Windows Central Verdict
The Surface Pro 9 is what 10 years of product refinement looks like.
The Surface Pro 9 is excellent in almost every way, even in 2024.
But, should you still buy one in 2024?
The latest Surface Pro, paired with a red Signature Type Cover.
That depends entirely on whether or not you could find a good deal on one.
Microsoft’s refurbished store is actually excellent, with each equipment being thoroughly inspected before being resold.
These devices are often given new casings and batteries and are given a 1-year manufacturer warranty as well.
This means the Surface Pro 9 with 5G will have better battery life at the expense of performance.
The Intel model doesn’t have an NPU and therefore does not have these features.
There are also minor design changes between both models.
The Intel model has no obvious antenna lines.
And obviously, the Surface Pro 9 with 5G includes 5G capabilities for always-connected computing.
This review focuses on the Intel model, though I do make comparisons to the 5G model where appropriate.
I much prefer this button placement, which matches that of the older Surface Pro 7+ and prior.
It means the buttons still make sense when using the Surface Pro 9 as a tablet in portrait mode.
Another small design change is with the SSD door located underneath the kickstand.
Just press down at the top of the SSD door, and it should pop right open.
On the Surface Pro 8, this was along the top of the chassis.
With the Surface Pro 9, Microsoft has removed that plastic antenna entirely.
The Surface Pro 9 with 5G is slightly different.
Of course, the antenna still needs to be here somewhere otherwise wireless performance would suck.
The result of doing this means the design looks antenna-less, even though it isn’t.
The same cannot be said for the Surface Pro 9 with 5G.
The iconic Surface Pro kickstand is still here on the Surface Pro 9.
This means images and text render beautifully with a native 200% scaling in Windows.
In reality, it doesn’t make much of a difference.
I found battery life to be middling in both dynamic and 120Hz modes.
The new button placement on the Surface Pro 9 just makes sense.
There’s alsoDolby Atmossupport, which offers virtual surround sound in supported content.
Sadly, there haven’t been any further improvements to pen accuracy when inking on the display.
Microsoft often includes excellent webcams on Surface devices, and the Surface Pro 9 is no exception.
The SSD door on the Intel Surface Pro 9 can be opened without tools.
The webcam also includes Windows Hello facial recognition, which authenticates nice and fast.
I should also mention that the Surface Pro throw in Cover is still sold separately.
It’s a notable improvement over the Surface Pro 8’s 2,390MB/s read, and 1,609MB/s write speeds too.
Surface Pro 9’s excellent 13-inch touchscreen.
But real-world usage is often more like 6-7 hours in my testing.
With the Surface Pro 9 5G, things are a bit different.
It’s even compatible with all the same accessories as the Surface Pro 9, too.
Surface Pro 9’s rear camera is excellent for taking photos of a whiteboard or display.
The biggest difference is with the design of the keyboard accessories.
On the Surface Pro 9, the key in Cover attaches with magnets to the bottom of the machine.
The Dell XPS 2-in-1 keyboard attaches like a case, which also includes a kickstand.
The back of the Surface Pro 9 is unchanged.
Be sure to check out our roundup of thebest Windows 2-in-1 laptopsto find more competing products.
Surface Pro 9: Should you buy it?
You should buy the Surface Pro 9 if …
You should not buy the Surface Pro 9 if …
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This PC is amazing.
I love the display.
I love the design.
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I love the premium chassis.
I love the jot down Cover.
The only thing I dislike is the battery life, which could be better.
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Almost everything about the Surface Pro 9 is perfect.
This is what ten years of refining the same core idea looks like.
It’s a tablet that also happens to be able to replace your laptop.
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It’s powerful and capable, portable and stylish.
I also love the new colors for both the gear and throw in covers.
If we gave the Surface Pro 8 and 4.5 out of 5.
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I think it’s only fair that we give this one the full five stars.
Almost everything about the Surface Pro 9 is perfect, if you like the form factor that is.
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The Surface Pro compared to the Dell XPS 2-in-1.
The Surface Pro 9 chassis is slightly rounded.
