Surface Book or Surface Pro 4? Microsoft announced several new devices that will run Windows 10 yesterday. These include a new version of the popular Surface Pro called the Surface Pro 4 and the company's first Surface Book laptop.
If you attended the event, or from what you may have read about the two devices, you're probably wondering what the differences are between Microsoft's two new computers.
Microsoft has not revealed all of their features. This article focuses on what Microsoft has revealed so far.
Let's see the differences:
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 | Microsoft Surface Book | |
| Processing | Intel Core M3, Intel Core i5 and i7 | Intel Core i5 and i7 Skylake |
| Memory | from 4GB to 16GB | from 8GB to 16GB |
| Disc | from 128GB to 1TB | from 128GB to 512GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel HD graphics (m3), Intel HD graphics 520 (i5), Intel Iris graphics (i7) | Intel HD graphics or NVIDIA GeForce graphics |
| Screen | 12.3″ 2763×1824 267ppi touch | 13.5″ 3000×2000 267ppi touch |
| Dimensions | 11.50 x 7.93 x .33 in (292.10 x 201.42 x 8.45 mm) | Laptop: 9.14 x 12.30 x 0.51- 0.90 in ( 232.1 x 312.3 x 13 -22.8 mm) |
| Clipboard: 8.67 x 12.30 x 0.30 in (220.2 x 312.3 x 7.7 mm) | ||
| Weight | 766g (m3), 786g (i5/i7) | 1576 |
| Wireless | 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible | 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible |
| Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology | Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology | |
| Doors | 1 USB 3.0 | 2 USB 3.0 |
| microSD card reader | Full-size SD card reader | |
| Surface Connect | Surface Connect | |
| Headset jack | Headset jack | |
| Mini DisplayPort | Mini DisplayPort | |
| Media | 5.0MP front-facing camera | 5.0MP front-facing camera |
| 8.0mp rear-facing camera | 8.0mp rear-facing camera | |
| Stereo microphones | Dual microphones, front and rear facing | |
| Stereo speakers with Dolby Audio | Front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby audio | |
| Sensors | Ambient light, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer | Ambient light, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer |
| Battery | up to 9 hours video playback | up to 12 hours video playback |
| Comes with | Surface Pen | Surface Pen |
| Difference | Old keyboards work, interchangeable pen tips, magnetic pen storage, Surface Pro 4 Type Cover from $129.99 | Glass multi-touch trackpad, zero drain when laptop is closed, backlit keys |
| Price | From $899 to $2699 | From $1499 to $2699 |
As you can see, the devices are quite similar. The main differences include the screen size, battery, graphics, and that the Surface Book will come with a keyboard that can be attached to it.
Microsoft says on its website about the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4. The former is “the most powerful Surface laptop that can handle any task” while the Surface Pro 4 says “the perfect balance of size and power for working on the go.”.
The company's descriptions don't tell us much, but according to the features we mentioned above, a significant difference between the Surface Book and the Surface Pro 4 is the longer battery life.
The Surface Pro 4 on the other hand comes with 1TB of storage, while the Surface Book will only have 512GB.
As for the price now, the Surface Book starts at $1500 while the Surface Pro 4 starts at $900. The interesting thing, however, is the maximum price, since if you plan to buy the Surface Pro 4 with a cover (charged extra) you will pay more than what the Surface Book costs.
Both Surface devices are already available (for the US and those with US contacts) from Microsoft's website
