Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Tablet, LTE, Intel Review

The Surface Pro 8 is a capable but compromised 2-in-1. Its 16GB RAM and LTE are great for mobile work, but weak graphics and mandatory extra costs for the keyboard hold it back. It's a good buy only if you absolutely need Windows in a tablet.

The Surface Pro 8 is a classic '2-in-1' that tries to be both a tablet and a laptop. It's got the specs to handle serious work, with 16GB of RAM and a decent SSD, but it's also a Windows tablet you can carry around. The big sell here is flexibility, and this model throws in LTE to keep you connected anywhere.

But that flexibility comes at a cost, both in price and in compromise. It's not the lightest tablet, and the core experience depends heavily on accessories you have to buy separately. You're getting a powerful Windows machine in a tablet body, which is its main trick.

Performance is a mixed bag, and our database shows why. The 16GB of RAM is excellent, landing in the 89th percentile, so multitasking is smooth. The Intel i5-1145G7 CPU, however, is only average, sitting at the 44th percentile. It'll handle office work and web browsing just fine, but don't expect to edit 4K video on it. The integrated Intel UHD Graphics is a major weak spot, scoring in the bottom 10th percentile. This is not a device for gaming or graphics-heavy tasks.

At around $599 for this renewed model, the value proposition is tricky. You're getting a lot of raw computing power for the money in terms of RAM and storage. But you have to remember this is just the tablet. To make it a functional laptop, you're adding at least $150-$200 for the keyboard. Suddenly, you're in a different price bracket. If you absolutely need a full Windows PC in this form factor with LTE, it's a fair deal. If not, there are simpler, cheaper options.

Compared to an iPad Pro, the Surface Pro 8 runs full Windows, which is a huge plus for specific software, but its app ecosystem for tablet use is clunkier. Against a Samsung Galaxy Tab, you're trading Android's slick tablet experience for the power of a desktop OS. The newer Surface Pro Copilot+ PCs blow this model away in performance and battery life, but they cost much more. This Pro 8 sits in a middle ground: more capable than a pure tablet for real work, but less polished as a tablet experience than its Apple and Samsung rivals.

Skip this if you want a simple tablet for media and light apps. An iPad or Android tablet will be lighter, have better battery life, and offer a smoother touch experience. Also, skip it if you're on a tight budget, because the true cost is the tablet plus the keyboard and pen you'll almost certainly need to buy.

Buy this if you're a mobile professional who needs a full Windows desktop experience—running specific x86 software, accessing corporate networks—in a highly portable form factor, and you really value that built-in LTE. It's a niche tool for a niche need. For everyone else, a dedicated laptop or a more focused tablet is probably a better, simpler choice.