Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 review | A Mac guy's first impressions | Mark Ellis Reviews

I’ve spent a few days with the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4. This is my first Windows laptop for around 20 years. So, what does a Mac guy make of a Windows laptop and Windows 10? Here are 5 things I’ve learned!
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro
01:13 - The spec I bought
03:51 - Touch screen
06:20 - Keyboard shortcuts
07:37 - The Start Menu
09:25 - Windows Hello
11:48 - The keyboard
13:51 - Wrap up
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[@MarkEllisReviews]

I _promise_ I didn't mean to bash it against the desk at the end. Anyway... what do you think to the Surface Laptop 4? Have I convinced you to buy one, or head in another direction?

[@celi0ml]

Agree with you about the tiles on start menu... just disable that function (I did so) and you will start to use the start menu a lot. Try its search function as its fantastic (just hit the window key and start typing), mostly the biggest use of the start menu 😅

[@marianemes72]

Yes, those tiles are like as if people at the Microsoft said, ok this is trendy, let's put some stuff like this here and here.

[@MagicWolfGr]

bought an M1 Mac. I don't use my AMD Threadripper machine anymore. In combination with Alfred 4 so much more productive

[@mikek2591]

I'm a Mac user with everything Apple, but needed to have one working Windows laptop and I purchased the Surface Laptop 4 w/ Alcantara and really, really like it. I was also pleasantly surprised by the device, from how light it was in weight, snappy and responsive, opens the desktop as soon as the camera recognizes you, and in general is a pleasure to use. Highly recommend!

[@MagicWolfGr]

Possibly could have used parallel desktops 17 for that as you can run windows virtually on a mac

[@oliviaeff4154]

You have such a calming voice. This is sort of unintentional ASMR to me lol. Great video thanks man

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Haha - thanks!

[@kanishk9490]

*british accent

[@joseabraham777]

As long as you play the whole video is useful for he.

[@mesbashazu9201]

For an Apple guy, this has to be one of the most unbiased reviews. Thank you for that. Just to note, the issues you mentioned with 'not everything is optimized for touch' and 'the start menu mess' have arguably been addressed with Windows 11. Would love to hear your experience of using Windows 11 on Surface Laptop 4 or any of them. Thanks, Mark.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thank you! And there will indeed be some Windows 11 content on the way when it's released.

[@anthonycbrown1952]

Using Mac O/S and Windows 11 each day, I can say Windows 11 is a cleaner interface and very intuitive compared to Windows 10. Note: I have the silver Alcantara deck for 2 years and it is 100% like new. Secret: wash your hands before using and don't eat while using your laptop at the same time.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

@@anthonycbrown1952 Thanks for the tips ;)

[@brois841]

@@anthonycbrown1952 hah... I've had the Surface Laptop 2 w/Alcantara for years.... I don't wash my hands specifically for it and I eat next to it all the time. No issues with it getting grubby. However, I do carry it a lot throughout my house and after years and years of carrying it with my hand at the bottom of the laptop and the thumb on the alcantara it did start to delaminate. I still love the idea of Alcantara, it feels so soft and comfortable, but just like a soft leather interior of a car, it requires a little extra care and attention. So I guess it just depends on the person. P.S. It is super comfy compared to the bare metal of my MBP. I'm about to order a Surface Laptop 4 and torn about which to get.

[@DavidTorres-pt5nj]

Agree, iam really tired of youtube and all the same talk about how apple its better

[@Lee_K_5555]

I laughed out loud at the opening scene. Very nicely done, Mark. I appreciate when reviewers take the time to actually understand the competition, which strengthens their opinions and recommendations.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks, Lee!

[@tareqislam3030]

Using Alcantara version for over four years now. It has held up remarkably well with minimum care, you can’t even tell its used so much

[@JohnnyZenith]

I still find it baffling it doesn't come without it too on that model.

[@revelationsoundstudio]

Thanks for a insightful review. I had a IMac, 5 years later another I Mac and then went back to Windows. I just bought Laptop 4 15" laptop. It has been a dream using it. I logged into my Microsoft account and it preloaded my Microsoft Office that was on my Dell computer. I was able to get my HP printer connected and everything runs smoothly. I like the battery life, face recognition and touch screen. I had purchased 3 Dell computers and I figured the Laptop 4 has more power than the Laptop 3 and though its not the fastest, it is still fast enough for all the daily task that I need. Love the keyboard as well

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks!

[@stuartconlon7492]

Another entertaining and informative vid. I can’t help myself…subbed 👍🏻

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Ah - thanks!

[@alimoff8760]

It's nice to see somebody being open-minded and reviewing things in an unbiased way, noting the pros and cons of each system. I wouldn't be fond of that sort of flex though. I definitely would not pay £1000 for something that bendy, personally, but I understand how it might contribute to the overall typing experience in a positive way.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Glad you enjoyed the video. I really do like this keyboard, though.

[@brainactivity737]

@@MarkEllisReviews At the beginning the bending towards the middle of the keyboard really irritated me. However, once you get used to it you really don't mind it. And I agree with you that typing on it is very enjoyable.

[@iinngg9295]

Your voice is so calming! company just force me to change to surface laptop from MacBook Pro.. hope i can get use to it.

[@RolandoNispiros]

I like the honesty! Good review and comparison. I have the Macbook Air M1 and Surface Laptop 3 so I can relate.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks, Roland!

[@sharonb.9128]

Great review. I recently had an Lenovo all in one Windows 10. Eventually, I never touched the screen but at first I used it frequently. If you have time, Max Tech did a comparison review with the Surface 4. It was an informative, funny review. All I can say is keep it plugged to power.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks, Sharon! I'll check out that video, I do like Max Tech.

[@sabinoiicatcha8170]

I decided to switch to macOS last February exclusively after almost 20 years of being a Windows only user. Unfortunately, since I develop and maintain Windows-based software and system, it’s not possible. So I installed Windows 11 on ARM using Parallels 16 (now 17) - and now I can’t work without these two. Both systems have their own cons, but it their pros outweighs everything.

[@elonwong]

ye, i myself have a surface laptop 3 the Alcantara held up really well for 1.5 years with everyday use also i ocationally use the touchscreen too, feels natural.

[@1337Superfly]

Nice points on the advantages of a good Surface Laptop 4. I would like you to spend a little time figuring out all the possible ways to customize the start menu. Resize tiles, resize menu canvas size, grouping, naming, adding icons etc. It can really get nice. Much nicer than a static grid.

[@alexhutchison6926]

You can remove the silly tiles from the strat menu by right clicking the title of the section and selecting unpin from start menu

[@jamiermathlin]

interested in the performance comparison, plus overall stability in the longer term, let's see how you get on !

[@michaelpham8611]

wow this video is going to be so helpful, I've been think for a long time about buying the surface laptop but i have been using macos for years and years so I'm not sure about buying a surface laptop. This video made a big impact on my decision. Thank you.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

That's lovely to hear, and the exact reason I create this content!

[@michaelpham8611]

@@MarkEllisReviews Thank you so much!

[@Sojourner88]

If they added touch, how much would it add to cost... amd how much would it drain the battery? For something you use very little, it could drain a lotnof battery to be ready for your touch.

[@rmarafonas]

i have a 2017 macbook pro, is it worth upgrading to this surface laptop 4? at work I use 100% windows and when i get home and have to use the mac for a uni project I usually have a hard time adpating to the different operating system

[@MrAluntus]

Glad you like it. Try the WSL integration on W10. It's great.

[@fmulleady]

If you use either device for video editing, on the go, the M1 will win out against any of the Intel i5 or i7 processors offered on the Surface. For everything else, it’s a great laptop apart from that and the touchscreen and stylus functionality is very useful. I have a Surface Pro X with 4g connectivity, a stunning screen and 1080p webcam with brilliant microphones. It’s not for video editing but it’s brilliant in every other respect and has a class leading keyboard option with integrated stylus.

[@DNYLNY]

I didn't realize UK and USA had different keyboard layouts.

[@queenbeauty119]

Do you have to press FN along with volume and brightness keys for it to work?

[@richtaylor6039]

Great vid. New sub.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Awesome thank you!

[@mathiasriissorensen6994]

I'm using a Logitech MX Keys, where CMD and alt is the same key. It felt natural to me to remap it to avoid the slowdown.

[@dbtalks20]

Nice review Mark! 1. Your voice is very soothing to ears 👍 2. No way!! Alt C and Alt V ... Nope. Its Ctrl C and Ctrl V for copy and paste 🙂

[@TeenNewsLive]

Good point on the keyboard shortcuts, everything being just a little bit different is what irks me everytime I have to deal with a mac. Like they should definitely just standardize these things at this point.

[@kopinmodi1634]

It is quite interesting As for many years I have ebeen switching between WINDOWS and MAC OS It is still confusing me as I am more of a office productivity kind of a person rather editing videos and using all of multimedia But I would like to have your honest opinion as in the office I have to use WINDOWS but personal preference is always MOCBOOK Still I can go for your opinion as I am planning to buy new laptop Should I go for SURFACE LAPTOP 5 or MACBOOK PRO M2 ?

[@neorich59]

I think that the only keyboard shortcut that I've ever used is the Windows/Full Stop for emojis! 😉 For everything else, I right click on the mouse. Maybe I'm missing out on something! 😉

[@niatech5337]

is 8 gb enough for say simple opffice and OTT and some netflix atleast for next 3-4 years ?

[@yellit1975]

I had the original Surface Go with keyboard and pen and absolutely loved it. In the end, it was just a little too slow running lightroom.

[@beammeup8458]

Still up using my original Surface Go .... in a senior management position, now being retired, micro seconds do not amount to much ....

[@AmandeepSingh-ik4sd]

I really appreciate you talking about the touchscreen. I dont really find it very smooth but again touch screen is not very crucial at the same time.

[@issiewizzie]

Well done 👍

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thank you 👍

[@JJSogaard]

I use both Mac and Windows and I really become used to both variations of most keyboard shortcut. I’m probably a bit more used to the Mac way, but Ctrl-C feels just as natural as Cmd-C to me. If you regularly use both, they can both be muscle memory at the same time.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Yeah, I'm starting to discover that!

[@brois841]

Ditto, I use both and my finger "brain" automatically switches. It's like speaking multiple languages... once you've learned them you don't need to 'translate' in your head. If I could just have Windows Explorer/File Explorer on a Mac (w/SMB3 for NAS) I think I could maybe go all in on a Mac. Maybe! :)

[@carrs01]

To my mind it’s like this: instead of computer say car. For years you drive a Fords. Then you swap to a Toyota. You enjoy the new experience, getting familiar with all its idiosyncratic ways, play with some of the new features etc. But a couple of years later you go back to using a Ford.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Let's see what happens...

[@AbeJimenez]

Am I the only one who raises the volume at the beginning to hear the bass on the Mark Ellis reviews theme? Such great videos! 👍🏼

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Haha - awesome!

[@Rprakaash]

True. My Daughter love to change or choose her favourite video on mac and she can't do it. She would do it easily on the Surface . I get your point about touch Screen very much.

[@mmosbauer]

My work computer is Lenovo with touch screen. Most of the time it’s in a docking station with external monitors and can’t remember last time I used the touch screen

[@paramsengar8716]

Just got my new Surface Laptop 4 today, loving it so far!

[@JohnnyZenith]

I've been thinking about the Ryzen model. Wish the platinum didn't have alcantara. The laptop 5 will be coming but I'm thinking of a 2nd hand laptop 4.

[@jamesordinolabarrantes8370]

what about this vs dell xps 13 9310? thoughts... i've heard about some QC issues related to the dell...

[@ks3788]

what size is this laptop 13.5 or 15? do i need the 15 even?

[@LarryMonteforte]

Really interesting video. I have never had a MacBook, or any Apple product other than an iPad mini. Recently my old cheap Windows laptop gave up on me and I decided to make a jump to something more premium feeling-an iPad Pro with a keyboard. I’m really digging the iPad Pro 12.9 (newest model), but despite all of the love, after finally trying to get through some in person sales presentations on it, I am leaning towards returning it and going with the surface laptop 4. Maybe I’m just too used to the Windows shortcuts, or maybe it’s just that the website experience (most of my work programs are browser based) just felt better on Windows. I’m really torn. The media / entertainment experience is AWESOME on this thing. But at the end of the day I felt more at home and productive on Windows, so I may just make the switch back. After trying the Surface Laptop 4 in Best Buy today it definitely gave me the premium vibe I want, while also having Windows.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

They're such different devices, Larry, but you won't be disappointed with your choice.

[@LarryMonteforte]

​@@MarkEllisReviews Interesting enough, the Surface Laptop was sold out, but I picked up a Galaxy Book Pro 360 for 200 dollars off. Nice OLED screen, and the was way better specc'd than the equivalently priced Surface models by quite a lot (for reference, it is an i7, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM, 15" OLED screen, for only $1300 (regularly $1500) . Came with an extra large S-Pen, which I'm already familiar with using on phones. What I like about the pen implementation is that it does not require batteries at all. Very cool. Had it about 2 weeks and it fared much better in the few sales presentations I needed it for, compare to the iPad. I would say VS the iPad Pro, it does pretty much everything that I needed better. Even the screen is super nice, albeit slightly lower res and definitely not as bright. But it's still leagues ahead of the cheap LCD on my old $500 laptop and was plenty usable sitting in a customer's backyard in the middle of the day. I may still have to go back and get an iPad Pro someday though! What I miss the most is the crazy-good speakers! Those things blew me away for watching movies / video. But at the end of the day it was still "just an iPad" for me... not sure how much "Pro" use I would ever be able to get from it, that I wouldn't just grab a laptop or desktop for.

[@HaydnMowbray]

Your initial experience is very much like my long term experience of a Microsoft Surface Pro 4 used with MBP / Air / iPad Pro/ mini. I picked up an air earlier in the year and find myself constantly trying to press confirmation dialogue boxes. The reason for that is I have the iPad Pro which on it's keyboard stand and constantly have to press the screen as part of the day to day usage. As you say, Apple should just add faceID and touch and move on. And yes, W10 start menu is a car crash which I believe they're addressing in 11. Keep up the great content and cool Moog t shirt.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Nice! And I’m glad someone finally commented on the Moog t-shirt ;)

[@HaydnMowbray]

@@MarkEllisReviews kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIfYlmCHqN2osKM

[@simpromovie]

There are 3 things that I love about the Surface Laptops: 1. The 3:2 display. This is so amazing! For a Laptop that is not used only for watching movies this display is is miles ahead of the standard 16:10 Apple display. This was also one of the reasons I bought the iPad with it's 4:3 display... 2. The "Face-ID" (Windows Hello) implementation. Is is so nice to just watch at your laptop to log in. Come on, Apple you can do that too... 3. The "Mag Safe" connector. Loved that on my old MacBooks and now I can have it on a Surface Laptop... The funny thing is that all of these advantages are originally Apple inventions....In addition to that the design is lovely. Apple has to do something´new to compete with these Surface Laptops.....

[@markholle3450]

I just bought my wife the Surface 4 last week and had my M1 MBA side by side while I set it up. Agree with your 1-3 completely. I would say the MBA does most things a bit better BUT I would be completely happy to have this as my full-time workstation.

[@paulb9453]

LOL, the Start menu is like the squatters arrived, so true. I’m not sure about touch screen, the screen wobble at every touch is clumsy, and touch MacBook would end the life of the iPad?

[@nikakoghua1530]

Agree with Windows Hello thing (have been using the surface 3 for 4-5 months) - it works worse than face ID during night time, when you are in full darkness (it just can’t recognize you). But, anyway, it is still convenient and super satisfying having this kind of feature on your computer. P. S. Thanks for such a good review.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks for watching and your lovely comment!

[@ZackM72]

One of the biggest things I’ve found and sad I’ve never thought of it, if you unpin all those tiles in the start menu it brings it back to a more “normal” start menu

[@MarkPowerPhoto]

Ok ... sorry for the *completely* unrelated question (!) ... but I'm currently pondering on a new chair; given that I now work 100% from home. I noticed your headrest and it made me wonder - do you have any recommendations? Have you reviewed any chairs on the channel?

[@MarkEllisReviews]

No need to apologise, Mark! I'm the proud owner of a Markus from Ikea, but it's a good ten years old. Best chair I've had, though, and I think you can still get them. There will definitely be some chair-related content on the way in the not too distant future, though.

[@MarkPowerPhoto]

Excellent. Thanks, Mark. They do still sell them. Good to know.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

@@MarkPowerPhoto it’ll be a great investment!

[@patrick.771]

Did you also experience massive coil whine? (electronic "buzzing")

[@wilsontanlk]

I use both Mac and Windows for more than 20 years. Hence I'm used the CTRL & CMD keyboard shortcuts, so it's just a matter of getting accustomed with them.

[@KamalTiwari82]

I have a surface pro X and when I use it with it the keyboard I never use the touchscreen only time I use the touch screen is when I use the device without the keyboard. When I get my next PC in the next few weeks I think I’ll go in the opposite direction and invest in a Mac all of my other devices are Apple so May as well complete the transition.

[@iali00]

3:2 ratio is also incredibly good for a laptop.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Agreed.

[@fxdbgabe1463]

I found I barely use the touchscreen but like you said when I do it’s very natural. Going back to a job touch screen you’ll find yourself trying to use touch on the non touch laptops.

[@Vaptomwen]

Going back to window very much interests me, will be good to know what it can or can’t do with regard to your workflow & usage case . I too have often looked at Surface Laptop 4 but would most likely go mid spec. Photo editing especially , interesting follow up to see how your getting on with Laptop 4.

[@cristianoss83]

what monitor is that curved one there in the back? :)

[@toranshaw4029]

How about getting a similar spec machine but with Linux on it? That might provide some interesting content!

[@adithyodw]

I love ur watch

[@graytonw5238]

I just ordered one of these in platinum a few days ago with the alcantara keyboard, 16 gb ram, 512 gb storage. I should have paid more attention to the reviews and comments about the keyboard flex though, so I panicked and just ordered one with the same specs but in matte black with the metal keyboard. I'll return the platinum one as soon as it comes in. Had to pay a little extra for the black, but I'd rather do that than regret my purchase down the road.

[@hedleythorne]

Just got one from work - agree with the keyboard, though as you say I am not sure how the "carpet" will hold up (now you've had it a while any thoughts?). I don't dislike Windows but it is too bloated and heavy, as it always has been and has too many areas for settings, and of course you can't rival Google's Play Store and app management. That said, it is great for software and of course corporate use. For a media device a MacBook is probably better, but I don't want to enter the inescapable Apple ecosystem.

[@alexhutchison6926]

You can remove the silly tiles from the strat menu by right clicking the title of the section and selecting unpin from start menu.

[@hanigharaibeh6002]

What screen size is this

[@The_Central_BANKer]

Thinkpad Keyboard or Microsoft Surface keyboard... Which one is best?

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Haven't used a Thinkpad for many, many years I'm afraid!

[@chrits3396]

I was considering buying the upcoming 14 inch m1x for school but unfortunately the courses uses Windows only programs. I know that is Windows for ARM but that is still in development state.

[@MontyGumby]

screen size ?

[@paulgooderham]

Mark, you can't expect a computer company, least of all Apple, to throw in a free touch screen and FaceID. Would you be happy to pay $1399 for the base model MacBook Air?

[@MarkEllisReviews]

If it was matte black, possibly.

[@PJElliot]

Just bought the Surface Laptop 3 (all metal) with 16GB RAM for $749 from Costco, for my son to use at college. I was impressed with the build quality. I’m still waiting for an M1X device for myself….

[@OliverCGoetz]

Great video, really interesting to see your take on current Windows machines. I have a Windows10 PC for home use and I've been using Macs for work for years (the Intel Macbook Pro 16" I've been using for work really annoys me as it spins up the fan all the time and overheats sometimes, so desperately waiting for the M1x Macbook Pro to have it replaced). I've bought an M1 Macbook Air for personal use a few weeks ago (partly because of your video about it): best computer purchase I ever made, love that little thing! What I find endlessly annoying with Windows is the mechanics of command shells (cmd, powershell, gitbash, putty, etc.). On a Mac the copy/paste in terminal windows is seamless like in all other applications. On windows it's different than anything else, and you get annoying newline characters if you copy command outputs that were wrapped in the next line. I realise that this might be a fringe peeve, but as a software developer I use the command shells a lot and it's just a pain on Windows! I'm wondering if you are using command shells often and if this also bugs you…

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks, Oliver!

[@HairyHands]

is it fanless?

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Nope.

[@rav7n188]

If you don't mind MacOS, get a M1 MBA or MBP and you'll be amazed by its long battery life.

[@rossgeography]

remap the keys, I even remap keys from one package to another (e.g. line tool in Illustrator and Sketchup)

[@darrene.mathews5566]

This was a nice review, Mr. Ellis. I appreciate your ability to go outside the Apple ecosystem and consider other brands. I contemplated getting a Surface 4 earlier this summer, but my testing of the dreadful Windows OS sent me running back to MAC-OS, with my tail between my legs and many yelpings of pain and grief.😩

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thanks, Darren! And sorry to hear that!

[@darrene.mathews5566]

@@MarkEllisReviews Oh, aye. But don’t worry about it. I’m an hybrid type, since I have to use Windows at work anyway. Thus, Windows is for the professional class, whilst MAC-OS is for the intensely-yea, e’en the obsessively-personal.

[@rowaystarco]

@@darrene.mathews5566 Using both Mac OS, Win 10 and now Win 11, I must say I actually prefer Win 11 over Mac OS, and Mac OS over Windows 10. Strange but true.

[@neilbissett1240]

The good the bad and the ugly 😂😂😎great review mate

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Haha, thanks, Neil!

[@kauigirl808]

Deal killer for me about the Mac is not having touch screen. I need it. Once you're used to it. You can't go back.

[@beammeup8458]

I was anti Microsoft, BUT love my original Surface Go .... my needs are simple ... it does everything I need in a super small package .....

[@megapangolin1093]

Come on Mark, this is all a ploy... Test out the W10 OS and machine, come up with good things that make Mac users think, and then a couple of bad things, then more bad things and then eventually you will announce that after considerable thought and experience you are sticking to/prefer Apple after all. Everyone here goes Whew! and life gets back to being sweet for all concerned. Fun and interesting video. I have both systems and use them for their different merits, but the Apple interface is so aesthetically pleasing, the swapping between windows is so intuitive and the whole icloud ecosystem thing with iphone (you aren't going to go Android are you???), it is insuperable. Apple machines seem to last a lot longer too which makes them surprisingly cheap to own. I recently traded in my 7 yr old, working perfectly late 2014 Air and got £300 knocked off a new Air. That is a great way to enjoy computing. I wouldnt be without Windows though, it is the mainstream, real world with competition keeping prices of products keen overall.

[@CMV314]

To each their own, but I love the start menu.

[@presenceofeden2949]

Don't forget windows 11 is almost out. They make the start thing disappear. And now is a more clean experience. And one day you should try thinkpad keyword like the x1 carbon gem 9

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Really looking forward to Windows 11!

[@eshvarakrupa5011]

Is this better than the m1 mac book air

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Stay tuned!

[@Skimo1111]

The Face ID is what swayed me to buy the iPad Pro rather than a MacBook. I’m a mac girl at heart but have to use windows for work so the surface is really exciting to me

[@joseabraham777]

I miss the tiles on Windows 11, I really liked them on windows phone.

[@markholle3450]

Magnet ruined me. While my M1 MBA is my main laptop, I often have to use a Windows workstation. I always want to use Magnet's short-cuts on Windows 11 and I end up opening Narrator. Dang muscle memory...

[@frodrigues2008]

Hey how many bitcoins for a pc

[@victorlanced780]

Nice

[@rorywalters1614]

I have a Surface Pro 4 and it was lent to my cousin since 2016. She needed a computer for her school and later university, so I lent it to her since I had 3 spare laptops/tablet available. It's kind of not a very good portable PC and not a very good tablet, but it's definitely a good tablet compared with an Android one. The touch screen was pretty much useless to me, the keyboard was absolutely a necessity but sold separately, at least she found that touch screen to be useful for watching KZbin. Also it had no USBC, no surprise for a 2015 machine, wanted to buy her a Surface official dock but she thought it looked stupid so she chose to use normal USB hubs. 2K screen was nice, no match to my 4K MacBook Pro though. I think a Surface Laptop would be better than a Surface Pro since it's lappable.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Yeah, I’ve never liked the look of the Surface Pro.

[@azamictcare374]

surface is more friendly , I am so happy using this.

[@shihasbacker]

I think you might have a warranty of 5 years for the electronic devices purchased in the UK. It is like a UK government law or something.

[@cybermatstrikes7557]

The Start tiles are gone in windows 11 I think, it was the mess legacy of windows 8

[@popukon]

Unlike you, I actually go between Macs and Windows laptops rather continuously, and sometimes together. So, the Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V vs. Command-C/Command-V doesn't bother me at all. Sometimes I remotely control a Mac with a Windows PC and vice versa. I don't have to think about it. It is all automatic. Some of the Windows laptops have touch screen, so if I am setting up a Windows laptop, I might use it in the beginning. We also setup/support desktops and all-in-ones. Some of the all-in-ones have touch screen and some don't. We are an MSP (Managed Service Provider) where we are out sourced IT for many clients.We also handle iPhones, iPads and Android phones and tablets. We also handle multifunction printers, scanners, and any other IT equipment. We can also handle routers/firewalls/modems. In other words, just deal with it. I've used Macs for about a year longer than Windows. Windows wasn't really useable until version 3.0, which came out in 1990. But I had a Mac IIci from 1989, which I shared with a colleague and was mainly for documentation of programs that we wrote. Design, user manuals, IT manuals for setup. I didn't program on Macs until later. Our main programming was in C on SunOS and Motif for the GUI on SPARCStations and SPARCServers. Then I became a system administrator where I managed a number of different servers and workstations. Some were Solaris, some Linux and some were Windows Server. Imagine the keyboard shortcuts. Then MacOS X came out. I was ecstatic, since it was a *NIX system no more a Pascal/Modula based system.

[@bradavon]

The Start Menu had a major cleanup in Windows 11.

[@axebul.2366]

I still Have the Surface laptop 1 with the alcantara keyboard It still looks fine :D I know i am probably one of the few that also take care of it but yeah if you dont use it with dirty hands or spill some coffee on it it will survive hahaha BTW Nice review i am planning on switching to the Surface laptop 4 i tought abouth switching to Macbook Air (M1) but after trying it out i just dont like the Keyboard its a big no go for me after the surface :D And i dont get why you can't tab on the middle of the mousepad to use it as a "CLICK" thats anoying to (I'm talking about the Macbook) :D

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Well, that’s reassuring

[@samsstuff1482]

Thanks again for a great video! Fantastic job. About the keyboard shortcuts, I do get them mixed often. I use much, much more copy-paste functions at work than I use at home. And I use Windows corporate desktop at work and iMac at home. So naturally I often do find myself using ctrl+c/v on mac and wondering why it doesn’t work. 😄 New windows os has just so many oddities that infuriates me to no end. When I want to use it and the screen has gone to sleep, after the screen wakes up you then have to press crtl+alt+del to able to enter the password. Why? Other issues are the general mess of resource manager and between personal and system folders. And the lack of native pdf support… Have you tried to fill out static pdf document in any way in windows? It either cannot be done or you have to get a separate software for it and in corporate environment it’s just not happening. So print - fill - scan instead of open-fill - save it is. And there are much more of these types of thing that Microsoft must’ve had a chance to sort out but they didn’t. Less time I’m on my work computer the better, even if that means missing important mails or notifications.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Thank you - and thanks for the kind comments!

[@mrt.7146]

All good fun :-) ... why should we owe allegiance to any brand? I'm back to Windows a and Surface Pro, if the Pro X 2 turns put amazing 🥳 September 22 better "bring the thunder" 🤩

[@virmandigiman288]

I think you don't understand the benefits of the windows squares... It's Modul, xou can combine and reorganise your own start screen I would say so it's your world and nobody say to you how to use or organise it. I love it

[@Watchingyou-daily]

CTRL + V and CRTL + C is similar to command + c and command + v

[@JudgeFredd]

The only issue is Windows and Intel CPU...cannot compare with MacOS and M1 CPU...I have both...

[@ea9849]

How does the Surface Laptop 4 base spec model compare head-to-head with the base spec M1 Mac? Benchmarks? Speed? Heat management? People always talk about the Dell XPS, Surface laptops and other windows laptops but never compare them to the M1 chip. The M1 chip is literally the first generation of Apple's chipset and destroys windows laptops which are double the price. Sure touch, touch ID, face ID would be nice to have on a Mac, but Apple has an ecosystem that Surface does not have. There's the iPad which will close that gap coming with the next software release. Universal Control is coming for a reason. As long as windows manufacturers get various components from different vendors, the platform will never be as optimized as a Mac. This itself is the biggest point and advantage to buying a Mac.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Stay tuned. You know me, though - there won't be any benchmarks in this comparison; when I do pitch the two against each other, it'll be based on feel, benefits, perceived speed... The usual stuff that interests me ;)

[@The-Heart-Will-Testify]

Wtf is destroyed, if a computer can't game then It's weak. It's 2021, every computer is fast and we don't care about eco system, that's basically a trap 😂

[@MarkEllisReviews]

@@The-Heart-Will-Testify What if you literally have no interest in gaming whatsoever?

[@kunaldrego]

Correction* Ctrl+C is Copy and Ctrl + V is paste not ALT

[@halodregs]

we don't want the touchscreen on macs cos it'll likely add upwards of 300 dollars to the price

[@rlanger]

Thankfully, the new start menu in Win 11 is much better, among many other things.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

Looking forward to trying it!

[@derd3]

You have 6 year warranty on your tech in the UK. Reply for a link to doc.

[@ChrisMitchells_FlyingCameras]

I’m a huge fan of your channel Mark! I ABSOLUTELY love my M1 MacBook Air (and my M1 mini, 11 and 12.9 inch iPad Pro). The mere thought of switching back to x86 based CPUs and windows makes me depressed! I still own my Dell XPS 13 9310 but it sits unused most of the time.

[@MarkEllisReviews]

That means an awful lot - thank you.