Right now, you can get the best Windows 2-in-1 around for under $1,000. A $540 discount on the Surface Pro 9 gets you the versatile PC and a keyboard for $999.99. The particular model on sale has an Intel Core i5, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. Those are modest specs in 2024, but they’re more than enough to handle everyday computing and productivity.
Surface Pro 9 review highlights
In our Surface Pro 9 review, Zac Bowden was effusive in his praise for the device. “The Surface Pro 9 is excellent in almost every way,” said Bowden. “It’s so good, in fact, that I think it’s the best bit of hardware Microsoft has ever released. It’s better than the Surface Laptop and it’s better than the Surface Studio.”
The Surface Pro 9 has a refined design that builds on a decade of 2-in-1s from Microsoft. It’s also available with either a 12th Gen Intel CPU or a Microsoft SQ3, which is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen3. Microsoft took the modern design first seen in the Surface Pro X and rolled it into the Surface Pro 9. The result is a stunning PC that’s both productive and attractive.
“This is what ten years of refining the same core idea looks like,” said Bowden. “It’s a tablet that also happens to be able to replace your laptop. The first Surface Pro was not very good at this, and up until now, the Surface Pro line was never able to keep up with my performance needs.”
Surface Pro 9 vs Surface Pro 10
The current discount on the Surface Pro 9 is a good deal. In our Surface Pro 9 review, the device earned a perfect 5/5 and received praise for its design and performance. Bowden called the Surface Pro 9 “a decade of form factor perfection.” With all of that being said, the Surface Pro 10 will be a major upgrade over the Surface Pro 9, so you should know about both before making a decision.
The Surface Pro 10 has not been officially announced by Microsoft, but the company has an event coming up on March 21, 2024. There, Microsoft should unveil the next Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, the former of which I’ll focus on.
According to exclusive reporting from Bowden, the Surface Pro 10 will have options for either a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite-based processor or an Intel Core Ultra CPU. Both of those processors feature NPUs (neural processing units), which will help Microsoft usher in its first true AI PCs. Whether you choose to go with the Intel or Qualcomm models of the Surface Pro 10, the processors promise significant gains in both efficiency and performance when compared to the chips in the Surface Pro 9.
The Surface Pro 10 will also feature a better screen than its predecessor. Sources say the Surface Pro 10 will have an anti-reflective OLED screen that supports HDR.
Other improvements will round out what will be the largest generation-on-generation upgrade of the Surface Pro lineup in years. A new haptic touchpad, an updated selection of ports, and the aforementioned processors should combine to make the best Windows 2-in-1. Of course, we’ll have to watch the official announcement and see the device in the real-world to be sure, but all signs look positive for the Surface Pro 10.
So, where does that leave the heavily discounted Surface Pro 9 available for under $1,000 with a keyboard? It’s still a solid device at a more reasonable price than usual. Your budget and how you plan to use your PC will determine if it’s best to take advantage of the current deal or wait to buy a Surface Pro 10.
