Microsoft EP2-20213

The Surface Pro 11 gets the core stuff right: a brilliant 120Hz display, snappy performance from the Core Ultra 7 and 16GB of RAM, and excellent battery efficiency. It's a top-tier Windows tablet for creatives and note-takers. Just budget extra for the keyboard and pen, and don't expect it to replace a gaming laptop.

The Core Ultra 7 (Series 2) is a solid performer for everyday productivity and creative work. It sits in the 77th percentile for CPUs, which means it's well above average but not chart-topping. The integrated GPU lands in a similar spot at the 74th percentile, so light photo editing and sketching in apps like Photoshop or Concepts will feel snappy, but don't try to render complex 3D scenes. The 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM is a standout, ranking in the 93rd percentile, so multitasking with a dozen browser tabs and a few Office apps won't make this thing sweat. The 256GB SSD is the bottleneck, coming in at the 84th percentile, which is fine but feels stingy for a device in this price bracket.

Stacked against the Apple iPad Pro M5, the Surface fights back with full Windows 11 Pro, which means real desktop apps, not just mobile versions. The iPad's M5 chip will smoke it in raw graphics and video export, but the Surface's 120Hz screen and RAM keep it competitive for art and design. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 is a closer Android rival with a better included pen, but Samsung's DeX desktop mode still can't match real Windows. The Lenovo Idea Tab Pro is the budget alternative that gets you 80% of the way there for a lot less cash, while the Xiaomi Pad and Vekfulpc are niche players that don't have the accessory ecosystem to compete.

Pricing on this thing is all over the map, with a spread from $1,899 to an absurd $439,508 across vendors. Obviously, ignore the crazy high outlier. At the low end, you're paying a premium for the form factor and that excellent screen. It's a tough sell when you realize the keyboard and pen are extra, pushing the real cost closer to two grand for a complete setup. For a tablet with a 256GB drive, that's a hard pill to swallow unless portability and pen input are your absolute top priorities.

The Surface Pro 11 is Microsoft's latest swing at the 2-in-1 formula, and it mostly connects. You're getting a 13-inch touchscreen with a crisp 2880x1920 resolution running at a smooth 120Hz, paired with Intel's new Core Ultra 7 chip and 16GB of RAM. It's built for Windows 11 Pro and the whole Surface accessory ecosystem, from the Slim Pen to the snap-on keyboard.

But let's be real about what this is. It's a tablet that wants to be your laptop, and it nails the portability and screen quality. Just don't expect it to replace a workstation. The 256GB SSD is tight for the price, and that 46Wh battery, while efficient, isn't going to set any endurance records despite the marketing claims.

Skip this if you need a lot of local storage or do any gaming. The 256GB SSD fills up fast with apps and media, and the integrated GPU will choke on anything beyond casual games. If you're a power user who needs 1TB of space and a dedicated graphics card, look at a traditional clamshell laptop instead.

This is for the Windows die-hard who wants a tablet first and a laptop second. If you live in OneNote, need to run full desktop Photoshop on the go, and value a stunning screen for media, the Surface Pro 11 is a joy to use. It's a premium note-taking and sketching machine that can handle real work when you snap on the keyboard. Just know you're paying a Surface tax for the privilege.