface Pro 9 with its Intel and ARM-based configurations. And as you can tell, they’re both quite good from a stats perspective.
However, the performance is a bit complex. I know that this might seem a little strange considering the laptop does have solid-performing processors for both models. But the issue is, for the Intel version, it is a relatively incremental or mildly underwhelming upgrade, albeit still good, though. But, there is no dedicated GPU or show-stopping performance, while the ARM-based one has actually had a few issues. Many reviewers have noted that the mobile-esque ARM Surface Pro 9 has many glitches with Windows, causing freezes, stutters, and lag, oh my! Which, yeah, can be expected for this type of new technology. But for the price, eh, it should probably provide a better experience for the consumer.
Connectivity and Storage Upgrades
Starting with one of the bad features, the connectivity. This is something that I didn’t talk about too much in my overview article, but it’s actually super important. There is no more headphone jack. Now for phones these days, I do get why companies remove the port. It takes up a lot of space. And you can force your consumers to buy your new wireless earbuds. It’s a win-win.
But removing a headphone jack on a laptop? Man, even Apple hasn’t done that… yet. For a professional laptop, you’d think that Microsoft would want to cater to its audience, who may have professional, wired headphones. But I guess it doesn’t.
But at the same time, it does cater to the audience that wants expandable storage. Yeah, you heard that right. A “pro” of this device is that you can upgrade its pretty poor built-in storage. Which, yeah, the internal storage is definitely not a great feature, but it’s remedied by its customizability. Many premium devices in the same market as the Surface Pro 9 don’t have any customizability whatsoever. So the fact that you can upgrade the storage at your own whim is a great feature.
Battery Improvements
But what is better for this laptop is the battery. Thank goodness. Microsoft has improved the battery of the Surface Pro 9 from the 8. The last Surface Pro was known for having a pretty bad battery life on average, while this one is pretty acceptable for the Intel version and good for the ARM-based one. So, good job, Microsoft. Well done on improving on your design.
The Cost of Accessories
One thing the company does need to improve on, though, is the additional costs to this laptop. The last bad feature of this device would be its keyboard and stylus being sold separately. Look, I won’t deny that it’s definitely great for company profits. But, gosh, having non-negotiable accessories that you need to buy for this laptop make it pretty tough to recommend this to those who have pretty tight budgets, especially since they need to pay an extra $300 for things that really should be included.
Knowing that this laptop has some really tough competitors, I think Microsoft would benefit from trying to incorporate both the keyboard and stylus into the overall package. That might make the Surface Pro 9 even more tough to compete with. But one thing that I won’t deny is that the Surface Pro 9’s starter price is still acceptable. It’s similar to last year, so you get all of these nice upgrades, besides the headphone jack, for the same price. It’s a good deal and a great upgrade from Microsoft.
Display and Miscellaneous Features
And, lastly, here are a couple miscellaneous features with this device that I’d like to bring up, with one being the screen. It’s pretty much identical to last year’s model, but that’s not a bad thing. A great resolution plus 120Hz equal a great combo. And also one other thing that reviewers have praised is the pen. Following along with my praises of the display, it’s super responsive with the screen, easy to hide with the keyboard, and no-nonsense. So, well done, Microsoft.
And to add a little bit more, here are some reviewer acclaims and criticisms of the Surface Pro 9 that you might want to check out as well. Some of these includes features that we’ve already discussed, such as the upgradable SSDs, but also news one like the new colors. But as you can tell after a month, the reviewers have found many great upgrades and only very few drawbacks with the Surface Pro 9, which is a great sign.
That means that, if you need this device, you probably won’t be disappointed. But, just make sure it’s exactly what you need. I’d recommend going to your local Best Buy just to make sure it covers all of your needs. And that was the Good & the Bad of the Surface Pro 9 one month after its announcement. I hope this article helped and saved you a little time too. My name is Cyrus. It’s spelled like “Cyrus,” pronounced like “See Rooster,” just take out the “ter”. Thank you very much for watching and have a wonderful day! Peace.
