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Best 2017 Surface Pro Alternatives

Published

6 years ago

04/04/2018

The 2017 Surface Pro is a great laptop and tablet, but it’s not for everyone. Great alternatives offer things Microsoft’s tablet doesn’t. If you want a Windows 2-in-1 with better specs, more features and a lower price tag, buy one of the 2017 Surface Pro alternatives in this article. Many of the alternatives include a digital pen and keyboard. That’s $229.98 in savings on accessories alone if you but a Surface Pro alternative because the 2017 Surface Pro doesn’t come with any essential accessories, despite costing at least $799. If you want to use the Surface Pro as a laptop, you need a Surface Type Cover (which starts at $129.99 and can cost as much as $159.99). The Surface Pen, the stylus you need to draw and take notes on a Surface, costs another $99.99.

The ThinkPad X1 Tablet 3rd Generation.

Next, consider performance. You get faster processors, more storage and more RAM with 2017 Surface Pro alternatives for less than a Surface Pro costs. The 2017 Surface Pro starts at $799. You only get 128GB of storage and 4GB of RAM with that model. That’s just enough RAM and power to run two or three apps well, but not enough to handle heavy multitasking. The Lenovo Miix 520 isn’t as sleek as the Surface Pro. However, you get an 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $999.99. That’s in addition to the free keyboard and stylus that come with the device.

Yes, the 2017 Surface Pro is a very popular Windows 2-in-1, but don’t forget that you have options. Save money and get more power for your apps and programs with these 2017 Surface Pro alternatives.

Best 2017 Surface Pro Alternatives

Lenovo Miix 520 2-in-1
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet Generation 3
Dell Latitude 5290 2-in-1
HP Spectre X2
Surface Book 2

Lenovo Miix 520 2-in-1

1 / 6

$869 from Amazon

The Lenovo Miix 520 2-in-1 is a powerhouse compared to the 2017 Surface Pro.

This 2017 Surface Pro alternative uses Intel’s 8th Generation processors. Because of that, there are 4 processing cores inside. Editing pictures and video takes less time on it and apps and programs open faster. For comparison, the 2017 Surface Pro has just two processing cores.

The Miix 520 2-in-1 also comes with double the RAM and storage. A 256GB solid-state drive gives you plenty of room to store your large music and photo collection without spending more on a storage upgrade. With 8GB of RAM, the Lenovo Miix 520 2-in-1 is capable of handling dozens of apps at a time without slowing down.

The Miix 520 has a USB 3.0 port and USB Type-C port that morphs into a second USB 3.0 port or an HDMI port with an adapter. Surface Pro has a USB 3.0 port and a Mini-Display port that only connects to extra displays.

Because the Miix 520 2-in-1 is a Surface Pro alternative, you get some of Surface’s best features. A Windows Hello camera lets you sign in without typing your password, and a microphone array lets Microsoft’s Cortana personal assistant answer your questions and change settings from across a room. The included keyboard glows in the dark and the Active Pen 2 accessory detects 4,096 different levels of pressure as you write or draw. Finally, a kickstand allows you to adjust the Miix 520 2-in-1 for just the right angle.

You do give up a sharper screen by buying the Miix 520 2-in-1 instead of a Surface Pro. Its 12.2-inch display is slightly smaller than the Surface Pro’s 12.3-inch display and has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 pixels compared to the 2017 Surface Pro’s 2,736 x 1,824 display. In short, videos look less detailed.

You also give up longer battery life when you buy the Miix 520. A Surface Pro lasts for 13.5 hours of video playback compared to Lenovo Miix 520 2-in-1’s 8 hours of video playback.

Amazon has the Lenovo Miix 520 2-in-1 on sale for $869. That’s with a stylus and keyboard, so you don’t need any extra accessories.