Tested: Microsoft Surface Studio Review 

Anyone here use the Microsoft Surface? What do you think?

The Verge might have the flashy camerawork and all that working for them when they do reviews, but Tested has so much info and such great, in-depth reviews PLUS great audio/visuals. Awesome job guys. :)

The fact that you actually got professional artists that are used to similar systems makes your review far better than the others I've seen. This is a specialized device so it was refreshing to see a fully-featured review that is actually relevant to the device's capabilities. Great work Tested!!

Apple would have this in 2025 on their new screens but the dial would cost an extra $456

all i cared about: how a video game concept art Professional working in the industry feels about this product. *thank you so much for actually bringing in the real pros that matter in the industry in for a review*

Norm if you are the genius behind this sudden increase in quality from tested I salute you. Getting real artists in, and explaining how this device feels really makes this video stand out.

I would like to correct a misrepresentation of the surface pen made during this review. The reviewer notes "the pen registers marks before the pen tip touches the screen". I am a heavy pin user on my Surface 4, and Surface Book and that behavior is just a bug that crops up every once in a great while, and it is easily fixed by just removing the battery power from the pen i.e. turning and pulling out the eraser pen assembly a little so that the battery contacts' disengage, and then reengage the battery contacts by reversing the previous step, and if that does not fix the problem then reboot the Surface. I noticed this problem when I demoed the Surface 4 and Surface Book at the Microsoft Store last year before it shipped. I thought it was a show stopper for me, but my quick thinking of resetting the battery power on the pen solved the problem during the demo! And like I said, it has only happen once or twice since then, and it is easily fixed as noted above. I have extensively demoed the Surface Studio at the Microsoft Store using the pen, etc., and definitely it will be my next computer purchase.

Imagine if these were sold as screens, as well as all in ones. You can hook one, perhaps two, or even more, to your pc and have an amazing experience!

Getting this for solitaire

They really need to sell the screen separately so I can connect it to my existing rig.

they should collab with Wacom, because then it will be perfection

in my opinion, microsoft should release this thing in a monitor only variant. I'd love to use this gorgous thing but I want to use my usual desktop pc with it. the non-upgradability of this thing is just a nono to me

Now this is a review...Thanks for taking the time to share your findings..

The reason the ports are in the back is because when the screen is all the way down you can't access them...

Good review, particularly the segment with the artists.

"Stupid thin, stupid big, crazy gorgeous." .. def legit, k sold.

Taking the professionalism and production value to a new level here. Very very well written and produced review.

the thing that the pen draw before touching the screen is a bug. just remove the battery from it once and it will work fine.

Norm, I was brought to Tested page some years ago when searching for Sony A6000 reviews and subscribed that very day. However, I did write a rather harsh comment complaining (not flaming) about your articulation not being up to broadcast standards. Well, let me set the record straight: Bravo! I mean freaking, "B-R-A-V-O!" he says in his best Trinity College Upper Class Twit Accent. Bravo my boy; I'm very proud how you've developed as a broadcast journalist. On a final note, don't be afraid to up your compression during your This is Only a Test segments. You've developed a marvelous mellifluous voice which might benefit from some more compression. Cheers from a real fan.

Getting this for my home music studio :D

Thank you guys so much for getting actual artists to use the product. I've read a dozen reviews for this product by non-artists who don't seem to understand what the product is supposed to do, who it's for, or what it's competing against.

I agree that they should make a separate display version. we need more mainstream cintiq competitors to break the monopoly on digitizer displays. there are always the Chinese ones like huion and such, but the software support isn't very reliable.

Excellent review! I always appreciate when artists are brought in to give their opinion on something, rather than tech reviewers just saying "welp I'm not an artist, moving on."

It really annoys me how little RAM they include at the lower price point, and how expensive it is just to get more RAM in the thing. Photoshop is a RAM guzzler and in a computer designed for Photoshop and other Adobe products having an 8GB model at all is a complete waste.

LOVE that you brought in professional artists to give their input - the amount of tech writers scribbling over pre-drawn artwork on reviews for the Surface Studio and Apple Pencil is nauseating.

A little bit of misinformation here. There is indeed a button on the side of the pen that functions as a right click. It's the grey strip on the side of the pen. It doesn't look much like a button though which is probably why they didn't notice it.

THANK YOU for inviting artists to test this and providing an objective insight on the pen capability

I need this....

Tested is now on-time when it comes to reviews. Good job!

I would definitely buy the screen if it was sold as just a screen. I don't need the computer bit, I already have a desktop.

This guy is a great reviewer, like seeing him check if the hinges move when doing simple pushes was really helpful to see. Thanks!

BEST COMPUTER REVIEW. U earned a subscription.🙌💯✌

It's been a while since I've seen a Tested video (probably over a year) and I just wanted to point out that Norman has come a long way in his stage persona and how he handles himself on camera. Great job Norman.

Wow, another channel I watch just put out this video at nearly the exact same time (10-20 second difference)

this is one of the best reviews i've seen in forever. bringing in people, showing them using the product, narrating their usage, the alignment of both narration with cutaways to them, its great. -- my biggest reservation is that this is a windows machine not macintosh. maybe this could be turned into a Hackintosh...

RIP Apple

As an artist with a surfacebook. It is SO frustrating coming from wacom 1. no hover-right click, dealbreaker for most 3D apps like zbrush, 3ds max (software) 2. the button is hella hard to press! pair with problem #1 and you get tendinitis (pen design) 3. only one button, Wacoms 2 button index/thumb rocker is SUPERIOR (pen design) 4. zig-zag wiggles when drawing diagonals slowly. Makes drawing circles look bad. (surface hardware) Otherthen these things I love my surfacebook it could have been the best ever. But these 4 dumb flaws make drawing frustrating, I have owned my surface book for 6 months

Unfortunately, that pen dropping lines without still touching the screen actually is a huge dealbreaker. I'm sticking to my cintiq for now, i was hoping they would finally step up their game with the pen, since all of the other hardware is there, pretty big oversight imo.

I like how you bring in real professional digital artists, they see things that regular users would not notice, and they are the target for this machine. I wish more reviewers would provide this level of insight and humility (instead of the reviewer assuming they know how to test everything in-depth).

Awesome that you asked real artists.

THANK YOU for having professional artists test this! That makes this review actually valuable unlike some others.

Reminds me of the Sunflower iMac from 2002.

Wow great job actually getting artists to test it out for the review. Really appreciated.

For all the bonus points, you guys should zip all the new Surface Studio wallpapers and upload them :P

By far the best review of the Surface Studio I've seen. Norm, you covered exactly the things I was still wondering about after watching other reviews. Getting skilled digital artists in to test showed drawbacks other reviews only alluded to. I really want one of these, but I think I'll wait for version two in a year or so.

I'm disappointed to hear about the shortcomings of the pen. This would have been a digital artist's dream machine, but alas, Microsoft needs to up their game if they want to take on Wacom. The pen itself also needs to be more ergonomic for use over long periods.

At first, I thought that those 12:44 minutes was too long for what I was expecting to hear... but I found out that this is one of the best unbiased reviews I have watched so far. I wish that all those hardcore Apple fans would do their reviews the same way. Thank you.

Mom, I want this.

Saw one today at Microsoft Store and was stunned at how gorgeous it is. Thanks for the excellent review!

Looks beautiful. This seems like an amazing product for anyone who needs digitizer/touch ability. Buying it seems like a no-brainer when you see artists drawing in photoshop. However, when you switch over to playing games or using Premier, the touch ability kinda seems useless. I suppose the value of this computer comes down to the specific needs of the user. Good review.

Hey Norm, this was a really well produced review!

For about a year I thought that Apple were the best of the best and i saw microsoft laptops an PCs and just thought that it was terrible against Apple. But Apple aren't getting better or worst ( why the hell do we need a 'touch bar' $2500 just for a slimmer and a touch bar! its the same as the last one!) but Microsoft is now on top with the new surface range and VR! so I now prefer to get a Surface Book than a Macbook or a Surface Studio than an IMac or even a Surface Pro 4 than an IPad.

Apple user since I started using computers as a Graphic designer. Always used a Wacom then got a Cintiq 13' - then 22'. Great Tablets but ended up going back to my Intuos and not Intuos Pro 3 is touch - wireless so could draw anywhere TV (couch) Then iPhone release everybody had one. No need for iPhone. Then Started using Microsoft and a simple spec PC after my Apple PowerMac G5 stopped letting me upgrade the Browser even Software and it was working perfectly. seeing all software I use looks the same in both systems, the cost in a high end PC vs Mac was so different. Microsoft released the surface and brought the Pro 2 and was in love with it my function and the way Microsoft had made its front end feel more fun to work with. Being touch and Pen friendly made it a dream. With the upgrades of the Surface Pro 3 - 4 simply amazing and I try to explain this is all you need if you want a tablet - its a tablet. KEY is that having a full PC is the hardest part to explain, so just happy using and talking with other users who have only great things to say. Seeing the Surface studio has got me planning my next upgrade. And I normally don't change my mind when I seen the best. Everytime I see a user with an iBook at a cafe I keep thinking if only they knew what life would be like using a better tool?

the single button on the surface pen is pretty much a deal breaker for any 3D artist used to having a middle click and right click for navigation

This is one of the best reviews for this product on RU-vid. Thanks for sharing.

Sell the screen separately. Then no one has to own the shitty box with old processors slow USB ports.

This is a fantastically thorough and practical review, so much good information to take it. I would've loved to see a little more text on the screen whenever there's a lot of numbers or specs being thrown out just to help the information stick but other than that, no fancy camera work from The Verge's reviews can come close to how great this review is. Keep it up!

There is a right click button on the pen if you look at the strip where the magnate is there is a little button right there that is a right click

Excellent review. I love how you guys got professionals who use this kind of thing daily to come in and provide feedback

If MS was smart (and they have been lately) they could solve the pen problems quickly. Just admit it and fix it, that is the least they could do for a product that could be a classic.

Microsoft has to solve many problems with the pen,.,it's not there yet, like Wacom and apple pencil.

Claiming that it's game changing for people that make money from their art when the professional artist says the pens problems make it a deal breaker .... ?

Really like the way this review was done. Norm's been doing great. I realize there's a lot of behind the scenes folks and whatnot but I've been following Tested for years and years and I think it's really come into its own in the last year or so with Norm at the helm. Not sure how he ever has time to sleep.

A fair and balance review. Thanks.

Great and honest review, not just talking about the amazing design but providing true useful indepth experience.

Oh Microsoft, do release this as a display/digitizer only.

thank you so much for having art professionals test it and give their opinion!!

I can't believe Microsoft has not address the common issues with the Surface Pen that people are complaining about for their Surface tablets. Wasted opportunity.

This review is the benchmark for how product reviews should be done. 5 stars.

I hope they end up selling the screen separately, would be a giant competitor to Wacom, and utterly destroys the iMac.

You have been doing an angel,s job to share news related to the latest technology for artists.

I notice a lot of people demonstrating this machine are standing up. hunched over it. That's a problem in the workplace.

Best computer review I've seen in a while ! Excellent job, Norm.

Hope the next gen Surface Pen provides a right click button

It's nice to hear an actual artists opinion. Cool.

Omfg I never thought I would say this but it's worth its price.

Awesome review, much higher standard than previous Tested reviews... I almost feel like I want to review this review. Nice easy to follow structure, dynamic camera angles and editing to keep me interested, and bringing in artists to offer opinions on a product for artists is a brilliant idea. Hope to see more content like this from Tested in the future.

Where can I download that wallpaper

Did i just saw the Italian Spiderman on 04:08?? ....I have no words for this awesomeness!

i enjoyed the professionals reactions

That was an excellent review, very in depth on the pros and cons of the machine. One of the best reviews of this machine I've seen so far. Great job Tested!

6:07 is that Hamilton artwork...?

Finally a proper review for artists that are used to work on similar surfaces! thank you

The blue screen of death must look beautiful on that thing! lol!

As a Graphic Designer & Artist using Windows 10, I would jump all over this if Microsoft would offer the screen alone. The necessity of having a very powerful desktop PC far outweighs the All-In-One aspect of the Surface Studio for me. Never the less I was very impressed when I tested out the Surface Studio!

Great review. I need to try this myself but already sold when Microsoft announced this! (Yep I'm a Mac user for 20 years)

I think if someone were to invent a practical way for touch screens to self-clean, they'd probably make a lot of money. :)

by far the best review i have seen on this channel to date, kudos guys !

Microsoft would make so much money if they start offering just a monitor

This is by far the best review of the Studio I've seen. Informative, balanced and, hey, you even employed artist to test it too! Well done, Norm. Wish I could afford it though!!

What a gorgeous PC but it's way too expensive.

Pretty great first iteration. I like that screen.

Why is everyone asking why doesn't this have kaby lake, why doesn't that have kaby lake? Do you guys not know that intel has only 6 kaby lake parts out currently, 3 15W and 3 4.5W parts and none have iris graphics nor are quad core. Blame intel not the manufacturers.

Some things I would like to know - Is the glare bad? - Does the screen leave lots of smudges/the usual skin irritations that come from working on glass-like screens with a pen? - How is pen detection near the edge? - Is/will there be Wacom compatible pens for this? The registering-before-the-pen-tip-hits problem is a huge embarassment for a $3,000 device. - Can touch be completely disabled? - What kind of tip does the pen have? I'm guessing it's similar to Wacom's rubber tipped nib? Thank you for the great review! Even the Cintiq line has huge flaws, I guess we'll be waiting a bit longer before on-screen digitizer technology becomes... adequate. A real shame considering the price point of those devices.

Microsoft has really pulled up their socks this year.

This is what any review should aspire to be like. Absolutely sublime. Completely unbiased, while still throwing in your own opinions. Realising who the product was intended for, and brought in people from that group to properly test it, and then share their thoughts in a neutral way. Great work.

game changer..

BANG there you go, bring in an artist to test the pen. THATS what a lot of these "reviewers" should have done instead of a big "hello" to show the pen works.. WELL DONE, i have subscribed your channel

Can you use the Surface Dial as a paddle controller for playing emulated old arcade games?

HEy Norm, first tested video I have watched where it's just you and hardware. i see why Adam would partner with you ! I think you need to do more solo work! great review ,thx.