Verdict - The Surface Pro 12 is a solid everyday 2-in-1 but the price is too steep
The new Surface Pro 12 is a solid everyday companion with sufficient performance for common applications, a high-quality chassis, a reasonably sized display, and decent battery life. Furthermore, the Snapdragon X Plus' passive cooling is well-implemented and raises the question of why there aren't more passively cooled Snapdragon devices. For example, Microsoft's own Surface Laptop 13-inch would have been a suitable candidate.
The downsides include the lack of maintenance options (RAM, SSD), the pared-back ports (only 2x USB-C 3.2 Gen.2), and the new attachment for the optional stylus. Previously, the larger 13-inch Surface Pro enjoyed the inclusion of a storage compartment in its keyboard cover, but now there's a magnetic attachment on the back of the 2-in-1. While the magnetic connection is relatively strong, the pen isn't particularly secure when on the go, and you can't even place the convertible flat on a table.
The slightly larger 13-inch Surface Pro is superior in many areas (greater performance, better display, additional and better ports, removable SSD), and it's also roughly the same price as the new Surface Pro 12. However, it's not passively cooled, which is a clear advantage for the new model. Nevertheless, you can see where Microsoft has cut costs in some areas, and overall, the price (especially with the matching accessories) is simply too steep for what it offers.
Pros
Cons
Price and availability
The Surface Pro 12 with a 512 GB SSD can be ordered on Microsoft's store for $899.
- $1,681.99Microsoft Surface Pro 2-in-1 Laptop/Tablet (2024), Windows 11 Copilot+ PC, 13" Touchscreen OLED Display, Snapdragon X Elite (12 Core), 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage, 5G Connectivity, Platinum
- $149.99Microsoft Surface Pro Keyboard for Surface Pro 12" Device, Keyboard Only, Alcantara Material, Slate
With the Surface Pro 12, Microsoft is launching a new compact 2-in-1 starting at $799. Our review unit features a Snapdragon X1 Plus processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 90 Hz IPS touchscreen. The small convertible comes without a fan, making it the first passively cooled Snapdragon X model. Our 512 GB review device costs $899, with an additional $70 for the 45-watt power adapter and around $250 for the matching keyboard cover and stylus. This brings the total price to a whopping $1,220.
Specifications
Case & features
The Surface Pro 12's case is made of aluminum (available in purple, platinum, or ocean), feels very premium to the touch, and has very good build quality and stability. The built-in kickstand is solid and allows a maximum opening angle of 165 degrees. Although the configuration includes Wi-Fi 7 and suitably fast transfer speeds, the two USB-C ports are limited to USB 3.2 Gen. 2, and the Surface Connector has also been removed. There's neither a card reader nor the option to swap out the UFS storage. The 1080p webcam (with facial recognition) on the front doesn't capture particularly good images; the 10 MP camera on the rear is significantly superior. This is a Copilot+ device. The tablet alone weighs 682 grams (7.8 mm thick), and with the keyboard cover attached, it weighs 1,023 grams (13 mm).
The optional stylus can no longer be stored inside the keyboard cover. Instead, it now attaches magnetically to the back of the 2-in-1. This connection is quite strong, but also less practical than before. This means you can still lose the stylus when on the go, and with the stylus attached, the device naturally no longer sits flat.
| Networking | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| Apple iPad Air 13 2025 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz | |
| Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
Sustainability
Microsoft has provided extensive sustainability information on its website. The case, for example, uses 82.9 percent recycled materials. The convertible also possesses Energy Star certification, but there is no information regarding its carbon footprint.
Input devices - A backlit keyboard
As expected, the capacitive touchscreen works flawlessly, and the optional keyboard cover and stylus also do their job well. As usual, the stylus is very flat, making it ideal for short note-taking. The keyboard is backlit and quite comfortable, even if the key travel is rather limited. The keyboard cannot be tilted. The back of the cover features an Alcantara surface, which can quickly get dirty. The integrated ClickPad is very small, and the mechanical clicks are quite loud, but swiping gestures are performed smoothly. Overall, however, the low height (5.6 cm) is a particular annoyance when using the device.
Display - 90 Hz IPS
Microsoft has installed a 90 Hz IPS touchscreen with a resolution of 2,196 x 1,464 pixels in a 3:2 aspect ratio. The subjective image quality is good, and both the brightness and color temperature can be automatically adjusted via the sensor. Motion also benefits from the 90 Hz panel. Response times are unobtrusive, and there is no PWM flickering. However, strong reflections are problematic outdoors.
Our analysis using the professional CalMAN software resulted in a measured average brightness of 485 cd/m² combined with a low black level (0.24) - something that also contributes to the high maximum contrast. The included sRGB profile is very accurate, both in terms of grayscale and color. The sRGB color space is fully covered, and image editing is possible without any problems.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 489 cd/m²
Contrast: 2021:1 (Black: 0.24 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 0.9 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.83
ΔE Greyscale 1.2 | 0.09-98 Ø5.1
73% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
98.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
72.7% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.16
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 NE120DRM-N28, IPS, 2196x1464, 12", 90 Hz | Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 ATNA33AA08-0, OLED, 2880x1800, 13.3", 60 Hz | Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ LP129WT342166, IPS, 2880x1920, 13", 120 Hz | Apple iPad Air 13 2025 IPS, 2732x2048, 12.9", 60 Hz | Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 Lenovo N123NCA-GS1, IPS, 1920x1280, 12.3", 60 Hz | Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 OLED, 2800x1840, 12.2", 144 Hz | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 21% | 9% | -5% | |||
| Display P3 Coverage | 72.7 | 99.5 37% | 83.4 15% | 66.4 -9% | ||
| sRGB Coverage | 98.1 | 99.6 2% | 99.7 2% | 98.3 0% | ||
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 73 | 89.9 23% | 79.4 9% | 68.5 -6% | ||
| Response Times | 94% | -16% | -70% | -96% | 93% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 35.1 ? | 1.54 ? 96% | 39.6 ? -13% | 36.9 -5% | 55.8 ? -59% | 3.09 ? 91% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 15.1 ? | 1.41 ? 91% | 18 ? -19% | 35.5 -135% | 35.2 ? -133% | 0.93 ? 94% |
| PWM Frequency | 240 ? | 360 | ||||
| PWM Amplitude * | 67 | 27.4 | ||||
| Screen | 195% | -42% | -46% | -108% | 10% | |
| Brightness middle | 485 | 362 -25% | 585 21% | 607 25% | 402.4 -17% | 988 104% |
| Brightness | 484 | 364 -25% | 574 19% | 576 19% | 400 -17% | 1003 107% |
| Brightness Distribution | 93 | 99 6% | 89 -4% | 87 -6% | 96 3% | 95 2% |
| Black Level * | 0.24 | 0.01 96% | 0.56 -133% | 0.5 -108% | 0.29 -21% | |
| Contrast | 2021 | 36200 1691% | 1045 -48% | 1214 -40% | 1388 -31% | |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 0.9 | 1.5 -67% | 1.3 -44% | 1.52 -69% | 2.99 -232% | 1.2 -33% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 1.7 | 3.1 -82% | 3 -76% | 3.5 -106% | 6.49 -282% | 2.5 -47% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 1.2 | 1.6 -33% | 2 -67% | 2.2 -83% | 4.38 -265% | 2.1 -75% |
| Gamma | 2.16 102% | 2.12 104% | 2.18 101% | 2.197 100% | 2.18 101% | 2.22 99% |
| CCT | 6704 97% | 6514 100% | 6914 94% | 6929 94% | 6987 93% | 6882 94% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 0.68 | |||||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | 103% /
139% | -16% /
-26% | -58% /
-51% | -70% /
-82% | 52% /
30% |
* ... smaller is better
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 15.1 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 5.5 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 9.6 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 34 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 35.1 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 16.1 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 19 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 47 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (32.1 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM not detected |  | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8350 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Performance - Snapdragon X Plus
The Surface Pro 12 is only available with the smallest Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100) and 16 GB of RAM.
Test conditions
We performed the benchmarks and measurements using the Windows Best Performance energy profile.
Processor
The Snapdragon X1P-42-100 offers eight CPU cores that can reach up to 3.4 GHz (no boost). Based on our power consumption measurements, the ARM processor's TDP is around 35 watts for a short time, but then settles to 15 watts. In multi-core tests, performance drops by around 40% after a short time. In native tests, however, performance is still comparable to Intel's current Lunar Lake chips and is therefore perfectly sufficient for everyday tasks. Performance remains stable in battery mode.
| Cinebench 2024 / CPU Multi Core | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Cinebench 2024 / CPU Single Core | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Geekbench 6.4 / Multi-Core | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Apple iPad Air 13 2025 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 | |
| Geekbench 6.4 / Single-Core | |
| Apple iPad Air 13 2025 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 | |
Cinebench R15 Multi Continuous Test
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R20: CPU (Multi Core) | CPU (Single Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 | 7z b 4 -mmt1
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
| CPU Performance Rating | |
| Average of class Convertible | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Cinebench R23 / Multi Core | |
| Average of class Convertible (2949 - 29063, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (6062 - 8284, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Cinebench R23 / Single Core | |
| Average of class Convertible (914 - 2163, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (1065 - 1134, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core) | |
| Average of class Convertible (1124 - 11357, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (2361 - 3097, n=7) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core) | |
| Average of class Convertible (348 - 827, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (406 - 425, n=7) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average of class Convertible (478 - 4830, n=63, last 2 years) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (1191 - 1556, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit | |
| Average of class Convertible (149.8 - 317, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (206 - 215, n=7) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (399 - 683, n=7) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average of class Convertible (107 - 1051, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| 7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 | |
| Average of class Convertible (12977 - 121368, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (29238 - 32811, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| 7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1 | |
| Average of class Convertible (3672 - 6540, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (4087 - 4675, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset | |
| Average of class Convertible (3.43 - 36.2, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (3.16 - 6.02, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (55.3 - 62.7, n=7) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average of class Convertible (42.5 - 84.3, n=59, last 2 years) | |
| R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (0.728 - 0.777, n=7) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Average of class Convertible (0.3985 - 0.84, n=59, last 2 years) | |
* ... smaller is better
AIDA64: FP32 Ray-Trace | FPU Julia | CPU SHA3 | CPU Queen | FPU SinJulia | FPU Mandel | CPU AES | CPU ZLib | FP64 Ray-Trace | CPU PhotoWorxx
| Performance Rating | |
| Average of class Convertible | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| AIDA64 / FP32 Ray-Trace | |
| Average of class Convertible (1480 - 64158, n=61, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (1480 - 6185, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Julia | |
| Average of class Convertible (11392 - 183760, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (14234 - 17585, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| AIDA64 / CPU SHA3 | |
| Average of class Convertible (797 - 8151, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (2036 - 2614, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| AIDA64 / CPU Queen | |
| Average of class Convertible (22413 - 145339, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (44346 - 48581, n=7) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| AIDA64 / FPU SinJulia | |
| Average of class Convertible (1120 - 29155, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (1240 - 1502, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Mandel | |
| Average of class Convertible (4929 - 97193, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (4929 - 9929, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| AIDA64 / CPU AES | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average of class Convertible (21774 - 139734, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (37646 - 45232, n=7) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| AIDA64 / CPU ZLib | |
| Average of class Convertible (218 - 2001, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (473 - 521, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| AIDA64 / FP64 Ray-Trace | |
| Average of class Convertible (1169 - 34297, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (2262 - 3399, n=7) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| AIDA64 / CPU PhotoWorxx | |
| Average of class Convertible (16583 - 81626, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (31088 - 32139, n=7) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
System performance
Seen subjectively, the performance made a positive impression, with the system running very smoothly in everyday situations. Regarding potential compatibility issues, it's worth checking in advance whether the apps you want to run on the ARM operating system or their native versions are available.
CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
WebXPRT 3: Overall
WebXPRT 4: Overall
Mozilla Kraken 1.1: Total
| Performance Rating | |
| Average of class Convertible | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Apple iPad Air 13 2025 -6! | |
| Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 | |
| CrossMark / Overall | |
| Average of class Convertible (524 - 2274, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS (1061 - 1463, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 | |
| CrossMark / Productivity | |
| Average of class Convertible (554 - 1925, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS (1059 - 1284, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 | |
| CrossMark / Creativity | |
| Average of class Convertible (550 - 2949, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS (1070 - 1630, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 | |
| CrossMark / Responsiveness | |
| Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Average of class Convertible (381 - 1719, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS (989 - 1563, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| WebXPRT 3 / Overall | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS (129.9 - 426, n=7) | |
| Average of class Convertible (171 - 426, n=62, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 | |
| WebXPRT 4 / Overall | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS (130.3 - 284, n=7) | |
| Average of class Convertible (91.2 - 317, n=58, last 2 years) | |
| Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 / Total | |
| Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS (408 - 1145, n=7) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Average of class Convertible (407 - 1089, n=63, last 2 years) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Apple iPad Air 13 2025 | |
* ... smaller is better
| AIDA64 / Memory Copy | |
| Average of class Convertible (29473 - 158525, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (61258 - 62525, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Read | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (123557 - 127282, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average of class Convertible (28905 - 126725, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Write | |
| Average of class Convertible (30591 - 216896, n=60, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 (45782 - 47845, n=7) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
DPC latencies
We were unable to perform our standardized DPC latency test on the Surface Pro 12 because the corresponding app does not work with the ARM version of Windows.
Storage device
Microsoft has opted for UFS storage, which cannot be expanded. Performance is perfectly sufficient for everyday use and remains stable. Of the 512 GB, only 379 GB is available to the user after initial setup.
* ... smaller is better
Continuous Performance Read: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
GPU performance
Although the integrated Adreno X1-45 GPU is perfectly adequate for everyday tasks such as playing high-resolution videos or streaming, its performance is very low compared to the competition. This doesn't really make the Surface Pro 12 suitable for gaming (even aside from compatibility issues), and streaming options are a better choice here. At least the GPU performance remains completely stable even under sustained load.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 4560 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 3650 points | |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 1069 points | |
| 3DMark Steel Nomad Score | 228 points | |
| 3DMark Steel Nomad Light Score | 1097 points | |
| 3DMark Steel Nomad Light Unlimited Score | 1088 points | |
Help | ||
| Blender / v3.3 Classroom CPU | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Average Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS (711 - 1226, n=9) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average of class Convertible (163 - 2067, n=61, last 2 years) | |
* ... smaller is better
| Performance Rating - Percent | |
| Average of class Convertible | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 -3! | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Cyberpunk 2077 2.2 Phantom Liberty - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset (FSR off) | |
| Average of class Convertible (8.2 - 75.6, n=43, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Baldur's Gate 3 - 1920x1080 Low Preset AA:SM | |
| Average of class Convertible (12.3 - 128.8, n=42, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| GTA V - 1920x1080 Highest Settings possible AA:4xMSAA + FX AF:16x | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Average of class Convertible (7.14 - 83.5, n=45, last 2 years) | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark - 1920x1080 Standard Quality | |
| Average of class Convertible (6.43 - 117.6, n=61, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Strange Brigade - 1920x1080 ultra AA:ultra AF:16 | |
| Average of class Convertible (10.8 - 167.9, n=56, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Dota 2 Reborn - 1920x1080 ultra (3/3) best looking | |
| Average of class Convertible (18.8 - 142, n=61, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
| X-Plane 11.11 - 1280x720 low (fps_test=1) | |
| Average of class Convertible (23 - 138.8, n=61, last 2 years) | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ | |
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 | |
Cyberpunk 2077 Ultra preset FPS chart
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTA V (2015) | 84.9 | 71.2 | 31.2 | 13 |
| Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 81.6 | 66.3 | 56.9 | 49.2 |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) | 31.4 | 14.9 | ||
| X-Plane 11.11 (2018) | 34.9 | |||
| Strange Brigade (2018) | 78 | 29 | 22 | 19 |
| Baldur's Gate 3 (2023) | 13.1 | 11 | 8.7 | |
| Cyberpunk 2077 2.2 Phantom Liberty (2023) | 13.6 | 11.1 | 9.17 | 8.52 |
Emissions & energy
Noise emissions
The Surface Pro 12 is passively cooled, making it completely silent in every possible situation. The review device also didn't emit any other electronic noises.
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS, SD X Plus X1P-42-100, 512 GB UFS 4.0 Flash | Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS, SD X Plus X1P-42-100, WD PC SN740 SDDPTQD-1T00 | Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Plus X1P-64-100, Samsung PM9B1 256GB MZ9L4256HCJQ | Apple iPad Air 13 2025 M3 9-Core GPU, M3, 128 GB NVMe | Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 Graphics 4-Core, Ultra 5 134U, WD PC SN740 512GB SDDQMQD-512G | Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 Maleoon 910, Kirin 9000W, 512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | ||||||
| off / environment * | 23.7 | 23.8 | 24 | |||
| Idle Minimum * | 23.7 | 23.8 | 24 | |||
| Idle Average * | 23.7 | 23.8 | 24 | |||
| Idle Maximum * | 23.7 | 23.8 | 24 | |||
| Load Average * | 26.7 | 23.8 | 28.02 | |||
| Cyberpunk 2077 ultra * | 35.1 | 44.7 | 38.28 | |||
| Load Maximum * | 40 | 44.7 | 42.1 |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
The aluminum case remains very cool when running idle and under light load, but under load, we measured temperatures of up to 45°C. This is very noticeable to the touch. Of course, when using the device as a laptop, you won't notice this at all, and the keyboard cover doesn't heat up in the slightest. The SoC temperature stabilized at 65°C during the stress test.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.7 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 35.4 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 60 °C for the class Convertible.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.1 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 36.8 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.1 °C / 77 F, compared to the device average of 30.3 °C / 87 F.
(-) 3: The average temperature for the upper side is 38.8 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 30.3 °C / 87 F for the class Convertible.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 36.5 °C / 97.7 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.9 °C / 82.2 F (-8.6 °C / -15.5 F).
| Microsoft Surface Pro 12 Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS | Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS | Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS | Apple iPad Air 13 2025 Apple M3, Apple M3 9-Core GPU | Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 Intel Core Ultra 5 134U, Intel Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arc) | Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 HiSilicon Kirin 9000W, HiSilicon Maleoon 910 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | -7% | 1% | 17% | 2% | -2% | |
| Maximum Upper Side * | 44.7 | 43.7 2% | 43.9 2% | 32 28% | 40 11% | 38.1 15% |
| Maximum Bottom * | 45.1 | 43.9 3% | 44.9 -0% | 37.2 18% | 42 7% | 37.3 17% |
| Idle Upper Side * | 26 | 31.9 -23% | 26.2 -1% | 22.7 13% | 27 -4% | 32.4 -25% |
| Idle Bottom * | 25.5 | 27.6 -8% | 24.6 4% | 23.4 8% | 27 -6% | 29.6 -16% |
* ... smaller is better
Speakers
The two stereo speakers do a decent job, but, when it comes to sound, the two consumer tablets, Apple iPad Air 13 and Huawei MatePad Pro, are significantly better.
Microsoft Surface Pro 12 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.1% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (3.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 26% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 71% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 20%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 22% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 74% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 13% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 26% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 71% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 20%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 22% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 74% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.4% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (3.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (13.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 24% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 72% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 13% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 83% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Apple iPad Air 13 2025 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 5.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 7% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 89% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 5% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 94% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.82 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.3% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (9.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 56% of all tested devices in this class were better, 12% similar, 32% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 20%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 57% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 9.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (9.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 4% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 94% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 129%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Power consumption
The Surface Pro 12 is very energy-efficient, especially when idling. A power adapter isn't included, and Microsoft recommends one that offers 27 watts. We used the official 45-watt adapter, which is briefly the limiting factor under full CPU load. After a short time, however, consumption quickly drops to ~25 watts and then settles to ~20 watts.
| Off / Standby |   0.23 / 0.33 Watt |
| Idle |  1.2 / 4.1 / 4.7 Watt |
| Load |
/ 44.5 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
Power consumption Cyberpunk / stress test
Power consumption with an external monitor
Battery life
Despite its comparatively small 38 Wh battery, the Surface Pro 12 achieved very good results in our Wi-Fi runtime test. At a brightness of 150 cd/m² (corresponding to 62% of the review device's maximum brightness), it ran for almost 15 hours, placing the 12-inch 2-in-1 at the top of our comparison field. This outpaces the larger Surface Pro 13-inch IPS by around 34%. At full brightness, it still keeps going for around 8.5 hours. A full charge with the 45-watt power adapter takes 124 minutes with the device turned on, with 80% available again after about an hour.
Notebookcheck overall rating
Microsoft Surface Pro 12
- 06/20/2025 v8
Andreas Osthoff
Total Sustainability Score: Possible alternatives compared
Image | Model / Review | Price | Weight | Height | Display |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. 85.8%  | Microsoft Surface Pro 12 Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 ⎘ Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 512 GB | Amazon: 1. $799.99 Microsoft Surface Pro 2-in-1... 2. $1,681.99 Microsoft Surface Pro 2-in-1... 3. $149.99 Microsoft Surface Pro Keyboa... List Price: 1460€ | 1 kg | 13 mm | 12.00" 2196x1464 220 PPI IPS |
2. 85.3%  | Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306 Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 ⎘ Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-45 1.7 TFLOPS ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | Amazon: 1. $59.99 Hodeay 200W Rectangle Conn C... 2. $39.99 Smatree Hard EVA Protective ... 3. $49.99 Smatree 13inch Laptop Sleeve... List Price: 1599€ | 874 g | 9 mm | 13.30" 2880x1800 255 PPI OLED |
3. 80.7%  | Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 ⎘ Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD | Amazon: $1,212.99 List Price: 1199€ | 872 g | 9.3 mm | 13.00" 2880x1920 266 PPI IPS |
4. 87.4%  | Apple iPad Air 13 2025 Apple M3 ⎘ Apple M3 9-Core GPU ⎘ 8 GB Memory, 128 GB NVMe | Amazon: $699.00 List Price: 949€ | 616 g | 6.1 mm | 12.90" 2732x2048 265 PPI IPS |
5. 84.4%  | Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable G2 Intel Core Ultra 5 134U ⎘ Intel Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arc) ⎘ 32 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | Amazon: 1. $1,299.99 Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Tablet w... 2. $3,221.37 Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachab... 3. $2,336.08 Lenovo Thinkpad X12 Detachab... List Price: 1805 Euro | 1.1 kg | 8.8 mm | 12.30" 1920x1280 188 PPI IPS |
6. 82.3%  | Huawei MatePad Pro 12.2 2024 HiSilicon Kirin 9000W ⎘ HiSilicon Maleoon 910 ⎘ 12 GB Memory, 512 GB | Amazon: 1. $31.88 Compatible with for Huawei M... 2. $11.99 Protective Case for Huawei M... 3. $12.95 Mr.Shield Screen Protector c... List Price: 999€ | 512 g | 5.5 mm | 12.20" 2800x1840 274 PPI OLED |
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The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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