Surface Pro 11 review: 42% off the Snapdragon experiment that might actually work

Right, let's talk about the elephant in the room: Microsoft ditched Intel for Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite, and somehow the internet hasn't burned down. The reviews are full of words like 'ridiculously fast' and 'seamless multitasking', which usually means nothing. But here's the thing: buyers consistently report that apps open faster than they used to, and the system actually feels snappier. That's not marketing speak. That's people noticing a genuine improvement.

The battery life is what you'd expect from an ARM chip on a power diet. Microsoft claims 14 hours, and while real-world usage depends on what you're actually doing (streaming video all day is different from word processing), the fact that multiple buyers are talking about working through a full day plus evening streaming without hunting for a charger suggests Microsoft's numbers aren't pure fiction for once. That's the kind of thing that usually gets exaggerated.

The catch? This is still a tablet playing dress-up as a productivity machine. You're getting a 13-inch OLED touchscreen, which is stunning, but without the keyboard and charger in the box (they're 'sold separately' for sustainability reasons, apparently), you're missing the whole point of the 2-in-1 concept until you fork out more cash.

The Snapdragon X Elite is a 12-core processor that Microsoft claims is faster than the iPad Pro M3. Spec sheet says one thing, reality says another, but in this case reality seems to be keeping up. You've got 16GB of RAM (soldered in, so this is your lot forever), 256GB of SSD storage, and a 13-inch OLED display at 2880 x 1920 pixels. The screen is genuinely the star here. OLED on a 2-in-1 is rare enough that buyers keep mentioning it specifically.

There are two USB-C ports, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth, a 12MP front camera and 10MP rear camera with 'AI-enhanced' features (the buzzword of the year, apparently), and Windows 11 Home. The 0.9kg weight is legitimately light for a 13-inch device. The problem? No charger in the box means you need at least a 39W USB-C power supply, and buyers report that older Surface chargers work but charge slowly. The device is sustainably designed with recycled aluminium, which is fine, but 'sustainability' is marketing speak for 'we saved money by not including the charger'.

Buy this if you're a creative professional or remote worker who values portability, wants a genuine all-day battery, and doesn't mind buying a keyboard and charger separately. The 42% discount brings a £1,629 device down to £949, which is actually reasonable for what you're getting. Buyers who've upgraded from older Surface models report it feels like a meaningful jump. If you already have a compatible USB-C charger, the gap gets smaller. Skip it if you need upgradeable RAM (the soldering is permanent), expect a complete box, or want a traditional laptop. Also skip it if you're put off by the idea of Windows on ARM (though it's working better than it has any right to). The device is fast, the screen is beautiful, and the battery actually delivers. Just don't expect Microsoft to include everything you need to use it.