Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio (14.4-Inch, 2021)

Versatile hinge is great for digital artists ; Sharp and vibrant display ; Top-class design and keyboard ; Surprisingly good battery life

Weak graphics power compared to rivals ; Screen lacks pro-grade colour accuracy ; Stylus isn’t bundled in

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers a fantastic design for digital artists, allowing you to fold the screen flat against the keyboard to use it as a makeshift graphics tablet. But this may only be a worthwhile device for hobbyists and causal...

Cool design ; Flexible screen positions without major compromises ; Fast refresh display with excellent pen support ; Excellent trackpad and keyboard

Short battery life ; Midrange performance despite top-tier price ; Limited port selection

Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop Studio looks like a traditional laptop from afar, but get closer and you’ll see it has something unique under its sleeve. But that uniqueness costs a lot, in both money and battery life.

Unique pull-forward touch screen ; Excellent keyboard ; Groundbreaking haptic touchpad ; Robust digital stylus support, including magnetic holder ; 120Hz screen refresh rate ; Long battery life

Disappointing performance, even with upgraded Core i7 and RTX 3050 Ti ; Only two USB ports ; Pricey

Packed with innovative features, Microsoft's Surface Laptop Studio presages a new breed of laptop for creative pros who are pen-input devotees. One big quibble: Performance isn’t nearly class-leading.

Beautiful display ; Easel-like hinge is amazing ; Much larger trackpad ; Amazing webcam

Expensive ; Only uses Intel H35 processors ; No legacy ports

Beautiful display ; Easel-like hinge is amazing ; Much larger trackpad ; 1080p webcam

Expensive ; Only uses Intel H35 processors ; No legacy ports

Stunning screen ; Accomplished drawing performance ; Stylish form factor

Last-gen mobile hardware ; Very limited upgradeability ; Jaw-dropping price

Classic Surface build quality and attention to detail ; Good keyboard and touchpad ; High-spec screen

Expensive ; Hinge versatility could go even further ; Power ceiling isn’t that high for a professional device

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio hides its special skills using smart and careful design, making it the best portable Surface for designers and artists. However, there are still clear ways to improve it in a second-generation model - not least...

Clever hinge enables new modes ; Gorgeous 14.4-inch, 120Hz display ; Long battery life ; Excellent speakers ; Comfortable keyboard and responsive touchpad

Thick chassis ; Not enough ports ; Performance is short of class-leading ; Stylus sold separately ; Expensive

Elegant and robust industrial design ; Top-tier display ; Heavy duty sound system ; Professional, powerful keyboard and touchpad ; Deep Surface Slim Pen 2 support

Feels like Slim Pen 2 should be included by default ; Display feels like it needs an anti-glare layer