One of the many perks of being in IT is that sometimes you’re able to get demo or NFR (not for resale) products. Vendors want you to show off hardware and ideally sell them to clients. Well, it just so happens that the Surface 4 Laptop was released as I needed a new laptop. My Dell had a great run, and while I haven’t had any issues with it, it’s time for an upgrade. I’ve been a big fan of the Surface series since Day 1 – I’m talking the tablet version with the cheap click-on keyboards. I had one of those back in the day, and never went the Surface route again… until now. Let me tell you a little bit about the new love of my life.
Design: The laptop looks incredible. She’s sleek, lightweight, and has a keyboard/touchpad that are built perfectly for hand placement.
Power: Oh yes, it bangs hard! The CPU runs like a Ferrari, the SSD is lightning fast, and the RAM transitions between apps flawlessly.
Screen: I don’t even know where to start. What’s the clearest body of water in the world? Whatever that is, the screen makes it look like the Ohio River. I couldn’t believe how important a clear screen was to productivity until I started working on it. Amazing.
Ports: Microsoft did this right. They gave you the option of USB-C and regular USB, unlike competitors (cough cough *Apple*) that only give you the USB-C option. Yes, that’s the future. But right now it means you’re dealing with all kinds of adapters and dongles and more cords/clutter, not to mention extra costs.
Battery: This might be what impresses me the most. Before this age of remote work, I was working off a docking station and didn’t notice how important a long-lasting battery could be. But now I see how annoying it can be when your battery only lasts a couple of hours and how much it hinders the performance of your machine. Windows has a built-in throttle to give your battery more life. I worked on my Surface yesterday strictly on battery for over 4hrs and it was still over 50% charged, which is amazing. I’d have zero anxiety about the battery dying at a client if I forget my charger or the times I might be traveling and it’s impossible to find an outlet.
I’ve bragged to all my friends about the Surface already, so I figured I’d brag to everyone. I always tell clients to pick a laptop that fits their working environment, and with this Surface Laptop 4, I’m practicing exactly what I preach. One bonus: watch this ad from Microsoft, it’s incredible. Bravo!