Microsoft Surface Studio is a 2-in-1 Laptop for Creative Professionals & 3D Artists

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Microsoft developed Surface Laptop Studio aimed at professional creative workers, 3D artists, photographers, and videographers similar to Apple’s Pro-branded laptops. The machine was designed to provide more power and creative flexibility for serious professionals.

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio features a 120Hz, Microsoft Surface Dial, and Surface Slim Pen 2 stylus compatible 14.4-inch touchscreen. The laptop comes with an 11th Gen Core i5 CPU while the top specification is limited to the 11th Gen Core i7.

The device also has a new tactile touchpad, 16GB or 32GB of RAM, and up to 2TB of storage. The Surface Laptop Studio also features integrated Intel Xe graphics for the Core i5 models. The Core i7 models feature Nvidia GeForce RTX A2000 GPU.

Key Features and Design

One of the amazing attributes of the Surface Laptop Studio is that it seems like a normal laptop. You can turn it on and off using the power button at the top right corner side of the keyboard. It is a more attractive device than the other laptop range of Microsoft.

The device comes with a smooth finish surface and silver aluminum body. The base is set in from the edge of the device to create an extra step into the bottom. There are vents for cooling on the right and left sides of this step.

You will also find a magnetic charging point for a Surface Slim Pen 2 on the front lip. The Studio is neat and unfussy but a bit thicker and a heavy 14-inch laptop. It is a 20mm device with rubber feet at the top of the lid and a weight (without power brick) of around 1.8kg.

Stylus Support and Display Options

The Surface Slim Pen 2 is considered an extra option but an essential part of the Surface Laptop Studio. The Pen resides smartly below the touchpad and just under the front border of the laptop while charging. A small shortcut panel will appear at the bottom of the screen after pulling it out.

This is by default congested with buttons and users can tap to launch various tools and apps. They can launch the Microsoft Whiteboard app, Snipping Tool, and Pen settings. Users can also customize these applications using shortcuts. There are 2 buttons on the Pen as previously found on Surface Pen devices. One button is on the barrel and the other at the end of the Pen.

The button at the end would launch Microsoft Whiteboard if you click or hold it down. It would launch the Snipping Tool after double-clicking. Users can use the barrel button for right-clicking in the Windows User Interface and tool switching in supportive applications. You can use the Pen for sketching and shading with over 4 thousand tilt detection and pressure support levels.

Excellent Brightness, Sharpness, and Contrast Ratios

Microsoft is using a 14.4-inch IPS panel for the Studio version, similar to other Surface laptops. It has 3:2 aspect ratios for excellent productivity, sharpness at 2400 x 1600 pixels, and brightness at 455cd/m2.

Moreover, the screen contrast ratio is 1625:1 and has a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Microsoft offers the cheapest model at $1,895. This version includes an Intel Core H35 i5-11300H CPU, Intel Iris XE Graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage.

It would cost you up to $2,155 after adding another 256GB of storage to this configuration. Models with 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Intel Core H35 i7-11370H CPU, and Nvidia GeForce RTX A2000 GPU will start at $2,480. But it will cost you around $3,760 with 32GB RAM and a 2TB SSD.