Microsoft Surface Pro 12" Violet Review

The Surface Pro with Snapdragon X Plus is a fast, futuristic tablet that bets big on AI. Its CPU and RAM are top-tier, but art performance is weak and the $900 price doesn't include a keyboard. Worth it only for Windows-on-Arm enthusiasts.

The new Surface Pro is Microsoft's big bet on the 'Copilot+ PC' future, and it's built around Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus chip. That means it's fast, it's got serious AI chops with a 45 TOPS NPU, and it promises up to 16 hours of battery life. On paper, it's a slick 2-in-1 that wants to be your everything device: a tablet for notes, a laptop for work, and an AI companion for... whatever that ends up being.

The raw specs are impressive. That Snapdragon X Plus CPU lands in the 95th percentile, and the 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM is in the same league. It's a powerhouse for general tasks and web browsing. But our data shows a weakness: it scores a low 44.2/100 for art and design work. The integrated GPU, while strong on paper (94th percentile), might not be the best for heavy creative apps, especially if they're not optimized for Arm yet. The battery life score is just average at the 49th percentile, so that 'up to 16 hours' claim is likely a best-case scenario.

At $900 for the device alone (no keyboard!), the value proposition is tricky. You're paying a premium for that cutting-edge Snapdragon X silicon and the Copilot+ AI promise. If you need a pure Windows tablet with top-tier CPU performance today, it's compelling. But if you need proven app compatibility or a killer screen, that $900 starts to look steep for what you're actually getting in hand.

This sits in a weird spot. Compared to the more expensive Surface Pro with the X Elite and OLED screen, you're saving money but giving up the best display and a bit of CPU power. Against an iPad Pro, you get full Windows and more RAM, but lose out on a vast ecosystem of tablet-optimized apps and likely battery life. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ offers a brilliant Android experience for likely less money. And if you just need a small Windows machine, the GPD Pocket 4 gives you x86 compatibility in a tiny package. This Surface Pro is for someone who specifically wants a Windows-on-Arm tablet, right now.

Skip this if you're an artist or designer. Our score of 44.2/100 for art and design is a major red flag. Also, if you need to keep total cost down, look elsewhere—the mandatory keyboard add-on makes this a $1100+ proposition easy. And if you hate beta-testing software ecosystems, wait for the Arm app situation to improve.

Buy this if you're a tech early adopter who wants to be on the Copilot+ AI ground floor and needs a very fast, lightweight Windows tablet. You're betting on Microsoft and Qualcomm's vision. For everyone else, especially creative pros or anyone on a budget who needs to include a keyboard, it's a harder sell until the app ecosystem matures.