10 Impressive Features in Microsoft’s Surface Studio Desktop PC

Microsoft’s Surface Studio all-in-one desktop PC boasts an outstanding design and Windows Pro. Here’s why else it is arguably one of the company’s best computers.

The Surface Studio will ship with a 28-inch display, making it one of the larger all-in-one PCs on the market. The screen features a resolution of 4,500 by 3,000 and boasts 192 pixels per inch. It also doubles as a touch screen that can simultaneously recognize up to 10 points of interaction. Overall, the Surface Studio’s screen looks like a beauty.

In addition to touch support, the Surface Studio’s display is compatible with Microsoft’s Surface Pen. With the pen, users can draw on the screen, sign contracts, work inside design applications and more. The Surface Studio also has a “Zero Gravity” hinge that puts its screen nearly flat on the desk to make it easier to digitally write.

Microsoft is offering outstanding power options to Surface Studio customers. The company says that the computer will ship with sixth-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors. Customers can also get up to 32GB of RAM and a 2TB Rapid Hybrid storage drive. On the graphics front, customers can choose from the Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M or the GTX 980M, two GPUs that should be able to handle most design tasks.

Since the Surface Studio is designed for corporate users and sophisticated consumers, it’s perhaps no surprise that Microsoft has included Windows 10 Pro in the device. Microsoft is also offering several other important Windows features, including Windows Hello, a security feature that lets users sign in after their face has been scanned by the computer’s front-facing camera.

The Surface Studio will need some accessories to deliver the best experience, so Microsoft has bundled several ports in the device. The computer comes with four USB 3.0 ports, as well as an SD card reader. For those who want more displays, the Surface Studio has a Mini DisplayPort. And just in case its built-in wireless connectivity doesn’t do the trick, the Surface Studio has a Gigabit Ethernet port.

The Surface Studio comes with a 30-day trial for Microsoft Office, a productivity studio that Microsoft says is even better on its new all-in-one PC. According to Microsoft, Office is optimized to work with the Surface Studio and, more specifically, with the Surface Pen. In fact, Surface Studio users can employ Surface Pen to write in documents and spreadsheets.

The security features built into the Surface Studio should prove appealing to enterprise users. First up, the computer has a built-in Trusted Platform Module to deliver encryption across the platform. Microsoft was also quick to note that its support for Windows 10 Pro means additional security features users will not find in the Home version. Add that to the aforementioned facial-recognition support via Windows Hello, and the Surface Studio should be able to fend off many potential threats.

Arguably one of the Surface Studio’s most interesting features is its design. Unlike so many other all-in-one PCs that have bulky computer parts living behind the display, the Surface Studio tucks most of them away in a square box below the display that houses the Zero Gravity hinge. On the back of that box, users will find ports and the power cord, and thanks to the hinge, the screen should be able to move freely from prone to standing-up positions with ease. The Surface Studio is one of the more versatile computers the market has seen.

The Surface Studio comes with some impressive and stylish accessories. For instance, customers can buy the Surface Dial, a device that can sit on the screen and, when rotated, give users quick access to menu items and contextual information on what they’re doing. Since the Surface Studio is an all-in-one PC, it’s going to need a keyboard and mouse, and Microsoft is selling a specially designed Surface Ergonomic Keyboard. There’s also a Surface Mouse for clicking around the operating system.

Microsoft said preorders start on Oct. 26, although the computer won’t actually start shipping until December. Meanwhile, customers should be ready to shell out some cash. The Surface Studio starts at $2,999, and prices will go up based on the customizations customers want.