Battery life varies significantly based on usage, network and feature configuration, signal strength, settings and other factors. See Surface Battery Performance for details. We won’t belabor the specifics of the keyboard base's functionality too much, as it has remained roughly the same through the Surface Pro’s existence, but there are a few new aspects to discuss. First and foremost, a new detachable keyboard launches with the Pro 8, named the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard. If the LED lights turn on, your problem may be with Windows and not the device itself. The next step is to reset your Surface. Here's how: Pressing the fingerprint reader at the Windows sign-in screen has no response and appears not to be recognized. Given the 3:2 aspect ratio, which all Surface products use, the native resolution is not an especially common one, at 2,880 by 1,920 pixels. Many mainstream users of this type of device, though, ultimately won’t need the nitty gritty: The display is bright, looks very sharp, and features 10-point touch.

Microsoft’s Surface machines have always had good webcams and the 1080p affair in the Pro 8 is no exception. It delivers a crisp, colourful video feed even in low light and supports Windows Hello facial recognition log-in. There’s also a 10MP camera at the rear, which doesn’t do a bad job, but that doesn’t make it any less irrelevant.First, let’s touch on the size. It measures 0.37 by 11.3 by 8.2 inches (HWD), and this trim chassis weighs 1.96 pounds, excluding the keyboard. The Pro 7 came in at 0.33 by 11.5 by 7.9 inches and 1.7 pounds, so this redesign actually does not trim down the overall footprint. It's been a few years since Microsoft launched an all-out new entry in its Surface Pro line, and even longer since there's been a noticeable redesign. The Surface Pro 8 changes that, introducing a sleeker chassis with a larger display than the Surface Pro 7. It's much more attractive, thanks to its new thin-bezel 13-inch screen, but its core functionality is otherwise unchanged. This is still a best-in-class detachable 2-in-1 in terms of design, and when paired with the improved 11th Generation Core i7 "Tiger Lake" processor in our model (and the advantages of Windows 11), this tablet can compete as a true laptop replacement.

If the keys are working correctly in UEFI, but not in Windows: The problem is likely with the software installed on the Surface, and you'll need to reinstall. See Creating and using a USB recovery drive for Surface. The Surface Pro 7 we reviewed on its release used an Intel Core i5-1035G4 CPU, and the chip in the base model Pro 8 brings us up to a Core i5-1135G7. That’s a moderate boost from the Pro 7, but the mid-gen upgrade of the Surface Pro 7+ for Business already brought us the same i5-1135G7. If you own an older Surface Pro, the jump is justifiable, while Pro 7 owners should think very carefully if they need this, and Pro 7+ owners won’t see a CPU bump. Make sure the language you're using on your Keyboard (the Keyboard’s layout language) matches the one you're using on your PC (the display language). For best typing results, the Keyboard and display language should match. We tested the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 (2021) with an Intel Core i7-1185G7 CPU, integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD, in the Platinum color scheme. Aside from the screen, all the components are configurable; you can see the available options in the table below. ScreenTo try to resolve these issues, you can begin by following the steps below to force a restart, detach and reattach the Type Cover or Keyboard, get the latest updates, or confirm connectivity. Force a restart Although the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 has had a significant physical update, if I said it was all-new, I’d be lying. It’s very similar to the Surface Pro X. The past few iterations of the Surface Pro hadn’t seen much physical design change, but some noteworthy alterations finally—ahem—surface with the Pro 8. Pressing the fingerprint reader at the Windows sign-in screen results in an error or other message such as "Fingerprint not recognized."

The 11th generation octa-core Core i7-1185G7 processor in our review model gives the Surface Pro 8 a useful turn of speed. In our 4K media benchmark, it scored 134 points, almost double the score of the 10th generation Core i7-powered Surface Pro 7, which scored 68 points. At its core, the design ethos is the same as it’s been for years with the Surface Pro, which may not thrill you as a prospective buyer looking for radical changes. Microsoft has made upgrades beyond the general shape, though, so let’s dive into those.

You won’t forget this password

Pressing a number or letter results in an unexpected letter, number or symbol displaying on the screen. Colors available on selected models only. Available colors, sizes, finishes, and processors may vary by store, market, and configuration.

As for that functionality, the experience is much the same. The “lapability” of the Surface Pro is always a contentious point: It works great on a table or desk, but isn’t stable or comfortable used as a laptop in your lap. (It turns out that "laptops" are pretty aptly named, after all!)Speaking of the display, it’s a big plus on this device, a sharp and pixel-dense screen (dubbed "PixelSense" in Microsoft parlance). The thinner bezels allow for the screen itself to be larger than the Pro 7’s (despite the barely different overall footprint), coming in at 13 inches instead of the previous 12.3 inches. On a small device, that much additional real estate is noticeable.