Surface Pro 11 Review: MacBook Air Killer?

[@mark3027]

This review feels like it was actually made by someone that actually used the tablet, rather than a reviewer that bought it just to run 20 benchmarks, the hot feel while drawing, and the screen reflections outside were great examples

[@somnambulist6636]

Hot feel when drawing "while connected as external display"...so much good but you pick only the bad ones eh ? And a single cheap matte screen cover solves the reflection problem

[@sridca]

We need reviewers whose sole job is to review other reviewer so viewers can discover them.

[@evacody1249]

no one is really buying a Windows computer for drawing.

[@taupangnang1245]

​@@evacody1249 wait what? 😂

[@MuiKaHo]

@@evacody1249 i mean artists, designers, video game developers etc...

[@rivadav]

Finally a review that is showing the actual experience of using this product! I appreciate you showing how it works with different contexts, especially how reflective the screen is.

[@realBkay]

Yeah, Ella does this - all the time. She’s very thorough.

[@TechyGamerVibeZ]

Matte screen protector

[@Delicate141]

Ella, you made a fantastic jump from the old videos to the recent ones. The depth of the review, the editing, the camera angles. Everything here in this vid seems so natural and fun. Good luck! ♥

[@digitalhen]

I have a had Surface Pro 3 years ago. Love the form factor. And great to see Arm making a bigger impact on Windows.

[@bryans8656]

Ditto for me, and the competition with Apple is good for all of us.

[@LonesomeBossDaily]

I own both surface and ipad, honestly I can't do much on the iPad compared to surface

[@PwrdByWhisky]

@@LonesomeBossDaily2 very different devices. iPad is not Mac OS

[@pop_kayla5279]

Why do I watch tech reviews of products I don't have money to buy? 😢😂

[@ProsenjitMitra-t9h]

😢

[@threelameduck3043]

doesn't we all? just to serve the pleasure of the eyes

[@cydzerlight1383]

So that u would know which to buy once u can afford some

[@mdrafiqul2898]

So that you work smart and be able to buy them.

[@sh2157]

A fellow masochist I see 😅

[@chibonchibon3967]

Since finding comment is hard, I just want to reply to the person commenting : If you cant buy it but still watch this great review , you have a dream, just don't give up and keep hustling

[@baymo1690]

It's my first time wacthing your video, I really like it !!🥰

[@Dexx837]

She’s great

[@BhargavGadekar69]

You liked her not the video 😂😂😂

[@phillipjames453]

@@BhargavGadekar69 I like both!

[@zt9233]

This channel does the best reviews. I am unable to detect bias it’s all practical information. Things that impact long term purchase decisions. I am impressed with the continued improvement of this channel. One of the best now. Thank you

[@DonJuravin]

Thanks!

[@_Digitalguy]

This is the best video about the Surface pro 11 I have seen so fare, and I have seen many!

[@Jayguevara1982]

Great review, Ella! I appreciate how you focus principally on how regular consumers will experience a laptop and not just on the technical aspects of it for people in the know. This seems like pretty good machine, might consider getting one for my wife!

[@alexanderkazak9967]

Before buying, make sure you have an option to return it. I really wanted one, purchased it, returned back next day and took M3 MacBook Air. Why? Mainly because of the experience. It is not so comfortable as it seems to be, it is not convenient to use it somewhere on the road, or in the airport on some place where you don't actually have a table. Another point is speed, because of Windows it works slower, heats up and drains battery. Right after the purchase all I did is installed office, updates and couple of apps and worked a bit + used browser. in just a few hours - less than half of a battery left, is started to heat up and use fans. Another very important point for me was again - Windows and it's mobile experience. Unfortunately, it does not provide you with good tablet experience, the icons in the tool bar are too small and you can increase them a bit but not too much, and it was really difficult for me because I have to use glasses, and even with them it's just too small. Really wanted it, because my main PC is on Win 11 and it's difficult a bit to switch all the time from one OS to another, but for the same money I just took Air, no fans, fast, reliable, very good battery (as I use it it really holds full working day and even more), convenient to use on the road and yes it's much easier to configure for accessibility if you have any problems with vision. Again, not against surface, maybe it is a great device if you really need it's specific features, but just really get your hands on it first, imagine your real experience with using it and if you really need the tablet mode on Win 11.

[@UltraKryptonian]

Great video! My wife wanted a Sapphire Surface Pro 11, keyboard, and pen - so, I ordered them for Christmas. My Surface Pro 4 still works and I use it on the dinner table for different tasks.

[@kenlee224]

Glad to see your channel to grow so quickly. Well done. I enjoy your videos as I can rely on your honest review to make purchase decision.

[@Rtong98]

The Studio Choom Nayeon clip nice hahaha Just found your reviews recently and am loving them. I wish KZbin would have recommend sooner. Edit: One tip, I think it makes more sense to have the laptops at fixed nits rather than 70% brightness as that reflects real-world use given that most laptop screens are bright enough for indoor use.

[@MysticCat21]

very nice review!! i got the Surface pro 9 last year for note-taking & media consumption & carrying around as a light laptop i can easily access when i'm traveling. i really like the form & design of this device, and the only downsides of it for me personally are the battery life & the heat. So the new snapdragon chips that are more battery efficient and quieter and cooler seem to be the perfect upgrade for me if i buy a new surface pro. But i might wait until a 2nd generation of the snapdragon chip next year (or if there's no 2nd gen next year, wait for a sale for the pro 11 by next year) because my current surface still works perfectly, and i wanna wait a year to see if more devs make their apps available on the arm chip.

[@abirhasanshovon1947]

im poor ...using my laptop for almost 7 years

[@cooltwittertag]

@@abirhasanshovon1947 at least it lasts that long, my last one lasted 4 years and my current one broke after 2.5 years and the repair is too expensive for me to pay for

[@faynoz8566]

​@@abirhasanshovon1947 it doesn't make you poor. Buying a new laptop every 2 years is overconsumption, almost madness

[@soberanisfam1323]

Idk which to get. 9 or 11. Only negative for 11 is apps not working with ARM processors

[@guillermogarciamoreno8833]

The best review I've seen for this product. In almost all of them they just run a lot of benchmarcks which most people don't understand. You showed real-life situations, another POV where people may get annoyed when using the product and not just 'editing 4k video ProRes HDR'. And can be really helpful to decide if you want buy it or not. Great video!!

[@junzhengca]

Always loved Surface, had a Pro 4 during my high school years. Switched to Mac because of battery and Unix. But now with these ARM machines, excited to switch back again. Unfortunately many softwares I use simply doesn’t work, so will have to wait a couple more generations, just like the M-series Mac.

[@artistlovepeace]

Great job! Very informative. I'm not even in the market looking for any new products but I learned a lot about the latest products.

[@-The-Golden-God-]

Does the X-Plus LED version have the same visible digitizer issue as the OLED? It's very important to note these differences. Also, why didn't you compare it to the Surface Pro 10 For Business? I'm looking for a Windows 11 tablet to use primarily for drawing, so more emphasis on the drawing aspect would be great.

[@thorsteen1657]

Fantastic Review. Showing different User Cases. That’s really adding value to me 👍👍

[@Medeci]

5:36 USB-C 3 doesn't have even close to the bandwidth needed to support a 4k 120hz stream. You would need to connect it to display port 1.4 or HDMI 2.1

[@SenselInc]

Thrilled to hear that you like the haptic touchpad, which is powered by Sensel's haptics technology. Thanks, Ella! 🙏

[@djhumanoid]

cool

[@tsaukenneth4209]

nice video! love the wooden tables and drawer

[@Johannes1694]

5:49 as far as I’m aware, USB4 does not support 4K/120hz. 40gbit/s bandwidth is not sufficient enough to do so.

[@infomagnat]

So all softwares run on this arm including the patxhed ones too?

[@MrUigobb]

I am very much interested in the surface pro just for mobile office. I was considering ipads or galaxy tabs but they seem to not work as well for daily office tasks. This I feel like is the one I should get. Thanks for the video!

[@breydenchuah]

i am in the same situation

[@juancarlossotobarrera3092]

I would rather to go for the surface laptop studio, while I was in university I noticed many people attempting to use an iPad as PC replacement instead of just going for a surface

[@nivmhn]

Your videos never disappoint. The level of detail is so refreshing. And the editing is quite incredible.

[@ankitnayyar7785]

Great review! So well spoken, detailed, and still a very efficient, to the point, and enjoyable review on the surface pro! I was using both iPad Pro and surface pro 8 lte for the last few years, but now just using a 13” iPad Pro M4 for all my work, including using Remote Desktop when heavy workload is needed. It works great and with 5G already on the iPad, I can do anything on it on it just about anywhere. I’m so tempted to try the surface pro 11, but hope the OLED screen will not be a disappointment (it’s so so good on the iPad Pro). Also 5G is a must for me and Microsoft drags their feet on that in terms of releasing 5G versions “later”. Great review, and subscribed to your channel as well!

[@FoxRain]

This review was quite helpful in deciding whether to purchase the Surface Pro 11. You pointed out aspects of the design and technology I had not realized before despite using Surface Pros for almost 10 years now, as well as ultimately breaking down what the intended use will be.

[@cantstopthepun]

Incredibly well made review! Every concern and question I had was answered with additional info reinforcing the answer. Definitely subscribed

[@hakunamatata324]

Non-biased clean review if for somebody who doesn't use Windows but have a Surface 6 running Linux like me lol Liked and Subscribed.

[@SmilingIslandRetreat-pn4dd241]

Where would someone get a stand like the one in the video?? Looks like it's what they use at a retail location (but also odd because someone could easily remove the unit and have it fall)

[@dev_jonmorais]

Great review Ella, good analyze.

[@tomaszcz.6949]

Is the USB-C --> HDMI cable included? Is the "pen digitizer" only visible on the OLED screen? SSD port - does it allow for SSD expansion or replacement?

[@sparevision29]

yeah

[@FaseeUllah028]

which note app on the surface were you using ??

[@bryans8656]

Solid, balance review. Thanks!

[@davidemesina3909]

Hi Ella, one question: is the screen door effect really that pronounced? i would like to upgrade to the surface pro 11 OLED from a SP6 and i use it mainly for university, writing notes, reading pdf etc. so mainly on a white background, which i know accentuates the effect even more. do you think it would be better to think about the lcd version in my case?

[@yogafil]

I am looking for this 02:05 stand for my Surface Pro now! Mind on sharing it's name or link where can I get it please? Oh, sorry, I've just found it. It's Kensington Elevated Stand for Surface

[@tomcollingwood5300]

Very grateful for this review. First I’ve seen from your channel. I initially preordered this device but got cold feet and cancelled over a few concerns - purchasing an alternative device. I kept wondering if I’d made a mistake….your video confirms I did exactly the right thing and the other device will serve my needs better. Thank you!

[@TechyGamerVibeZ]

Hmm what’s the other device 👀

[@Shadow-kq4gt]

what's the other device ? Why were you hesitant ?

[@LeeXing-g3b]

Best tech channel 😁😁😁

[@neK6299]

Though I am not a Windows user, I still want to get my hands on one so I can write on the go. Unfortunately, I live in Australia, where MS is charging $1800 for just the tablet...

[@NrgTrickzPhil]

So for a student would you recommend taking the OLED screen one with the X-Elite or the LCD one with the X-Plus?

[@SHWT1M3]

Would like to know this too

[@shaneterrell]

I purchased the base model Surface Pro with the X Plus and an LCD display. The display is quite satisfactory, and the X Plus offers ample speed for most students. However, if you can afford the extra cost for the X Elite with an OLED screen, the additional benefits are worthwhile.

[@gabrielsampson1719]

Would you prefer Surface Pro 11 of Samsung Tab S10 for note taking?

[@adrianstuart84]

love watching ella reviews

[@dv2045]

I want a fanless (I need it quiet) laptop with tablet + pencil capability for video editing but NOT a MacBook Air. The Dell XPS 13 2-1 is gone. Any suggestion?

[@damnthatmashlookstasty]

Love you Ella!

[@rafehsaleh]

Thanks for the solid review. When using it as a tablet for let’s say watching a full movie or reading and taking notes , would it heat up in my hand?

[@ajcph]

Been waiting for this review from you since I just got mine

[@lucio20006]

I love the surface pro line. I used to have the 4 and 6 pro. I change to mac for home and lenovo thinkpad for while in work. I have parallels in the mac and the loss of performance for softwares like autocad and revit are minimal

[@lumbijoey6238]

How is battery life feature of Lenovo Thinkpad? Long running? And as for office work, does Thinkpad work smoothly?

[@thatoneguywholovesthena-4529]

Absolutely superb review, you covered literally everything possible with this device, sub earmed👍

[@JWL-ANOTHERSTEP]

Very, very thorough review. Definately helpful to anyone considering the Surface Pro. (like me) Thanks! JWL - New York

[@xekeys]

I use sketchup pro for my interior design/ architecture business. I have a desktop PC already but want something for light designing and client presentation. Does SketchUp pro run on snapdragon processors?? I’m trying to decide between the iPad Pro 13” (which has basically SketchUp Lite) or new surface pro 11. Thanks!

[@stanjs]

Qualcomm specs indicate that 4k120 is only for 1 display (main display?). Once you connect an external display, the 2nd display outputs max 4k60.

[@shaik.shabaz]

Ella can you suggest 1 good work from Home table with good posture can be given to body in cheaper price

[@mongoose3800]

Great review. Really enjoy your reviews as they are spot on. Also, well done for pointing out the visibility of the digitiser. Not many reviewers have. It's a huge disappoinment and once you spot it you can't unsee it. I returned my SP11 for that very reason - it ruins the display and makes it look inferior to everything.

[@stingplay12]

Finally someone who has a good ear! It can't be that people love that horrible sound of Macs. It sounds like a bass is over-compressed, drowning and locked in a bucket. Excellent Review 10/10.

[@Paul-ez4pm]

How would you say this compares to the Galaxy S9+ or ultra?

[@nanodesu9031]

i wish microsoft would create a togglable touch based UI for windows. Like how dex work for samsung, from touch to click based UI.

[@vikrantpandita7427]

Can Microsoft Surface pro 11th edition handle IT related tasks like IDE's , frameworks ? I am not sure about the processor it uses .

[@aliahmadazad10]

For how we can use detached keybord to move 30% keyborad charge.

[@randyragsdale23]

Great review Ella. I'm considering getting a surface pro and this review definitely made my decision a lot easier.

[@difficultfrequency]

so helpful! i ended up making the purchase after my 2020 macbook pro went kaput... so i appreciate the help 💗 also, a small tip! with the pen, there is a setting to turn off that small cursor star thing! go to settings > bluetooth and devices > pen and windows ink > additional pen settings, you can turn off "show visual effects" and "show cursor"!

[@Garcia....]

🙌 thank you for sharing!

[@maxhill9254]

Excellent review, keep it up!

[@Isengardtom]

Nice review - I am subscribing

[@LexusFox]

This reviewer feels like my type of reviewer, she’s not all over the place, she’s methodical and engaging in her examples. Other reviewers tend to talk extra and unnecessarily about random stuff and I’m like “STATS I WANTS STATS AND DETAILS”.

[@danielosawaru9045]

Definitely worth it, I'm sure more updates will fix whatever little software issues that are there. Lol the fact that you had to zoom in to see the pen digitiser, clearly shows that it isn't a problem

[@raphaelmmor]

Now this is a review! You just got a new subscriber 👍

[@sleepnclass]

Omg thank you. A reviewer that actually used the device and gave real world first hand experiences. Thank you.

[@Kal-Em]

Thanks for this great review.

[@emregunal1468]

Hi, thanx for information. What is the startup time of your computer? I just set up my new Surface Pro 11 with Snapdragon X Elite and 16GB RAM. There are no programs or documents installed yet. When I press the power button, it takes about 30 seconds to reach the Windows PIN screen. Is this normal? On my Surface Pro 8, this time was 15 seconds. What is the startup time on your device, by the way?

[@Winnie-blues]

What's it like for graphic designing and drawing?

[@swissheartydogs]

Comprehensive review, congrats! Subscriber+1

[@Antonis24]

I can see myself picking up one of these next year on sale as a secondary device for traveling.

[@KELLY2NE1]

Great review! I'm subscribing to your channel

[@NicolaMastrandrea]

Best review so far.

[@Jack-Sparrow-10]

Congratulations ELLA!!! I've been watching tech videos for years, Trust me your reviews and comparison videos are far better than 98% of others.

[@CreatedbyEllaYT]

Glad you like them!

[@Johnmims65]

@@CreatedbyEllaYTwhat would you recommend a MacBook Air m3 or the surface pro 11?

[@shore5307]

I subscribed because your reviews are so high-quality and informative. Thank you. ❤🎉

[@TheOccasionalGentleman]

Will you be doing a similar video for the Surface Laptop 7? Easily the best coverage of the device out there.

[@Dr.B2KP]

You forgot to mention one of the main features of NPU, its the voice isolation during video calls or video recording. It works wonders!!

[@stephenbaldassano3788]

Thanks for the review. However, according to Microsoft the Surface Pro 11 does not have an SD Card Slot? You agree?

[@stephenbaldassano3788]

Sorry my bad - its the SSD card slot -

[@marcelmp_]

I really like your videos Ella. Good job! ❤

[@GearWave]

Youve been doing a GREAT job on these reviews.... Thanks!

[@Black_pearl_adrift]

Honestly I’m really considering it. Have an iPad right now and love how small and portable it is compared to a laptop but I cannot use it as a laptop.

[@omarellahi2422]

Really wishing for linux drivers on snapdragon to improve, because gnome offers the best tablet form factor experience in my opinion. Already using fedora on an hp 2 in 1, and by far it is wayyy more natural than win11

[@DURGESHKR108]

Incomplete review Can we install software which we used to install in laptop (vlc etc) How many windows can be opened in this laptop.. Like in laptop we open multiple windows and resize them as desired means resizing horizontal or vertical. .. Does that features available in this tab..

[@elenamariamihai576]

Does anyone know where I can find the metal stand that is shown in the video? 🙏🏻

[@muddypawswanderlust]

Your videos are awesome!!! 😍👌👌

[@nickamountaineer9900]

I know you're young but you have to go further back than the Surface Pro X for WoA. The Surface RT (2012) used an Nvidia ARM chipset. It had no emulation though so it pretty much failed. I still have mine, lol. Great channel and review however.

[@andyH_England]

Yes, WOA has been around 3X as long as Apple Silicon so I never quite understand the praise that the X Elite gets as it has been a long time coming. The M-Chips were a revolution, the X Elite is more of an evolution double step that is well overdue.

[@samuelteo-Professional]

Hi Ella, great job with your videos and you are getting so good at it now. Really enjoyed your videos. Been following yr videos since 2024.👍🏼 If possible, can u give your recommendation comparing the surface pro 11 vs HP Omnibook 14” Ultra 7 Flip? I need it for travel, tablet mode, not so much drawing but keeping notes, intend to do some light coding or use visualisation tool like Tableau or PowerBI. Hopefully you can weigh in on these two devices for my use case. Thanks a lot and keep developing these awesome content! 👍🏼

[@leellewellyn9422]

Great review

[@defiantaichi]

This review is so much better than videos that simply show me performance benchmarks

[@albertomartin70]

6:15 The first attempt was Windows RT Surface with nVidia Tegra chip.

[@AndrewLim-pw1zd]

Great video, love the random Nayeon dance performance video! hahah

[@Reaver3742]

Is the surface pro compatible with Anki? (Flash card application)

[@thomasskytte4855]

Best review of the Surface Pro 11 yet. I had mixed feelings for the device after watching other reviews claiming bad battery life, but as you point out it really depends on the power profile. Leaving the device in best performance mode is definitely not a good idea because it cuts the battery life in half. And even in low performance mode it actually performance pretty well. Very good information that lacks in other reviews.

[@SuryaSurya-re3vn]

I love this review. The review by far!

[@ccotunai]

Great review! Packed with info