Although Microsoft has released the Surface Pro 7, Surface Pro 6 is still making a good case for itself. So, if you are looking for a Microsoft Surface Pro tablet for yourself, you must read what the Surface Pro 6 has to offer. This is an elegantly designed convertible device that you can easily turn into a laptop.
The major reason why the Surface Pro 6 is still popular among users is its long battery life. Despite all the upgrades, the Surface Pro 7 fails to match its long-lasting battery as Microsoft’s latest tablet. Secondly, Microsoft has lowered its price drastically, which makes it more economical than its successor.
We have reviewed Microsoft Surface Pro 6 for its design, display, specs, and functionality. Additionally, we have evaluated its display and keyboard functionality in the real world. So, if you are into buying a Microsoft convertible, we urge you to read this article till the end.
Specs sheet
Processor: Intel Quad-core i7-8650U / 1.9GHz Max. Turbo Speed 4.2GHz
Display: 12.3-inch Touchscreen (2736 x 1824) Resolution
RAM: 16GB Storage: 512GB SSD
Graphics: Intel UHD 620 Integrated
Battery: Up to 14 hours
Weight: Around 27.65 oz (784g)
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
Design
Microsoft went with the same design formula for the Surface Pro 6 that we have seen on its previous models. This Windows 10 convertible comes with three basic user modes: laptop, tab, and studio, while the kickstand extends its reach up to 165 degrees. Overall, it leaves a good impression as a small screen 2-in-1 tablet that is easy to use and carry.
You can also get Microsoft Surface Pro 6 now in a matte-black finish, which we found captivating. The model we tested for this review came in the same dark hue that makes this 12.3-inch magnesium body tab more eye-catching. Not only its body look slimmer, but it also helps in preventing fingerprints. Moreover, the matte finish makes it easy to grip, thanks to the slightly gritty texture.
Display
The display on this Surface Pro tab is good and the touchscreen measures 12.3 inches in size. It comes with the typical Surface series aspect ratio i.e. 3:2 and offers a screen resolution of 2736 x 1824. This gives us a value of 267 ppi that ensures crispy visuals with bright colours.
We evaluated its screen brightness in colorimeter tests and were able to get a maximum brightness of 422. The minimum value was 0.3132 nits which gave us a contrast ratio of 1350:1. When we measured the sRGB gamut, we were able to get 90.2% colour gamut coverage. In simple words, this Windows tab is your ideal pick if you love cartooning and digital art.
The only drawback which we encountered was its tempered glass cover. It affects the visibility under harsh lights and direct sunlight, as the glass cover reflects light. Overall, we found the display pleasing and suitable, even for creative professionals.
Keyboard
As a 2-in-1 tablet, the keyboard on Microsoft Surface Pro 6 is a delight. Its keys are of suitable size and carry appropriate space between them, while the key travel is 1.3mm. We found it to be cushy and comfortable to type on, considering its thin type cover. In our typing test on the “10Fastfingers Typing Test,” we secured the average 70 wpm with 95% accuracy.
Touchpad
The touchpad on this tab is the same as of its predecessors: the typical glass. We tested it for multi-gestures and scrolling and found it to be smooth and responsive. We were able to switch apps quickly and found it accurate for users who work with three fingers. However, clicking was somewhat loud and apart from this, we found it charming.
Connectivity
Tablets usually don’t have many ports on them for connectivity due to their small sizes. However, Microsoft Surface Pro 6 has more port options than most of the tabs. It houses a power supply connection, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a Mini DisplayPort port, and one Type-A USB 3.0 port along with a microSD card reader slot.
However, it lacks modern connectivity options, such as a Type-C USB port with Thunderbolt 3 adoptability. Also, we were disheartened to not see an HDMI output, which we think it should have as a ‘Pro’.
Performance
This Microsoft Surface Pro tablet features an 8th generation Core i7 CPU that could deliver a turbo clock speed up to 4.2GHz. In addition to 512GB SSD storage, there is a 16GB RAM that ensures high-speed performance. The Intel UHD 620 GPU works well with the CPU and memory to offer a better visual experience.
Coming to the performance, we evaluated by opening more than 30 Chrome tabs at a time, while streaming music and 1080p videos at the same time. To measure its overall performance, we tested it on the Geekbench 4 and were able to get a score of 13,025. This is a wonderful performance, almost 50% better than the Surface Pro 5.
Surface Pro 6 delivered exceptional results when we used it for word processing and casual office programs. The 2-in-1 tablet also ran media editing and designing apps easily without any lags or screen distortion. We played ‘Dirt 3’ racing game on it and found this Microsoft tab to be good for casual gaming.
Battery life
The biggest advantage of buying Surface Pro 6 is its long-lasting battery. Microsoft claims that it can last up to 14 hours on a single charge, but you are likely to get less. We were able to extract about 13 hours of battery, which is still an amazing performance.
The device took around 2 hours for a complete charge up, but it reached 60% after the first hour. We witnessed that the battery saving mode kicked in after the 10% mark, but it did not hold for very long.
Verdict
In a nutshell, Microsoft Surface Pro 6 is an ideal device if you are thinking to buy a tab. An exceptional display, long-lasting battery, high memory, and Core i7 CPU are some benefits of this tablet. However, this is not a device for everyone and for people only who are looking forward to reaping the benefits of a detachable tab.
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