Microsoft Surface Pro 11 review – Laptop Performance in a Tablet Body
The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 could be a dream come true for users who want to replace their laptop with an ultra-portable yet powerful 2-in-1 with good AI capabilities. Speaking of which, the configurations with the top 12-core X Elite CPU model are tied to the OLED display and the more modest 10-core X Plus-based machines are available only with an IPS panel. Still, both screens come with 2880 x 1920 resolution, a 3:2 aspect ratio (which is great for work), and a 120Hz refresh rate. Of course, the OLED panel has the upper hand when it comes to contact ratio. The 1TB storage configuration is available for the Wi-Fi-only iteration of Surface Pro 11.
Expectedly, the RAM is soldered but it’s not a huge deal since you can order this machine with up to 64GB LPDDR5x-8448MHz. On the flip side, the single M.2 slot for the 2230 NVMe is easily accessible through the so-called “SSD door” on the back. This is great news for all users because upgrading the NVMe drive of a tablet-like machine sounds tempting and future-proof.
The keyboard and the rechargeable stylus are optional. Their price is also hefty. The connectivity of Wi-Fi 7 alongside two USB4 ports is as modern as it gets.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/microsoft-surface-pro-11/
Contents
Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box
Microsoft Surface Pro 11 - Specs
- HDD/SSD
- up to 2000GB SSD
- RAM
- up to 32GB
- OS
- Windows 11 Home, Windows 11 Pro
- Battery
- 48Wh
- Body material
- Aluminum
- Dimensions
- 287 x 209 x 9.3 mm (11.30" x 8.23" x 0.37")
- Weight
- 0.90 kg (2 lbs)
- Ports and connectivity
- 2x USB Type-C
- 4.0, Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
- Card reader
- Ethernet LAN
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11be
- Bluetooth
- 5.4
- Audio jack
- Features
- Fingerprint reader
- Web camera
- QHD front-facing Surface Studio Camera, Windows Studio Effects
- Backlit keyboard
- Microphone
- Dual Studio Mics with voice focus
- Speakers
- 2W Stereo Speakers with Dolby Atmos
- Optical drive
- Security Lock slot
All Microsoft Surface Pro 11 configurations
Drivers
All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=106119
What’s in the box?
Inside the package, you’ll find manuals and a 39W charger with a Surface Connect port which attaches magnetically.
Design and construction
With its round edges and great all-aluminum build, the Surface Pro 11 looks stunning. The device feels solid in hand, the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on top of the display also contributes to that. The color options are Sapphire, Dune, Black, and Platinum. The latter, combined with the anodized finish, attracts only a minimal amount of smudges. The weight is just 895 grams and the profile is 9.3 mm.
The kickstand is rigid and its hinge mechanism feels smooth. The max angle of the opening reaches 165 degrees which is pretty comfortable while using the touchscreen for sketching or taking notes. The front-facing 1440p Web camera offers facial recognition for Windows Hello. You can also take advantage of AI-driven features such as automatic framing or the ability to apply creative filters during calls. The Portrait blur seems pretty useful since it highlights yourself by dimming the background.
You can change the SSD which is a rare find in a device like this one. The SSD door is placed beneath the stand. There is a visible stripe cutout close to the bottom cover across half of the body. That’s where the cooling fan draws fresh air from. The 10MP rear-facing camera is on the back cover.
Ports
You get two 40 Gbps USB4 ports with DisplayPort 1.4a and charging capabilities on the left. The right side houses the Surface Connect charging port.
The Power and the Volume control key are on top. The connectors for the external keyboard can be seen on the bottom side.
Display and Sound Quality, Get our Profiles
| Microsoft Surface Pro 11 | LP129WT342166 (LGD077B) |
| Diagonal | 13.0 inches (33 cm) |
| Panel Type | IPS, Touch, Pen |
| Resolution | 2880 x 1920 pixels |
| Max Refresh Rate | 120 Hz |
| Aspect Ratio | 3:2 |
| Pixel Density | 266 PPI |
| ‘Retina’ Distance | Greater than or equal to 33 cm |
Viewing Angles
Viewing angles are good. We take photos from different angles to evaluate the quality.
Also, a video with locked focus and exposure.
Color Coverage
The whole “sail-shaped” map below (Fig. 1) consists of all the colors we can see, while the black crooked line shows all the colors from real-world scenes and nature around us.
Then, we’ve drawn some of the most important and interesting color spaces, compared to the colors the panel of Microsoft Surface Pro 11 can show:
Standard/For Web: sRGB – widely used color space for most consumer devices, ideal for Web design and development
For Print: AdobeRGB – used in professional photo editing, graphic design, and print
For Photographers/Video Editors: DCI-P3 – used in high-end film production, post-production, and digital cinema
Premium HDR: Rec.2020 – the widest consumer ITU color standard, covering a massive 75.8% of the visible spectrum, a benchmark for premium HDR content
Microsoft Surface Pro 11: the yellow dashed triangle (– – – – – –) represents the range of colors this monitor can display.
In our tests, we calculated the total color coverage of the monitor at 99% of the sRGB color gamut and 82% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
(Fig.1) Microsoft Surface Pro 11 covers 99% of the sRGB gamut
Brightness and Contrast
The maximum brightness in HDR mode is 584 cd/m² at 8% white fill and 590 cd/m² on a full white screen.
The maximum brightness in SDR mode is 586 cd/m² in the center of the screen and 598 cd/m² averaged across the surface with a maximum deviation of 7%.
The Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) on a white screen at maximum brightness is 6810K.
The contrast ratio is 1080:1.
Uniformity: Luminance, Contrast, and Color Deviation
The figure below shows the results from our uniformity test across different sections of the screen. It’s measured at 184 nits (Windows slider = 61%) — a brightness level we consider typical for standard working conditions.
DeltaE values below 4.0 are acceptable for regular users. For those working with colors, screens with DeltaE values no higher than 2.0 are recommended.
Color Accuracy
Let’s check the difference between real colors and those you’ll see on the Microsoft Surface Pro 11. We measure that distance in DeltaE – the higher the number, the more different they look.
Values below 4.0 are acceptable for regular users, while values below 2.0 are suitable for color-sensitive work. A value below 1.0 means the difference is indistinguishable to the naked eye.
For the next graph, we’ve selected 24 common colors, including dark/light skin, blue sky, green grass, etc.
Before our calibration of the Microsoft Surface Pro 11, the Average color accuracy was 2.2 dE (Fig. 2), and with our Design and Gaming profile, it lowered to 0.9 dE (Fig. 3).
(Fig. 2) Microsoft Surface Pro 11 in its factory condition, Profile: Vivid
(Fig. 2) Microsoft Surface Pro 11 in its factory condition, Profile: sRGB
(Fig. 3) Microsoft Surface Pro 11 with our display profileComparison in the sRGB color space.
Here’s an illustration of what the Design and Gaming profile aims to deliver:
Left: No Profile | Drag the slider to see the difference | Right: Design & Gaming Profile
Visibility in dark scenes
Have you ever watched a movie with dark scenes where you could barely see anything? This often happens because many display panels struggle to differentiate the darkest nuances, making them appear the same.
The next figure illustrates how well the display reproduces these dark nuances. The left side of the image shows the display with stock settings, and the right side shows it with our Design and Gaming profile activated.
On the horizontal axis are the grayscale levels, and on the vertical axis – the corresponding display brightness.
You can also check how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display and the surrounding light conditions.
Response time (Gaming capabilities)
We test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “black-to-white” and “white-to-black” method from 10% to 90% and vice versa.
We recorded Fall Time + Rise Time = 19.4 ms. Short pixel response time is a prerequisite for a smooth picture in dynamic scenes.
After that, we test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “Gray-to-Gray” method from 50% White to 80% White and vice versa between 10% and 90% of the amplitude.
Health Impact: PWM (Screen flickering)
Some use PWM to regulate their brightness, which means that instead of reducing the light intensity, they pulse or flicker. Our brain merges the image, so it appears darker, but this strains both it and our vision, especially when the frequency of the pulses is low. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM.
In the graph below, you see the intensity of light at different brightness levels—on the vertical axis is the brightness of the emitted light, and on the horizontal axis—time.
The light from the backlight of the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 display is not pulse-width modulated, providing visual comfort in the discussed aspect.
Health Impact: Blue light emissions
Installing our Health-Guard profile not only eliminates harmful PWM when the laptop uses it to control brightness but also reduces harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate.
If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light.
Health Impact: Screen Reflectance
Glossy-coated displays can cause eye fatigue in high ambient light conditions due to reflections. We measure the level of screen reflection with the display turned off, at a 60° angle.
The reflectance of the Microsoft Surface Pro 11’s screen is 108 GU.
High Gloss: >70 GU
Medium Gloss: 30 – 70 GU
Low Gloss: <30 GU
Get our profiles
Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for Microsoft Surface Pro 11 configurations with LP129WT342166 (LGD077B), 2880 х 1920, IPS panel.
*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].
Read more about the profiles HERE.
In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.
Office Work
Office Work should be used mostly by users who spend most of the time looking at pieces of text, tables or just surfing. This profile aims to deliver better distinctness and clarity by keeping a flat gamma curve (2.20), native color temperature and perceptually accurate colors.
Design and Gaming
This profile is aimed at designers who work with colors professionally, and for games and movies as well. Design and Gaming takes display panels to their limits, making them as accurate as possible in the sRGB IEC61966-2-1 standard for Web and HDTV, at white point D65.
Health-Guard
Health-Guard eliminates the harmful Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) and reduces the negative Blue Light which affects our eyes and body. Since it’s custom tailored for every panel, it manages to keep the colors perceptually accurate. Health-Guard simulates paper so the pressure on the eyes is greatly reduced.
Get all 3 profiles with 33% discount
Sound
The speakers of the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 produce high-quality sound. Its low, mid, and high tones are clear without any significant deviations.
Performance: CPU, GPU, Storage
All benchmarks and tests were conducted with the “Better performance” preset activated in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu.
CPU options
This laptop is offered with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100, Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100, or Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100.
Our device has an X Plus X1P-64-100 chip.
Here, we evaluate the CPU's performance using a real-world 3D rendering task, assessing its ability to handle complex computations and rendering workloads efficiently.
Results are from the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
Single-core performance ensures smooth operation and responsiveness in operating systems, providing a better user experience.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Single-Core test (higher is better)
Multi-core performance is essential for handling complex and demanding tasks, such as Video editing, CAD, and Scientific simulations.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
GPU options
The Snapdragon X Elite Adreno GPU is for graphics tasks.
The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.
The results are from 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited. Higher is better.
Gaming tests
| Counter-Strike 2 | HD 1080p, Low (Check settings) | HD 1080p, Medium (Check settings) | HD 1080p, Very High (Check settings) |
| Average FPS | 48 FPS | 43 FPS | 17 FPS |
Storage performance
The NVMe of our device is the 256GB Samsung MZ9L4256HCJQ-00BMV. It achieves decent speeds, especially for a 256GB 2230 unit. The temperatures during benchmarking are in check.
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Temperatures and comfort, Battery Life
Max CPU load
In this test we use 100% on the CPU cores, monitoring their frequencies and chip temperature. The first column shows a computer’s reaction to a short load (2-10 seconds), the second column simulates a serious task (between 15 and 30 seconds), and the third column is a good indicator of how good the laptop is for long loads such as video rendering.
Average core frequency
| Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 (21W TDP) | 0:02 – 0:10 sec | 0:15 – 0:30 sec | 10:00 – 15:00 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Surface Pro 11 | 3.42 GHz | 2.19 GHz | 1.94 GHz |
The X Plus X1P-64-100 CPU inside the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 can sustain a 3.42 GHz in short loads which is a high clock, especially given the tablet form factor of this device. In long stress, the frequency is tanked to 1.94 GHz which is still okay for such a gadget.
Comfort during full load
In “Better performance” mode the single fan is slightly audible but the noise isn’t intrusive at all.
During heavy stress, the shell feels warm to the touch, not hot as hell. We measured 43°C on the center of the screen. The hot spot in the top right corner reaches 48°C, and the max temperature on the back peaks at 49°C.
Battery
Now, we conduct the battery tests with screen brightness adjusted to 180 nits and all other programs turned off except for the one we are testing the notebook with. The 48Wh battery lasts for around 12 hours of video playback. A good result considering the high-res display! Оur test was conducted with the “Recommended” preset activated in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu.
Brightness: 180 nits; Display Mode: SDR
Time to Full Discharge: Higher is Better
Verdict
The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is a premium machine with great build quality, snappy performance, and long battery life. If you want to transform this thing into a full-blown 2-in-1 device, you have to buy the pricey external keyboard. If you need a stylus, this will add a few more bucks to the hefty end price.
The IPS screen (LP129WT342166 (LGD077B)) of our “laptop” has one important advantage over most OLEDs and that’s the lack of PWM usage. The panel is impressively bright since it nears 600 nits of max brightness in both SDR and HDR modes. The content creators out there should be happy because of the 99% sRGB coverage and the great average dE result of 0.9 when our “Design and Gaming” profile is applied.
Expectedly, the port selection is limited but the pair of USB4s is available even when the charger is plugged in. This machine may look like a tablet, but its performance is laptop-like. We even tried to open 10 Chrome tabs while Cinebench 2024 was running in the background. We didn’t experience any slowdowns while browsing the Web sites. Not bad, not bad. You can even easily change the SSD which is a nice bonus.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/microsoft-surface-pro-11/
Pros
- The fan isn’t too loud during max CPU loads in “Better performance” mode
- Laptop-like performance
- Solid aluminum build
- Light and thin (895 grams / 9.3 mm)
- PWM-free (LGD077B)
- 99% sRGB coverage + accurate colors with our “Design and Gaming” profile (LGD077B)
- Near 600 nit max brightness in both HDR and SDR modes (LGD077B)
- 2880 x 1920 resolution + 3:2 aspect ratio + 120Hz refresh rate (LGD077B)
- 2x USB4 ports with charging and DisplayPort capabilities
- Very long battery life (~12 hours of videos)
- 1440p IR Web camera
- The CPU can sustain a 3.42 GHz clock in short loads
- The chassis doesn’t feel hot during max stress
- Well-cooled NVMe (Samsung MZ9L4256HCJQ-00BMV)
- Up to 64GB of LPDDR5x memory
- Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4
Cons
- Some apps and games don’t work at all
- Pricey optional keyboard and stylus
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