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8.0 / 10
SCORE Microsoft Surface Pro (12-inch) $920 at Microsoft Pros Same great Surface Pro design at a smaller price, size
Good size for tablet mode and light laptop use
IPS display is sharp and bright
Good overall performance for the price and exceptional battery life Cons Necessary accessories add to the bill
Seriously, the charger is an extra $70?
12-inch display can feel cramped in laptop mode
External connectivity limited to a pair of USB-C 3.2 ports
Microsoft shrunk the price and screen of its Surface Pro for people who, like me, view the tablet PC not as a primary daily driver but as a versatile secondary machine for browsing the web, watching YouTube and Netflix (and soon again MLB.TV) and playing the occasional mobile game when I can't decide on what to stream. Even the larger 13-inch Surface Pro is too small for me for every use, and as much as I like the detachable keyboard, I wouldn't want to type on it for an entire workday. So, the 13-inch model is overkill for my needs, but the 12-inch Surface Pro is another story.
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