MicrosoftSurface Pro 7 – 12.3" Touch-Screen - 10th Gen Intel Core i5 - 8GB Memory - 128GB SSD – Platinum with Black Type Cover

I will focus in this review on the hardware, there were (and are) quite a few problems on a software level, but that's the fault of Windows, and those issues are probably nothing new to people who regularly use Windows operating systems.I bought it as both a replacement for my old laptop and as a tablet I could use instead of pen and paper in uni.The Good:-light and comfortable as a tablet without needing to compromise on the functionality of a laptop-has good specifications considering the price and form factor-ASTONISHINGLY long battery life-built very well, other than the keyboard cover and a screen protector I'm not going to bother with a case of some kind-built-in kickstand is very sturdy and can handle a wide range of angles-screen looks fantastic in terms of image quality-the screen's aspect ratio makes productivity great-the speakers are better than I expected, nothing that's good enough for high quality audio, but it's more than enough in terms of clarity and volume to view videos where the audio quality isn't as critical as it is for audiophiles listening to FLAC files, so more than adequate for netflix or youtube.-the type cover surprised me with how good it is, granted it's not as good as a mechanical keyboard or a thinkpad keyboard, but for a keyboard cover it's VERY GOOD, feels as good as a typical laptop's keyboard.It also connects very easily without messing about with bluetooth or cables, and even lights up!-I've heard a lot of criticism of the fact it's not very comfortable to use on your lap (like you would a laptop), but I've had no trouble with it, it's obviously not as stable as an orthodox laptop, but I have no complaints.The bad:-very intrusive screen glare, I use it for note taking in uni and when it's lying horizontal on the table it reflects the lights in such a way that it obstructs my view of the screen, I haven't tried using the device outside.-palm rejection works very well with the exception of the very edges of the screen, if I want to write on the very border of the device in such a way that my palm is resting on the bezels, the line I'm trying to draw jumps all over the place.-speaking of bezels, they are gargantuan, making the device uglier.-absolutely not serviceable in any way, shape or form, this might not come as a surprise to anyone, but I'm disappointed I can't open it up in any way other than pulling out the screen a la smartphones, the surface pro x can have it's SSD changed and it's a shame the same isn't true about this device.-the micro SD slot is only capable of UHS-I speeds, so while it's perfectly fine for mass storage of videos or photos, it's no good for running heavy programs off of it, which would have been a huge plus considering how un-upgradeable the surface pro is, so you either pay a lot more for the models with higher SSD volumes or get an external SSD which gets in the way of mobility.-while this is subjective, the keyboard joins the awful trend of making the up and down keys half sized so that together they're as big as the left or right keys.-I wish Microsoft would ditch the proprietary port for an additional USB-C port, granted you can still charge the surface pro with the usb-c port, but it's not as fast.-no flash on the back camera, in a product like the surface pro the camera is meant to take pictures of documents, notes and whiteboards, no flash means lighting up a document you're trying to take a picture of is much more difficult, especially when you consider the fact the surface pro itself is big and blocks out plenty of light.The Neutral: (things that are worth consideration before buying)-the cameras are not great, I didn't write this as a con because it's not meant to be used to take beautiful photos by any stretch of the imagination, but if for whatever reason you were counting on it, that's probably not the product for you.-The passively cooled models feel VERY hot VERY quickly under medium to high loads, to the point where anyone would be alarmed on most laptops, But having monitored the thing with temperature monitoring software the cpu sits on very reasonable temperatures (35-40c on idle and light loads and up to 65c on heavier loads, I've never gotten it to 70c) so this is probably just a side effect of the passive cooling.I'm writing this review in winter, so the warmth is actually fairly pleasant, but I don't know how well it would handle very hot summers like we get here.Despite writing many cons here I'm very pleased with the device, it does what it's meant to and more than I expected and I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants a tablet type device for taking notes and lazy internet browsing but doesn't want to give up the functionality of a proper laptop.That is assuming you don't do anything very demanding on your laptop like high level gaming or running AI training.

I have an ipad, android tablet and PC desktop. I wanted to get a Windows based system I could carry around, had a usb port and ran all Microsoft Office/SQL Server products. Plus I wanted to run some heavy graphics video games. I got everything I wanted with this.This did not disappoint! I was first amazed at how easy the keyboard was to type on and how the tablet/keyboard nicely magnetically snapped into place and easily unsnapped. I've used MS Windows since day one and I was a little worried about how it would translate from a tablet to a "laptop". Microsoft got everything right with this. I could easily use the keyboard mouse, a usb mouse and touch the tablet and all moved the mouse. They work pretty nice once you get used to them working together since the USB mouse tends to move around when you balance it on your lap.Fast. It is amazingly fast. I got this with a small hd and then bought a 512 gb sd card (one they recommended). There's a nice little slot behind the back flap that the sd card simply slides into. I could possibly get another sd card if needed and swap them as neeed.I installed some heavy duty games on the sd card and tested out some of the most intensive graphics games. While the tablet got a little warm, it performed like a charm without a glitch. Everything that I installed on the sd card worked without issues so I saved over $500 on a larger hd since the sd card was only $70. I really, really like how Microsoft got the tilt-back flap stand so that it is ideal at almost any angle and stays where you put it. My only (small) gripe would be that if I stand it up straight, it is easy to flip the tablet forward onto the keyboard. Fortunately a simple flip backwards and using the sweet face sensor takes me back to where I was within a second or two. Still, it would have been ideal if they could have somehow prevented it from flipping so easily. A very small gripe.Microsoft also did a nice job on implementing some automatic clean-up routines to keep things running smooth like any other tablet. I of course loaded it with software as soon as I got it.For me, this is more than just a Windows tablet. I can now setup SQL Server databases and design front-ends in vb.net, excel or MSAccess. Setting up an inventory or other tablet based system will be a breeze and I have over 25 years of SQL Server, vb and MSAccess code.Yes. Microsoft did well on the Surface Pro 7. Like the ipad was when I initially got it, it has now become an extension of me. I don't miss the ipad or android tablet since I also have an xbox and tons of Microsoft games. Gamers will love this gem on the road. All the Steam games I tested (Age of Empires, Civilization, C&C, Stronghold, etc.. worked like a charm (these games run heavy with the graphics) You can feel the back warm up but it never gets hot. The i5 doesn't have the fan where the i7 does. I got the i5. I didn't want a fan inside.The charger nicely snaps on which is a nice treat. I haven't tested out battery life because I don't use it much without a nearby power supply. It even has a USB-C!As someone who fully understands Microsoft and their "philosophy," this will be something that will put them on the map into the tablet world. I can't compare it to previous versions.I can only tell you this thing is awesome!Better than any Windows based laptop in my opinion. Hell, even faster than my R-11 Alienware with a 1000 watt water-cooled power supply (although Alienware installed a bunch of junk software that I'm finding difficult to remove).This thing is a must for anyone needing a Windows based system to connect to work seamlessly in Teams, Citrix or RDP. Connect a 2nd monitor easily using the USB and a converter or USB-C. I plan to get the module that snaps into the side.