Surface Pro 7

Are there enough updates to justify a whole new model?

While all computer manufacturers do their best to keep some consistency between device updates, few take the commitment quite as seriously as Microsoft. Its latest Surface Pro 7 uses the same 12.3-inch, 3 x 2 PixelSense display at the same 2,736 by 1,824 resolution as its two most recent predecessors. It also fits into the same 29 x 20 x 0.9cm chassis and weighs an almost identical 790g.

If we then consider the Surface Pro 7 also offers the same four, eight and 16GB RAM configurations and identical 128GB to 1TB storage options, then the only real difference between the confusingly named (5th Gen) Surface Pro, its successor the Surface Pro 6, and the latest Surface Pro 7, is the processor.

On the Surface Pro 7 the CPU has been updated to one of Intel’s latest 10th Gen processors and the majority of this device’s novel feature-set are thanks largely to this update. Regardless of whether you get the Core i3-1005G1, the Core i5-1035G4 or the Core i7-1065G7, you will have access to the new faster Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax specification, allowing you to connect four times as many devices on a single network. These processors are also said to include noteworthy integrated GPU performance boosts and dedicated AI processing capabilities.

For most people the obvious distinction is that Microsoft has finally swapped out the Mini DisplayPort for a USB 3.1

Type-C interface, alongside its existing USB 3.1 Type-A port. This, unfortunately, isn’t the updated USB 3.2 spec that was starting to emerge at the end of 2019, but it will at least be compatible with these devices with a 10Gbit/s max throughput.

We tested the most powerful Surface Pro 7 with a Core i7-1065G7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB Hitachi PCIe SSD. In R15 multithreaded CPU benchmarks, the Surface Pro 7 was 31.5% better than the Surface Pro 6 and 87.6% faster than the Surface Pro (5). This iterative improvement makes sense when you consider the Surface Pro 6 doubled the number of CPU cores from its predecessor, and the Surface Pro 7 uses more efficient 10mm Ice Lake processors.

The GPU seems to perform much better than that on the Surface Pro (5) getting 95% better performance on 3D Mark’s Time Spy Benchmark and 11% better in Cinebench R15 Open GL framerates. This might seem like an unfair comparison, but the GPU actually got worse on the Surface Pro 6 going to an Intel UHD Graphics 620 from the Surface Pro (5)’s Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640.

While the Surface Pro 7 still has a 46Wh battery, the more efficient CPU and lower base clock speed should help it get closer to six hours in PCMark 8 battery benchmarks compared to 4 hours, and 4 hours and 20 minutes on the Surface Pro 6 and (5), respectively.

While there are some improvements to be had, the Surface Pro 7 essentially amounts to a new USB-C connection and a faster set of processors, which isn’t really a whole lot of innovation.

Verdict

A highly portable 2-in-1 that offers a decent CPU performance bump to an already powerful and compact PC.

“Microsoft has finally swapped out the Mini DisplayPort for a USB 3.1 Type-C interface. ”