Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio: Jack Of All Trades And Master Of None?
September 23, 2021Microsoft announced a slew of devices during its launch event. The line up included the Surface Laptop Studio, Surface Pro 8, Surface Go 3, Surface Slim Pen 2 and Surface Duo 2. Each device has its own level of usefulness, however the highlight of the event was the Surface Laptop Studio.
Unlike its predecessor, the new device combines the dexterity of a surface Pro with the usefulness of a proper laptop. As such, the Surface Laptop Studio retains the clamshell design of a traditional tablet, but the display itself is fused onto a backplate that uses a ‘dynamic woven hinge’, allowing it to pivot forward and backwards.
Working together with the traditional laptop hinge, the display can be positioned in a number of ways, which are Laptop mode, Stage mode and Studio mode. In laptop mode, the 14.4-inch PixelSense screen lies flush against the laptop’s frame. Tilting the display forward and nearly perpendicular to said frame is called Stage mode, which is ideal for media consumption.
Studio mode is achieved when the display is folded backwards, then folding the laptop hinge forward. It allows the screen to lie flush against the keyboard and trackpad. This basically turns the Surface Laptop Studio into a digital canvas or large tablet. Microsoft says that, when left in this position, it will be ideal for sketching or other creative work.
Windows 11 adjusts the screen’s settings to accommodate all three modes. This includes providing touch input and options as and when necessary. Microsoft says that it’s an ideal product for developers, creative professionals, designers and gamers.
The Surface Laptop Studio is Microsoft’s stab at a jack Of all trades device – a laptop that is also a mini TV and a drawing pad. Its design draws inspiration from the futuristic yet practical Surface Studio – an all-in-one desktop PC with pen support. It was targeted at creative professionals who needed a large screen with a plethora of drawing options and functions.
This remarkable looking device was let down by the dated hardware and lack of proper I/O support. And though it was the talk of the town then, today is considered a footnote in the history of Microsoft’s achievements. Now, the Surface Laptop Studio might be Redmond’s shot at redemption. It retains the basic characteristics of the desktop PC, but that’s packaged in a ultra portable device.
It’s a fascinating concept that may end up alienating its target demographic. Laptop users consider the conventional design a staple of productivity, and don’t usually tolerate any form of dilution of said recipe. People who appreciate 2-in-1 devices are fond of the flexibility that comes with the principle of detaching the tablet from its keyboard.
Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Studio doesn’t conform to either school of thought. It’s a laptop that is masquerading as a pseudo tablet while trying to mimic the flexibility of a 2-in-1. As such, the device takes on an unusual clamshell design with a protruding undercarriage. The narrower belly does provide the illusion of ‘thinness’ from certain angles, but not from the sides.
A new Surface Slim Pen 2 can be stored directly under the laptop chassis, where it is held in place by magnets and left to charge. This pen features a haptic feedback system that helps mimic the characteristics of a conventional pen including when its ballpoint grazes against the surface of paper. Compared to its predecessor it has a sharper tip for more precise writing, shading and inking.
And to compensate for all these abilities, Microsoft has given the Surface Laptop Studio buyers a choice of 11th Gen Intel Core H35 processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs. This means that it will be equipped with quad core chips and at least 16GB RAM. The performance should be on par with most mid-range PCs.
Sadly, the Surface Laptop Studio, though an intriguing concept, might not be as popular as Microsoft hopes it would. Granted it can be several different devices to consumers, but will that be enough? Once the dust settles, this machine will probably be considered the jack of all trades and master of none.
