Product Comparison: Microsoft Surface Book vs Microsoft Surface Pro 4


General Specifications
Brand
Microsoft
Microsoft
Model
Surface Book (CR9-00013)
Surface Pro 4
Origin
China
China
About the Product
Incredibly powerful and meticulously crafted, Surface Book is a revolution in laptop design. The detachable 13.5“ PixelSense Display is optimized for Pen and touch and has higher resolution than MacBook Pro 13”.1 With the full power of a high performance laptop and the versatility of a tablet, Surface Book gives you everything you need to work with professional-grade software, anywhere you want.
Surface Pro 4 is ultrathin, fast, and versatile, the perfect balance of portability and power. With 6th Gen Intel Core processors and up to 1TB of storage, it’s built to run professional-grade software. And the PixelSense Display has stunning color and contrast that comes to life with Surface Pen and touch.
Key Specs
Screen Size
13.5 in.
12.3 in.
Operating System
Windows 10
Windows 10 Pro
Processor Speed
2.4 GHz
2.4 GHz
System Memory (RAM)
8 GB
4 GB
Storage Capacity
128 GB
128 GB
Battery Life
12 hours
9 hours
Size & Weight
Height
0.9 in.
0.33 in.
Width
12.3 in.
11.5 in.
Depth
9.14 in.
7.93 in.
Weight
3.34 lbs.
1.73 lbs.
Processor
Processor Model
Intel Core i5-6300U
Intel Core i5-6300U
Number of Cores
2
2
Graphics
Intel HD graphics (iGPU)
Intel HD Graphics 520
What customers say about "Processor"
Microsoft Surface Book (CR9-00013) with Windows 10 Anniversary Update
  • I chose the Surface Book because of the Intel i5 processor, 8GB memory, and 128GB solid state hard drive would be more than capable of running the applications and programs that I would need to run.
  • I absolutely love my surface book, it is very fast and has been trouble free so far
  • This computer is the best i've used thus far. Love the innovation behind this machine, it's so convenient, fast, and runs super smooth.
  • Is fast, beautifully designed (will turn heads), a powerful processor
  • My only con thus far on this laptop is that it tends to heat up quickly. While watching Netflix in bed, the bottom of the laptop will start heating up on my lap after an hour of watching a movie.
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 128 GB, 4 GB RAM, Intel Core i5
  • Very good performance considering I did not opt for the more expensive i7 Core chip).
  • I enjoy the speed of the processor and how fluent everything is.
  • The processor is plenty powerful, but the device is not designed to permit the addition or replacement of RAM.
  • I really enjoy the quick processor that come with it. There is no lag to anything that you click on. You don't have to worry about the screen freezing or anything like that.
  • I purchased the surface pro 4 with a i5 processor and I was giving the m3 processor
Memory
Type of Memory (RAM)
DDR4
LPDDR3
Type of Storage
SSD
SSD
Card Reader
Yes
Yes
What customers say about "Memory"
Microsoft Surface Book (CR9-00013) with Windows 10 Anniversary Update
  • SSD drive, you can never go wrong with an SSD.
  • 8GB memory, and 128GB solid state hard drive would be more than capable of running the applications and programs
  • Nvidia graphic chip will be able to run some basic gaming.
  • You are not able to update the RAM.
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 128 GB, 4 GB RAM, Intel Core i5
  • I have about 3,000 songs and 5,000 photos and have no memory shortage, so if you are an everyday user like me with basic needs, the 128GB is more than enough.
  • Mine is i5, 4gb ram and 128 ssd model. speed is excellent and pen is super responsive.
  • Exceptional build quality, great screen, terrific portability. (The only thing is, I'd probably go for 8GB RAM model going forward. The processor is plenty powerful, but the device is not designed to permit the addition or replacement of RAM.
  • For our use, the 128 GB of internal storage is more than adequate. The micro SD chip port allows doubling the data storage, and you can always plug in an external drive to store TBs of data. There is only one USB port, so you need to pick and choose what you want to plug in.
  • The SSD stopped working, completely bricking this device, about 15 months after I purchased it.
  • I looked into replacing the SSD, and while the SSD itself is easy to replace, you have to remove the screen to get to it, which is rather tricky.
Features
Display Type
PixelSense touchscreen
10-point multi-touch PixelSense Display
Screen Resolution
3000 x 2000
2736 x 1824
Extras
5.0 megapixel front-facing camera, 8.0 megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus, with 1080p HD video recording, Dual microphones, front and rear facing, Front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby audio, Accelerometer, Magnetometer, Gyroscope, Ambient light senso
TPM chip for enterprise security, Windows Hello face-authentication camera (front-facing), Stereo microphones, Stereo speakers with Dolby Audio Premium, Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer
What customers say about "Features"
Microsoft Surface Book (CR9-00013) with Windows 10 Anniversary Update
  • Tablet separation is seamless, as all you have to do is press the eject button on the keyboard.
  • The keyboard layout is one of the best as it private a deep click, creating a satisfying feedback.
  • The battery layout is pretty impressive as there are two batteries built in. When the base battery is dead you can still us it as a tablet because that battery will never be used when attached to the base.
  • The webcam is enough to have meetings on it as well has a built-in facial recognition for signing into Windows without a password (Yes, it does work just as it promises).
  • The unique hinges make the screen unable to close flat on itself. You will have a noticeable gap between the screen and keyboard when the unit is closed.
  • When your tablet is low on battery, when connecting it to the base you will not be able to eject it until the battery is recharged till a certain amount.
  • Battery life is decent but falls in what they promise (12-15 hours). I suppose it’s possible if you just do the bare minimal, but the worse I got was 6 hours. So it’s still a great battery life, just not as long as it’s stated.
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 128 GB, 4 GB RAM, Intel Core i5
  • The screen is absolutely beautiful; text is sharp and clear, colors are correct, and the resolution is high.
  • The pen is great I don't need to get my greasy fingerprints all over the device and clean it every 5 seconds.
  • Display is a lot better than expected and shows crystal clear images.
  • The surface pen is amazing to use on the screen when taking notes or for just doodling
  • Battery life is around 8 hours, but it is way better than my laptop that only lasted around 2 and a half hours.
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Yes
Yes
Network
Wi-Fi 802.11ac
WI-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n
Number of USB Ports
2
1
USB Type C
No
No
Other Ports
Full-size SD card reader, Surface Connect, Headphone/Microphone 3.5mm jack, Mini DisplayPort
Headphone/Microphone 3.5mm jack, Mini DisplayPort, Cover port, Surface Connect
What customers say about "Connectivity"
Microsoft Surface Book (CR9-00013) with Windows 10 Anniversary Update
  • The SB lacks a USB-C port. Instead, the SB has a Surface Connect port (which allegedly has the same capability as USB-C).
  • This has actual USB and SD card ports.
  • Combined with the dock, this ultrabook offers more ports than a Macbook, which is nice.
  • No USB Type-C ports.
  • All ports are on the keyboard so none (except the audio port) of the ports will come with the tablet when you detached it.
  • No HDMI port as you will need to purchase and adapter to get this option.
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 128 GB, 4 GB RAM, Intel Core i5
  • The magnetic charging port is a nice touch...no fishing around if you're in the dark; it just pulls the end of the cable right in.
  • Great, it works very well. But need go to Microsoft shop to upgrade the software before I can connect it with Wifi and Bluetooth. My daughter like it very much.
  • Can handle multiple USB inputs significantly better than surface pro 3.
  • Would like to have USB-C charging ability. I'm concerned that if I forget my charging cord that I'll be stuck.
  • When I first tried to set it up, I had some connection problems, and my touch wasn't working. But I immediately called tech support and they helped me get everything set up and I haven't had any issues since.
  • Only con will probably be that it only has one USB port. Therefore, I'll be looking to buy the surface dock for it eventually.
Warranty / Certifications
Manufacturer Warranty
1 year(s)
1 year(s)
Certifications
CE
CE
Other Information
MSRP
1.499 $
799.00 $
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