With the debut of the first Surface Studio in 2016, Microsoft established its vision for the future of the desktop: Boosting productivity is as much about thoughtful design as it is about computational brawn. This ­next-gen Studio has gutsier internals—faster processor, VR-ready GPU, and a solid-state drive with up to 2 terabytes of storage—but the design is what makes it an elegant workhorse for pros. The 28-inch display has a ­taller-than-most 3 : 2 aspect ratio, giving you more vertical real estate for drafting your latest manifesto. For visual projects, the clever steel hinge lets you push the screen almost flat against your desk. From there, you can doodle on the giant touchscreen with the Surface Pen (included) or twist the Surface Dial, an optional wireless knob ($100) that provides an easy way to select brushes or scrub through video. And with the Studio’s 13.5 million pixels, you’ll see every detail sharply, precisely.

$3,499 and up

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