Surface Laptop 4 vs Surface Pro 8

Despite being aimed at business and education customers, the Surface Pro 7+ is an excellent option for consumers.

The upgraded 11th-gen Intel processors help deliver great all-round performance, while the addition of a removable SSD and LTE connectivity will genuinely for a lot of people. Battery life has also had a big upgrade - it's now more than capable of lasting a full eight-hour workday.

However, it's not perfect. The five-year-old design is looking very dated, while you'll pay well over £1000 if you want to bundle any configuration with a Type Cover.

The Pro 7+ has been the best all-round Microsoft PC for most people for a while, but the Pro 8's new design means it could soon be replaced at the top of this chart.

The Surface Laptop 4 is a cautious upgrade over its predecessor, but there are still a few reasons to buy it over the Surface Laptop 3.

The big one here is processor - you can now choose between Intel's latest and powerful AMD Ryzen chips across both 13.5in and 15in models. These chips deliver a significant improvement to power efficiency, and it shows - battery life is very solid, even when playing 4K videos.

Many of the reasons why the Laptop 3 was so good still apply. The displays offer a compelling viewing experience, continuing to support touch and pen input. There's also a solid keyboard and lightweight, premium design.

However, it's not perfect. This tried and tested design could do with a refresh, while noisy fans regularly kick in during everyday use. It can also get expensive, particularly if you need.

Despite these shortcomings, the Surface Laptop 4 still offers the best traditional laptop experience if you're set on Microsoft hardware.

The Surface Go 3 was one of Microsoft's more cautious 2021 updates, but it did get a useful performance boost. Despite being a 10th-gen chip, the new Intel Core i3 processor makes everyday use much smoother and more reliable.

Aside from that, this is essentially the Go 2 from 2020. The 10.5in LCD display is still a highlight, despite sticking at a 60Hz refresh rate. The fairly chunky bezels mean it's starting to look dated, while battery life is underwhelming.

However, it does retain that premium build quality, with an excellent built-in kickstand. The combination of 1080p webcam and dual mics also makes for a great video calling experience.

Combining the i3 model with a Type Cover and mouse makes the full Go 3 experience relatively expensive. Pentium Gold performance is still an unknown, but that's where you'll find better value for money.

Either way, it's still a capable yet ultra-portable Windows tablet, running a full version of Windows 11 out of the box.

Despite sporting only minimal upgrades over its predecessor, the Book 3 is a solid final iteration of this unique form factor - the Surface Laptop Studio has now replaced it in Microsoft's lineup.

A gorgeous display, excellent keyboard and solid port selection provide the foundation for a great laptop experience.

However, performance is seriously mixed. The Book 3 copes just fine in most situations but is a serious letdown when it comes to gaming performance. That wouldnt usually be much of an issue, but Microsoft has specifically advertised its suitability for gaming.

Thats far from the only drawback, with chunky bezels, mediocre speakers and lack of fingerprint scanner among the most prominent.

At this price point, these shortcomings are hard to look beyond. However, if a fully detachable laptop screen appeals to you, this is the device to go for.It'll work with Windows 11 just fine, and remains relatively well future-proofed.

Considering the success of the Surface Go line, it was perhaps inevitable that Microsoft would release a cheaper clamshell device at some point. The Surface Laptop Go is exactly that, although it doesnt tick all the boxes.

The big factor is price, with the poor entry-level specs meaning youll need to pay significantly more for a model thats worth buying. What's more, the top-spec model tested is closer to premium laptops than the budget market. Battery life is also a concern, with the device struggling to make it through a full working day on a single charge.

Nonetheless, theres still plenty to like about the Surface Laptop Go. Performance on the top-spec model I tested is solid, while including a great keyboard and display in such a slimline body is really impressive. The Dolby Audio speakers and dual studio mics also make for a great audio experience.

There are plenty of laptop that also excel in these areas though, many of which are more affordable. Theres definitely a market for a device like the Surface Laptop Go, but the strength of the competition makes this one harder to recommend. You may prefer to wait for the Surface Laptop Go 2, which is expected in 2022.

The Surface Pro 7 is a powerful tablet that doubles as a decent laptop if you pair it with a Type Cover (sold separately), although trying to actually use it in your lap is a challenge not many will succeed with.

The improved internals and upgraded graphics are where the Pro 7 really shines. Its certainly more powerful than the Pro X, and its a massive jump forward from the Surface Pro 6 too. Its still not a gaming laptop, although neither are the more expensive Surface Pro 7+ and Pro 8.

If youre going to get the use out of the portability and flexible nature of the 2-in-1, the Pro 7 is worth considering, but there are more powerful laptops at a similar price if processing and graphical power is key.

The Surface Laptop 3 was compelling new PC at the time of its launch, and it still holds up well today.

As well as four distinct finishes, you can also choose between regular metal and soft Alcantara interiors on the 13.5in model.

A new 15in model made its debut here too, and it's the only once to offer custom AMD Ryzen 5 and 7 chips alongside Intel models. The 13.5in variant is limited to Core i5 or i7 processors, although its SSD can be configured up to 1TB (15in maxes out at 512GB).

USB-C also made its Surface Laptop debut here, butpower users might struggle with that fact that there's only a single Type-C port and it tops out at USB 3.1, not Thunderbolt 3.

The recent release of the Surface Laptop 4 means you can get a great deal on the Laptop 3, although you may prefer to opt for Microsoft's latest device.

The original Surface Duo was a bit of a disaster, but its successor is a huge improvement.

Microsoft has almost nailed the hardware here, with a premium build and two gorgeous 90Hz OLED displays connected via a tough hinge. A new triple rear camera system delivers impressive results in good lighting, while battery life has also been upgraded. Performance and stereo speakers are among the other highlights.

But its the software side that really lets the Duo 2 down. Android simply isn't optimised to work on this dual-screen device - many apps either crash or stutter when you try to open them full-screen. Microsoft's apps are designed to take advantage of both displays, but few third-party options are. There's also the issue of content between the screens being obscured.

At this price, it's a dealbreaker for most people. It's the best smartphone Microsoft makes right now by far, but that's not saying much.

The Surface Go 2 is one of the most fun devices Microsoft currently makes, but Windows 10 in this form factor creates a number of trade-offs.

It's by far the cheapest Surface PC for consumer, but performance is severely compromised at the entry-level. Stepping up to a Core M3 model, but you'll pay significantly more.

If that's a step too far, you'll probably be balancing battery life with performance. Microsoft's claimed 10 hours of typical usage is significantly reduced when handling complex tasks or multiple apps simultaneously.

Microsoft has increased the display size to 10.5in without increasing the total footprint of the device, but it'll take some getting used to if you're familiar with 13in or 15in devices.

Nonetheless, the Go 2 is incredibly thin and light for a Windows 10 PC, and it's also eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 11.

The unchanged accessories transform the device into a polished desktop experience, but at over £150/$150 for a Type Cover and mouse they represent a significant additional investment. Using the Go 2 as a standalone tablet still shows some of the limitations of Windows 10, and that's unlikely to change by updating to Windows 11.

However, with decent discounts often available in 2022, it could still be worth picking up.

From a hardware perspective, the Surface Book 2 is a stunning piece of work from Microsoft. It's a great example of a premium laptop with top-level design, with the fulcrum hinge a real highlight.

Performance and display are solid, while battery life holds up well. However, the askingprice means that it's only justifiable for those who will really make use of its modes, features and performance. For the average person, something from the Surface Laptop range will suffice.

If you can find a great deal it might still be worth picking up, but bare in mind it was released back in 2017.

You may also be interested in our review of the 15in Surface Book 2.