By Liyo Kikon
Gone are the days when we used to look at Microsoft products and think “boring!”. These days, all the products which are produced by Microsoft seems to focus a lot on design and the latest product by Microsoft, the Surface Laptop is no different.
The Surface Laptop is a beautiful device and measuring at only 14.48 mm thickness, it is extremely slim, not to mention that it weights just 1.252 kg, it is remarkably light for such a powerful device. The Surface Laptop comes with a 13.5 inch display, powered by PixelSense technology which gives out stunning visuals and since it is coated with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, it won’t get scratches easily. The display has an aspect ratio of 3:2 and this is a bit of an issue since most laptops are set at 16:9 so the Surface Laptop may seem a bit more squared than your average laptop. It also supports 10 point multi touch along with the Microsoft Surface Pen and drawing on this device will be a bit awkward sine it doesn’t fold into a tablet form, but the display does support a resolution of 2256x1504 and is powered by the latest intel Core i5 or i7, depending on the model, along with a memory of either 4, 8 or 16GB.
Unlike the Surface Pro series which has received tremendous praise from fans, the Surface Laptop is getting mixed reviews so far, since it is primarily a Laptop without a detachable screen like the Surface Book, but no one can deny just how beautiful this device is. The big issue which everyone has is its lack of ports, you will only get one USB 3.0, a Headset jack, a Mini Display port and the Surface Connect for charging the device. I mean there is no USB-C and this really is a bummer for everyone who is interested in purchasing this device and has plans to use it for the next few years since in the coming years, USB-C will become standard for all devices. Another issue which everyone seems to have is the fact that the Surface Laptop will come with the new Windows 10S. And I can guarantee that anyone who buys the Surface Laptop will install the standard Windows 10Pro since Windows 10S is basically a re-boot of the old Windows RT which failed miserably. Incase you are wondering, the big difference between the 10S and the 10Pro is that in Windows 10S, you will not be able to run any executable files, meaning you will not be able to install Photoshop or run your favourite games, it will only support apps which are available on the Windows Store. The main idea behind this is to streamline the applications in your computer so that it runs faster and will be free from virus and bugs along with longer battery life and overall stable computing. But everyone who has used the Windows Store will agree that most of the “good” apps aren’t there to begin with. One thing to keep in mind is that anyone who buys this laptop and wishes to upgrade to Windows 10Pro will have to do it before December 31, 2017 if they want to upgrade it for free, or else they will have to pay extra to purchase the pro version.
Aside from the drawbacks of the Surface Laptop, one cool thing about this laptop would be the fact that the keyboard area is covered with Microsoft’s Signature Alcantara material. It is a type of synthetic fabric which was originally used in the Surface Pro type cover and it feels very luxurious and extremely comfortable, moreover, it is resistant to spills, stains and absorption so you can clean it easily. The laptop can be easily opened with one hand and this is no surprise since Microsoft is known to provide great hinges in all their devices. The speakers on the Surface Laptop are hidden away under the keyboard and you won’t find any “holes” anywhere on the device for sound output. The Laptop comes in four beautiful colours - Burgundy, Platinum, Cobalt Blue and Graphite Gold. All these colours look beautiful and elegant, even the Burgundy and Cobalt Blue will not look out of place in a professional setting. The best bit is that Microsoft promises the battery to last around 14 hours! That is truly amazing in such a slim and powerful device.
During the release event, Microsoft kept on pointing out that this laptop was designed for students and educators, but even the base model costs around Rs. 64,000 and goes all the way to around Rs 1,40,000. That costs a bit too much for the device since you can easily get a much powerful laptop at the same price range. But if you don’t intend to do any heavy work on the laptop and you want the most beautiful laptop money can buy, then there is none better than the Surface Laptop.
