After spending some time with the Surface Pro 7, we find ourselves somewhat conflicted. On one hand, it's not as impressive a technical showing as we were expecting; the new Ice Lake chip barely managed to match the Core i5 processor from last year's Surface Pro 6, and the battery life was similarly...

USB-C support

Disappointing battery life

While it might look the same as the Pro 6, the Surface Pro 7 packs a punch.

An excellent hybrid that doesn’t do quite enough to innovate on what Microsoft already had.

Powerful hardware; USB-C support; Improved pen sensitivity; Display remains great

No significant design changes; Average battery life; Expensive peripherals

It is similar to the last Surface Pro, but this is still one of the few tablet hybrids we’d be happy to work all day on. Just remember to bring the charger, as the battery won’t last.

Bold; sharp screen; Punchy 10th Gen Intel CPUs; Type Cover remains surprisingly good

Battery life is not great; Aspects of the design are ageing; Accessories are a bit pricey

Microsoft updates its Surface Pro 7 Windows tablet with a powerful Intel Ice Lake chip and a modern USB-C port.

Powerful Intel Ice Lake CPU boosts performance; USB-C; USB-A ports allow for peripheral flexibility

Lack of Thunderbolt and WWAN option are disappointing

Still the best Windows 2-in-1 around, but it remains ahead due to the lack of highly recommendable alternatives. The performance upgrade here is excellent, but design-wise the huge bezels now look dated and Microsoft's dedication to Surface Connect is somewhat puzzling.

Up-to-date Intel processors make for powerful and snappy performance; Punchy screen colours and resolution; USB-C is a welcome addition

Lack of real change over predecessor; Big screen bezels; No Thunderbolt; So-so battery life (i7 tested); Expensive extras - when adding Type Cover and Pen

The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is no revelation. It's a lot like the Pro 6. Aside from the no-brainer addition of a USB-C port, progress here is down to Intel's new chipsets, not any major Microsoft innovation. But look at the more dynamic Surface Pro X and you may decide you will be happier with this more familiar hybrid. It has none of the compatibility issues of that model, the Type Cover keyboard design is a tried and tested hit and it isn't much less portable than an iPad Pro. We’d like significantly longer battery life and a lower price would really start to tempt us away from a more conventional laptop. But this hybrid does work well as a “real” computer.

Bold, sharp screen; Punchy 10th Gen Intel CPUs; Type Cover remains surprisingly good;

Battery life is not great; Aspects of the design are ageing; Accessories are a bit pricey;

As updates go, this one is minor. But the Surface Pro is still a major player in portable productivity.

Finally a USB-C port! Still solid performance, battery life, and usability.

No real compelling reasons to upgrade from previous models. Remains expensive.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 feels more like a Surface Pro 6.5 than an actual new product. The only significant changes are the addition of a USB-C input and a move to Intel’s newer 10th-gen family of laptop CPUs. However, it remains a solid convertible and great choice for those looking for a flexible machine that works equally well as an office laptop as it does as a personal tablet.

Full-fat Windows 10 application library; Excellent connectivity; Solid build quality;

Type Cover costs extra; Not a big step up on the Surface Pro 6;

Bold, sharp screen; Punchy 10th Gen Intel CPUs; Type Cover remains surprisingly good;

Battery life is not great; Aspects of the design are ageing; Accessories are a bit pricey;