Microsoft Surface Studio 2+

A minor update, especially when you consider the four-year wait, but there's something charming about this unique easel PC

SCORE **

PRICE £3,916 (£4,699 inc VAT) from microsoft.co.uk

You may recall our review of the Surface Studio 2, way back in the more innocent age of 2018 (see issue 296, p46). In many ways little has changed: the design is just as gorgeous, with a smooth hinge that transforms it from all-in-one to 28in graphics tablet. In short, it remains a thing of beauty.

One thing that has changed is the price. Where I was critical of the Surface Studio 2's £3.549 tag four years ago, that has now leapt up to £4,699. And what do you get for such a big jump? Double the RAM, a processor and graphics card refresh, plus faster Wi-Fi and USB ports. I'm no economist, but I would expect the price to be the same or less despite the tumult of interest-rate rises and supply chain issues.

Instead, I fear we are seeing supply and demand in action: an educated guess suggests UK sales in the low thousands rather than tens of thousands. It's this niche status that dictates the price.

Niche use

So are you part of the niche? Microsoft still has creative industries in its sights for the Studio 2+, and that will cover everything from artists and interior designers to architects. Nvidia's RTX 3060 mobile graphics will help in any applications tuned to work with Nvidia's Studio drivers. But the real weapon here is physical: the instant gratification of stylus against screen.

The supplied Surface Pen snaps magnetically to the side of the chassis when not in use, which also keeps it charged, and it's a flexible little tool that's worth mastering. For example, if you head into the Surface app then you can fine-tune the pressure settings; pressing down harder always thickens your mark, but you can set 12 levels of sensitivity. Coupled with the zoom capability in most drawing apps, the level of precision on offer is staggering.