14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has just launched its Surface All-in-One PC as the Surface Studio, a name that we’ve heard about before and which the company has embraced to emphasize the capabilities of the device.
The Surface Studio comes with a PixelSense display and features state-of-the-art hardware, such as 28-inch screen size, 3:2 aspect ratio, 32 GB RAM, and 2 TB hybrid drive. In terms of graphics, the Surface Studio features the GeForce 980M.
The Surface Studio looks a lot like the Apple iMac and Panos Panas himself has said that “it looks familiar, but feels entirely different.” It has a touchscreen, a feature that iMacs are missing right now, and is also thinner.
“I love this product,” Panos Panay said. “It’s built to pull you in. We wanted to transform the way you create and think about creating,” he added. It looks like it’s built to be the flagship of Windows 10 Creators Update coming in spring 2017.
"Designed in a way to bring the hinge to life"
The new Surface is made of forged aluminum for the display, and according to the specs, it’s just 12.5mm thin, which makes it the thinnest LCD ever built. The display boasts 13.5 million pixels, which according to Panos is 63 percent more than a 4K TV.
“The only thing that you won’t be able to see on this screen specifically is a pixel,” he said. "The team called it designing a floating sheet of pixels.”
The Surface Studio got a 12K score on 3D Mark, and Panos Panay once again emphasized that “it has been phenomenal to use because performance a lot of the time is more than specs.”
Of course, the PC comes with a camera for Windows Hello and a built-in microphone for Cortana, so you can give it commands just like you would on any other Windows 10 device.
What sets the Surface Book apart is the kickstand, so you can push the top of the display and it folds down, letting you work on the display with a Surface Pen just like on a piece of paper.
There’s also a new accessory called Surface Dial which can be placed on the display to create a radial menu that turns the PC into a studio. This is why it’s called Surface Studio.
"It's a new way to create, a new way to produce. It's meant to turn your desk into a studio,” Panay explained.
The Surface Dial needs app support, so Microsoft has to work with developers here to make sure that this new device is widely adopted.
The Surface Studio is available for pre-order now, with prices starting at $2,999. There's no timing for when it becomes available, but users can give it a try in Microsoft stores. Developing story...
