Microsoft is already on its Surface Pro 4? Why so many iterations of the same thing? I guess the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, doesn’t account well here. The only reason why I would think Microsoft would be coming out with its 4th gen Pro 2-in-1 since 2013 (if I’m not mistaken that was the year of the Surface RT), is that it needed some refinements here and there to keep the customers buying. They are tablets, they are laptops, but they need to work well in both modes. Previous gens have had issues with exactly that. Having a tablet that easily snaps into a laptop via keyboard is nice, but if it doesn’t feel like a laptop in your lap, then what’s the point? Looks like that the new Surface Pro 4 has to offer, at the very least over its Surface Pro 3 predecessor, a boost in both performance, quality, processing options.

Starting with external changes, the Surface Pro 4 looks almost identical to the Surface Pro 3. At a mere .03 inches thinner, and .03 pounds lighter, it measures 11.5 x 7.93 x .33 inches, and 1.73 pounds. Oh that’s right, Microsoft also trimmed up the bezel a bit, upping the display, now at 12.3 inches, with 2736 x 1824 pixels. What we probably care about more than these teensy increments in display size, is its 6th gen Intel Skylake processor, said to “kick up 3D performance by as much as 81 percent” (PC World).

Some changes in the keyboard might make some of you happy. The new Type Cover keyboard keys are spread out just enough to allow some extra breathing room that previous gens did not have. This might make typing more comfortable in general, like you’re handling a laptop, not just a 2-in-1’s keyboard attachment. Not much else to discuss, as far as changes in the department of build and physicality go, but Microsoft did redistribute the way heat travels along the rear panel of the device, apparently “eliminating hot spots and allowing the optional Core i5 or i7 chips inside to run at full speed” (Gizmodo). This is a bit of a relief. Why would those chips be there if they couldn’t perform at full capacity?

The Surface Pro 4 may never be the perfect laptop you have in mind, and honestly, if that’s the case, maybe you should check out the new Surface Book, a laptop that seems to answer the issues customers seem to have with the Surface Pro line. But if you enjoy a nice, light 2-in-1, the $800 Core i3 model is a nice, affordable start. These laptops are known for getting work done on-the-go. It’s portable footprint is great for day-to-day tasks, not big jobs or creative projects. The 8GB of RAM can most definitely be upgraded to 16GB to make buying this thing more worth it. It, of course, comes running Windows 10, and a suite of apps for drawing, note-taking, movie watching, and other casual activities. The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is available now, and price depends on configuration.