Microsoft – Surface Pro 7 – 12.3″ Touch Screen – Intel Core i5 – 8GB Memory – 256GB SSD with Black Type Cover – Platinum

I bought the SP7 256GB i5 8GB RAM just before Christmas 2020 and it has been an overall great experience. I’ve previously had a Surface Pro 2017 which I had limited seat time with because it was stolen after a car break-in not long after I bought it. I’ve also previously had a Surface 3 and Surface Go for years of which both have been excellent devices.
The Bad:
-Expensive in all configurations at their listed prices
-Surface keyboard is expensive and bounces a bit when typing fast. The fake suede covering feels good to the touch but doesn’t seem like it would last long after years of continuous use, especially at the edges. (My Surface Go keyboard started fraying at the edges about a year and a half of daily use, shortly before I accidentally dropped it and I believe both are made from the same material.)
-It should be obvious but RAM and hard drive are not user replaceable and, even at 256GB, with any bit of productivity software, you go through that disk space very quickly. Especially with Windows 10’s perpetual updates. Which you can’t turn off.
-Can generate a bit of heat when streaming videos.
-Windows credentials are incredibly finicky and I’ve been kicked off the Windows App Store because Windows couldn’t validate my login. This may seem trivial but mostly all of the free apps (as well as paid) have to go through the App Store.
-Clunky form factor if held in the hand and used as a tablet. This thing is heavy and you’ll never mistake this for an iPad.
The Good:
-Full-blown Windows machine and computer. I’ve gotten the iPad 2 back when Steve Jobs was still alive and to this day my iPad experience has been unrivaled. But I was tired of having to route everything through iTunes just to get it to my iPad. And, unlike the very-limited Surface Go, you can run full-blown apps like Photoshop CC or Visual Studio 2019 with no issues. (I tried using Photoshop CC on my Surface Go but I only was able to run it after clearing out all my downloaded files and run absolutely nothing else in the background. Still it was a harrowing experience.)
-The display isn’t 4K but it’s gorgeous and renders great! Yes, it isn’t 120 Hz refresh rate (like the new SP8) but scrolling is decent and, unless you work with graphics, you wouldn’t miss it. I use Acrobat DC to scale and draw links at 200%+ resolution and the scaling and renders are great! You can probably say this about any mid- to high-end device but it’s worth mentioning.
-Battery life is decent but you have to be careful that, if you get on an airplane or are going to be out all day and without a power source, you’re going to want to make sure the device is fully turned off and not just in “Sleep” mode. I’ve had more than a handful of times where Windows decided to update itself without an Internet connection and left my tablet on and steaming in a backpack and a drained battery.
-This doesn’t have the lightness of the Surface Go, unfortunately, but this is by far the very best in terms of form factor for full on laptops. You can put this in a sack pack and not really notice. I will say this about my dearly departed Surface Go (I dropped it on my driveway face down): I actually used it in my hands while on my treadmill for 2 straight hours without fatigue. That’s something you can’t do or say about any other ultra portable full Windows device.
Microsoft has been slow to update the Surface line so there was some fear that the SP line might be axed as a whole. Very thankful that the SP8 came out, which means that you can probably get a good deal on the SP7! The SP7 was a bit overpriced to begin with but if you can save a few hundred dollars off the list price, this tablet becomes an excellent value! Same with the SP8. Wait till Black Friday or possibly next Spring when deals pop up intermittently and without warning.
Verdict:
If I had to do it again, I probably would’ve gotten at least the 512GB. 1TB was just too much money for the hardware. This tablet is best used on a desk as using it on your lap is plain awkward. If I had to choose something else, it would be the Dell XPS 13 line, QHD or possibly 4K display. When you price it with accessories the comparable Surface Pro is actually more expensive than the comparable XPS 13. And the XPS can be used as a traditional laptop with exceptional build quality. Overall, I highly recommend the SP7, even more so if you can get it on sale.

Beware, open box means they ship literally without a box. My surface pro came shipped in a flimsy plastic bag. The condition was supposedly “excellent” which best buy defines as “condition look brand new — with no physical flaws, scratches or scuffs — and include all original parts1 and accessories. The product will be in its original packaging or a suitable replacement box”
Judge for yourself by the pics if you would define this as “excellent,” “no physical flaws,” and “a suitable replacement box.”

Do not buy! I purchased my surface pro 7 in March 2020 and had to have it repaired in July 2020. The issues started with the load up screen being “glitchy” to it not turning on at all. If you do buy this, make sure you also purchase a good back up hard drive to save everything because it can’t be repaired at that point and you will loose Everything. They replaced my surface pro with a brand new one since it was under warranty. It is 1-2-21 and I’m going to have to go through the warranty process again because my replacement pro is doing the EXACT same thing as the last one. It is great while it works but it is not worth the price or the headache. I hope this honest review saves someone else the frustration. (Image attached is of the new one with it’s glitch, there’s only supposed to be one logo, not almost 3)

It is neat and comfy to travel with and more. 12.3in. I add screen protector and case for my convenience. You can use it for college, business, personal convinces and work.