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Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5 Review: More Like a Surface Pro 6.5

Iterative. The Surface Pro 7 doesn't bring enough to the table to warrant a whole digit upgrade over the Surface Pro 6. Unless if you really value the integrated USB Type-C port or Iris Plus graphics update, last year's model will suffice.

The Surface Pro series needs no introduction. Microsoft's premier lineup has become so successful in its category that the words "Windows tablet" is now essentially synonymous with Surface. Consequently, direct competitors like the HP Elite x2 1013, Lenovo Miix 520, or the Dell Latitude 5290 2-in-1 have all had a tough time breaking out of the Surface's shadow.

Unveiled early last month, the Surface Pro 7 shares the same detachable Type Cover keyboard and nearly the same chassis design as the Surface Pro 6. We therefore recommend checking out our existing review on last year's model since our comments on chassis rigidity, key feedback, display quality, and other physical features still apply here on the Surface Pro 7. The biggest updates are largely internal; the Surface Pro 7 ships with Intel's new Ice Lake-U processor which should offer significantly faster integrated graphics performance than the outdated UHD Graphics 620.

The unit we have today is the mid-range quad-core Core i5-1035G4 SKU for $900 to $1400 depending on RAM and storage. The lesser dual-core Core i3-1005G1 and higher-end quad-core Core i7-1065G7 are also available for $750 and $1500, respectively.

More Microsoft Surface reviews:

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4 (Surface Pro Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-1035G4 4 x 1.1 - 3.7 GHz, Ice Lake-U
Memory
8 GB 
, LPDDR4x, 1866.7 MHz, 32-34-34-79, Dual-Channel
Display
12.30 inch 3:2, 2736 x 1824 pixel 267 PPI, 10-point capacitive, native pen support, LG Philips LP123WQ112604, IPS, LGD_MP0.2_, LGD0555, glossy: yes, detachable screen
Mainboard
Intel 495 (Ice Lake-U PCH-LP Premium)
Storage
Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ256G, 256 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Ice Lake-U/Y PCH-LP cAVS
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo, Sensors: Accelerometer
Networking
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.5 x 292 x 201 ( = 0.33 x 11.5 x 7.91 in)
Battery
45 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Primary Camera: 5 MPix
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: 1.6 W stereo speakers, Keyboard: Type Cover, Keyboard Light: yes, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.067 kg ( = 37.64 oz / 2.35 pounds), Power Supply: 281 g ( = 9.91 oz / 0.62 pounds)
Price
1300 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
88.4 %
11/2019
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
i5-1035G4, Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
1.1 kg8.5 mm12.30"2736x1824
89.1 %
10/2018
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
i7-8650U, UHD Graphics 620
1.1 kg8.5 mm12.30"2736x1824
86.3 %
10/2019
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
1.3 kg13 mm13.40"1920x1200
87 %
10/2018
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
i5-8350U, UHD Graphics 620
1.2 kg7.9 mm13.00"3000x2000
83.3 %
02/2018
Lenovo Miix 520-12IKB 20M3000LGE
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620
1.3 kg9.9 mm12.20"1920x1200

Case

Since the Surface Pro 7 uses the same chassis design as the Surface Pro 6, we refer to our existing Surface Pro 6 review for more information on its physical features. The major physical differences from last year's model include the following:

  • Intel AX201 now comes standard for Wi-Fi 6 connectivity
  • Ice Lake-U options across all SKUs to replace Kaby Lake-R
  • Mini-DisplayPort has been dropped in favor of USB Type-C PD
  • Internal storage uses the newer and faster Toshiba BG4 series to replace last year's Toshiba BG3

By itself, the tablet weighs 775 g or slightly heavier for the Core i7 SKU. The combined weight of both the tablet and detachable Type Cover is about 1.1 kg.

Familiar Alcantara texture that has become standard on the Surface Pro Type Cover
Familiar Alcantara texture that has become standard on the Surface Pro Type Cover
Type Cover keyboard deck can be slightly angled for more comfortable typing
Type Cover keyboard deck can be slightly angled for more comfortable typing
Narrow ventilation grilles along the top edge of the tablet
Narrow ventilation grilles along the top edge of the tablet
Proprietary Surface Connect port for charging and docking
Proprietary Surface Connect port for charging and docking
Backwards compatible with last year's Type Cover
Backwards compatible with last year's Type Cover
Stiff adjustable hinge up to about 175 degrees
Stiff adjustable hinge up to about 175 degrees
300 mm / 11.8 inch 205 mm / 8.07 inch 15.9 mm / 0.626 inch 1.2 kg2.65 lbs296 mm / 11.7 inch 207 mm / 8.15 inch 13 mm / 0.512 inch 1.3 kg2.93 lbs300 mm / 11.8 inch 231.5 mm / 9.11 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 1.2 kg2.58 lbs292 mm / 11.5 inch 201 mm / 7.91 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 1.1 kg2.35 lbs292 mm / 11.5 inch 201 mm / 7.91 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 1.1 kg2.4 lbs292.1 mm / 11.5 inch 201.4 mm / 7.93 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 1.1 kg2.41 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

The USB Type-C port is the easiest way to distinguish the Surface Pro 7 from the Surface Pro 6
The USB Type-C port is the easiest way to distinguish the Surface Pro 7 from the Surface Pro 6

Microsoft has replaced the mini-DisplayPort with the more versatile USB Type-C port. Owners can now connect external monitors or recharge the tablet via USB Type-C. Thunderbolt 3 is still not supported likely because Microsoft wants to push its dedicated (and expensive) Surface Dock instead. Users who have been clamoring for at least one more USB Type-A port will be out of luck.

Top: Power button, Volume rocker
Top: Power button, Volume rocker
Left: 3.5 mm audio
Left: 3.5 mm audio
Bottom: Type Cover pins
Bottom: Type Cover pins
Right: USB Type-C w/ DisplayPort and Power Delivery, USB 3.0 Type-A, Surface Connect
Right: USB Type-C w/ DisplayPort and Power Delivery, USB 3.0 Type-A, Surface Connect

SD Card Reader

The spring-loaded MicroSD readers still sits under the kickstand for better or worse. Transfer rates have not improved over last year's model.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Microsoft Surface Book 2
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
159.2 MB/s +118%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
144.6 MB/s +98%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
78.5 MB/s +8%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
73 MB/s
Chuwi UBook Pro
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
70.6 MB/s -3%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
67.8 MB/s -7%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M401 64 GB)
53.8 MB/s -26%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Microsoft Surface Book 2
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
234.4 MB/s +175%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
187.5 MB/s +120%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M401 64 GB)
86.5 MB/s +2%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB)
86.4 MB/s +2%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
85.1 MB/s
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
84.9 MB/s 0%
Chuwi UBook Pro
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
81.4 MB/s -4%

Communication

Instead of the Marvell AVASTAR 802.11ac Wi-Fi 5 module on last year's Surface Pro 6, the Surface Pro 7 ships with the newer Intel AX201 module for 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. Transfer rates can reach up to 2.4 Gbps should you have a Wi-Fi 6 router to support such speeds.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1374 (720min - 1484max) MBit/s
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Marvell AVASTAR Wireless-AC Network Controller
559 (519min - 577max) MBit/s
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4
476 MBit/s
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650s
356 MBit/s
Chuwi UBook Pro
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
344 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1291 (1212min - 1379max) MBit/s
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650s
640 MBit/s
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Marvell AVASTAR Wireless-AC Network Controller
593 (560min - 611max) MBit/s
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4
581 MBit/s
Chuwi UBook Pro
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
360 MBit/s

Accessories and Warranty

Included extras are the Surface Pen (model 1776) and the usual manuals. The Type Cover keyboard continues to be sold separately at a starting price of $130 USD to $160 USD for the "Signature" version.

The standard one-year limited warranty applies.

Input Devices

Keyboard and Touchpad

The detachable Type Cover keyboard and clickpad (~10.2 x 5.3 cm) are back with no changes from previous generation models aside from some new color options. Thus, our existing comments on the typing experience apply here. We find key feedback to be softer than on most Ultrabooks especially since the base flexes more easily whilst typing, but this is not uncommon on detachable keyboards. Like any new laptop, it'll take a few days to become accustomed to the feel of the keyboard keys and small clickpad.

Surface Pro 6 Type Cover is compatible with the Surface Pro 7. Alternate colors are now available
Surface Pro 6 Type Cover is compatible with the Surface Pro 7. Alternate colors are now available
Clickpad feedback is firm, shallow, and loud. Multi-touch gestures are difficult due to the small size
Clickpad feedback is firm, shallow, and loud. Multi-touch gestures are difficult due to the small size
White backlight with three level of illumination comes standard
White backlight with three level of illumination comes standard
Small Up and Down arrow keys. Some models integrate an optional fingerprint reader
Small Up and Down arrow keys. Some models integrate an optional fingerprint reader

Display

The Surface Pro 7 uses the exact same LG Philips LP123WQ112604 IPS panel as the Surface Pro 6 and Surface Pro 5. In other words, users are getting the same visual experience on Microsoft's latest Surface Pro as the two-year old Surface Pro 5. From a glass half full perspective, this is great to see because the Surface Pro already offers an excellent visual experience with its ~95 percent sRGB coverage, respectable contrast ratio, and relatively bright backlight. On the other hand, it's disappointing that Microsoft hasn't put any effort into making the display even better to one up competitors. Faster response times, faster refresh rates, and factory calibration options would have made the Surface Pro 7 a more lucrative carrot for existing Surface Pro owners.

There is only minor uneven backlight bleeding on our test unit.

Same glossy edge-to-edge touchscreen as the Surface Pro 6 and Surface Pro 5
Same glossy edge-to-edge touchscreen as the Surface Pro 6 and Surface Pro 5
Thick display bezels
Thick display bezels
Slight uneven backlight bleeding along the top edge
Slight uneven backlight bleeding along the top edge
Subpixel array (267 PPI)
Subpixel array (267 PPI)
500.8
cd/m²
501.5
cd/m²
513.9
cd/m²
481.4
cd/m²
480.4
cd/m²
471.2
cd/m²
471.7
cd/m²
472.5
cd/m²
469.5
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LP123WQ112604 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 513.9 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 484.8 cd/m² Minimum: 2.66 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 480.4 cd/m²
Contrast: 1001:1 (Black: 0.48 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 2.44
ΔE Greyscale 5.9 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
93.2% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
60.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
66.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
93.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
66% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.38
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
LG Philips LP123WQ112604, IPS, 12.30, 2736x1824
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
LGPhilips LP123WQ112604, IPS, 12.30, 2736x1824
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Sharp SHP14A6, IPS, 10.00, 1800x1200
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
LG Display LP123WQ112604, IPS, 12.30, 2736x1824
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Samsung 123YL01-001 ID: SDC3853, IPS, 12.30, 2736x1824
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
SEC3542, IPS, 12.00, 2160x1440
Display
2%
2%
2%
3%
-4%
Display P3 Coverage
66
67.1
2%
66.5
1%
66.6
1%
66.9
1%
63.6
-4%
sRGB Coverage
93.8
95.5
2%
97.5
4%
96.5
3%
97.5
4%
88.8
-5%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
66.9
67.9
1%
67.5
1%
67.8
1%
68.6
3%
65.6
-2%
Response Times
-6%
-39%
1%
-42%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
34.8 ?(16.8, 18)
43 ?(21, 22)
-24%
44 ?(22, 22)
-26%
37 ?(16, 21)
-6%
48.4 ?(20.4, 28)
-39%
Response Time Black / White *
26.4 ?(13.2, 13.2)
25 ?(13, 12)
5%
25.6 ?(11.6, 14)
3%
25 ?(13, 12)
5%
35.6 ?(8, 27.6)
-35%
PWM Frequency
21550 ?(24)
22000 ?(50)
2%
1020 ?(99)
-95%
22130 ?(55)
3%
10420
-52%
Screen
17%
30%
7%
21%
-3%
Brightness middle
480.4
484
1%
456
-5%
482
0%
436.7
-9%
355.3
-26%
Brightness
485
473
-2%
426
-12%
466
-4%
433
-11%
338
-30%
Brightness Distribution
91
91
0%
88
-3%
92
1%
87
-4%
91
0%
Black Level *
0.48
0.33
31%
0.31
35%
0.395
18%
0.326
32%
0.33
31%
Contrast
1001
1467
47%
1471
47%
1220
22%
1340
34%
1077
8%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5
4.29
14%
1.3
74%
4
20%
1.82
64%
4.72
6%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.72
6.46
16%
3
61%
7.2
7%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
2.44
1.34
45%
1.1
55%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.9
4.3
27%
1.4
76%
5.7
3%
1.44
76%
6.53
-11%
Gamma
2.38 92%
2.51 88%
2.24 98%
2.28 96%
2.1 105%
2.17 101%
CCT
7805 83%
7315 89%
6687 97%
7950 82%
6560 99%
6707 97%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
60.3
62
3%
62.3
3%
62
3%
62.3
3%
59.37
-2%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
93.2
95
2%
96.8
4%
96
3%
97.5
5%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
4% / 10%
-2% / 13%
3% / 5%
-6% / 5%
-4% / -3%

* ... smaller is better

Color space covers approximately 93 percent and 60 percent of the sRGB and AdobeRGB standards, respectively. Users looking for full AdobeRGB coverage will have to consider Ultrabooks from other manufacturers like the XPS 13, Blade Stealth, or Gigabyte Aero series. Even the latest Surface Laptop 3 offers about the same color coverage as the Surface Pro 7.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

Further measurements with an X-Rite colorimeter reveal an inaccurate grayscale with an overly cool color temperature. Our calibration attempt improves the display noticeably with average grayscale and ColorChecker deltaE values jumping from 5.9 and 5 to just 2.2 and 2.4, respectively. We recommend applying our calibrated ICM profile above if you're unable to calibrate the Surface Pro 7 yourself.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
26.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 13.2 ms rise
↘ 13.2 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 61 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
34.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16.8 ms rise
↘ 18 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 42 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 21550 Hz ≤ 24 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 21550 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 24 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 21550 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Outdoor visibility and viewing angles are exactly the same as on the Surface Pro 6 and Surface Pro 5 since they all share the same LG Philips IPS panel. The HP EliteBook x360 and even the Chuwi UBook Pro Surface clone offer brighter screens for improved visibility under sunlight.

Outdoors on a bright cloudy day
Outdoors on a bright cloudy day
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors on a bright cloudy day
Outdoors on a bright cloudy day
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

The big differentiator between the Surface Pro 6 and Surface Pro 7 is the new 10 nm Intel Ice Lake-U series that supercedes last year's 12 nm Whiskey Lake-U/Kaby Lake-R series. On paper, Intel designed Ice Lake-U to offer significantly faster integrated GPU performance than the aging UHD Graphics 620 as detailed here. In practice, however, the advantages can be inconsistent as graphics driver support has been slow for Intel's newest platform. Keep in mind that the Core i3 and Core i5 SKUs are passively cooled while the Core i7 SKU includes an internal fan.

8 GB of dual-channel RAM comes standard with options to extend up to 16 GB. LatencyMon shows no DPC latency issues when wireless is enabled or disabled.

Processor

You can't expect very much from a passively-cooled processor. When running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop, scores start out strong at 685 points. When looping the test 50 times, however, scores steadily decline over time to as low as 497 points as shown by our graph below to represent a performance dip of about 27 percent. Thus, running CineBench R15 just once would give an inaccurate picture of the performance of the Surface Pro 7 since the processor is unable to maintain fast Turbo Boost clock rates indefinitely. Multi-thread performance becomes comparable to the Core i5-8350U at worst when accounting for throttling and just slightly better than the Core i7-8650U at best. We explore this further in our Stress Test section below. Had Microsoft included a fan in the Core i5 SKU, then the system would have likely been able to maintain faster Turbo Boost clock rates for longer.

Upgrading from the cheaper Core i3-1005G1 SKU will bring roughly 40 to 60 percent faster raw performance while upgrading to the Core i7-1065G7 SKU can boost performance by another 20 to 40 percent based on our experiences with the XPS 13 7390 2-in-1.

The high initial Turbo Boost performance is still useful for launching applications more quickly or for a smoother multi-tasking experience. Just don't expect that level of performance when under higher sustained loads.

See our dedicated page on the Core i5-1035G4 for more technical details and benchmark comparisons.

CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R10 32-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R11.5 64-bit
CineBench R15
CineBench R15
CineBench R20
CineBench R20
03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630665Tooltip
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4 Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ256G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø518 (495.42-684.65)
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø571 (559.56-638.59)
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7 Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø352 (335.35-409.45)
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA UHD Graphics 620, i5-8350U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø486 (481.08-516.94)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
180 Points +5%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
174 Points +1%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4
172 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2018-20KGS5DU00
Intel Core i7-8550U
167 Points -3%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
163 Points -5%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Intel Core i7-8650U
163 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad T490s-20NYS02A00
Intel Core i5-8265U
162 Points -6%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
157 Points -9%
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
Intel Core i5-8350U
147 Points -15%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
Intel Core i5-7300U
141 Points -18%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
139 Points -19%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
135 Points -22%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Intel Core i7-6650U
132 Points -23%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
65 Points -62%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
1051 Points +63%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
830 Points +29%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
693 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkPad T490s-20NYS02A00
Intel Core i5-8265U
686 (566.02min - 686.12max) Points +7%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
672 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2018-20KGS5DU00
Intel Core i7-8550U
653 Points +1%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4
644 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Intel Core i7-8650U
639 Points -1%
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
Intel Core i5-8350U
517 Points -20%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
410 (335.35min - 409.45max) Points -36%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
406 Points -37%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Intel Core i7-6650U
342 Points -47%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
Intel Core i5-7300U
334 Points -48%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
164 Points -75%
Cinebench R20
CPU (Multi Core)
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
2410 Points +71%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
2024 Points +44%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
1549 Points +10%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
1499 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad T490s-20NYS02A00
Intel Core i5-8265U
1486 Points +5%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4
1410 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
948 Points -33%
CPU (Single Core)
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
465 Points +5%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
460 Points +4%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4
441 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T490s-20NYS02A00
Intel Core i5-8265U
403 Points -9%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
403 Points -9%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
352 Points -20%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
334 Points -24%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
2.18 Points +7%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
2.13 Points +4%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4
2.04 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
1.89 Points -7%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
1.88 Points -8%
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
Intel Core i5-8350U
1.69 Points -17%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
1.65 Points -19%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
1.52 Points -25%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Intel Core i7-6650U
1.51 Points -26%
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Intel Core i5-4300U
1.12 Points -45%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
0.75 Points -63%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
11.81 Points +61%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
9.37 Points +27%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
7.82 Points +6%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
7.56 Points +3%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4
7.35 Points
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
Intel Core i5-8350U
5.48 Points -25%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
4.58 Points -38%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
4.55 Points -38%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Intel Core i7-6650U
3.8 Points -48%
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Intel Core i5-4300U
2.77 Points -62%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
1.8 Points -76%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
31463 Points +41%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
26481 Points +19%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4
22252 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
18307 Points -18%
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
Intel Core i5-8350U
16222 Points -27%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
14323 Points -36%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
13838 Points -38%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Intel Core i7-6650U
11564 Points -48%
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Intel Core i5-4300U
7067 Points -68%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
5586 Points -75%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
7345 Points +8%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
7260 Points +6%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4
6829 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
6573 Points -4%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
6213 Points -9%
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
Intel Core i5-8350U
5769 Points -16%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Intel Core i7-6650U
5223 Points -24%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
4525 Points -34%
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Intel Core i5-4300U
3675 Points -46%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
2521 Points -63%
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
982 s * -219%
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Intel Core i5-4300U
746 s * -142%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Intel Core i7-6650U
445.6 s * -45%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1
439.8 s * -43%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U
438 s * -42%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4
307.8 s *
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
274.7 s * +11%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
232.9 s * +24%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
171.1 s * +44%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
10248
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
22252
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
6829
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
43.07 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
7.35 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
2.04 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
62 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
644 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
172 Points
Help

System Performance

PCMark benchmarks rank our Core i5 Surface Pro 7 higher than any other Surface Pro model in our database including the Kaby Lake SKUs with the older Iris Plus 640 GPU. We experienced no issues during our time with the test unit save for some loose charging connection issues that we were unable to reliably reproduce.

PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 10
Score
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ256G
4163 Points
Microsoft Surface Book 2
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-8650U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4119 (4106min - 4190max) Points -1%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
Vega 9, R5 3580U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDGTNG
4056 Points -3%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
3909 Points -6%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
3448 Points -17%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U, Samsung PM971 KUS030202M
2957 Points -29%
Chuwi UBook Pro
UHD Graphics 615, m3-8100Y, Netac SSD 256GB
2341 Points -44%
Essentials
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ256G
8847 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
8076 Points -9%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
Vega 9, R5 3580U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDGTNG
7861 Points -11%
Microsoft Surface Book 2
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-8650U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
7659 (7643min - 7746max) Points -13%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
7039 Points -20%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U, Samsung PM971 KUS030202M
6367 Points -28%
Chuwi UBook Pro
UHD Graphics 615, m3-8100Y, Netac SSD 256GB
5749 Points -35%
Productivity
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ256G
6678 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
6665 Points 0%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
Vega 9, R5 3580U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDGTNG
6102 Points -9%
Microsoft Surface Book 2
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-8650U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
5819 (5653min - 5995max) Points -13%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
5353 Points -20%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U, Samsung PM971 KUS030202M
5009 Points -25%
Chuwi UBook Pro
UHD Graphics 615, m3-8100Y, Netac SSD 256GB
4480 Points -33%
Digital Content Creation
Microsoft Surface Book 2
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-8650U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4342 (4211min - 4356max) Points +31%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
Vega 9, R5 3580U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDGTNG
3778 Points +14%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ256G
3315 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
3014 Points -9%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
2952 Points -11%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U, Samsung PM971 KUS030202M
2202 Points -34%
Chuwi UBook Pro
UHD Graphics 615, m3-8100Y, Netac SSD 256GB
1352 Points -59%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
4095 Points +16%
Microsoft Surface Book 2
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-8650U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3694 (3691min - 3696max) Points +4%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ256G
3537 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Iris Graphics 540, 6650U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
3394 Points -4%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
Vega 9, R5 3580U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDGTNG
3348 Points -5%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
3281 Points -7%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U, Samsung PM971 KUS030202M
2936 Points -17%
Chuwi UBook Pro
UHD Graphics 615, m3-8100Y, Netac SSD 256GB
2209 Points -38%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y, 64 GB eMMC Flash
741 Points -79%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ256G
4639 Points
Microsoft Surface Book 2
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-8650U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4522 (4500min - 4528max) Points -3%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
4431 Points -4%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
4262 Points -8%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
Vega 9, R5 3580U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDGTNG
4246 Points -8%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Iris Graphics 540, 6650U, Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
4052 Points -13%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U, Samsung PM971 KUS030202M
3983 Points -14%
Chuwi UBook Pro
UHD Graphics 615, m3-8100Y, Netac SSD 256GB
3700 Points -20%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3537 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4639 points
PCMark 10 Score
4163 points
Help

Storage Devices

Microsoft has updated the internal M.2 SSD from the Toshiba BG3 on last year's Surface Pro 6 to the new Toshiba BG4 on this year's Surface Pro 7. Both read and write rates have improved across the board with sequential write rates in particular being almost twice as fast. Even so, laptops with the Samsung PM981 like the Razer Blade 15 will still handily outperform the Toshiba BG4 series.

See our table of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ256G
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
64 GB eMMC Flash
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Samsung PM971 KUS040202M
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Samsung MZFLV256 NVMe
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDGTNG
AS SSD
-45%
-77%
-101%
-10%
-18%
Seq Read
1590
1154
-27%
289.8
-82%
1070
-33%
1312
-17%
1122
-29%
Seq Write
714
393.6
-45%
126.7
-82%
171
-76%
274.8
-62%
514
-28%
4K Read
50.7
34.42
-32%
18.29
-64%
41
-19%
33.47
-34%
34.98
-31%
4K Write
109.4
68.9
-37%
35.07
-68%
0.2
-100%
89.2
-18%
96.8
-12%
4K-64 Read
924
494.1
-47%
40.27
-96%
1015
10%
1280
39%
492
-47%
4K-64 Write
294.6
171.3
-42%
44.48
-85%
34
-88%
268.7
-9%
339.9
15%
Access Time Read *
0.066
0.213
-223%
0.151
-129%
0.04
39%
0.047
29%
0.056
15%
Access Time Write *
0.697
0.3
57%
0.233
67%
7.6
-990%
0.036
95%
0.11
84%
Score Read
1133
644
-43%
88
-92%
1164
3%
1445
28%
639
-44%
Score Write
475
280
-41%
92
-81%
52
-89%
385
-19%
488
3%
Score Total
2157
1225
-43%
225
-90%
1774
-18%
2518
17%
1434
-34%
Copy ISO MB/s
1177
985
-16%
99.1
-92%
1036
-12%
409.9
-65%
828
-30%
Copy Program MB/s
406
143.1
-65%
44.34
-89%
386
-5%
209.8
-48%
200.5
-51%
Copy Game MB/s
923
676
-27%
76.5
-92%
582
-37%
273.9
-70%
387.4
-58%

* ... smaller is better

Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ256G
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 2390 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1569 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 393.1 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 330.5 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1676 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1166 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 54.1 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 118.5 MB/s

GPU Performance

At the time of this review, the latest Ice Lake-U Iris Plus driver from Intel was released on November 14, 2019 (26.20.100.7463). Our Surface Pro 7 test unit shipped with a graphics driver dating back to August 6 (25.20.100.7101). Attempts to update the driver or run certain 3DMark benchmarks would fail as detailed here. While Microsoft has acknowledged that they are working on newer graphics drivers, the Surface Pro 7 will be stuck on outdated drivers for the time being and so our GPU benchmark results below should be taken with a grain of salt.

Both 3DMark 11 and Time Spy rank the Iris Plus G4 to be about 25 to 30 percent slower than the Iris Plus G7 that ships with the faster Core i7-1065G7 configuration. Even so, graphics performance is still about 25 to 40 percent faster than the Iris Plus 640 as found on the Surface Pro 5. Popular undemanding games like Overwatch, Rocket League, Starcraft II, and Fortnite can all run at decent frame rates above 30 FPS when on the lowest settings. We recommend engaging v-sync since frame rates will fluctuate and stutter wildly.

See our dedicated page on the Iris Plus G4 for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Microsoft Surface Book 2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-8650U
7483 (7472min - 7485max) Points +132%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
4594 Points +42%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 9, R5 3580U
4380 Points +36%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
4165 Points +29%
Asus ZenBook UX530UX-FY070T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M, i7-7500U
4117 Points +28%
Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR-81H9000VGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
4045 Points +25%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
3560 Points +10%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4
3228 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U
2493 Points -23%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Intel Iris Graphics 540, 6650U
2450 Points -24%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU), i3-1005G1
2133 Points -34%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U
1977 Points -39%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-10710U
1940 Points -40%
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8350U
1660 Points -49%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y
1257 Points -61%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel HD Graphics 515, 6Y30
1186 Points -63%
Chuwi UBook Pro
Intel UHD Graphics 615, m3-8100Y
821 Points -75%
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Intel HD Graphics 4400, 4300U
791 Points -75%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Microsoft Surface Book 2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-8650U
7304 (7294min - 7314max) Points +167%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
4143 Points +51%
Asus ZenBook UX530UX-FY070T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M, i7-7500U
3955 Points +44%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
3707 Points +35%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
3247 Points +19%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 9, R5 3580U
3041 Points +11%
Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR-81H9000VGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
2780 Points +1%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4
2739 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU), i3-1005G1
2375 Points -13%
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Intel Iris Graphics 540, 6650U
2255 Points -18%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U
2184 Points -20%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-10710U
2078 Points -24%
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U
1858 Points -32%
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8350U
1571 Points -43%
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y
1134 Points -59%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel HD Graphics 515, 6Y30
1014 Points -63%
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Intel HD Graphics 4400, 4300U
746 Points -73%
Chuwi UBook Pro
Intel UHD Graphics 615, m3-8100Y
734 Points -73%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Microsoft Surface Book 2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-8650U
29376 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
20784 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 9, R5 3580U
19255 Points
Asus ZenBook UX530UX-FY070T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M, i7-7500U
18961 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
18881 Points
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
18633 Points
Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR-81H9000VGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
17440 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Intel Iris Graphics 540, 6650U
11650 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U
11264 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU), i3-1005G1
10966 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-8650U
10213 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-10710U
9882 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2018-20KGS5DU00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
9858 Points
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8350U
8330 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U
7265 Points
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y
6602 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel HD Graphics 515, 6Y30
6078 Points
Chuwi UBook Pro
Intel UHD Graphics 615, m3-8100Y
4521 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Microsoft Surface Book 2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-8650U
5787 Points
Asus ZenBook UX530UX-FY070T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M, i7-7500U
3293 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
3144 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
2999 Points
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
2874 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 9, R5 3580U
2789 Points
Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR-81H9000VGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
2376 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU), i3-1005G1
1521 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Intel Iris Graphics 540, 6650U
1477 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U
1418 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-10710U
1339 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2018-20KGS5DU00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
1308 Points
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8350U
1131 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
Intel HD Graphics 620, i5-7300U
889 Points
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y
819 Points
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Intel HD Graphics 515, 6Y30
735 Points
Chuwi UBook Pro
Intel UHD Graphics 615, m3-8100Y
563 Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
78094 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 9, R5 3580U
70492 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
Intel Iris Graphics 540, 6650U
68398 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
68277 Points
Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR-81H9000VGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
62384 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-10710U
42561 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU), i3-1005G1
40415 Points
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8350U
39969 Points
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Intel UHD Graphics 615, Pentium 4415Y
35452 Points
Microsoft Surface Book 2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-8650U
30327 Points
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Microsoft Surface Book 2
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-8650U
1682 Points +172%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 9, R5 3580U
872 Points +41%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
862 Points +39%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 3700U
852 Points +38%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
833 Points +35%
Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR-81H9000VGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, R7 2700U
679 Points +10%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), i5-1035G4
619 Points
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, i7-7660U
454 Points -27%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i7-10710U
425 Points -31%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2018-20KGS5DU00
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U
392 Points -37%
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-8350U
335 Points -46%
3DMark 06 Standard Score
13031 points
3DMark 11 Performance
3485 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
699 points
Help
The Witcher 3 - 1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Microsoft Surface Book 2
Intel Core i7-8650U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
110.6 fps +181%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
54.9 fps +39%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
53.8 fps +37%
Asus ZenBook UX530UX-FY070T
Intel Core i7-7500U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M
42.5 fps +8%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
41.9 fps +6%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
39.4 fps
Lenovo Yoga 530-14ARR-81H9000VGE
AMD Ryzen 7 2700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
36.5 fps -7%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
29.7 fps -25%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
21.7 (17min - 28max) fps -45%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
19.7 fps -50%
Lenovo ThinkPad T490s-20NYS02A00
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
17 fps -57%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
Intel Core i5-7300U, Intel HD Graphics 620
9.5 fps -76%
Rocket League
1280x720 Performance
Asus ZenBook UX530UX-FY070T
Intel Core i7-7500U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M
143.2 fps +212%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
119.7 fps +161%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
114 fps +148%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
103 (70min - 131max) fps +124%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
100.7 fps +119%
Lenovo ThinkPad T490s-20NYS02A00
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
90.5 fps +97%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
76.2 fps +66%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
69.5 fps +51%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
45.9 fps
1920x1080 Quality AA:Medium FX
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
62.6 fps +110%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
59.9 fps +101%
Asus ZenBook UX530UX-FY070T
Intel Core i7-7500U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M
54.8 fps +84%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
46.2 fps +55%
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
Intel Core i7-7660U, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
42.6 (30min - 55max) fps +43%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
42.2 fps +42%
Lenovo ThinkPad T490s-20NYS02A00
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
37.5 fps +26%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
36.6 fps +23%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
29.8 fps
1920x1080 Performance
Asus ZenBook UX530UX-FY070T
Intel Core i7-7500U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M
100.3 fps +168%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
94.3 fps +152%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
65.3 fps +75%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i3
Intel Core i3-1005G1, Intel UHD Graphics G1 (Ice Lake 32 EU)
58.8 fps +57%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
54 fps +44%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
37.4 fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 1280x720 Lowest Preset
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
38 fps +111%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
29 fps +61%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
27 fps +50%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
18 fps
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
Intel Core i7-8650U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
16 fps -11%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
15 fps -17%
Fortnite
1280x720 Low Preset
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
48 fps +22%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
39.5 fps
1920x1080 Medium Preset
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
22.3 fps +81%
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
Intel Core i5-1035G4, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU)
12.3 fps
low med. high ultra
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (2013) 247.2 29.9 29.8 16.5
BioShock Infinite (2013) 87.3 50.8 42.9 15.2
The Witcher 3 (2015) 39.4 24.5 12.6 6.7
Overwatch (2016) 54.6 33.8 17.7 12.7
Rocket League (2017) 45.9 29.8 20.3
Fortnite (2018) 39.5 12.3 11.6 7
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 18
Borderlands 3 (2019) 25.3 8.3 5.1 3.5

Emissions

System Noise

The Core i3/i5 SKUs are silent since they do not have internal fans. Nonetheless, we're able to notice slight coil whine or electronic noise from our test unit.

Temperature

Surface temperatures will always be a few degrees C warmer on the back than on the front. When under high processing loads, the top half of the tablet can be as warm as 48 C. We recommend using the tablet in laptop mode if running such heavy loads. On the plus side, you won't have to worry about blocking any vents on these fanless SKUs.

Surface Pro 7 after 30 minutes of heavy processing load
Surface Pro 7 after 30 minutes of heavy processing load
AC adapter temperature after 30 minutes of heavy processing load
AC adapter temperature after 30 minutes of heavy processing load
Max. Load
 43.6 °C
110 F
42.4 °C
108 F
41.8 °C
107 F
 
 36.8 °C
98 F
40 °C
104 F
41.8 °C
107 F
 
 33 °C
91 F
36.6 °C
98 F
39.4 °C
103 F
 
Maximum: 43.6 °C = 110 F
Average: 39.5 °C = 103 F
44 °C
111 F
47.8 °C
118 F
46.6 °C
116 F
40 °C
104 F
45 °C
113 F
40.8 °C
105 F
37.8 °C
100 F
38.4 °C
101 F
37.2 °C
99 F
Maximum: 47.8 °C = 118 F
Average: 42 °C = 108 F
Power Supply (max.)  37 °C = 99 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 39.5 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 43.6 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 47.8 °C / 118 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.8 °C / 86 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 39.4 °C / 102.9 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-11.3 °C / -20.3 F).
System idle (front)
System idle (front)
System idle (back)
System idle (back)
Prime95+FurMark stress (front)
Prime95+FurMark stress (front)
Prime95+FurMark stress (back)
Prime95+FurMark stress (back)

Stress Test

We stress the tablet with synthetic loads to identify for any potential throttling or stability issues. When running Prime95, the CPU can be observed boosting up to 3.3 GHz for the first few seconds until hitting a core temperature of 94 C. Thereafter, clock rates and temperature drop to 2.3 GHz and 67 C, respectively. Since there is no fan, however, core temperature steadily rises again. Once the CPU reaches 76 C, clock rates drop for a third and final time to 2 GHz to maintain at a steady 68 C. Our screenshot below illustrates this entire process and the results confirm the stair step-like graph of our CineBench loop test above.

Running on battery power will not limit performance. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 8534 and 3365 points, respectively, compared to 8319 and 3228 points when on mains.

Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C)
System Idle -- -- 37
Prime95 Stress 1.9 - 2.0 -- 68
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 1.1 700 63

Speakers

Pink noise at maximum volume. The 1.6 W stereo speakers have not changed from last year's model
Pink noise at maximum volume. The 1.6 W stereo speakers have not changed from last year's model
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2040.942.72538.739.33138.736.64039.437.25035.9356336.235.68035.336.310034.242.112532.245.116031.849.520030.651.425030.253.331530.158.740029.460.850028.960.663028.667.48002867.7100027.666.9125027.566.516002766.620002766.6250027.267.1315026.969400026.970.2500026.563.8630026.760.2800026.655.61000026.555.81250026.443.91600026.346.6SPL39.578.4N3.642.4median 27.5median 60.6Delta1.47.935.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMicrosoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 10.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.8% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.4% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 72% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 21% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 72% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 22% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
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 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Idling on desktop demands anywhere between 4 W and 10 W which is not all that different from what we recorded on last year's Surface Pro 6. Jumping from the minimum brightness level to the maximum brightness level incurs about 5 W.

Running 3DMark 06 draws about 42 W or 44 percent more than on last year's Surface Pro 7 Core i7 when under similar conditions. Thus, the faster graphics performance will come at the cost of higher power consumption.

We're able to record a maximum consumption of 63.5 W when running Prime95 from the small (9 x 5 x 2.5 cm) 65 W AC adapter. This spike is higher than what we recorded on last year's Surface Pro 6 by over 20 W to suggest that the Surface Pro 7 is able to offer higher boost clock rates for short periods. The spike is only temporary as consumption eventually falls to 41 W and then finally to 32 W after about 90 seconds as shown by our graph below. This behavior mirrors our CineBench loop test and Prime95 observations above.

It's worth noting that the Surface Pro 7 ships with the same size AC adapter as on the 15-inch Surface Laptop 3.

Power consumption when running the first benchmark scene of 3DMark 06
Power consumption when running the first benchmark scene of 3DMark 06
Minimum brightness from 0s to 10s and maximum brightness from 10s and onward. The backlight incurs approximately 5 W when at its brightest
Minimum brightness from 0s to 10s and maximum brightness from 10s and onward. The backlight incurs approximately 5 W when at its brightest
Prime95 initiated at 10s mark. Note the three-step development: Consumption is highest during the first stage at 63 W before falling to 41 W and then to 32 W due to thermal limits
Prime95 initiated at 10s mark. Note the three-step development: Consumption is highest during the first stage at 63 W before falling to 41 W and then to 32 W due to thermal limits
Prime95+FurMark initiated at 10s mark. Note the three-step development: Consumption behavior is similar to the above albeit the throttling would begin much sooner
Prime95+FurMark initiated at 10s mark. Note the three-step development: Consumption behavior is similar to the above albeit the throttling would begin much sooner
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.21 / 0.65 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.5 / 9.2 / 9.6 Watt
Load midlight 42 / 63.5 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
i5-1035G4, Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZPZ256G, IPS, 2736x1824, 12.30
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
i7-8650U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba KBG30ZPZ512G, IPS, 2736x1824, 12.30
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Pentium 4415Y, UHD Graphics 615, 64 GB eMMC Flash, IPS, 1800x1200, 10.00
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i7
i7-7660U, Iris Plus Graphics 640, Samsung PM971 KUS040202M, IPS, 2736x1824, 12.30
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
i5-7300U, HD Graphics 620, Samsung PM971 KUS030202M, IPS, 2736x1824, 12.30
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
i5-8350U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 3000x2000, 13.00
Power Consumption
18%
46%
2%
29%
9%
Idle Minimum *
4.5
3.2
29%
2.88
36%
4.2
7%
3.6
20%
4.9
-9%
Idle Average *
9.2
8.7
5%
4.8
48%
10.1
-10%
8.1
12%
8.9
3%
Idle Maximum *
9.6
10.4
-8%
7.5
22%
14
-46%
8.7
9%
11
-15%
Load Average *
42
29.2
30%
16.9
60%
37.4
11%
25.5
39%
32
24%
Load Maximum *
63.5
40.8
36%
23.8
63%
34
46%
23.5
63%
36
43%
Witcher 3 ultra *
38.1

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

While battery capacity remains the same as it was on the Surface Pro 6, we're able to record longer runtimes on the Surface Pro 7 by about 1.5 hours. Users can expect almost 10 hours of real-world WLAN use out of the latest Surface Pro tablet when the brightness is set to 150 nits (or 30 percent).

Recharging from empty to full takes about 1.5 hours not unlike on most Ultrabooks.

Small 65 W AC adapter is compatible with most other Surface devices
Small 65 W AC adapter is compatible with most other Surface devices
USB Type-A port on the adapter for charging other devices only; there is no data communication between it and the tablet
USB Type-A port on the adapter for charging other devices only; there is no data communication between it and the tablet
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
22h 16min
WiFi Websurfing
9h 57min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 56min
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4
i5-1035G4, Iris Plus Graphics G4 (Ice Lake 48 EU), 45 Wh
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Core i7, 512 GB
i7-8650U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
Microsoft Surface Go MHN-00003
Pentium 4415Y, UHD Graphics 615, 28 Wh
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Core i7
6650U, Iris Graphics 540, 38 Wh
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
4300U, HD Graphics 4400, 42 Wh
HP Elite x2 1013 G3-2TT14EA
i5-8350U, UHD Graphics 620, 50 Wh
Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) i5
i5-7300U, HD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
Battery Runtime
-7%
-4%
-45%
-6%
-16%
16%
Reader / Idle
1336
1083
-19%
771
-42%
654
-51%
1096
-18%
781
-42%
1054
-21%
WiFi v1.3
597
509
-15%
448
-25%
293
-51%
459
-23%
744
25%
Load
116
131
13%
180
55%
79
-32%
124
7%
137
18%
168
45%
WiFi
504

Pros

+ higher temporary Turbo Boost performance over last year's model
+ Core i5 CPU performance on par with last year's Core i7
+ finally a USB Type-C port with Power Delivery
+ updated and faster Toshiba NVMe SSD
+ slightly longer battery life
+ Wi-Fi 6 comes standard
+ silent; passively cooled

Cons

- exact same LG Philips IPS display as on the 2017 Surface Pro 5
- display could be better calibrated out of the box
- high Turbo Boost performance is short-lived
- coil whine; electronic noise on our unit
- still no Thunderbolt 3 support
- slow graphics driver updates
- no WAN or GPS

Verdict

In review: Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5
In review: Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5

If you're a content owner of a Surface Pro 5 or Surface Pro 6, then there is little reason to upgrade to the Surface Pro 7. It's tough to recommend Microsoft's latest iteration when it offers the exact same display as the two-year old Surface Pro 5 and roughly the same CPU performance as the Surface Pro 6 Core i7. It all comes down to how much you value the integrated USB Type-C port and the faster integrated graphics performance of the Iris Plus G4 or G7. The latter in particular can certainly aid in light photo editing and image processing tasks, but if your intention is to use the tablet primarily for word processing, emailing, browsing, or video streaming, then the Surface Pro 6 Core i5 or Core i7 SKUs can offer essentially the same experience for less.

The numbered Surface Pro series has felt stagnant since the 2017 Surface Pro 5. While these SKUs are still some of the better Windows tablets in the market, we're crossing our fingers than the 2020 Surface Pro will be more of an evolution for the series rather than yet another marginal iteration.

The Surface Pro 7 feels more like a SKU of the Surface Pro 6 rather than a full on numbered successor. Its upgrades are minor and mostly unnoticeable to most users who are only interested in basic office tasks like word processing, browsing, and video streaming.

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5-1035G4 - 11/19/2019 v7
Allen Ngo

Chassis
90 / 98 → 91%
Keyboard
89%
Pointing Device
92%
Connectivity
44 / 75 → 58%
Weight
79 / 20-75 → 100%
Battery
88%
Display
84%
Games Performance
56 / 78 → 72%
Application Performance
86 / 85 → 100%
Temperature
85%
Noise
100%
Audio
74 / 91 → 81%
Camera
71 / 85 → 83%
Average
80%
88%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Core i5 Review: More Like a Surface Pro 6.5
Allen Ngo, 2019-11-19 (Update: 2019-11-20)