Microsoft's Surface line broke the mold when it burst onto the scene in 2013, delivering on the vision of a streamlined transformable laptop-tablet hybrid running the full Windows operating system.

And each iteration has seen only minor changes—you can't always reinvent the wheel, nor should you if you already have a solid product.

The Surface Pro 6 (starts at $899; $1,199 as tested) is perhaps the softest update yet, with only two changes from its predecessor. The 2-in-1 now comes in all black, an alternative to its long-running steely gray, and it features an eighth-generation Intel processor for improved performance. Our full review is forthcoming, but my initial hours with our test unit are promising, even if it's not a radical upgrade.

Black Is the New Black
Though the color shift is completely aesthetic, it lends a somehow sleeker look to any already-slick design. As fellow hardware analyst Tom Brant also noted in his hands-on at the preview event, the black color delivers on its famous slimming effect, somehow making the Pro 6 look trimmer than its predecessor.

Fittingly for the product's name, the color also makes it look more professional. The traditional, relatively tame gray color wasn't exactly wild, but this gives off even more of a business laptop vibe. If that's your use case, you may very well appreciate the look—if not, you might still just like the color. If you're not a fan, you can also buy it in its original "platinum" color.



Despite the fact that it may look thinner, in reality the Pro 6 is no slimmer than the previous edition. At 0.33 by 11.5 by 7.9 inches (HWD) and 1.7 pounds, it's still a compact machine, though. At this size, the Pro 6 is perfectly portable and functional.

It's still lighter and slimmer than the Editors' Choice Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet (0.35 by 12 by 8.9 inches and 1.96 pounds) and the Dell Latitude 5290 2-in-1 (0.42 by 11.5 by 8.2 inches and 1.89 pounds).

The display is identical to the previous edition, which is to say, it's gorgeous. The 12.3-inch screen comes in a 3:2 aspect ratio, different from the more standard 16:9, and as such bears an unusual 2,736-by-1,824 resolution. That's a higher-than-HD resolution and looks very sharp in practice. The display has great viewing angles, and gets super-bright at maximum settings, with colors looking especially vibrant.



Since it's a tablet, the screen, of course, offers touch technology. This is convenient for poking around in Tablet mode, or tapping the screen lazily when you're using the keyboard and touchpad. It's also good for stylus use: The $99 Surface Pen is sold separately and attaches to the side of the display magnetically. It's a good place to put the pen while working, though I wouldn't keep it there in transit as it doesn't take much to knock it loose.

Best-in-Class Convertibility, With a Few Caveats

Because there are no physical changes, the Surface Pro's trademark convertibility is untouched. The built-in rear kickstand, which has been the subject of mimicry since its debut, is executed just like the previous model. A fully adjustable hinge allows you to recline the screen by 165 degrees of range, including almost nearly flat, which can be helpful for stylus use. The original Surface models featured a hinge with a limited number of set adjustment points, so this system is still very preferable.



The kickstand is just half the battle in turning the Surface Pro (technically a tablet) into a laptop. It's the Surface Type Cover—the detachable keyboard also subject to many copycats over the years—that makes the magic happen. As it always has, the keyboard easily attaches to the bottom of the Surface Pro magnetically, making transformation a breeze.

The Type Cover is still sold separately. This has been a complaint of mine, and that of plenty of others, since the Surface hit the market. The Surface Pro is already on the pricey side, but adding another $129 to get what feels like full functionality is a bitter pill to swallow. The keyboard is a fairly integral part of the experience—Microsoft rarely shows or advertises the two apart—so to sell it separately is something of a bait and switch. Without it, the Surface Pro is really just a nice, and expensive, tablet. The Type Cover should really be included to fully deliver on the device's concept.

It is a great keyboard, though. Despite its thinness, the Type Cover offers a surprisingly comfortable typing experience, with good key travel. There's also backlighting, adjustable through several levels of brightness. The keyboard is a little flimsy if you press down too much, especially if you're not using it on a desk (more on that in a moment), but it's still the best in the business for detachables.

You can also angle the keyboard for a more comfortable slanted typing angle by folding the top of the keyboard up against the screen, where more magnets hold it in place. This innovation was introduced to the Surface line several iterations ago, a small addition that makes a noticeable usability difference. The touchpad is also excellent, and tracks very smoothly. I genuinely enjoy typing on this keyboard, at least on a solid surface, even if the $129 price seems a bit steep.

While the kickstand setup works great on a desk, it still leaves something to be desired in your lap. While writing this preview on the device, I tried sitting cross-legged on the couch, and there's simply no good way to support the kickstand and still be able to see the screen and type comfortably. It's definitely better with your feet down on the floor, since the kickstand can straddle your thighs, but it doesn't quite replicate the sturdiness of a traditional laptop screen and keyboard.

One of the bigger disappointments is the array of ports, though calling it an array seems generous. Not counting the audio jack and proprietary power connector, there are just three connections on the Pro 6. There's one USB 3.0 port, a Mini DisplayPort, and a microSD card slot. More than one USB port would be useful for using multiple peripherals like a mouse and external drive, but the exclusion of a USB-C port is disappointing. The technology is no longer new and should be included by default as more and more devices and systems adopt it. The ThinkPad X1 Tablet, for example, has two USB-C ports, and they even offer Thunderbolt 3 support.

Mini DisplayPort is useful for external video output, but it's not one of the more common connections; full DisplayPort or HDMI would be more useful. The microSD slot is a helpful inclusion for file transfers, especially for media pros. On the whole, it just seems like this premium device should come with a few more, or more useful, ports than it offers.

Configuration Conundrum
When ordering your Surface Pro 6, there are several possible combinations of processor, memory, and storage to choose from. It's not all that simple, however—you can't combine any component option with any other. Microsoft guides you along starting with memory (8GB or 16GB), which dictates which processor (eighth-generation Intel Core i5 or Core i7) and storage (128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB solid-state drives) you can choose.

The color of your Surface Pro depends on its components, though there doesn't appear to be much rhyme or reason to the combinations. For example, the black model can be configured with 16GB of memory and a Core i7 CPU, but you can only choose the 512GB SSD, while the platinum model can pair with a 512GB or 1TB drive. Some other limitations make a bit more sense (16GB of memory is only available with a Core i7 CPU, both of which suit power users), but the storage is a bit mix and match.

There are several such permutations depending on color and which memory amount you start with, but you can likely find a combination that's right for you—it just may not be in the color you want. The prices vary greatly depending on components, starting at $899 for 8GB of memory, a Core i5 processor, and 128GB of storage. This review unit is outfitted with 8GB of memory, a Core i5 CPU, and the 256GB SSD for $1,199. At the high end, the priciest possible configuration (16GB of memory, a Core i7 CPU, and a 1TB SSD) is $2,229.

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