AT THE DOUBLE Microsoft Surface Pro 9

A 2-in-1 that can be used just as comfortably as a laptop as it can a tablet

The Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is one of the best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy. It’s not that different to last year’s device, so if you’re wondering whether to upgrade, it won’t be worth it. But if you’re buying for the first time, go for it.

Microsoft hasn’t really changed the design of the Microsoft Surface Pro 9, because if it ain’t broke, why fix it? Measuring 287 x 209 x 9.3mm and weighing 879g, it’s a manageable size for a tablet but it’s slim and lightweight for a laptop, even with a Surface Pro keyboard attached.

The display is a 13-inch PixelSense Flow display with a resolution of 2880 x 1920p (267 PPI) and it has a 3:2 aspect ratio. Bright, sharp and vibrant, it looks good across all sorts of content. We could see every inch of a Netflix show even in the dark corners and buy new clothes online knowing the display was portraying the colours accurately. The shape of the screen also means you can fit a lot of a document onto it at once.

Another plus point is the touchscreen, especially when you use the Slim Pen 2, which you can buy separately to the slate alongside the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard. We found the Slim Pen 2 connects immediately, and the flat design feels very comfortable in your hand.

The separate keyboard works well too. It magnetically snaps onto the bottom edge of the tablet, and you can use it flat on a table or it can be used slanted, which we think makes for a much more comfortable typing experience. The keys have a satisfying click to them and they're well spaced out to avoid mistyping in any way.