Microsoft Announces the Surface Studio - A 28-Inch AIO With Skylake and GTX 980M

[Raevenlord]

At the 2016 annual Microsoft Surface Event, Microsoft's corporate vice president for Surface Computing Panos Panay announced a new addition to the company's Surface lineup: a 28-inch All-in-One, with a 3:2 aspect ratio monitor Microsoft calls a "Pixel Sense Display", packing a 4500x3000 resolution (with around 62% more pixels than 4K resolution, combining to provide about 192 pixels per inch), as well as 10-point touch and Microsoft Pen support.

All of that screen real-estate comes in at just 12.5mm thick - the AIO's innards are actually on the monitor's base, with an hinge that promises to allow the display to be moved seamlessly and in a wide variety of angles, as well as allowing it to take on extra weight in studio mode. All of this is powered by an Intel Skylake processor (configurable as an i5 or i7 model), your choice of an NVIDIA GTX 965 M 2GB or an NVIDIA GTX 980 M 4 GB model, 8 through 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 1 TB or 2TB storage - with all configurable options also including in their base specs what Microsoft calls a "Rapid Hybrid Drive", which at the moment, remains unclear as to its nature of either a SATA or PCIe SSD, or even an SSHD.





The product is positioned more towards content creators than consumers, though it can certainly service both of those demographics. For those looking to take a more professional use out of their Surface Studio, Microsoft is advertising the display as supporting both DCI-P3 and sRGB with a simple toggle on the Windows sidebar to switch between the two. Microsoft is also launching what it calls a Microsoft Dial, which when in contact with the Surface Studio's screen, allows users to move along a timeline by simply rotating the dial, or pressing it so as to get a contextual menu related to the app they're currently using.

Pricing for this piece of tech, which looks more like a statement of style rather than technical achievement (with the hardware parts, with exception of the Pixel Sense Screen, being a generation old), is sure to prove eye-watering to any normal consumer: the base model (with a Skylake i5, GTX 965 M, 8 GB DDR4 and 1 TB storage) comes in at $2999, with the top model (packing a Skylake i7, a GTX 980 M, 32 GB of DDR4 RAM and 2 TB storage) upping the ante towards $4199.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Frick]

1. Good price for what it is, seriously, that screen, that aspect ratio
2. Maxwell because because mobile Pascal is very new
3. The Dial looks really, really cool

Someone on Ars Technica mentioned that it's a PCIe SSD, but that would be insane for that price so I think a hybrid of sorts. That screen, that touch technology and 1TB PCIe SSD for $2999?

I really look forward to the Apple event tomorrow, to see if they come up with anything remotely as cool as this.

 

[Jermelescu]

This event got me so hyped I almost cried of joy how far we've come.
If Apple will have a portfolio half as good as Microsoft's one they should consider themselves lucky. I can't imagine this (today) being topped. I just can't.

 

[bogami]

And all this graphical complexity supports outdated GTX980M ! 28 nm ! chip which is therefore much more consumption of energy and more warming as GTX1060M (I would rather see GTX170M) which would be more convenient and cheaper. For everyone, the question arises why this combination. Is in Microsoft so much bureaucracy that development suffers year delay , or rely on this , that customers anyway they do not know what they are buying ,and will be stranded on the resolution point of sensitivity that is not visible on low resolution on the monitor ...

 

[$ReaPeR$]

i like it! the price is a bit high for my taste but.. for imac users this is a great option.

 

[thesmokingman]

That gpu is way undersized.

 

[Yukikaze]

Can I have just the monitor? Pretty-please?

 

[dwade]

Should've used the GTX 1080m. Day one flop.

 

[jabbadap]

oh come on guys it's not meant to be playing machine, for intended usage it really should have quadro graphics though(M5500 or M5000).

 

[arterius2]

holy moly, gtx965m pushing a 4500x3000.

 

[efikkan]

So it brings the "best" of all worlds:
- The price of a Mac (in fact, way more overpriced)
- The in-mobility of a desktop
- The lousy performance and thermals of a laptop

What a deal! Get it now before they run out of outdated hardware.

The only good thing about this is the screen aspect ratio.

 

[praze]

And all this graphical complexity supports outdated GTX980M ! 28 nm ! chip which is therefore much more consumption of energy and more warming as GTX1060M (I would rather see GTX170M) which would be more convenient and cheaper. For everyone, the question arises why this combination. Is in Microsoft so much bureaucracy that development suffers year delay , or rely on this , that customers anyway they do not know what they are buying ,and will be stranded on the resolution point of sensitivity that is not visible on low resolution on the monitor ...

I almost had this same reaction, but as a creative professional this makes it more compatible with many of the software suites out there. For whatever reason, the 10-series cards all launched several months before CUDA 8 was released (which was just under a month ago). I got a GTX 1080 for my workstation and had to put the "old" 980 Ti back in till everyone gets caught up.

But who knows, maybe it's some lame business/profit driven reason :\

I half expected to see integrated graphics or a 950M with that design, so I'm actually kind-of impressed with the (configurable) specs.

 

[Camm]

I'm torn on this.

As a product aimed at design industries, this thing is amazing. I would go to the point that Microsoft keeps out-appling Apple, first with the laptop lines, and now with this.

But hardware being a full gen behind (same applies to the new book) puts a downer on things (even if there might be other issues like praze mentions). Whilst it doesn't matter for the wider market, it makes me pause to put down the amount of cash they are after.

 

[arterius2]

I half expected to see integrated graphics or a 950M with that design, so I'm actually kind-of impressed with the (configurable) specs.

Well, if it were an iMac, it would have an integrated "Intel HD" inside and be marketed as a graphic powerhouse.

 

[Frick]

So it brings the "best" of all worlds:
- The price of a Mac (in fact, way more overpriced)
- The in-mobility of a desktop
- The lousy performance and thermals of a laptop

What a deal! Get it now before they run out of outdated hardware.

The only good thing about this is the screen aspect ratio.

All that, plus it's a top notch drawing board. This is not a standard AIO, it is something you can lean backwards and draw on. It is a tool. Here's what a dude from the vastly overrated Penny Arcade says (admitted Surface fanboy though, link below):

"Tycho asked me to compare it to my Cintiq, and I told him that drawing on the Cintiq now felt like drawing on a piece of dirty plexiglass hovering over a CRT monitor from 1997. "

A similar monitor (the 5120x2880 Dell 2715k) alone is €1000). Add the touch and ... nothing even competes with this. There are drawing boards of similar size, but they alone cost close to what this does.

And BTW, my desktop definitelt weighs more than 9.5kg.

I almost had this same reaction, but as a creative professional this makes it more compatible with many of the software suites out there. For whatever reason, the 10-series cards all launched several months before CUDA 8 was released (which was just under a month ago). I got a GTX 1080 for my workstation and had to put the "old" 980 Ti back in till everyone gets caught up.

But who knows, maybe it's some lame business/profit driven reason :\

I half expected to see integrated graphics or a 950M with that design, so I'm actually kind-of impressed with the (configurable) specs.

Ad I said, Pascal is a very new chip and this has been in the works for some time.

 

[Chaitanya]

holy moly, gtx965m pushing a 4500x3000.

This is meant to be used for content creation and for that 965M is plenty. Apple's choice of gpu in iMacs is even worse than Ms offerings here. although like someone else pointed out a Quadro would have been more suited for job.

 

[Ithanul]

....o mother of....really, this computer is not aimed at GAMING. It don't need a crazy powerful GPU.

This competes nicely against Wacom and Apple. More competition in that part of the market the better.

Plus, most art programs don't really require high end "Gaming" GPUs to do work.

All that, plus it's a top notch drawing board. This is not a standard AIO, it is something you can lean backwards and draw on. It is a tool. Here's what a dude from the vastly overrated Penny Arcade says (admitted Surface fanboy though, link below):

"Tycho asked me to compare it to my Cintiq, and I told him that drawing on the Cintiq now felt like drawing on a piece of dirty plexiglass hovering over a CRT monitor from 1997. "

A similar monitor (the 5120x2880 Dell 2715k) alone is €1000). Add the touch and ... nothing even competes with this. There are drawing boards of similar size, but they alone cost close to what this does.

DAMN! It blows the Cintiq out!? Ok, I might finally replace my Cintiq with this bad boy. Plus, be easier to setup too instead of my monster 30+ pound Cintiq.

 

[arterius2]

This is meant to be used for content creation and for that 965M is plenty. Apple's choice of gpu in iMacs is even worse than Ms offerings here. although like someone else pointed out a Quadro would have been more suited for job.

no, but with me being me, I'm probably gonna pair this up with a Razer core or something and do some serious gaming on it. *Rock out*

 

[Prima.Vera]

I'm surprised to find that a lot of people love the shitty 3:2 format. I mean, really?? Oh yeah, this format is awesome if all that you're doing is programing, browse Internet, listen to music and watch old photos, other than that I see zero reason to pick up a format like that for any other tasks. Even the 16:10 format is not good enough for me. Personally, I cannot imagine working again without my 21:9 monitor, specially for work related tasks, like putting multiple windows/apps aside, perfect gaming FOV, no more black bars for movies, etc.
I mean specially for that price....

 

[arterius2]

....o mother of....really, this computer is not aimed at GAMING. It don't need a crazy powerful GPU.

This competes nicely against Wacom and Apple. More competition in that part of the market the better.

Plus, most art programs don't really require high end "Gaming" GPUs to do work.



DAMN! It blows the Cintiq out!? Ok, I might finally replace my Cintiq with this bad boy. Plus, be easier to setup too instead of my monster 30+ pound Cintiq.

Dude we get that. People have been content creating on integreated GPUs for ages. But it won't stop people like me wanting to toss out my desktop for it and try to game on it. Since it's absolutely gorgeous as .....

 

[Frick]

no, but with me being me, I'm probably gonna pair this up with a Razer core or something and do some serious gaming on it. *Rock out*

No Thunderbolt.

I'm surprised to find that a lot of people love the shitty 3:2 format. I mean, really?? Oh yeah, this format is awesome if all that you're doing is programing, browse Internet, listen to music and watch old photos, other than that I see zero reason to pick up a format like that for any other tasks. Even the 16:10 format is not good enough for me. Personally, I cannot imagine working again without my 21:9 monitor, specially for work related tasks, like putting multiple windows/apps aside, perfect gaming FOV, no more black bars for movies, etc.
I mean specially for that price....

It's for drawing.

 

[arterius2]

I'm surprised to find that a lot of people love the shitty 3:2 format. I mean, really?? Oh yeah, this format is awesome if all that you're doing is programing, browse Internet, listen to music and watch old photos, other than that I see zero reason to pick up a format like that for any other tasks. Even the 16:10 format is not good enough for me. Personally, I cannot imagine working again without my 21:9 monitor, specially for work related tasks, like putting multiple windows/apps aside, perfect gaming FOV, no more black bars for movies, etc.
I mean specially for that price....

I guess that's Microsoft trying to appeal to the hardcore content creation crowd. I rarely take work home though so I'm fairly happy with 16:10. That said, we still have a lot of 3:2 monitors at our studios.

 

[Ithanul]

Dude we get that. People have been content creating on integreated GPUs for ages. But it won't stop people like me wanting to toss out my desktop for it and try to game on it. Since it's absolutely gorgeous as .....

Well if you want a monitor like that then shell out the money for the monitors in that range of specs.
Of course none of them are cheap. Most monitors in the range are geared to professional work and content creation.

27HD Cintiq runs for $2,799.

Or this lovely lot. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2402114,00.asp
Of course none of those allow drawing right on the screen. Not many have that tech. Wacom for the longest was king of that hill. At least Microsoft and Apple are competing with them.

Hmmm, Cintiq releasing the MobileStudio 16 next month. Seems these next few months going to be interesting around these types of screens.

 

[Prima.Vera]

It's for drawing.

Interesting. It must have a very very low touch lag in order to be used by professionals then. Means the stylus work on it then?

 

[Ithanul]

Interesting. It must have a very very low touch lag in order to be used by professionals then. Means the stylus work on it then?

Yep, by seeing this video.

....holy moly, I want that dial.

Holy FLIP! Just learn the dial going to be allowed to work with all Windows machines.