10 Best Surface Pro Alternatives in 2020

Surface Pro With LTE

The ultimate Surface Pro 7 alternative with LTE and a proven track record is the 2017 Surface Pro. This model promises the same battery life as the Surface Pro 6 and connects to your data plan.

The Surface Pro with LTE battery lasts 13.5-hours on a single charge thanks to its 7th Generation Intel Core M3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors. While the new processors in the Surface Pro 7 make it a nice upgrade, this older model may be a better buy for some users. 

A few tricks make the 2017 Surface Pro great for artists. The screen can detect 4,096 different levels of pressure compared to the 1,024 levels of pressure the Surface Pro 4 offers. Tilt sensing lets artists get just the right angle with every stroke of their Surface Pen. Its kickstand opens as wide as 165-degrees, which Microsoft says is a better angle for artists to draw on a table. Drop Microsoft's Surface Dial on the Surface Pro's screen to quickly switch pen tip sizes or colors in a way that feels natural. You can customize the Surface Dial to change settings in other apps too. 

With LTE connectivity, the Surface Pro can use a data plan to connect to the internet when you aren't at home. 

It still has a MicroSD card slot, a USB 3.0 port, a MiniDisplay Port, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera and a rear-facing 8-megapixel camera. Models come with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. 

Unfortunately, this Surface Pro 7 alternative doesn't come cheap. The 2017 Surface Pro with Intel Core M3 processor costs $780 if you can find it. A model with an Intel Core i5 processor, 256GB of solid-state storage and 8GB of RAM is $1,299.

Read: Surface Pro Review: More Money, Less Problems