Recently I reviewed the Microsoft Surface Pro 4. I declared it to be the death knell for the iPad as it was such a joy to use. Basically you get a genuine PC experience combined with an amazing transformable design ethic, realising Microsoft's original tablet-meets-laptop concept perfectly.

The latest Surface Pro realises that concept even more perfectly. Trouble is, Microsoft now offers the Surface Laptop, which is also reasonably perfect. Which to choose? Which to choose?...

 

I figured the only fair way to sort this out was to pit both devices against each other - laptop vs tablet/transformable... who would come out on top.

Trouble is, I really liked them both.

When I reviewed the Surface Pro 4, I enjoyed it so much I wasn't quite sure how Microsoft would be able to improve the experience. It was one of those rare devices that just does all the things it's supposed to, straight out of the box. And if I'm being totally honest, the new version isn't a dramatic step forward.

For starters, it's not the Pro 5. Apparently Microsoft has decided to stop numbering them for some philosophical reason that made perfect sense when I read about it but now can't remember at all. So a bit like buying a car, you can choose this year's model or a 2016 version. Cosmetically, there's not much to differentiate the new model either, although one clear move up is the addition of the Windows Hello login system. 

Hello uses facial recognition to start up your desktop and while this may sound like a gimmick, I've found it actually works pretty effectively, unless you've got brightly-lit windows behind you, making your face difficult for the Surface to see.

This feature is also available on the Surface Laptop of course, so as far as our "Microsoft Device-Off" goes, there's no clear advantage yet.

As usual, the Surface Pro can be paired with the Surface Pen which features enhanced handwriting recognition and new shading options. Fantastic, but again, equally fantastic on the Surface Laptop which will do all that stuff too. I'm going to come out slightly in favour of the Surface Pro here though, because if you're seriously drawing on these devices, it's quite an advantage to be able to detach the screen from the keyboard so you have unhindered access to all areas of the display. The Surface Laptop doesn't even open out completely flat, which makes it difficult to draw or write accurately at the bottom of the screen.

Where the Surface Laptop does come out on top, of course, is screen size. 13.5" may not sound dramatically larger than the Surface Pro's 12.3" display, but side by side it's actually pretty significant. Without getting too bogged down with resolution and PPI figures, I found the viewing experience to be virtually identical.

With the Laptop being a tad bigger than the Surface Pro, you get a few more buttons on the keyboard too. Both keyboards are a pleasure to use; very responsive with the soft surrounds I first encountered on the Surface Pro 4. If I had to choose a winner in this department I'd award it to the Laptop - primarily because of the stability the more traditional laptop configuration offers. Make no mistake, there's nothing wrong with the Surface Pro's keyboard performance, it's just that the Laptop is more right.

Both devices feature just one USB 3.0 port, as well as the standard headphone/mic jack and a mini DisplayPort. Both offer built-in stereo mics with the Laptop's Omnisonic speakers a discernible step-up.

Interestingly, there are two things you'll find on the Surface Pro the Laptop doesn't have at all. Firstly, while both devices sport a front facing camera for selfies, video chat etc, the Surface Pro is the only one with a rear-facing camera. However, this is not an excuse to take the Surface Pro to the next school prize-giving to film your little angel, thereby obscuring the view of everyone sitting behind you. If I see anyone doing this anywhere, I reserve the right to confiscate your device immediately.

Secondly, and more mysteriously, there's a microSD slot on the Surface Pro, but no option for memory expansion on the Laptop. This is a bit of a pain, because not only is it nice to have the ability to increase your storage space down the track, I've found microSD's to be a very efficient way to transfer large files between devices. There are USB card readers you could use for this purpose of course, but the Surface Pro's tiny micoSD slot is a much more elegant solution.

Other than that, it's hard to tell the performance of these machines apart. They're both available in similar processor/storage configurations and they both run fast and smooth.

The biggest difference really, is the money. While both devices with the same processor and storage sell for the same price, it's another $279.95 for the Surface Pro's detachable keyboard cover that makes this thing so damn cool. Also, it's only available in three colours (Cobalt Blue, Burgundy or Platinum) Meanwhile, you can also order the Surface Laptop in Graphite Gold if that's more your style.

Not sure if any of that helped make the choice any easier, especially when I found both of these devices to be premium Windows machines capable of everything I threw at them. I guess if you're a tablet person, it could well be worth the extra $280 for that form factor. Otherwise, I can assure you, the  Surface Laptop won't let you down.

Click here for more information and pricing on the 2017 Microsoft Surface Pro

Or...

Click here for more information and pricing on the Microsoft Surface Laptop