Microsoft Surface Pro 13" 2024, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB, 256GB, Cellular, Platinum

The Surface Pro 5G is a Windows tablet with a top-tier CPU, best-in-class battery life, and built-in 5G. At $1,300 USD, it's pricey but unique. The weak GPU means it's not for gamers or heavy creatives. For mobile professionals who need real Windows and always-on connectivity, this is the one to beat.

The Snapdragon X Plus 10-core sits at the 99th percentile for CPU performance in our database. That's the absolute best right now for this category. For everyday tasks like browsing, Office apps, and video calls, this thing flies. The 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM helps too, landing in the top tier of what we've tested. You won't feel like you're waiting on the machine.

The GPU is a different story. The integrated Qualcomm Adreno lands at the 2nd percentile, which is one of the worst we've seen. That means gaming and heavy graphics work are not this machine's strong suit. It'll handle video playback and light photo editing fine, but don't expect to run modern games or do serious 3D rendering. The trade-off is battery life, which is also at the 99th percentile. The 47Wh battery paired with the efficient ARM chip means all-day use is realistic, and Microsoft claims it can last for days with light use. That's the deal: you give up graphics muscle for endurance.

The Apple iPad Pro M5 is the obvious rival. Apple's silicon is faster in graphics and the iPadOS app ecosystem is more polished for tablet-first use. But iPadOS still isn't a full desktop OS. The Surface Pro runs real Windows 11, which means full desktop apps like Photoshop, Visual Studio, and whatever legacy software your job requires. That's a huge deal for actual work. The iPad Pro also lacks built-in 5G on most configurations, so the Surface wins on connectivity.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra 14.6" is another strong competitor. Samsung's AMOLED display is arguably better for media consumption, and the S Pen is included in the box. But Samsung's DeX mode is still a workaround, not a true desktop experience. The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus is a budget-friendly alternative with a big screen and decent specs, but it doesn't have the same build quality or the 5G option. The Xiaomi Pad 7 undercuts everyone on price, but you're giving up the desktop OS and the premium display.

At $1,300 USD, this is not a cheap tablet. But it's not really a tablet, it's a laptop replacement that happens to have a detachable keyboard. The 5G model carries a premium over the Wi-Fi only version, and you have to decide if that always-connected convenience is worth it. For road warriors and field workers, it probably is. For someone who mostly works from home or an office, you're paying extra for a feature you'll rarely use.

Compared to the iPad Pro M5, the Surface Pro is actually competitive on price when you factor in the keyboard and pen, which Apple sells separately. The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard and Slim Pen are also separate purchases here, so the real cost is higher than the sticker price. But the 5G inclusion is something Apple doesn't offer on the iPad Pro at all, so if cellular connectivity matters, this is the only game in town at this level.

The Surface Pro 11th Edition with 5G is Microsoft betting big on ARM. The Snapdragon X Plus inside is a 10-core chip that finally makes Windows on ARM feel like a real computer, not a science project. And with 5G built in, this is aimed squarely at people who work from anywhere that isn't a desk. The 13-inch PixelSense display runs at 2880x1920 with a 120Hz refresh rate, which is a genuinely nice panel for a tablet. At 894 grams, it's light enough to toss in a bag and forget about until you need it.

Who is this for? Someone who wants a tablet that can actually replace a laptop. The keyboard connector and Surface Slim Pen support mean you can go from sketching to spreadsheets without switching devices. The 5G connectivity is the real differentiator here. Most tablets need Wi-Fi or a phone hotspot. This one just connects, like a phone with a bigger screen and a real OS.

What makes it interesting is the Copilot+ branding. Microsoft is pushing AI features hard, and the 45 TOPS NPU is the engine for that. Live Captions, Recall, and AI image generation are all supposed to run locally. Whether that's useful or just a demo depends on how you work, but the hardware is there either way.

Gamers and creative professionals should look elsewhere. The Adreno GPU is near the bottom of our database, so any serious gaming, video editing, or 3D work will be a frustrating experience. If that's your use case, a laptop with a discrete GPU or an iPad Pro with its stronger graphics performance would serve you better.

Also skip this if you don't need 5G. The cellular modem adds cost, and if you're always near Wi-Fi, you're paying for a feature you won't use. The Wi-Fi only Surface Pro or a cheaper Windows laptop would give you similar performance for less money. And if you're heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem, the iPad Pro M5 is the smoother choice for tablet-first workflows.

If you need a Windows machine that can also be a tablet, and you need it to stay connected without Wi-Fi, the Surface Pro 5G is the best option out there. The CPU performance is genuinely impressive, and the battery life means you can leave the charger at home. The 5G connectivity is the killer feature, and no other major tablet offers it in this form factor.

But if you're a creative professional who needs GPU power for video editing or 3D work, look elsewhere. The Adreno GPU is a real limitation, and you'd be better served by a laptop with a discrete GPU or an iPad Pro for creative apps. For students and office workers who live in a browser and Office apps, this is a fantastic machine. Just know that the 256GB storage fills up fast, so budget for cloud storage or an external drive.