Microsoft Surface Pro X: If anything, the third-generation Surface Pro X is a step back. Microsoft announced the new model on September 22nd at its Surface event, but the only difference from last year’s Pro X is that it is now available without LTE.
This results in a new, lower entry price of $890, but, as always, this does not include a keyboard or stylus, so the true price, if you buy both, is still more than $1000. The big difference, of course, is Windows 11. The ability to run 64-bit apps is a significant benefit for the Surface Pro X.
As absurd as it may sound, it took two years to get this support on the Pro X. Even now, it only includes 64-bit apps that have been ported to ARM64 so that they can run on the custom ARM-based processor developed by Microsoft and Qualcomm. The list includes heavyweights like Photoshop, Lightroom, Zoom, Microsoft Office, and Teams, but your printer may not work with the Pro X, your antivirus software may not be compatible, and there are only a few games available. However, with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you can play over 100 games, and more are on the way with Google Play Games.
However, Windows 11 does support x86 and x64 emulation, which means that it is much more compatible than a Pro X running Windows 10. Interestingly, if you purchase a Pro X with LTE, you will still receive Windows 10 Home out of the box, as it is the 2020 model. However, a free upgrade to Windows 11 is now available, and Microsoft will encourage you to make the switch during setup.
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Microsoft Surface Pro X Hardware
For this latest model, the basic Surface Pro X hardware has not changed. Microsoft continues to use the same 13-inch PixelSense touchscreen display, which has excellent viewing angles, a 3:2 aspect ratio, and thin bezels. There are two USB-C ports and a Surface Connector, and that’s it. There is no MicroSD slot, but you can access the nanoSIM slot and replaceable SSD by opening a door on the back. There is no headphone jack, either.
However, Microsoft is introducing a new color option this year. It’s the classic “platinum” silver found on most other Surface devices, with a variety of colorful Type Covers to match. The Signature Keyboard, like last year, is $269.99 when purchased with the Slim Surface Pen, or $139.99 when purchased without the pen. The latest Signature Keyboard feels slightly improved in this regard, and I’m not as bothered by it cutting off portions of the taskbar as I used to be.
Microsoft’s SQ2 chip, a variant of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G without 5G support, is used inside the Surface Pro X. It’s disappointing not to see 5G here, even if networks aren’t fully built out to take advantage of its faster speeds and better coverage. It is still compatible with LTE networks. While it is a step up from the Surface Pro line, everything from the rounded edges to the slimmer bezels just looks and feels great to use. I’m hoping that Microsoft will eventually be able to fit an Intel chip inside this chassis.
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Microsoft Surface Pro X Apps
Spotify brought the Surface Pro X to its knees, but I’ve noticed that it now launches without crashing the rest of the system. It still takes longer than I would expect to render album art, but it’s a lot faster than what I was getting on the original Surface Pro X. Discord is also feeling a little better this time, with fewer performance issues during calls. I can also install apps like Clatter, ShareX, and Tweeten without any issues.
However, not all app compatibility issues have been resolved. If you’re used to Dropbox being integrated into File Explorer, you will have to make do with a basic Windows Store app. Apps that integrate with the Windows shell remain unsupported.
Adobe also promised a year ago that it would port all of its Creative Cloud apps to the Surface Pro X, but no date has been set. These mobile and cloud-optimized apps on the Surface Pro X will most likely have to wait a long time.
While Adobe waits, you might expect the company’s Creative Suite desktop apps to work on the latest Surface Pro X. They, unfortunately, do not. Last year, I was able to run Photoshop on the Surface Pro X, but you can no longer install any Creative Suite apps. Adobe’s installer now reports that it is not compatible with this device. That means I won’t be able to install the 2018 version of Photoshop that I could use last year. And, unfortunately, no version of Lightroom will work. It’s a huge letdown for a device that could be ideal for on-the-go photo or video editing.
Microsoft’s Chromium Edge browser is what has really changed the Surface Pro X for me. This has had the greatest impact on this new Surface Pro X, as it is the app I use the most on a laptop. Chrome was painfully slow on the original Surface Pro X because it was running in 32-bit emulation mode.
Edge’s native version runs as smoothly as it would on a regular Intel laptop. It’s difficult to tell the difference in my day-to-day work. I spend the majority of my time in a browser for work, as well as for watching YouTube videos, using Twitch, and reading online content.
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Surface Pro X Software
While the hardware remains mostly unchanged, the software has definitely improved this year. A year of software updates and app compatibility has clearly made a significant difference. The original Surface Pro X’s performance was erratic, with apps feeling laggy and the system occasionally taking a long time to resume from standby. I haven’t had any of these problems with the latest model.
In fact, the new Surface Pro X breezes right past the Windows Hello facial recognition screen and into the Windows desktop. Microsoft claims that no specific changes have been made to Windows Hello, but everything feels a lot smoother to me.
Battery Life
The battery life has been the big promise of ARM laptops. Some claim 23 hours of battery life, while Microsoft claims 15 hours for the new Surface Pro X. The reality is still a long way off because many apps are still emulated and consume battery life.
However, Edge truly demonstrates the Surface Pro X’s potential. When apps like Edge are optimized for it, this tablet and laptop hybrid feels at its best, and these types of apps also help with battery life. I’ve been getting at least 8 hours of battery life out of this updated model, using a mix of desktop apps and the Edge browser. If you use a lot of emulated apps, the battery life will undoubtedly suffer, as we saw with Chrome running on the Pro X last year.
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