Face Off: Microsoft Surface Pro 4 vs. Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 vs. HP Elite x2 1012 G1 vs. HP Spectre x2 12 vs. Huawei MateBook

The Who's Who of the Windows world. Which is the most productive Windows tablet? Is it the Surface Pro 4, which occupies the first place of our Top 10? Learn about the details and differences of the most portable Windows companions.

Sebastian Jentsch, ✓ Tanja Hinum (translated by Martina Osztovits), Published 08/27/2016 🇩🇪 🇷🇺

Handy Windows to Go: Switch Alpha 12, Surface Pro 4, Elite x2 1012, Spectre x2 12, Huawei MateBook (top to bottom)

For the original German article, see here.

Which one is the best Windows tablet on the market? It is the one that delivers almost as good a Windows experience as a laptop. Much has changed in the past two years in this respect. While the first Windows tablets used to come with Intel Atom SoCs, today they feature powerful Core i and Core m models. The plethora of Windows tablets from 2014 have all disappeared. They could only convince in web surfing from the sofa. Complex work under Windows was unthinkable.

Processing performance is one important aspect, input devices and infrastructure are others - both are necessary for a good Windows companion. All models in our comparison are devices which can be used productively with a keyboard, possibly a touchpad, and an input pen. In addition, they feature a fold-out stand or support from the Sleeve Cover. Furthermore, the devices do not lack in terms of connectivity; either via Type-C dock as in the MateBook or with integrated Type-A USB as in the Switch 12 Alpha and the HP Elite x2 12.

We encourage users to check out our dedicated review pages below for more data and detailed analyses of each of the five models. This comparison is by no means a replacement, but a condensed aid for those sitting on the fence.

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core m3 Review (Core i5 Review) (Core i7 Review)
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM Core i5 Review (Core i7 Review)
HP Elite x2 1012 G1 Core m5
HP Spectre x2 12-a001ng Core m3 Review (Core m7 Review)
Huawei MateBook m5-6Y57

Please check our Top 10 Convertibles for further models. Apart from the MateBook, all other tablets in this comparison are among the top places in our top 10 list.

	Microsoft Surface Pro 4	Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12	HP Elite x2 1012 G1	HP Spectre x2 12	Huawei MateBook
Product-ID		SA5-271-56HM		x2 12-a001ng
SoC	Core m3-6Y30 0.9 GHz	Core i5-6200U 2.3 GHz	Core m5-6Y54 1.1 GHz	Core m3-6Y30 0.9 GHz	Core m5-6Y54 1.1 GHz
RAM	8 GB	4 GB	8 GB	4 GB	8 GB
Display	12.3" 2736x1824	12" 2160x1440	12.1" 1920x1280	12" 1920x1280	12" 2160x1440
Storage Device	128 GB	128 GB	256 GB	256 GB	256 GB
Weight	1.06 kg	1.29 kg	1.2 kg	1.23 kg	1.16 kg
Height x Width x Depth	8.5 x 292 x 202	16 x 291 x 201	13.45 x 300 x 213.5	13.1 x 303 x 209	6.9 x 278.8 x 194.1
Included Accessories	pen	keyboard without light		keyboard with light	keyboard with light
Optional Accessories	Type Cover with/without fingerprint	pen, keyboard with light	pen, Thunderbolt 3 dock, travel keyboard, advanced keyboard	pen	pen, keyboard, USB dock
Price in Euro	900	800	1500	850-1100	1170

Five strong competitors; which one is best? Switch Alpha 12, Elite x2 1012, Spectre x2 12, Surface Pro 4, Huawei MateBook (right to left)

Case

Microsoft's tablet is the most robust thanks to a massive magnesium case, which hardly twists. HP's Spectre x2 uses an aluminum construction, which appears just as robust, but the upper length of the rear side is made of weaker plastic, which is a strong contrast to the otherwise excellent build quality of the rest of the case. It is very annoying that the stand folds out accidentally when the case twists. Despite a similar plastic "window", HP has done a better job in the Elite x2. The tablet's upper part warps only slightly.

Acer has elected to use a plastic frame and an aluminum back. The stand is - as in all devices – made of aluminum. Robustness and haptics are good, but not as good as in the Surface Pro and Elite x2. The MateBook is the slimmest tablet in this comparison. It consists of an aluminum part, which serves as a kind of tray, into which the hardware is inserted from above. In view of the fact that it is 1.6 mm (~0.06 in) smaller than its rival from Microsoft, stability and quality are remarkable.

The Spectre x2 features the most stable stand. It is made from solid, chromed metal. Hence, it is not hollow and cannot be twisted by applying simple force. The kickstand of the Surface and the "supports" of the Elite x2 and Switch Alpha 12 consist of thin aluminum. They bend easily and might even break. All stands are adjustable and the Alpha 12 and Spectre x2 can even open up to 160 degrees. The MateBook is quite different with its magnetic cover support, which allows only two fixed positions; 112 and 122 degrees. The advantage of this solution is that nothing can break and the tablet is lighter.

The devices are quite different in terms of maintenance: The Surface Pro 4 (see ifixit.com/Teardown) and the MateBook cannot be opened, e.g. for replacing a worn-out battery. The two HP systems shine with relatively easy maintenance. Their back can be removed. For example, this PDF guide describes how to do this for the Spectre x2. The same is true for the Switch Alpha 12 and the Microsoft: Opening is not desirable.

Winner Case: Surface Pro

The MateBook is the most stable and the lightest, but the inflexible cover support is disappointing in everyday use. Hence, the Surface Pro with its limited fold out angle, yet best chassis stability might be the best choice, right? No, since the Surface Pro 4 can only be opened by experts and with special tools. Thus, the two HP tablets win in the maintenance category.

Winner Maintenance: Elite x2 1012 G1, Spectre x2 12

HP Spectre x2 12-a001ng HP Elite x2 1012 G1 Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3 Huawei MateBook m5-6Y54 DIN A4 ❌

Connectivity in Comparison

Huawei MateBook, Surface Pro 4, Switch Alpha 12, Elite x2 1012, Spectre x2 12 (top to bottom)

Connectivity

In terms of connectivity, the five Windows tablets differ in an essential way. First of all, the Spectre x2 lacks a full-size USB port in favor of two USB Type-C Gen.1 ports for charging, data transfer and docks. The Surface Pro 4, the Switch Alpha 12, and the Elite x2 feature a full-size USB port. Even though the MateBook has only a single Type C port, the optional dock delivers HDMI and VGA. The Surface Pro comes with a mini DisplayPort. Apart from the MateBook, all devices feature a micro SD slot.

However, there are different kinds of Type-C ports. Only the docking, charging, and USB 3.1 port of the Elite x2 supports Thunderbolt 3. All the other reversible Type-C ports are USB 3.0, yet with a modern connector. Hence, displays can only be driven via universal USB dock. Acer offers a wireless WiGig docking station for the Switch Alpha 12. However, the dock will only work at full speed with future Wi-Fi variants of the Alpha 12 (11ad! and not only 11ac).

The Surface Pro 4, the MateBook, and the Alpha 12 lack an LTE modem (SIM option). The manufacturers do not offer such models. There is only an LTE edition of the Surface 3 with Atom x7 available. In contrast, HP offers Spectre x2 as well as Elite x2 editions with SIM card slot.

Winner: HP Elite x2 1012

With a Type-C USB with Thunderbolt, big Type-A USB, and LTE modem, no wishes are left unfulfilled.

	Microsoft Surface Pro 4	Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12	HP Elite x2 1012 G1	HP Spectre x2 12	Huawei MateBook
USB	1x USB 3.0	1x USB 3.0, 1x 3.1 Gen1	1x USB 3.0 1x USB 3.1 Gen2 with Thunderbolt, 1x Kensington Lock	2x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen. 1	1x USB 3.1 Gen1
Video-outs	1x mDP	via Type-C USB	via Thunderbolt	none	none
Other	MicroSD-Kartenleser, 1x 3.5 mm Audio	MicroSD-Kartenleser, 1x 3.5 mm Audio	MicroSD-Kartenleser, 1x 3.5 mm Audio	MicroSD-Kartenleser, 1x 3.5 mm Audio, SIM slot (optional)	Fingerprint Reader, 1x 3.5 mm Audio
Network	Marvell AVASTAR Wireless-AC	Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174	Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260	Intel Wireless-AC 7265	Broadcom BCM4356 802.11ac 2x2, Realtek PCIe GBE im Dock

Input Devices

Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 (unlit edition)

Keyboard

All keyboards are magnetically attached to the tablets. The keyboards of the Surface Pro 4, the Elite x2, Spectre x2 and the MateBook feature a backlight. Only the expensive i7 edition of the Alpha 12 comes with a keyboard light.

The Type Cover of the Surface features a sturdy case (plastic, low weight of 306 g/~11 oz), which hardly springs when typing. The key surfaces are smooth, comfortable and feel very high-end to the touch. The Type Cover supports two different positions - flat on a surface and slightly angled (via magnetic connection on the front side of the tablet) for better typing ergonomics. Both positions are comfortable and have specific advantages. The central part of the keyboard can be slightly depressed when it is used at an angle.

Acer's keyboard (370 g/13 oz, two positions) features a typing experience similar to that of the HP Spectre x2. However, the keys are not that slick. The stroke is firm with medium key travel. However, once again, this is only true when the keyboard is supported. The nonslip textile base for the hands, which is very similar to the Type Dock, is well-made. However, Microsoft's Cover is slightly more velvety.

The keys of the HP Spectre x2's aluminum dock (385 g/~13.6 oz) clatter loudly during typing. An angled typing position is also supported, but the stroke is spongy in this position. The surface is smooth, yet not slick. Overall, the keyboard appears very high-end and stable thanks to the aluminum palm rests.

The Elite x2's travel keyboard is very similar to that of the Spectre x2 in terms of typing experience. The surface is made of metal while the underside is made of a kind of felt. Differences: The keys are black and the touchpad is not that wide. The slim, slightly roughened keys feature a short travel and a crisp pressure point. HP offers two different sizes of the keyboard dock; with or without a Smartcard reader.

There are no gaps between the keys in the MateBook. However, thanks to a relatively long travel and a very crisp pressure point, fast typing is possible. Unfortunately, the keyboard area springs slightly due to a small cavity.

Winner: tie

Some users might not like the dense keys of the MateBook. Otherwise, the keyboards of the rivals are very similar in terms of feedback and typing speed.

Touchpad

The Surface Pro 4 and MateBook feature smooth surfaces, while these are slightly rougher in the HP and Switch Alpha. The Surface and HP generate the loudest click, while the Acer and Huawei produce a discreet, muffled clicking sound. The travel is very similar among the competitors. In terms of pressure point, the Alpha 12 does not trigger inputs as fast as the other touchpads. As a result, subjectively, it appears slower than its rivals.

Winner: MateBook and Type Cover

Pen

While the HP pens feature hard plastic tips, the Huawei's and Microsoft's come with soft rubber tips. Both variants are silent, but, the rubber tips glide slightly more sluggishly, which might be closer to writing on paper.

Every pen requires a battery (AAA), which can be removed. The MatePen features a fixed battery and a laser pointer, which can be charged via micro USB on the dock.

The pens differ from each other in terms of pressure levels. The Active Stylus features 256, the MatePen 2048 and the Surface Pen 1024. The HP models use 2048 pressure levels. We have not selected a winner, since we did not test each individual pen extensively.

Camera Modules

The Surface Pro 4 comes with a 3.6 MP primary camera (rear), which can be considered standard in high-priced tablets. As a result, the images show many details and looking at details does not produce picture noise. However, the primary camera does not perform too well in low-light scenarios. The front camera of the Surface delivers paler colors and considerable noise. Acer cannot keep up with the Surface's main camera. Images look pixelated. We would prefer not to say anything about Acer's front camera, but colors look absolutely washed out. The HP Elite x2 does not only feature the highest resolution (3264x1836 pixels; rear), but also the highest sharpness. The Surface can give up now. Pictures taken by the Elite’s front camera are on par with those taken by the Surface. The Spectre x2 delivers as high-quality photos as the HP Elite x2 (rear), however, the front camera is slightly too noisy. The Huawei's front camera performs the worst. The images are very noisy and Huawei falls far behind the HP devices and the Surface.

Winner: HP Elite x2

	Microsoft Surface Pro 4	Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12	HP Elite x2 1012 G1	HP Spectre x2 12	Huawei MateBook
Front	1920x1080 with Windows Hello	1280x720	2560x1440	2560x1440	2560x1440
Rear	2560x1440	2560x1440	3264x1836	Intel RealSense 3D R200 3200x1800	none

Original images open in the same window upon clicking

Display

The touchscreens feature different resolutions. It depends on personal preferences whether a 4K or a Full HD is sufficient. All devices use IPS panels with excellent viewing angles. In terms of brightness, the MateBook performs best, followed by the Surface Pro 4. Nevertheless, all tablets are legible in the outdoors since they all exceed 300 cd/m². However, due to the glossy surfaces, this becomes impossible in bright sunlight.

The Surface Pro features the highest contrast, followed by the Huawei. However, the latter performs poorly in terms of color precision out-of-the-box. But this issue can be fixed by calibration. Only the Surface and the MateBook fully cover the sRGB color space. This is important for professional image editing.

Winner: Microsoft Surface Pro 4

Display Specifications
	Microsoft Surface Pro 4	Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12	HP Elite x2 1012 G1	HP Spectre x2 12	Huawei MateBook
Format / Resolution	12.3" 2736x1824	12" 2160x1440	12.1" 1920x1280	12" 1920x1280	12" 2160x1440
Type	IPS	IPS	IPS	IPS	IPS
Panel	Samsung SDC3853	Panasonic VVX12T041N00	LG Philips	LGD04A5	TMA 1200 Unknown Vendor

	Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM	HP Elite x2 1012 G1	HP Spectre x2 12-a001ng	Huawei MateBook m5-6Y54
Display
Display P3 Coverage	67.5	65.5	53.8	52.9	65.8
sRGB Coverage	96.6	96.1	73.7	71.8	96.2
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage	69	66.9	53.8	52.6	66.8
Response Times
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *	46 ?(17.2, 28.8)	20 ?(5, 15, detail 5 schraffiert)	33.2 ?(15.2, 18)	51 ?(19, 32)	25 ?(9, 16)
Response Time Black / White *	31 ?(6, 25.2)	34 ?(15, 19, PWM@100% mit/ohne PSU)	22.8 ?(10.4, 12.4)	25 ?(4, 21)	17 ?(4, 13)
PWM Frequency	50 ?(50)	1000 ?(100)
Screen
Brightness middle	389.2	345	322	353	451
Brightness	392	328	319	347	425
Brightness Distribution	92	91	97	91	80
Black Level *	0.27	0.38	0.42	0.44	0.37
Contrast	1441	908	767	802	1219
Colorchecker dE 2000 *	3.61	8.4	6.02	6.09	11.04
Greyscale dE 2000 *	3.8	4.3	6.29	6.24	10.45
Gamma	2.16 ^102%	2.63 ^84%	2.4 ^92%	2.41 ^91%	2 ^110%
CCT	5969 ^109%	7368 ^88%	7712 ^84%	7238 ^90%	8849 ^73%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)	63	62	47.8	46	74
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)	97		73.2	71	100
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *		11.9	10.06		14.92
Total Average (Program / Settings)

* ... smaller is better

Performance

Hardware at a Glance
	Microsoft Surface Pro 4	Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12	HP Elite x2 1012 G1	HP Spectre x2 12	Huawei MateBook
RAM	4 GB LPDDR3 1866 MHz, dual-channel, soldered	4 GB LPDDR3	8 GB LPDDR3 1866 MHz, dual-channel, soldered	4 GB LPDDR3	8 GB LPDDR3 1866 MHz, dual-channel, soldered
CPU	0.9 GHz Core m3 6Y30	2.3 GHz Core i5 6200U	1.1 GHz Core m5 6Y54	0.9 GHz Core m3 6Y30	1.1 GHz Core m5 6Y54
Cooling	passive	Liquid Loop, no fan	passive	passive	passive
TDP	4.5 W	15 W	4.5 W	4.5 W	4.5 W
GPU	Intel HD Graphics 515	Intel HD Graphics 520	Intel HD Graphics 515	Intel HD Graphics 515	Intel HD Graphics 515

CPU Performance

The devices feature different hardware and it appears that the Surface Pro 4 and the Spectre x2 come with the weakest components. These tablets are also available with Core i5/i7 and Core m7, respectively. The Switch Alpha 12 is also available with a Core i7 (see review) and the MateBook is offered with a Core m3. However, we have selected the tablets that achieved the highest total score in our reviews.

The Aspire Switch Alpha 12 outperforms its competitors with its Liquid Loop cooling. However, the i5 and i7 edition of the Surface Pro follows close behind. The Surface with a fan and i5 or i7 even takes the lead in the multi tests. However, the differences between the Switch Alpha 12 and the Surface i5/i7 are quite small with 10 to 15%.

However, the Surface with passively cooled m3 is 40% slower than the Acer. The Spectre x2 12 with identical SoC achieved even less points. The Spectre x2 with i7 did not perform much better than its m3 sibling under normal load due to heavy throttling.

Meanwhile, the Elite x2 demonstrated what the Core m5 is capable of. It is only 25% slower than the leader. The MateBook with an identical SoC achieves almost the same performance despite its ultra-slim chassis, which is remarkable.

The results are almost the same in system performance (see PCMark 8). The Switch Alpha 12 and Surface Pro i5/i7 perform best. This time, the HP Elite x2 1012 is very close behind; in all sub scores of PCMark 8. The Surface with m3 falls behind by 20 to 30%.

Winner: Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12

While on average a Surface Pro 4 with Core i calculates as fast as the Acer, a cheap i5 entry-level model is sufficient in the Acer for outclassing all rivals. Hence, Acer delivers the highest CPU and system performance per Euro.

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (source: iFixit)

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	88 Points
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM	114 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	111 Points
HP Spectre x2 12-a001ng	62 Points
Huawei MateBook m5-6Y54	107 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	122 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	132 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	206 Points
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM	289 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	255 Points
HP Spectre x2 12-a001ng	172 Points
Huawei MateBook m5-6Y54	232 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	306 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	342 Points

Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	0.98 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	1.26 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	1.4 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	1.51 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	2.27 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	2.7 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	3.4 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	3.8 Points

Cinebench R10
Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	4297 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	6050 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	6787 Points
Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	8886 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	13382 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	14833 Points

wPrime 2.10
1024m (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	788 s *
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	445.6 s *
32m (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	25.11 s *
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	14.86 s *

Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M - 32M (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	898 s *
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	613 s *

3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	44857 Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	43694 Points
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Physics (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	2238 Points
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM	3092 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	2813 Points
Huawei MateBook m5-6Y54	1411 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	3342 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	3639 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Physics (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	3140 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	3990 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	4750 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	5372 Points
Fire Strike Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	5265 Points

PCMark 7
Score (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	4274 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	4808 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	5229 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	5799 Points
Lightweight (sort by value)
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	3209 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	3144 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	4634 Points
Productivity (sort by value)
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	2361 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	2468 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	4290 Points
Entertainment (sort by value)
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	3491 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	3917 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	4368 Points
Creativity (sort by value)
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	8876 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	9134 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	9374 Points
Computation (sort by value)
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	12650 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	14469 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	17870 Points
System Storage (sort by value)
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	5243 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	5148 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	4255 Points

PCMark 8
Storage Score (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	4616 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	4662 Points
Work Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	3186 Points
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM	3996 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	3932 Points
Huawei MateBook m5-6Y54	2721 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	3697 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	4052 Points
Creative Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	2968 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	3423 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	3736 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	4431 Points
Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	2426 Points
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM	3281 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	2983 Points
HP Spectre x2 12-a001ng	2116 Points
Huawei MateBook m5-6Y54	2717 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	2770 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	3394 Points

X264 HD Benchmark 4.0
Pass 1 (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	76.8 fps
Pass 2 (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	14.15 fps

* ... smaller is better

GPU Performance

The tablets are all equipped with an HD Graphics 515, apart from the Switch Alpha that is equipped with an HD 520. The latter is about 15% faster in the benchmarks. While a high gaming performance is not to be expected, those who consider GPU performance important are best off with the HD 520 in the Surface Core i and Switch Alpha 12. The Surface Pro 4 i7 edition performed even better with its dual channel RAM.

Winner: Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12

3DMark 11 | 3DMark | Cinebench R11.5 | Cinebench R15

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	1206 Points
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM	1428 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	1200 Points
Huawei MateBook m5-6Y54	781 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	1402 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	2450 Points

3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	116490 Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	68398 Points
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	6597 Points
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM	7307 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	6308 Points
Huawei MateBook m5-6Y54	5638 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	7455 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	11650 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	810 Points
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	797 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	905 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	1477 Points
Fire Strike Extreme Graphics (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	610 Points

Cinebench R11.5 - OpenGL 64Bit (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	26.43 fps
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	31.86 fps
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	27.43 fps
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	47.51 fps

Cinebench R15 - OpenGL 64Bit (sort by value)
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3	33.48 fps
Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM	41.06 fps
HP Elite x2 1012 G1	35.63 fps
HP Spectre x2 12-a001ng	28.92 fps
Huawei MateBook m5-6Y54	35.18 fps
Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core i5, 128GB	36.87 fps
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7	60.1 fps

Emissions

Temperature

System noise does not matter in fanless tablets. Thus, we have a close look at the surface temperatures. The Switch Alpha 12 is the warmest while idling. On the other hand, the Spectre x2 remains coolest at 27 °C (~81 °F). The other Core m models are very similar in terms of temperature when running idle. None of the tablets become too warm under load. The Alpha 12 reaches a maximum of 41 °C (~106 °F). The Spectre and Elite x2 remain cooler.

Durchschnittliche Oberflächentemperaturen
	Microsoft Surface Pro 4	Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12	HP Elite x2 1012 G1	HP Spectre x2 12	Huawei MateBook
Idle	29.5 °C	34.1 °C	28.7 °C	26.8 °C	28.5 °C
High load	37.5 °C	41.4 °C	33.9 °C	36.3 °C	35.7 °C
Ambient temperature	21 °C	22 °C	21 °C	22 °C	22 °C

Stress Test

It is interesting to see which tablet is able to maintain its performance under load. This is required for a reliable work PC, which is supposed to run computationally intensive tasks, without getting too slow.

The Surface Pro 4 m3 and Aspire Switch Alpha 12 work at full speed; at least as long as they are not exposed to an unrealistic stress test scenario. Even after 5 minutes of CPU stress, both SoCs work at least at their rated clock. This is also true of the Core m editions of the MateBook, the Elite x2 and the Spectre x2. Apart from the Surface Pro 4 m3, all tablets throttle heavily in the stress test.

Winner: Surface Pro 4 & Switch Alpha 12

All tablets perform as well as their SoC allows in view of used technology and specification. The Alpha 12 performs like a Core i5 system with active cooling. The Core m systems run at a high clock for a short time, and reduce the clock in order to prevent overheating. Nevertheless, the Surface Pro 4 gets more out of the Core m3 (Prime95) than the Spectre x2.

CPU and GPU Clock Rates Under Stress (Mains Operation)
	Microsoft Surface Pro 4	Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12	HP Elite x2 1012 G1	HP Spectre x2 12	Huawei MateBook
Rated CPU Core Clock (GHz) / Turbo in GHz	0.9 / 2.2	2.3 / 2.8	1.1 / 2.7	0.9 / 2.2	1.1 / 2.7
CPU Core Clock on Prime95 (GHz) Start	2.2	2.7	2.4	2.2	1.7 @ 55 °C
CPU Core Clock on Prime95 (GHz) after 5 min	2.0 @ 51 °C	2.4	1.1 @ 50 °C	1.2 @ 58 °C	1.2 @ 55 °C
CPU on Prime95 + FurMark	1.1 @ 59 °C	1.1 Throttle	0.8 @ 65 °C Throttle	1.0 @ 70 °C	0.5 @ 50 °C Throttle

Battery Life

The battery runtimes of the Surface Pro 4 and Elite x2 are very close with less than 500 minutes during constant Wi-Fi use. The Elite lasts about 50 minutes shorter, although it comes with almost the same battery capacity. With both models, it is realistic that they last a work day unless you run too many high-performance tasks, since their battery life also shrinks to just above 2 hours under load. The Huawei entirely blunders with 33 Wh. The thin tablet achieves just under 4:30 hours.

Winner: Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3

	Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Core m3 38 Wh	Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 SA5-271-56HM 37 Wh	HP Elite x2 1012 G1 37 Wh	HP Spectre x2 12-a001ng 43 Wh	Huawei MateBook m5-6Y54 33 Wh
Battery Runtime
Reader / Idle	791	640	732	681	478
WiFi v1.3	488	321	443	364	263
Load	138	112	130	161	106

Verdict

Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12, HP Elite x2 1012 G1, HP Spectre x2 12, Microsoft Surface Pro 4, Huawei MateBook

... provided by the respective manufacturers.

Which one is the best Windows tablet? Basically, none of the five tablets performs poorly in the comparison. All of them offer a smooth Windows experience and are well-engineered. However, the differences are very big in detail; in particular in terms of performance, connectivity, and cameras.

We went through all aspects from build quality to battery life. The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 wins in five aspects and takes the lead. If we had used the Core i model in our evaluation of the performance, it would have won in a further category. Finally, it depends on the preferences of the buyer which tablet is the best choice: Those looking for performance for little money are still best off with the Switch Alpha, which wins in two performance categories. However, the Elite x2 is the right device for those who place importance on connectivity and accept slightly lower performance.

The table should not be interpreted in a sense that the Spectre x2 is worth nothing, because it only wins in a single category. The Spectre simply did not perform quite as good as the respective stage winner.

Our recommendations for …

… mobile office workers without power apps: Microsoft Surface Pro 4
Best display; longest battery life

… students and office workers: Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12
Highest performance for your money; The Core i5 entry-level model is quite sufficient.

… frequent travelling and flexibility: HP Elite x2 1012 G1
LTE modem, Type-A / Type-C USB with Thunderbolt and the best camera. Those on a tighter budget might choose the Spectre x2 12, which is currently on sale and might be particularly cheap (LTE model!)

… design enthusiasts without power apps: Huawei MateBook
None of the rivals is that slim, light, yet stable! The optional Type-C dock adds good office connectivity.

	Microsoft Surface Pro 4	Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12	HP Elite x2 1012 G1	HP Spectre x2 12	Huawei MateBook
Build Quality	winner
Connectivity			winner
Camera(s)			winner
Keyboard	tie	tie	tie	tie	tie
Touchpad	winner				Sieger
Display	winner
Performance		winner
Waste heat	winner	winner
Battery life	winner
Maintenance			winner	winner

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 m3

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Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 i5

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HP Elite x2 1012 G1 m5

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HP Spectre x2 12 m3

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Huawei MateBook m5

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Editor of the original article: Sebastian Jentsch - Managing Editor Consumer Laptops - 1753 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2010

Computers always had an important place in my life, starting with an Intel 80286 microprocessor in the early 1990s. I became interested in the productive side of technology, especially in campus radio, while studying at TU Chemnitz and during a trainee program in Belfast. Hardware interests led me to manage Notebookjournal.de, which is now a division of Notebooksbilliger, for a few years. I became self-employed in 2010 and took the next logical step in my career by starting to write for Notebookcheck.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Face Off: Microsoft Surface Pro 4 vs. Acer Aspire Switch Alpha 12 vs. HP Elite x2 1012 G1 vs. HP Spectre x2 12 vs. Huawei MateBook

Sebastian Jentsch, 2016-08-27 (Update: 2020-06- 8)