The screen has grown from the 12.3 inches of its predecessor to 13 inches and it's impressive, with a higher resolution (2880 x 1920 pixels) that makes it better for apps that need a lot of screen real estate. We found only slight warmth on the rear of the tablet during heavy processing. This seems to work well, as there was no noticeable fan noise when we ran full processor loads in 3D rendering tests.Īnd the cooling system works so well there were no problems with overheating. To cope with heavy processing demands, our Surface Pro 8 included a fan, which is vented through small holes around the top half of the rear of the tablet. But don't forget to allow for the added cost of the keyboard (see below) and any other external add-ons. Or if you're really serious about building up your dream mobile PC, you can head up the price scale to a more powerful starting point such as the Intel Core i7 version with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD for $2698, or go even further with the Core i7 with 16GB RAM and 1TB of storage for $3299. If you want more storage, you can opt for the 512GB Intel Core i5 model for $2099.Ĭhoosing the right model to start with is crucial if you want build your dream mobile PC

With a 256GB SSD (like the one in our test) you can't install many large games easily anyway.

This means even the entry-level Surface Pro 8 is a good device for general gaming, but not so much for the more demanding elite titles. The i5 and i7 models with 256GB or more storage are built on Intel's EVO platform, which includes 11th Generation Intel Core processors and Intel Iris Xe Graphics, Wi-Fi 6 wireless networking, high-speed Thunderbolt 4 ports (USB Type-C) and more.Īs you'd expect from newer model CPU and graphics chips, all our performance tests showed decent improvements over the previous generation, with the graphics in particular getting a noticeable boost.

Surface pro 8 worth it