Microsoft has been busy. Launching a handful of new devices with the Surface name just this week, Microsoft seems to be gunning for Apple’s all-encompassing crown. There’s a water-resistant Surface Laptop, targeting the more affluent student, and the Surface Pro, the firm’s reimagined but still wallet-wilting, 2-in-1 ultraportable.
Microsoft’s Surface Studio is the last on that list. With Apple’s monopoly on the all-in-one desktop scene, Microsoft is reminding us that Windows equivalents do still exist, with the Surface Studio perfectly poised to become the de facto PC in 2017. Here’s why.
Microsoft Surface Studio review: Tl;dr
In short: Microsoft’s Surface Studio is the Windows equivalent to Apple’s long-running, market-dominating iMac. Microsoft has creative types in mind, you see: essentially this is a massive 28in drawing board, perfectly poised for artistic projects with support for both Surface Pen and the new Surface Dial – more on that later.
That gorgeous 4,500 x 3,000 display can be adjusted to whichever angle you see fit, transforming the Surface Studio from all-in-one to flat canvas, effortlessly. And, internally, it comes well equipped for any creative endeavour you throw at it.
Microsoft Surface Studio review: Price and competition
The Surface Studio doesn’t start cheap. At the (not so) affordable end, there’s the sixth-generation Intel Core i5 model, complete with 8GB of RAM, 1TB of storage and a 2GB GPU for a cool £2,999. Then there’s the middle ground: equipped with an Intel Core i7, 16GB of RAM, 1TB of storage and a 2GB GPU for £3,549.
At the top end, and should you want to throw as much money at Microsoft as possible, there’s a Surface Studio equipped with an Intel Core i7, a generous 32GB of RAM, 2TB SSD and a 4GB GPU for £4,249. This is an all-in-one for the super-rich.
Apple’s Retina 5K iMac is beginning to look like a more attractive purchase. The top-specced model, sporting a seventh-generation Intel Core i7 CPU clocked at 3.8GHz, 2TB storage and 8GB of RAM will set you back £2,249. That’s £750 cheaper than Microsoft’s entry-level offering.
Microsoft Surface Studio review: First impressions
All-in-one Windows PCs, at least recently, have been uninspiring to look at. Microsoft’s Surface Studio is no such thing: its 28in, 3:2 display is positively dominating, and its svelte, minimalistic design really draws the eye.
All of those internals lie in its base, so you get a display that’s just a few millimetres thick, with clean, well-defined edges and rounded corners. It’s all very Apple, giving its competitor’s aesthetics a proper run for its money.
But its hinge is what really steals the show. You can manipulate the screen to whichever angle you see fit, down to just 20 degrees. I’m no artist, but it’s a comfortable enough angle to lean on, and can take your weight without buckling under the pressure.
Speaking of which, like those other Surface devices, the Studio comes with Surface Pen and Surface Dial support. The former has recently seen an upgrade – now with proper tilt support for shading, just as you’d get with a regular graphite pencil. The best thing? It’s thrown in the box at no extra cost.
The £89 Dial, too, is a companion worth thinking about. It’s a little knob you place on the screen, which twists to provide context-sensitive features in supported apps. You can use it to scroll through a colour wheel, change pencil thickness, zoom in and out and flit between drawing modes.
The 192ppi display is pixel-perfect – a priceless attribute when digging into the more intricate details of your creations. Display modes can be switched on the fly for the picky graphic artist, with sRGB, DCI-P3 and a special Super Vivid colour profile on offer.
Microsoft Surface Studio review: Early verdict
Microsoft’s Surface Studio is a phenomenal machine. It’s a looker with a dazzling display and well-specced internals, despite the absence of Kaby Lake. Microsoft has already made a lasting impression, and this will be the perfect device for creative types that want the best of the best.
It’s pricier than most – quite dramatically so – but what you’re getting is first-class performance, design and functionality. Apple better watch its back, because there’s a new all-in-one on the scene, and the crown is ripe for the taking.
Expect my full Microsoft Surface Studio review soon.
