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Microsoft Surface Pro 4 or Surface Book: Which is for you?

By Kenny Yeo & Wong Chung Wee - 7 Oct 2015

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 or Surface Book: Which is for you?

Which to buy? Surface Pro 4 or Surface Book?

Microsoft is on a roll. In a few short years, it managed to turn its Surface hardware business around. Sales is increasing steadily as are revenue and profits. And just last night, Microsoft dropped the bomb by announcing the new Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book.

The Surface Pro 4 builds on its predecessor's success and is better in every conceivable way.

The Surface Pro 4 is the successor to the excellent Surface Pro 3. It’s thinner, lighter, and thanks to Intel’s latest Skylake processors, it’s also more powerful. It truly is a tablet that can replace your notebook. But that’s not all, Microsoft has also upgraded the Surface Pen and improved on the Type Cover. All in all, every aspect of the Surface Pro 4 is an improvement on its predecessor. To find out more about the Surface Pro 4, head over to our hands-on article here.

The Surface Book is Microsoft's first notebook and it features a detachable display that doubles as a tablet.

The Surface Book is Microsoft’s first notebook and came as a bit of surprise to everyone. Like the Surface Pro 4, the Surface Book sports Intel’s latest Skylake processors, but it also has a discrete NVIDIA GPU. This means its more powerful, especially when running GPU-intensive applications. It also means it more suitable for gaming. It’s just a better all round machine. But wait, the Surface Book is also detachable and doubles up as a tablet, offering users the best of both worlds. It really is quite amazing. To see more of it, check out our hands-on here.

So as you can see, the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book are two fundamentally different devices, but they are also so similar. One is a tablet that can replace your notebook; another is a notebook that doubles up as a tablet. It’s hard to choose, so let us help. But first, here's a table detailing the two devices' specifications.

Side-by-side comparison of the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4
  Surface Book Surface Pro 4
 Processor
  • 6th generation Intel "Skylake" Core i5 or Core i7 processors
  • 6th generation Intel "Skylake" m3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors
 System Memory
  • 8GB or 16GB
  • 4GB, 8GB or 16GB
Operating System
  • Windows 10 Pro
  • Windows 10 Pro
Display & Graphics
  • 13.5" PixelSense touchscreen display, 3:2 aspect ratio
  • 3000 x 2000 pixels resolution
  • Intel HD 520 graphics (Intel Core i5 CPU, in tablet mode)
  • NVIDIA discrete graphics chipset, 1GB GDDR5 (Intel Core i5 or i7, in laptop mode)
  • 12.3" PixelTouch touchscreen display, 3:2 aspect ratio
  • 2736 x 1824 pixels resolution
  • Intel HD 515 graphics (Intel m3 CPU)
  • Intel HD 520 graphics (Intel Core i5 CPU)
  • Intel Iris graphics (Intel Core i7 CPU)
Storage
  • 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB SSD
  • 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB SSD
I/O Ports
  • 2 x USB 3.0 ports (full-sized)
  • SD card reader
  • 1 x mini-DisplayPort
  • 1 x headphones jack
  • SurfaceConnect
  • 1 x USB 3.0 port (full-sized)
  • microSD card reader
  • 1 x mini-DisplayPort
  • 1 x headphones jack
  • SurfaceConnect
  • Cover port
Connectivity
  • 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
  • Bluetooth v4.0
  • 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible
  • Bluetooth v4.0
Cameras and video
  • 5.0 MP front-facing HD camera
  • 8.0 MP rear-facing autofocus camera, with 1080p HD video recording
  • 5.0 MP front-facing HD camera
  • 8.0 MP rear-facing autofocus camera, with 1080p HD video recording
Audio
  • Dual microphones, front and rear
  • Stereo speakers with Dolby audio, front-facing
  • Stereo microphones
  • Stereo speakers with Dolby audio
Sensors
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Accelerometer
  • Gyroscope
  • Magnetometer
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Accelerometer
  • Gyroscope
Battery life
  • Up to 12 hours of video playback
  • Up to 9 hours of video playback
Dimensions
  • 312.3- x 232.1- x 13.0- to 22.8mm
  • 292.10- x 201.42- x 8.45mm
Weight
  • 1.57kg (including keyboard)
  • 766g (Intel Core m3 CPU, excluding Type Cover)
  • 786g (Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU, excluding Type Cover)

 


Performance

For users who opted for the optional discrete GPU, the keyboard dock is where you'd find it.

Both the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book will be powered by Intel’s latest Skylake processors and will both be able to accommodate up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD. Microsoft doesn’t detail the exact processors being used in both devices, but considering the fact that the CPU must be housed within the tablet display, we are guessing the Surface Book will use the same 15W parts as the Surface Pro 4. So, we don't expect the Surface Book to have any compute performance advantage over the Surface Pro 4.

That said, the Surface Book does have the benefit of a discrete GPU from NVIDIA. As good as Intel’s integrated GPUs are, there’s no substitute of a good old discrete GPU, and this discrete GPU will allow the Surface Book will better tackle GPU-intensive applications and even gaming.

How they compare...
Surface Pro 4 Surface Book
  • Latest Skylake processors
  • Latest Skylake processors
  • Integrated graphics - Not so great for graphics intensive workloads
  • Discrete GPU - ideal for GPU-intensive apps, games

Verdict: From a pure performance standpoint, it's a no-brainer. The Surface Book is definitely more ideal for users who need more punch, especially if they frequently use GPU-intensive applications such as modeling programs or video editing. The Surface Book will also be a better pick if you intend to do some gaming. As all gamers know, there's no substitute for the performance that a discrete GPU can offer.

 

Form Factor

The Surface Pro 4 is remarkable thin and has an integrated kickstand.

When it comes to form factor, the Surface Pro 4 is significantly thinner and lighter than the Surface Book, even if you factor in the Type Cover. On its own, the Surface Pro 4 is just 8.4mm thick and weighs around 780g. Add the Type Cover, and those figures go up to 13mm and 1.07kg.

The Surface Book was designed first and foremost to be a notebook and is around 22.8mm thick at its thickest point and weighs about 1.57kg. That’s not really thin nor light to be completely honest. It's compact sure, but most ultrabooks these days come in at around 15mm and weigh around 1.3kg. The Surface Book sacrifices some portability in exchange for performance - the discrete GPU requires additional cooling provisions.

 

How they compare...
Surface Pro 4 Surface Book
  • Thinner and lighter - 8.4mm, 780g
  • Thicker and heavier - 22.8mm, 1.5kg
  • With Type Cover just 13mm thick, 1.07kg
  • Discrete GPU adds weight and thickness
  • Lighter and more compact, therefore more portable
  • Better performance demands more weight and heft

Verdict: If portability is your main concern, take the Surface Pro 4.

 

Usability

Though the Type Cover has been improved, there will be users who prefer the keyboard and trackpad combination of a conventional notebook. The feel is entirely different.

The Surface Pro 4 lighter weight and more compact dimensions means it's more portable. The Type Cover has been improved continuously over the years, and the latest one even sports a larger glass trackpad, but it’s still no substitute for a proper keyboard. Therefore, the Surface Pro 4 is in our mind more suited for users who are constantly on the go. They can also get by mostly with just the touch display and only need the Type Cover for the keyboard and trackpad for short periods of use. In all, it's a great device for users who need to do more mainstream tasks on-the-go, such as checking and reply emails and looking and editing documents.

The Surface Book is a proper notebook that offers performance. The detachable tablet display is a great feature and offers greater flexibility for use, but the Surface Book’s raison d'être is that it has a discrete GPU - something that you don’t see often in detachable devices. Furthermore, we would also argue that because of its more rigid form factor, it’s more suited for use on laps - the Type Cover can feel a little wobbly and does not offer as much, to borrow a term from Microsoft, “lapability”.

The Surface Book also trumps the Surface Pro 4 in terms of connectivity. It has an additional USB 3.0 and accepts full-sized SD cards, unlike the Surface Pro 4 which only accepts microSD cards. Finally, the larger display also means that the Surface Book is more suited to productivity tasks, especially large and lengthy spreadsheets.

How they compare...
Surface Pro 4 Surface Book
  • More suited for mobile warriors
  • For users who demand performance on the go
  • Designed for mainstream tasks - email, word processing, web browsing
  • Better for viewing, editing large documents and spreadsheets
  • Most at home when used as a tablet
  • Rigid build makes it more "lappable"
  • Integrated kickstand
  • No kickstand, but has dockable keyboard base
  • Type Cover is still a compromise to some
  • Proper notebook-class keyboard and trackpad
  • Up to 9 hours battery life
  • Up to 12 hours battery life

Verdict: Tough call, this really depends on your own needs and preferences. That said, both are great portable devices.

 

Price

The Surface Book can be pricey, especially if you opt for discrete graphics and a large capacity SSD.

The Surface Pro 4 is priced at US$899 onwards, whereas the most affordable Surface Book is US$1499. That looks like a big difference, but this is not a fair comparison because the entry-level Surface Pro 4 is only has a Core m3 processor and 4GB of RAM. We need to compare the two with similar processors and RAM.

The Core i5 Surface Pro 4 with 256GB of storage and 8GB RAM is US$1299, whereas the Surface Book with Core i5, 8GB RAM and 256GB is US$1699. However, note that this Surface Book doesn’t have a discrete GPU, if you opt for it, the price is bumped up to US$1899. In fact, with the discrete GPU, prices start to go up pretty quickly. The Surface Book with a Core i7 processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and discrete graphics is US$2099 (nearly S$3000 based on present exchange rates).

Finally, one thing to note is that the Surface Pro 4’s Type Cover is an optional accessory and will set you back US$129.99. So the difference between the two devices is not as big as you might think, especially if you pick a Surface Book without the discrete GPU.

How they compare...
Surface Pro 4 Surface Book
  • Prices beginning from US$899
  • Prices beginning from US$1499
  • Type Cover is optional extra at US$129, Surface Pen included
  • Price includes dock and Surface Pen
 
  • Models with discrete GPUs are pricey

Verdict: The Surface Pro 4 is more affordable, but the difference is not as great as you might be led to believe. Surface Books with discrete GPUs are pricey.

 

Closing Thoughts

Microsoft’s Surface devices have gone from strength to strength and based on what we have seen so far, the new Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book look set to be winners. The Surface Pro 4 improves upon its predecessor in every conceivable way and the Surface Book looks like it will be the yardstick by which all future hybrid notebooks will be judged.

Based on what we know now - processor details and GPU details are sadly missing - the Surface Pro 4 looks set to be the mobile warrior’s best friend. For the utmost in portability, it is hard to beat the Surface Pro 4. Furthermore, the Type Cover is thinner, lighter and has been improved with more tactile keys and a larger trackpad.

As for the Surface Book, it looks as if it would be the 13-inch notebook to beat. Based on our hands-on experience, its build quality is top notch and reeks of quality, and its specifications suggest that it will be a capable machine. The fact that the display also detaches to become a tablet is just the icing on the cake. It seems now that Microsoft’s push to design the Windows operating system around a touch input interface is finally paying off. If you are looking for a notebook that can do it all, the Surface Book looks like it could be that notebook.

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