Microsoft Surface Pro 12.3" 7+ 2021, Core i5-1135G7, 16GB, 256GB, Platinum-Matte Black

The Surface Pro 7+ has best-in-class connectivity at the 96th percentile and 16GB of RAM at the 87th percentile, but the CPU and GPU both sit in the mid-30s. The display is a genuine highlight at the 84th percentile, while battery life is a weak spot at the 29th. For $439 renewed, it's a decent Windows tablet if you value connectivity over raw power.

Let's talk about that Core i5-1135G7. Four cores, eight threads, and it lands at the 35th percentile for CPU performance in our database. That's below average for this category, and it means this isn't the machine for heavy video editing or serious multitasking. The integrated Iris Xe graphics sit at the 36th percentile for GPU, so don't expect much beyond light gaming or basic creative work. The 16GB of RAM is the saving grace here, sitting at the 87th percentile. That's enough headroom for a dozen browser tabs, a few Office apps, and some light photo editing without the system choking.

The 256GB SSD is at the 84th percentile for storage, which is respectable, and the microSDXC card reader means you can expand that without much fuss. The display is a genuine highlight. At 2736x1824 with 267 PPI, it's in the 84th percentile for screens, and the 3:2 aspect ratio is genuinely better for productivity than the widescreen panels you see on most laptops. Text looks crisp, and the PixelSense panel handles touch and stylus input well.

Against the Apple iPad Pro M5, the Surface Pro 7+ gets absolutely smoked on CPU and GPU performance. The M5 is in a different league entirely, and the iPad's battery life is also far better. But the Surface fights back with its 96th percentile connectivity and the fact that it runs full Windows 11 Pro, which means real desktop apps, not iPadOS compromises. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra has a bigger, better display and likely better battery, but you're paying a lot more for it. The Xiaomi Pad 7 and Lenovo Idea Tab Plus are cheaper Android options, but they can't match the Surface's RAM or connectivity. The DOOGEE U11 is a budget tablet that doesn't really compete here at all. If you need Windows and LTE in a lightweight package, the Surface Pro 7+ is a reasonable choice, but it's not the performance leader by any stretch.

Pricing is tricky here because the only listings we found are for renewed units. The US listing comes in at $439, and there's a Canadian listing at CAD 511. For a tablet with 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and LTE connectivity, that's not unreasonable, but you're buying a refurbished device with a CPU that's already below average for this category. The battery ranking at the 29th percentile means you might be dealing with a degraded cell on a renewed unit, which makes the value proposition shakier. If you can find one in good condition, the RAM and connectivity alone justify the price for a secondary device or a travel companion.

The Surface Pro 7+ sits in a weird spot in our database. Its connectivity is top of the charts at the 96th percentile, and 16GB of RAM puts it in the 87th percentile, but the CPU and GPU rankings tell a different story. The Core i5-1135G7 lands at the 35th percentile for CPU and the integrated graphics sit at the 36th percentile for GPU. So you're getting a tablet that's great at staying connected and has plenty of memory, but the processing guts are showing their age.

At 771 grams, this thing is genuinely light. The 12.3-inch PixelSense display runs at 2736x1824 with 267 PPI, which puts it in the 84th percentile for screens. That's a solid showing. The 256GB SSD is also at the 84th percentile for storage. But the battery ranking at the 29th percentile is a real concern, and the customer rating of 4.1 out of 5 across 101 reviews suggests owners are mostly happy but not blown away.

Skip this if you need strong processing power or all-day battery life. The CPU at the 35th percentile and GPU at the 36th percentile mean this isn't a machine for creative professionals or heavy multitaskers. The battery ranking at the 29th percentile is a real problem for anyone who works away from an outlet. And if you're buying renewed, the customer complaints about overheating and camera crashes during video calls are a red flag for anyone who relies on Zoom meetings. The 4.1 out of 5 rating isn't bad, but it's not the kind of score that inspires confidence in a refurbished device.

The Surface Pro 7+ is a connectivity monster with a great screen and plenty of RAM, but the aging CPU and weak battery hold it back. If you need a lightweight Windows tablet with LTE and don't plan on pushing the processor hard, this is a solid buy at the renewed price. But if you need real performance or all-day battery life, look elsewhere. The 4.1 out of 5 rating from 101 reviews tells the story: most people like it, but there are enough complaints about overheating and camera issues to give us pause.