Surface Studio in the test: Almost everything works with Microsoft’s new laptop

Microsoft dares something new: With the Surface Laptop Studio, the US group offers a premium notebook with an innovative display concept. We tried the device.

The technology group from Redmond is definitely not lacking in design ideas – in recent years Microsoft has installed numerous new gimmicks in its own laptops. From the foldable display to devices where you could detach the keyboard and screen – Microsoft couldn’t be blamed for a lack of innovation.

With the Surface Laptop Studio, you’re trying something new again: the keyboard and screen can’t be separated here, but they can be locked in different positions to change the viewing angle. If the user folds the screen outwards and the device, he has a very powerful tablet in his hands. How well does that work in everyday life?

The Surface Laptop Studio is available in four different configurations and, depending on the configuration, starts at 1,699 euros. The most expensive variant with the best specifications costs 3,199 euros.

Design and handling

At first glance, there are no big surprises in the design. The Surface Laptop Studio looks like an ordinary notebook. High-quality, well-made and chic – the housing made of a mixture of aluminum and magnesium knows how to convince optically, but looks very simple.

If the Microsoft logo isn’t prominently displayed on the back, you could almost think you’re looking at a MacBook Pro. The user doesn’t initially recognize anything special when opening it. The display above, the keyboard below – everything as usual.

But this is where the great specialty of the Surface is hidden: The display can be “folded out” using a built-in hinge – either with the screen facing outwards, which then turns the device into a tablet, or angled inwards, giving laptop mode a new perspective provided.

Thanks to a built-in magnet function, the angled screen snaps into place and then sits firmly in its new position – nothing wobbles here. The folding mechanism works well, simple and also one-handed – the handling is impeccable.

You only need both hands when converting back to the classic laptop. Microsoft has built a magnetic indentation on the underside of its device, in which a Surface Slim Pen 2 can be stored safely and practically. However, this is not included in the scope of delivery.

With a display size of 14.4 inches and around 32.3 centimeters in length, 22.8 centimeters in width and 1.9 centimeters in thickness, the Surface Laptop Studio weighs 1.7 or 1.8 kilograms, depending on the choice of processor .

For comparison: A current MacBook Pro with 14.2 inches is 31.3 centimeters long, 22.1 centimeters wide and only 1.5 centimeters thick and weighs around 1.6 kilograms. The Microsoft device is therefore not light, and it is also quite thick, especially compared to the competition from Apple.

Technology

The Surface Laptop Studio is equipped with a 14.4-inch touch display with a pin-sharp resolution of 2400 x 1600 pixels and a pixel density of 201 ppi in an aspect ratio of 3:2. The refresh rate is up to 120 Hertz, which is particularly noticeable when working with a pen or quickly scrolling between applications.

Microsoft installs processors from Intel, either in the quad-core version of an i5-11300H or an i7-11370H – these are processors of the 11th generation from the year 2021. Depending on the desired equipment, either 16 or 32 GB are used RAM offered.

Microsoft installs on-board graphics in the form of Intel Iris X in the two cheapest versions with an i5 processor. In the i7 models, powerful GeForce RTX 3050 Ti laptop graphics cards from Nvidia are installed instead. In addition, you have the choice between 256 GB up to 2 TB of storage.

Equipped with the i7 processors and Nvidia graphics cards, the Surface delivers excellent performance and can also be used for demanding games – even if not at maximum settings.

Anyone who would like to work creatively on the device, for example in image or audio editing, but also wants to take a break from gaming, is well equipped with the device – but in the most powerful configurations this also has a correspondingly high price. The two most expensive versions in the official Microsoft shop cost 2,799 and 3,199 euros respectively.

Unfortunately, Microsoft saves on connections, which is incomprehensible in view of the case size and price. There are two fast USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4) and a headphone jack. However, there is no HDMI connection, a memory card slot or a slot for a LAN cable.

In addition, Microsoft relies on the in-house Surface Connect charging socket, which requires the supplied cable for charging. Alternatively, one of the two USB-C ports can also be used for charging, but Microsoft recommends using the Connect port, as the charging time via the USB port can vary greatly depending on the adapter used.

According to Microsoft, the built-in battery offers a runtime of up to 18 hours with typical device use – but the Surface did not reach this value. According to benchmark tests, a runtime of around 8 to 12 hours is quite feasible.

Of course, that also depends on the use and the programs used – if you like to watch HD videos a lot at the highest brightness, you will have to make do with a battery life of well under 10 hours. The Surface survives a normal working day without access to a power outlet, but it gets scarce for more.

If you compare the runtime here with the current top model from Apple, you can see clear differences – last year’s MacBook Pro manages three to four hours more, especially when surfing the web or watching movies.

Conclusion: work in everyday life

Working with the Surface on a daily basis is relatively comfortable. The display is easy to read even in direct sunlight, and the different modes, for example if you prefer to use the notebook as a tablet, are quite practical.

For a few hours away from the office, be it in a café or in the park, the Surface is also wonderfully suitable as a mobile workstation – but these excursions shouldn’t last the whole day because of the much shorter runtime than specified by Microsoft. In addition, the weight becomes noticeable after a short time, for example when you hold the Surface in your hands for several minutes.

Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Studio is a high-quality, powerful and, above all, versatile device that can do a lot, but also costs a lot. Those who use the flexibly adjustable display regularly and don’t just see it as a nice “gimmick” will have a lot of fun with the Surface. Above all, the high-quality workmanship is a big plus.

Those who see the swiveling screen as a nice bonus will find laptops from other manufacturers – but also from Microsoft itself – that are significantly cheaper, but also offer even more performance and equipment. Especially in view of the missing USB and LAN ports, the relatively high weight and the – compared to top models from other manufacturers – weak battery performance.