I know right.

Best comment ever

You nailed it. It's an insightful review that contains proper productivity and professional contexts. The workflow insights are also invaluable.

What about the Battery?

@@protongmail711 It's decent, but not amazing. I use 120hz all the time so that makes it drain a little faster. But I have it plugged in at work most of the day, so it's not an issue for me.

@@mikelockett19 … what does ‚decent‘ mean regarding SOT? 120 vs 60 Hz?

Samsung Notes now syncs with OneNote. Best of both!

@@oztabletpc I've seen the toggle but haven't tried it! Nowadays all my portable devices have a stylus... Guess this is the way!

how do u use samsung notes on it? Can u install the App on non Samsung Devices? Or do u use the link to Windows feature?

I got the Pro 8, but there’s definitely an ergonomics advantage to the SP7/SP7+ when using it as a tablet - The Pro 8 is the heaviest and thickest Surface Pro currently available - Still a fantastic device but yes the bezels are a little slim to use comfortably in tablet mode - I do prefer the bezel on iPad Pro, but the Pro 8 is brilliant for those who need the extra space (makes a big difference when using it as a laptop)

How is the pen on the spectre? Have they dumped that USB-C recharging AES wacom that only lasted for a week before needing to be recharged? I have an Elitebook X360, and that and the 16:9 ratio are the weak points to an otherwise great device.

@@oztabletpc I use my Surface Pen on my 16 inch Spectre x360...

It's a usb-c rechargable USI pen with up to 2 weeks on a charge. It works fine for me, as I just use it for notes and ui navigation. I've always used surface devices, but the pro 8 and it's ram and storage options really balloon the price. Plus the pen and keyboard are more expensive. Only drawback for me, with the hp, you have to be mindfull as to what surfaces your placing your laptop on, due to ventilation needs. By the way, excellent review, well done.

The SLS is tempting as something a bit different/exciting but sounds like you made the right choice. What technology are you using to develop apps btw? I also use Pro 8 for development, brilliant portable device.

What about the Battery Life?

@@protongmail711 I'm still getting used to it. I'm getting at least 6 hours

It does. And you can magnet attach the old style pen too.

I have switched to the Surface Duo 2. It's great, for work with 2 screens, but not necessarily an upgrade in other ways. If your budget is tight, stick with your Note 20 which is an awesome phone!

@@oztabletpc Much appreciated - I look forward to the Duo 3 and seeing how it can actually replace a currently awesome phone. .... However I might have switched to the fold by then. The Fold 5 might come with the pen integrated and it might even come branded as the Fold Ultra. Now that would be a significant development and I think Samsung are headed that way. If they make the fold a Note phone and they make Android 12L into what it is touted as being - the uniqueness of the Duo could be put at risk. We would have a folding screen device which can behave like a 2 screen device natively. That would be amazing and would be a natural progression from the Note device I am currently using and am loathe to be parted from. However I crave that dual screen life as I use it in almost every other sphere of my computer use and need the functionality to be as productive as I want to be. The Duo does not yet deliver. The Fold does not yet deliver The most convincing offer that actually delivers in a tried and tested device, that can aid productivity with a multiple screen (or folding screen) set up is likely to get my custom ... and that of myriad other business people who need that and currently crave that functionality...right now. I hope they nail it soon. Fold 5 and Duo 3 ... Heaven help me...I don't want to wait till Duo 5 or Fold 7 to get this done. On that note .... (beware - rant approaching as a rate of knots!!) We had to wait till Surface Pro 8 before we got thunderbolt 4 and a 13 inch screen - and we had to (without explanation) give up the functionality of an SD card reader and a legacy USB-A port just to get the screen and thunderbolt capability. YEARS after others did it with less capable and much less stylish and otherwise well thought out hardware. Neither compromise seemed necessary and it hurts our use of the devices and our productivity. I just hope they can give us the phone we need instead of giving us something that gives us most of what we want but holds some functionality or capability back just because they can. It is a form of malpractice and NOT in the interest of customers. Apple took away ports - only to bring them back. They hamstrung their M1 air device making it possible to only connect ONE screen directly (even though the chip could do much more) I don't want a deliberately hamstrung phone or Surface device. I want devices that push the envelope of what is possible rather than hedging the bets of the company involved. Brand loyalty deserves better than a hedge of the bets. 8 years for a 13inch screen. 8 years! and it cost considerably more when it came! I have a Surface Laptop Studio - it has so much going for it but where is the SD card reader and where are the 2 excellent USB-A ports from the device it replaces. Even Apple went on this exact dance have reversed their steps now. Why not just NOT do this and provide us with devices which do what we want and need. The Surface Laptop Studio needs to have an SD card reader and at least one USB-A port and a HDMI port to boot. Why does it not have one. The same reason the Duo does not have better camera setup - because they have not simply decided to make it so. All the technology to do these things is available and they have delivered all of this before now. These are NOT innovations. Bring on the 2 screen life with every possible kink worked out and a smooth productivity enhanced life .... at least until the advent of the next dramatic technological innovation. I am currently typing on an SB2 - I remember what it felt like in a clients office when - almost in mid sentence - I took the screen off my SB1, got up, walked across the room, and went to sit next to him to sketch out his ideas to help him be more effective. He was stunned, my colleagues were stunned and I was enabled to be the best I could be for that client who went on to achieve what he wanted. My colleagues , some of whom had SB and Surface Pro devices commented that they had never used them in that way and they saw how powerful that could be. Those that were using Mac devices and other PC devices saw a difference - not a better or worse comparison but a capability enablement difference. I had created a mini whiteboard for the client in the moment when his process needed it and nothing had skipped a beat. We all won BECAUSE of that incredible game changing innovation. Let's have more of that and less of this compromise ridden innovation starved halfway house situation that we find ourselves in for too many years and too many iterations! Rant over ... Feels so much better now. Better out than in! Hahah!! Thoughts??

I'm gonna buy it in 1-2 days for animation work. Does 7+ have any heating issues over 4-5 hours of heavy use? Read a few horrible reviews about heating and bad service.

@@PleasantlyDisturbing No heating issues! I would imagine animation work would cause it to get ‘warm’ though.

Do x64 applications work with the SP7+?

Yes, it's an Intel powered PC.

@@oztabletpc Thanks for the quick response, did you notice any heating issues as mentioned above? Read a lot of bad reviews because of this.

TEUXDEUX

Yes, USB-C cable both connects the display and powers the device. Can't tell you the model right now, but think its been mentioned in other comments.

You'll need a USB-C PD charger that outputs 30W or more. 60W is ideal. There are plenty of options for you, but make sure that the charger states that it supports the PD standard.

Awesome. Remember that it will be what you make it. You'll need to learn, adapt and change to take full advantage of it. But it is very worthwhile.

This is a little old and needs an update for Windows 11 and Surface Pro 8, but there may be some helpful videos here: kzfaq.info/sun/PLfQ0P7GgGaL3DbqymUeqnMlNSnJf1LcNS

And thanks for the suggestion. We will definitely look at making a beginners guide for Pro 8.

Also, we have a new channel with weekly Tips on Windows 11 and other Microsoft tools here: kzfaq.info/love/2ZMWT0iDZch1CMT9KbwRXQ

@@oztabletpc thank you for the reply I'll check them out.

Yes, that is interesting. I think Journal is a great stepping stone for new digital note takers. It is very hard to let go of the boundaries of a printed page. So leaving it there makes the jump to digital less challenging for many.

@@oztabletpc Hopefully we’ll get MS Journal cross-platform so we can use it on Surface Duo - Mainly just because locking down your data to one platform leaves a bad taste in my mouth - It’s OK if it’s for throwaway things like speedy notes I take in Apple Notes (Just quicker to re-open a daily note - I miss that feature from Surface Pro 3 and OneNote!) All my “proper notes” that I need to keep have to go into OneNote because it syncs across all devices, and I have to use a range of them for my work Really hoping we get the “One Note above Lock Screen” back eventually, it was the killer feature for me when I got my first Surface Pro 3 so when Windows 10 came out it was sad to lose it, seems trivial but having to lift up the tablet to unlock when it goes to sleep during a meeting is something that adds up in a long meeting

You need to check that the monitor does PD charging over USB-C. They usually list it in the specification. Most monitors with USB-C would have PD charging, but check first. My LG display is a few years old, but think the current version is this: LG 38WK95C-W amzn.to/2nos2L5

Any movement will create a potential failure. However, the keyboard is specifically designed and tested for this movement. I've been using this style of device for 8 years now and I've never broken the keyboard. I have seen them fail occasionally though (I see thousands of these every year), and the beauty of this device is that you can easily replace the keyboard.

@@oztabletpc That's reassuring, and thanks for the quick reply. Yes, the keyboard is "easily" replaceable in the sense that you simply get a new one. Not so "easily" in the sense they are quite expensive! 😉 Cheers!

Yeah, lots of bugs with erasing too. Please be sure to leave feedback in the app!

I got the Pro 8, torn on whether I should have gone for the SLS - I’ve always been a Surface Pro fan, but lately I’ve been doing more and more things when I need to reference code in Visual Studio on my Surface Pro, and then have to use my Surface Duo or iPad Pro to take notes relating to that code. Always loved the versatility of one device that can do it all…..but I can also see advantages to separate devices assuming cost isn’t an issue

Since I use Edge (with Efficiency mode turned on) - not Chrome - It's not too bad. I also use the 4G/LTE model now too which has a battery cost. But depending on the task I can get through most of the day on charge. Sometimes I top up with a USB-C PD charger on the go (Car, battery bank or Wall). I rarely use the Surface charger anymore.

@@oztabletpc Thanks for the response! I'm planning to get one this black friday :) For the USB-C PD charger do you have any recommendations on that?

Simply turn off this key in Windows settings

When you fold the keyboard to the back, it turns off, enabling auto rotate. There is a switch built into the hinge.

Yes.

Maybe hold out for a Pro X 2? When that does eventually come out I’ll consider whether I replace my Pro 8 with it - I had the SP X and really liked it. I can tell how much thicker the Pro 8 is personally, the extra weight doesn’t bother me that much - Definitely get shorter battery on the Pro 8, probably got about 33% - 50% longer battery from the Pro X however……The Pro X didn’t have a 120hz screen which makes inking silky smooth and just as responsive as iPad Pro

yeah, it tells me to update drivers too, but if you click ok you can just work away and I can't see any issues.

Screen flickering was a problem with the Pro 4 that sometimes developed a few years in. It's now around 6 - 7 years old. I've not encountered the issue on any other models.

@@oztabletpc Thanks Oz so I assume there's no fix out there for it other than the ones I have tried,

@@stuartjones7903 I'm not aware of anything. Might be better to ask in a repair forum on Reddit or Facebook.

@@oztabletpc Well its hi time for a change anyway so I will get the pro 8 16gb and it will be my back up ,thanks for the advice

Look for a setting in the action center (click on the wifi/batttery/sound icon) called rotation lock. If your keyboard is in use (i.e. not folded under or detached) it will be disabled.

@@oztabletpc Thanks for the recommendation, but there is nothing there. Possibly because I have a Brydge keyboard connected via Bluetooth. I will try removing that to see if it pops up :)

Good idea. Also if the Rotation Lock icon is not there in the action center, you may have to add it. Look for the add + icon.

@@oztabletpc yep and yep. Have now tried both with no luck :( It isn't showing on the add options.

The M2 MacBook Air is designed to appeal to a cult obsessed with benchmarks and the ability to stay powered on for a long time in the middle of an Amazonian rainforest. The Surface Pro 8 is designed to appeal to those who want to utilise the filing system of Windows, and decades of Microsoft experience, to achieve maximum productivity in their particular profession.

Yes, it's a very portable developers device.

@@oztabletpc One more question. Can I use it for animation? Making my own characters and animation them for KZfaq videos? I know there are more powerful PC's for that, but I can pull it off on this?

@@HazbinHotelStaff I'm sorry, but I have no experience to know. I suspect it would be workable.

Hehe, no. But I could share the plans on thingiverse. There are similar things out there on the market, but none with PD that I've found.