The Pro X provides a great 2-in-1 experience and offers a speedy gigabit LTE connection. There are a few notable caveats: the software is buggy and there’s limited app compatibility. As we noted, if you must use Microsoft’s software, the Surface Pro X will get the job done, but many people would be better off with a Chromebook or the Surface Pro 7.

That said, this is a solid deal. The 256 GB models are each $200 off. If you opt for the 128 GB model, you’ll still receive a $100 discount. That makes the low end model just $899, and at the upper end, you can get 512 GB of storage with 16 GB of RAM for $1,599. You might choose to put that savings towards the Slim Pen ($145) or keyboard case (an extra $140) that Microsoft made for the Pro X.

The sale is direct from Microsoft and includes free shipping, but if you prefer to shop through Amazon, you’ll find the discounts there as well.

Buy Surface Pro X on Microsoft Store – from $899

The Snapdragon 8cx will remain the highest-end model, while the 8c sits right below it. It uses an octa-core Kryo 490 CPU and an Adreno 675 GPU, and was built on a 7nm process. Altogether, the Snapdragon 8c is up to 30 percent faster than the Snapdragon 850. It also features an X24 gigabit LTE modem, which should offer swift downloads over cellular data, and also works with the X55 5G modem to support up to 7 Gbps downloads (when networks and devices are ready).

Slide down to the entry-level rung and you’ll find the Snapdragon 7c, which uses the less-powerful octa-core Kryo 468 CPU and Adreno 618 GPU. It’s built on an 8nm process, which would be less efficient than the 8c. The 7c also uses a Snapdragon X15 LTE modem, that goes up to 800 Mbps instead of multi-gigabit rates like the 8c. Qualcomm also highlighted “multi-day battery life” as one of the draws here, that the 7c’s power efficiency will enable machines to hit that endurance mark.

As for the existing Snapdragon 850, expect that to be phased out as the 8c takes its place in the middle of the series. Qualcomm expects machines packing the Snapdragon 8c to cost around $500 to $699, which company reps said was a “market sweet spot.” The 7c, meanwhile, will power PCs that cost less than $499, targeting a market like education where battery life is a greater priority.

Like all Snapdragon chips made for PCs, these will enable features like “always on, always connected” — things like instant resume and quick wake times. They’re meant to sit in super thin, fanless machines, too.

But chipsets are only one part of the Windows on Snapdragon equation. Software compatibility, and lack thereof, is the platform’s greatest challenge. Native support for 64-bit apps on ARM is spotty, as not all developers have recompiled their programs for the platform. The Surface Pro X, which uses a made-for-Microsoft variant of the 8cx, suffered from bugs and crashes that had nothing to do with compatible apps at all. While Qualcomm is certainly making a huge effort to provide the processors for ARM-based PCs, Windows on Snapdragon cannot thrive on hardware alone. Adobe did commit to bringing its Creative Cloud suite of tools to ARM-based Windows, starting with the Fresco app, but Microsoft still has plenty of developers to convince. Perhaps with the new lower-cost chips though, the industry may finally see a reason to work on delivering a satisfactory solution to this problem.

Keyboard and trackpad

The consolation, I guess, is that at least you’re getting a superior typing case for the money. Microsoft makes the best tablet keyboard in the market, and the version for the Pro X is just as comfortable and well-spaced as some laptops. There’s plenty of travel here, and honestly if not for the slightly hollow feel to the deck, it would feel better than even those on proper ultraportables like the MacBook Air and the Galaxy Book Flex.

As for the trackpad below the keyboard, it was also responsive and smooth, though, as with most type covers, I wish the touchpad were bigger.

Performance and app compatibility

There’s a lot to love about the Surface Pro X’s hardware, but I’ve been most concerned about its performance. The 3GHz ARM-based SQ1 processor that Qualcomm made for Microsoft is promising, but Windows on Snapdragon has limited app compatibility that makes it difficult to recommend. Older Snapdragon PCs like the ASUS NovaGo or HP Envy X2 annoyed me because there is some serious systemwide lag. Since then, Microsoft has improved its software performance and released ARM64 support for faster programs. Still, I had reservations, and I was right to.

We couldn’t run the majority of our benchmark tests because, as Microsoft reps told us, “Not all traditional benchmark tests are compatible [with] ARM devices.” Oddly, even Geekbench, which we were told would be compatible, wouldn’t run. I downloaded a 64-bit version of Slack and couldn’t install it, but Telegram for Desktop worked fine.

I was surprised that, despite being unable to run pretty much any of our typical gaming and graphics benchmarks, I was actually able to play a few rounds of Overcooked on the Pro X. The game ran pretty smoothly and quickly, too. But don’t expect to play anything more demanding, like Call Of Duty.

Just as troubling as the limited app compatibility are the bugs I experienced. Barely a day after I started testing the Surface Pro X, it hung on me twice. The first time, I was trying to adjust the screen brightness and the panel stopped reacting. It refused to get brighter or dimmer, no matter if I was using keyboard shortcuts, the sidebar slider and or even display settings. I had to restart the Pro X to regain brightness control. (I’ve encountered the same screen issue two more times since.)

The other glitch happened after I put the Pro X in my tote bag to bring home. When I opened it to get some work done, I was greeted with a Blue Screen Of Death and a message saying “Windows didn’t load correctly”. I had to restart the PC.

Little problems continued to crop up. I was downloading our benchmark tests from Google Drive in Chrome, and after clicking through three folders, the tab died, saying “Aw Snap! Something went wrong while displaying this webpage.” Our video producer tried to play a YouTube video on Edge while shooting B-roll, and the page wouldn’t load. He had to restart the browser before he could pull up any clips.

These issues are troubling. They could potentially be fixed with a firmware update, but for now they’re definitely a cause for alarm. Even if the tablet never crashed, it would still be difficult to find apps that would run on it.

Speedy, reliable LTE

My favorite thing about the Pro X and most Snapdragon PCs is the gigabit LTE connections they pack. I used a T-Mobile SIM card with the Pro X and was frankly delighted by the fact that I could continue typing this review during a 45-minute train ride out to Long Island. It wasn’t just Google Docs that I needed — the internet connection meant I could look up the specs for competing devices, update our benchmark database and watch Microsoft’s promo trailers and our hands-on videos as I collected research. With the speedy transfers the Snapdragon X24 modem provided, all these pages and videos loaded quickly and I could get a lot of work done.

Battery life

	Battery life
Surface Pro X	11:45
Surface Pro 7	7:50
Surface Pro 6	15:34
iPad Pro 12.9 (2018)	11:30
Galaxy Tab S6	15:08

Microsoft promises up to 13 hours of normal use on the Pro X and that estimate is pretty accurate. On our battery test, the Pro X lasted close to 12 hours, which is longer than the (Intel-powered) HP Envy X2’s 10.5 hours and a lot more than the Surface Pro 7’s 8 hours. The iPad Pro 12.9 clocked a slightly shorter 11.5 hours.

Wrap-up

I’m torn about the Surface Pro X. It’s a beautiful piece of hardware that shows Microsoft has excellent engineering chops. When the Surface Pro X works, it’s a fantastic experience. The wonderful keyboard, combined with the speedy LTE connection on the go and spacious screen, make it a delight to bang out some documents from wherever. But crashes and compatibility remain major concerns.

Microsoft says for the Pro X is designed for mobile workers who spend most of their days using a web browser or basic productivity apps.

Fair enough, but asking people to pay $1,140 (including the keyboard case) for something that might not run all the apps they need is outrageous. Especially since Chromebooks are just as good at handling browser-based applications and generally cost $500 or less. If you’re in the sliver of the population that needs access to a small handful of Windows apps, then maybe the Pro X is sufficient. But bear in mind you’ll be paying a hefty premium for Windows, an LTE connection and gorgeous hardware.

Samsung kept things pretty minimal with the Galaxy Book S. There’s only a single USB-C port on the right edge, while another USB-C slot and a headphone jack are all you’ll find on the left. Tucked under this pair of ports is a SIM card slot that also has a spot for a microSD card.

This is also the first system we’ve seen actually using the made-for-PC Snapdragon 8cx chipset that Qualcomm announced in December. Lenovo announced a 5G laptop in May that also uses the same CPU, but that felt more like a prototype than a fully ready product. The Snapdragon 8cx promises performance and battery boosts that is meant to rival an Intel U-series option on speed. As for runtime, Samsung estimates the Galaxy Book S will last 23 hours on a charge, though it didn’t clarify what sort of use that would be. That seems in line with other Snapdragon PCs that, in my experience, lasted about the 20 or so hours that their makers promised.

That battery estimate seems reasonable in part because the Book S’ 13-inch screen runs at just full HD. It was smooth enough in my testing, and I was able to pinch and zoom or scroll through a website easily. The trackpad was similarly responsive, though I wish the keyboard had more travel. I’m not going to complain too much though, it’s hard to squeeze in more depth on a laptop this thin.

This story is developing, please refresh for updates.