Surface Pro 6 in review: The convertible for every purpose?

Microsoft is very successful with its Surface series. I wanted to take a closer look at the Surface Pro 6. In the following test, we will take a look at what the notebook tablet can do and how impressed I am with it.

The Surface Pro 6 was officially presented in October 2018. There you have it next to the Surface Laptop 2 (to the test report) and the Surface Studio 2 presented to the public. I had the business convertible on the test bench for a few weeks now. Or is it not just business? We clarify this question - now review.

Unboxing

Even from the outside, you can see on the packaging which device you are about to hold in your hands. The packaging is also simple, and the selected operating system and color of the Surface Pro 6 can be found directly on the top. If you slide the packaging open, the Surface is directly on top. Underneath there are things like the power adapter, charging cable and some paper. Things like the Surface Pen and keyboard(!) are not included as standard. A missing keyboard makes no sense at all on a notebook.

Workmanship and design

The Surface Pro 6 is very well made. Nothing wobbles, the stand doesn't move on its own and the buttons feel good. Otherwise there's nothing to complain about - even things like the jack connection or micro SD slot are well designed. It's also quite slim and light: the Surface Pro 6 is only 0,85 cm thin and weighs just 771 g.

Image: © 2019 TechnikNews

Otherwise, the design of the Surface series hasn't really changed since the first model. The sixth edition looks pretty much the same as the 2013 model. However, if you're carrying the Surface Pro 6 in a backpack, you should get a case for it, as the casing gets dented pretty quickly. It's also pretty susceptible to scratches.

Equipment and display

The equipment of the Surface is pretty meager, though. Microsoft has not really increased the number of connections since the first model. For example, there is no modern USB-C port or Thunderbolt 3. There is only the Surface Connect port, for which you can connect a dock Surface dock needs around 230 euros. There are a total of 1xUSB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, microSD card reader and a headphone / microphone socket. It is incomprehensible why one does not yet rely on USB 3.1.

The Surface Pro 6 is not charged via USB-C. (Image: © 2019 TechnikNews)

While there is definitely room for improvement in terms of the connections and will definitely have to rely on a Thunderbolt connection in the future, there is absolutely nothing to criticize when it comes to the display. The 12,3-inch display has a resolution of 2736 x 1824 pixels and has pretty much the best and most accurate color representation that I have ever seen on a notebook. Microsoft is really trying hard to put great displays into its devices.

The brightness can be adjusted to a maximum of 410 nits and offers a contrast ratio of 1290:1. The rich black and bright white are therefore very noticeable in programs such as Photoshop or when watching videos. The color space covers around 70 percent of AdobeRGB - that's not so special, other models can do better. Unfortunately, working in the sun is absolutely impossible due to the touchscreen. You can't see anything except yourself - reflected in the display.

The micro SD card reader sits under the kickstand. (Image: © 2019 TechnikNews)

Specs and battery life

The i5-8250U processor, which is about a year old, worked pretty well in everyday use. My test device also had 8 GB of RAM. Alternatively, you can also choose the version with 16 GB of RAM, but this is significantly more expensive. The performance and multitasking in everyday use were also impressive. The battery certainly lasted eight hours with normal surfing. I never got the 13,5 hours stated by Microsoft. So the battery life is easily enough for a whole day at work or at school. However, you should always shut down the Surface after use, as it uses quite a lot of battery in "energy saving" mode.

What struck me negatively, however, was that the mouse sometimes just “got stuck” while in use. Then I often had to wait a few seconds for the mouse to move again. However, I am assuming a bug in Windows 10 here, as it was with the Asus ZenBook Pro 15 that's exactly what happened. Still very annoying.

Graphics-intensive applications don't run particularly well on the Surface Pro 6 - due to the lack of a graphics card (the Surface Pro 6 has a UHD 620 graphics chip). On the other hand, the Surface doesn't have a fan and is completely silent when in use. The case does get a little warm when doing intensive work, but that's logical.

Keyboard and pen

The special feature of a convertible is the removable keyboard and optionally a pen for working. During the test, I really liked the keyboard. It has a very good pressure point - I personally think this is pretty perfect. It is very incomprehensible that the keyboard is not included as standard - although providers like Amazon usually deliver the Pro 6 in a bundle with a keyboard.

The keyboard can be set up and holds up well. (Image: © 2019 TechnikNews)

The Surface Pen, which supports a total of 4096 pressure levels, is also good for taking notes or other sketches. If you don't do this, you can safely do without it - I used it very rarely. When you're not using it, it easily attaches magnetically to the casing of the Surface Pro 6. The Surface Pen also has buttons. If you're making notes in OneNote, for example, you can switch to the eraser by pressing the button. If you press it in between, you start the Windows Ink workspace, where you can, among other things, create a quick note. The button on the side does a right-click.

Working on the go

I really enjoyed working on the go with the Surface Pro 6. It fits in any backpack, is not noticeable in terms of weight and is quite compact. If you work at a table, you open the Surface and place the keyboard either at an angle or straight. I've always preferred the former. As mentioned above, working in the sun is impossible. But it's the same for all laptops and convertibles with touchscreens. If you try anyway, you can't see any of the content. You just see yourself reflected in the display.

Because of the stand, the Surface wobbles when you put it on your lap. (Image: © 2019 TechnikNews)

What bothered me the most is the fact that the keyboard is not attached to the case. Working in the bus on your lap is not really possible either, as it wobbles all the time. I admit: a laptop would certainly be better suited for my purposes. Nevertheless, it should be noted here as an important point when making a purchase decision. I never really used the tablet mode without a keyboard, as this is still sparsely implemented under Windows 10 - in my opinion.

Camera, speaker and microphone

The Surface Pro 6 performed very well in these areas. On the one hand, the microphone, which has good sound quality and prois easily suitable for video conferences or other telephone calls. However, the caller hears typing on the keyboard quite clearly. On the other hand, the two cameras – on the front and on the back – have a resolution of 5 or 8 megapixels. In general, the cameras are surprisingly good for a convertible, but absolutely necessary for this price.

One of the two speakers. (Image: © 2019 TechnikNews)

Conclusion

I like the Surface Pro 6. Unfortunately, I don't like the fact that it's very difficult to work with on the go or on the bus on your lap. This is because the notebook wobbles quite a bit with the stand at the back and the keyboard isn't fixed to the casing. Tablet mode isn't an option for writing articles, for example. I still don't think it's fully developed in Windows 10.

Nevertheless, the Surface is portable due to its low weight and easy to take anywhere. What would personally put me off buying it are the meager connections (no HDMI, only 1x USB 3.0). The Surface Dock, which adds these connections, costs around $200 - simply too much for private individuals. The performance is absolutely fine for working (including with Photoshop), but the Surface Pro 6 is of course not suitable for gaming - but that should be clear to everyone. On the other hand, it is completely quiet due to the lack of fans.

Finally, I would not necessarily recommend the Surface Pro 6 for private individuals, precisely because of the reasons mentioned above. I would rather go for the 2 Laptop Surface or 2 Surface Book to grab. Nevertheless, the Surface series from Microsoft is and will remain expensive and is therefore aimed more at business customers, among other things.

Buy Surface Pro 6

• Buy Surface Pro 6 on Amazon
• Buy Surface Pro 6 from Microsoft