Microsoft Surface Pro 12 Review: Beautiful and Baffling

One of my favorite features of the Surface Pro 11th Edition was the ability to use the keyboard when not physically connected to the device, which was handy in various situations. The Surface Pro 12 loses this feature. The keyboard no longer has a dedicated slot to store the Surface Slim Pen, though it can still magnetize (and wirelessly charge) to the back of the tablet.

A few other downgrades to the Surface Pro 12: It has a 1080p front-facing webcam rather than a 1440p webcam, and slower ports. There are only two USB-C ports, and they’re USB-C 3.2 instead of USB4. Perhaps the most disappointing feature, however, is the lack of repairability. The Surface Pro 11th Edition made strides in this area, letting you access the internals easily and upgrade the storage via the microSD card slot, even earning an 8/10 iFixit score. The Surface Pro 12 undoes this trend, instead opting for a sealed-up chassis and soldered components. This is likely because it’s fanless, but having a microSD slot would have at least helped.

Apples and Oranges

Photograph: Luke Larsen

Maybe it’s not fair to only compare the Surface Pro 12 to the larger model. After all, it still compares favorably to the iPad Pro 11-inch, which is significantly more expensive. We should also keep in mind the comparison to the Surface Go 4, which came out in 2023. The cheaper 10.5-inch model seems to be defunct, meaning the Surface Pro 12 takes its place in many ways. While the Surface Go 4 had a much lower starting price, those configurations were quite underpowered, starting with just 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. When you line up the configurations, there’s only a $30 difference between the Surface Go 4 and the Surface Pro 12 at launch. Because Microsoft needs to ensure that its Surface devices are Copilot+ PCs, those lower-tier configurations have been cut.

There’s a lot to like about the device on its own. You won’t find a slicker 2-in-1, outside perhaps the iPad Pro 11-inch. The design is impeccable, and the keyboard and touchpad feel great to use. The palm rests are plastic and no longer Alcantara fabric, though they feel comfortable and rigid. Compared to the iPad, it’s still quite affordable, even with the additional $70 power supply.

But here’s what it comes down to: As long as the Surface Pro 11th Edition is sold for $799 at Best Buy or another retailer, you should buy that instead. It has faster performance, a higher-refresh-rate screen, more ports, and a better webcam, and it is far more serviceable. And yes, that one comes with the power supply included. The 12-inch does have it beat in portability, but until we see the pricing situation change, the larger sibling is the one to buy.