Microsoft Surface Pro X

Hands on: It’s too early to tell with the Surface Pro X, but I was able to open seven tabs at once in the Edge browser and switch between them with no sluggishness, so...so far so good. We’ll have to wait until we get a Surface Pro X review unit to effectively judge performance, however. Stay tuned for our full review.

Hands on: It’s fantastic to see Microsoft finally broadening its range of Surface Pro devices. Now on its seventh generation, it was about time that it introduced something bigger and bolder, and the Surface Pro X is exactly that. The larger display and all-new accessories all look fantastic so far, and I’m even excited about the ARM Microsoft SQ1 processor. Microsoft had its reasons for discontinuing ARM-powered Windows tablets but, presumably, it has an excellent reason for bringing them back now.

The Surface Pro X is an absolutely impressive looking and feeling Windows tablet – perhaps the best yet in that department. But, while we appreciate Microsoft's faith in its new ARM processor, we've yet to see an ARM-based Windows device perform to expectations for the price. Consider us impressed but cautiously optimistic.

Hands on: In short, the Surface Pro X is shaping up to be the main Surface device to buy if you're after a Windows 10 hybrid. We'll need to give it a proper test before we cast our final judgment, but it's still good to see that Redmond has hardware engineers beavering away at tech that's practical for nearly everyone.

Hands on: But there are still a lot of question marks surrounding the Surface Pro X, especially when it comes to the tablet's custom processor. Can it offer anywhere near the power and battery life? We'll have to wait for a review unit to find out. If it can, we could have a serious iPad killer on our hands.

Hands on: All in all, the Surface Pro X is the thinnest, lightest, fastest-charging, and most powerful Surface Pro ever, Microsoft claims. We can believe all the labels except the last, which we can confirm when we have the Surface Pro X in to test.

Hands on: With a slick full-screen design, powerful SQ1 chip and a clever pen holster, the Surface Pro X could be a real iPad Pro killer.

Hands on: Most likely, the Pro X will appeal more than the Pro 7 if you value the things ARM-based notebooks typically excel at. The thin and quiet design is one, but battery life is another—Microsoft rates the Pro X as getting up to 13 hours of power per charge with typical use. The company also says it can get up to 80% battery back in about an hour of recharging. There's also built-in LTE-A Pro connectivity for connecting to the Internet on the go via a Snapdragon X24 LTE modem.

Hands on: Microsoft has the advantage on keyboard covers, though. I use a Surface Laptop 2 as my primary work machine, and love typing on that thing. It's impressive to me that the Pro X's new Signature keyboard cover packs a keyboard that's similar to the Laptop 2. It's cushy, responsive and has ample travel. The trackpad was also smooth, although I wish it were slightly bigger.

Hands on: Now, with a simple re-fitting of the latest version of the Surface Pen, this new Surface device is capable of keeping the stylus safe when not in use. The smart keyboard cover – which connects with a magnet system of its own that’s never failed me in any previous-generation Surface device – is ready to do double-duty.

Hands on: This SQ1 processor also means you’ll get the benefits of Qualcomm’s Windows on ARM work. Microsoft is promising up to 13 hours of battery life, and it’s supporting fast charge so you can get all the way back to 80 percent battery in under an hour. There’s also built-in LTE connectivity, meaning you can really use this Surface Pro X anywhere as a mobile PC.

Hands on: So far the Surface Pro X feels like the upgraded Surface Pro I’ve been waiting years for. I’m really interested in seeing how the ARM chip holds up performance-wise and whether it can play any games available through Game Pass Ultimate.