Microsoft Surface Pro 9 ARM review - The high-end ARM convertible disappoints

[Redaktion]

Microsoft offers its new Surface Pro 9 now also with an ARM processor, which brings some advantages such as integrated 5G connectivity and fanless operation. On the other hand, the performance also turns out significantly worse than that of the Intel version, despite the higher price.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Microsoft-Surface-Pro-9-ARM-review-The-high-end-ARM-convertible-disappoints.699137.0.html

[LL]

Seems it was designed and priced to fail.

[Orion]

Microsoft is trying to introduce a new architecture (arm) while keeping the keys to its black box (the closed source operating system) hidden. That is the problem, not the CPU or the arm architecture.

If Windows was an open source OS, it would have been successfully done years ago. Just look at Linux support in all other architectures (arm, Risc-V, MIPS etc). In fact I am typing right now on the Acer spin 513 with Kompanio 1380 arm CPU with dual boot Linux and ChromeOS, and the thing is faster than my intel Macbook pro 13 i5 from 2020 for 1/3 of the price while it lasts 11-12 hours while my macbook only 5-6!

I also have a tiny SBC Risc-V computer (VisionFive) with anemic SOC but it can still runs full fledged Debian Linux with all the Apps running fine (Firefox, LibreOffice, GIMP etc)!!

Closed source proprietary software sucks, wake up Microsoft!

[Mr Majestyk]

The price is the biggest disappointment. Surface has never made sense at least in Australia with delusional pricing and last gen specs. Microsoft and ARM shouldn't be used in the same sentence.

[YUKI93]

Closed source proprietary software sucks, wake up Microsoft!

The same goes for Apple. In fact, Microsoft doesn't completely drop x86 for Windows, unlike macOS.

[YUKI93]

I can understand why ARM SoC isn't as fast as x86 CPU, particularly GPU performance, because of the relatively low TDP, but that is one of the strong points for ARM SoC. Lower TDP means lower temperature, thus longer battery life. Windows on ARM might not be fully mature as Windows on x86, but I would take the SP9 ARM over the SP9 Intel. The HP EliteBook Folio 13.5 and Lenovo ThinkPad X13s Gen 1 might have better battery life than SP9 ARM, but they don't have a detachable screen.

[Andy Oh]

I can understand why ARM SoC isn't as fast as x86 CPU, particularly GPU performance, because of the relatively low TDP, but that is one of the strong points for ARM SoC. Lower TDP means lower temperature, thus longer battery life. Windows on ARM might not be fully mature as Windows on x86, but I would take the SP9 ARM over the SP9 Intel. The HP EliteBook Folio 13.5 and Lenovo ThinkPad X13s Gen 1 might have better battery life than SP9 ARM, but they don't have a detachable screen.

Don't forget that SP9 drives higher resolution display with high refresh rate compared these two.  The Lenovo and HP displays were FHD and 60 Hz only.

Would be interesting to compare the SP9 ARM version against the Huawei Matebook E Go Performance Edition.  Based on Chinese website reviews, it's also between 8 to 10 hours real office usage battery life.  It has high refresh rate, touch screen, lighter weight and same performance (SD 8cx gen-3) as these laptops.