Hands On With The Microsoft Surface Studio

At first glance, the Surface Studio is a stunner, featuring what Microsoft claims is the world’s thinnest LCD screen.

- Matthew Buzzi

The all-aluminum body is sleek—the inspiration from the Apple iMac is undeniable—and comprises a 28-inch screen with aluminum legs and a small base that holds most of the components and many ports: audio, SD, Mini DP, Ethernet, and USB 3.0. At $2,999 for the main SKU, the Studio is very expensive. But it’s a high-quality device whose target market is creative professionals; one of those pros, a comic artist, was on stage and in the demo room after the unveiling of the Surface Studio to explain its benefits. So yes, it’s pricey, but the same people who currently use an iMac could make even better use of the Studio. Furthermore, one expensive all-in-one device may end up saving you money, since you won’t have to buy multiple products (drawing tablet, PC, and display) to do the same job.

In theory, the Studio merges a powerful artist’s work PC with digital drawing tools. Even my admittedly unartistic hands (that became all the more clear after watching the comic artist) could tell that this is a tool that dedicated professionals will see as worth its hefty price tag. It’s also conceivable that a design studio or architectural firm will purchase these devices for employees, mitigating the price.