If you're​ in touch with the tech world at all, you're probably familiar with Microsoft's major pitch for its Surface line since its 2012 launch: they're like laptops, only better! In the last 5 years no single tablet or hybrid has killed the laptop market, and offerings from super cheap Chromebooks to high-end MacBooks have had Microsoft playing third fiddle all the while.

Does the new Surface Laptop take the lessons Microsoft's learned from their better-than-a-laptop line to make, well, a better laptop? Here are some early hands-on impressions:

It Looks And Feels Really Nice — Maybe Nicer Than Its Competitors

The first thing I noticed about the Surface Laptop is that you can open it with a single hand. That might not sound impressive, but it's one of the most irritating experiences you'll notice across a range of laptops these days. You try to open a device to work and it jumps around on the table. The Surface Laptop just stays still, as if it's bolted to the desk.

[The Verge]





It comes in four surprisingly rad colors: cobalt blue, platinum, burgundy, and graphite gold. The particularly obsessive can buy a mouse to match. It's a lot of things, but mostly it's a laptop, because as Microsoft devices chief Panos Panay told the crowd, a laptop is still what people want.



[Wired]





The overall design is sharp and polished; it feels much more like a MacBook than any other Windows laptop I've used. The burgundy option, which I used during my hands-on period, has a richer color than the rose gold laptops offered by Apple and Dell.



[Time]





That Cloth-Covered Keyboard Makes A Good Impression

Plus, the additional height afforded by this traditional laptop design allowed Microsoft to equip the keyboard with 1.5mm of travel, and the difference in typing between that and the Surface Pro 4 is night and day.

[Engadget]





In our brief hands-on time with the system, the fabric coating gave it a warm, almost analog feel, although I'd be concerned about long-term wear and keeping it clean.

[CNET]





The Screen And Speakers Won't Let You Down

Unlike most notebooks, this laptop features a 3 x 2 aspect ratio, giving it a taller, larger-feeling screen. It doesn't sound like a major change, but it's much more captivating than my MacBook Air's 4 x 3 screen. The Surface Laptop's 13.5-inch 2,256 x 1,504 resolution display made photos and text on web pages look crisp, bold, and colorful.



[Time]





The 3:2-aspect-ratio display is a touchscreen with the thinnest touch module used on a laptop, and Microsoft's Surface Pen is supported, but the screen here does not fold back 360 degrees or detach from the keyboard, as many pen-enabled PCs do.



[CNET]





Microsoft devised a speaker system beneath the keyboard that radiates sound through the spaces between the keys and the keyboard deck. The result isn't much better audio than you'd find in a MacBook Air, perhaps a bit fuller, but at least it's consistently in an uninterrupted position. Naturally, the audio gets a bit muffled when typing, but since the sound radiates throughout the laptop base, there isn't a major loss in audio detail.

[TechRadar]





'Windows 10 S' Is Limited, But Isn't A Disaster Like 'RT' Was

In my brief hands on time, it felt like typical Windows, except without the ability to run legacy apps. But unlike Windows RT, Microsoft's ill-fated ARM operating system on the original Surface and Surface 2, Windows 10 S can easily be upgraded to support any app. Surface Laptop owners will be able to upgrade their devices for free this year, and for $49 afterwards, from the Windows Store.

[Engadget]





An extra $49 for the functionality you'd expect from a Windows laptop seems like a bad idea from Microsoft. Fortunately, Microsoft is allowing potential Surface Laptop owners to avoid the fee until the end of the year, and throwing Office 365 Personal in for free so it should be a non-issue for early adopters, at least.



[The Verge]





The Biggest Flaw Might Be The Absence Of USB-C

I only wish Microsoft had done away with the proprietary Surface power connection and went with USB-C instead. Port-wise, you only get one USB 3.0 port and a mini DisplayPort connection. There's no card reader slot either, so you'll have to get used to carrying a hub around if you use multiple accessories. A single USB-C port would have at least given you a simple way to charge it.

[Engadget]





Microsoft tells us that it intends for its own port to handle concerns of connectivity expansion via the Surface Connect port and its Surface Dock, while refraining from alienating customers that have yet to completely update to USB-C. A fine explanation, but that doesn't tell us why USB 3.0 and not USB 3.1 at least, as you're missing out on some major data transfer speed improvements there.

[TechRadar]

TL;DR

Before throwing down for a Surface Laptop you'll want to wait for real benchmarks and comparisons (both within the product line and against its competitors), but you should also wait for full reviews if you're thinking of picking up a Chromebook or MacBook in the near future. Microsoft's new offering looks like it might be compelling enough to bring users back to the house that Gates built.

For more on the latest in technology, from laptops to VR rigs, check out our dedicated channel.