Since the release of the first Surface Pro, Microsoft has been leading the convertible laptops market. The company’s 2-in-1 tablet has defined the idea of how a Windows convertible should be. From its design to hardware and display to battery life, Microsoft Surface Pro is taking on the mantle. The same can be said about the Surface Pro 6, which is still making a case even after the release of a new model.
Although Microsoft Surface Pro 7 offers modern ports and the latest processor, there are reasons why Surface Pro 6 is an ideal choice for many customers. Firstly, it has the most powerful battery among all Surface Pro models, which attracts most business users. Secondly, it cost less than the new model and the difference of hardware is little if you ignore the USB-C port connections.
Affordability and long battery life are the reasons why you must pick the Surface Pro 6 if you want to buy the Microsoft Surface Pro tablet. To make a stronger case, we have evaluated the design and functionality of this small-screen tablet.
Specs sheet
Processor: Intel Quad-Core i5-8250U / 1.6 GHz Max. Turbo Speed 3.4GHz
Display: 12.3-inch PixelSense Touchscreen (2736 x 1824 Resolution)
RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB SSD
Graphics: Intel UHD 620 Integrated
Front Camera: 5MP
Rear Camera: 8MP
Battery Life: Up to 13.5 hours
Weight: Around 27.65 oz (784g)
Operating System: Windows 10 Home
The specs on this Surface Pro is as good as any other Microsoft 2-in-1 tablet. Let’s find out its strengths and weaknesses, and how well-equipped it is for the users in 2020.
Design
The chassis design is alluring but it is the same that Microsoft has been offering in the past. There are three user modes in which you can use the Surface Pro 6 tablet: laptop, tablet, and studio. Then there is the traditional kickstand that you can use to extend the viewing angle up to 165 degrees.
We found the matte black finish on the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 to be charming and amiable. Its magnesium-built body appears to be captivating in the dark hue and makes a case for itself. The finish not only thwarts fingerprints but also gives it a thinner look. We found it easier to grip, as the matte finish gives it a gritty texture as well.
Keyboard
The keyboard is an absolute delight and offers the best typing experience as a convertible. The space between keys is adequate considering its size, while the size of the keys is appropriate. The key travel on the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 is 1.3mm, and fitting if you keep in mind its thin type cover.
You’ll get a comfy, cushy experience upon pressing the keys, which is something that a business user or writer would adore. We were able to type 70-75 words per minute on the “10Fastfingers Typing Test” with an accuracy of 95%.
Touchpad
2-in-1 tablets are notorious for their touchpads, but this one is leading with the example. The glass touchpad offers a smooth surfing experience and supports the multi-gesture feature. Although the clicking is a bit noisy, it works well with three fingers and you can switch apps swiftly.
Display
Surface Pro 6 comes with a 12.3-inch touchscreen that responds well to commands. The screen ration of this PixelSense display is 2736 x 1824p which means that it has the traditional 3:2 aspect ratio. The pixel density of this surface is 267 ppi which produces vividly crispy images and dazzling visuals.
We witnessed a maximum brightness of 422 in colorimeter tests with a contrast ratio of 1350:1. The colour gamut coverage od its display is around 90%, which puts in among the best 2-in-1 tablets of 2020. However, its tempered glass can be a problem for you under shiny lights and direct sunlight.
Connectivity
Connectivity can be an issue if you are looking for a modern port selection. Nonetheless, Surface Pro 6 provides you more than enough ports to connect peripherals. There is Type-A USB 3.0 port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a microSD card reader slot, and a Mini DisplayPort port.
The only drawback of Microsoft Surface Pro 6 is that it lacks a Type-C USB port. This might be a problem for those who are prone to fast data transfer. Another issue is the absence of am HDMI port that may be a problem for IT managers.
Performance
The model we received for this review came with an 8th generation core i5 processor with a base clock speed of 1.6GHz. This is a quad-core CPU that could deliver up to 3.4GHz when needed. Microsoft has added a 256GB SSD storage and an 8GB RAM to boost its performance and speed.
Additionally, the Intel UHD 620 GPU is there to help with the graphics quality, and we found its performance likable. We didn’t face any issues while editing images and designing visuals on media editing software. So, if you are a creative professional, you won’t find it holding back on speed and execution.
We opened more than two dozen Chrome tabs on this Windows tablet to test its performance. Surprisingly, there were no lags and we were able to switch between tabs easily, even when we were streaming a high-quality 1080p video. Surface pro delivered a score of 13,025 on the Geekbench 4 test which is 50% higher than its predecessor: Microsoft Surface Pro 5.
Battery life
Surface Pro 6 is way ahead in the competition when it comes to battery life. It comes with a promise of more than 13.4 hours of battery life. Of course, we were unable to match the claim, as it lasted around 12 hours in our Wi-Fi battery test.
Nevertheless, this is an incredible battery performance, which the new Surface Pro 7 cannot match. The battery saving mode was on once it dropped to 10%, but we did not notice any difference in the consumption. The battery topped up to 60% in just one hour and took two hours to reach full charging.
Verdict
Aside from its modest connectivity, Surface Pro 6 is an ideal convertible. It has got a long-lasting battery, power-packed hardware, a comfy keyboard, and a dazzling display. So, if you are in quest of a future-proof convertible, buy Microsoft Surface Pro tablet. You will have a detachable tablet that can work as a traditional laptop and you can work on it all day long.
