Surface Pro Audio Performance Comparison – SP6 – SP2017 – SP4

 

Three generations of the Surface Pro’s pitted together in this comparison of audio performance, plug-in counts and virtual instrument polyphony. These are i5, 8GB versions of the Surface Pro 4, Surface Pro 2017 and Surface Pro 6. What’s the difference in real-world music production terms? I’m using Cubase 10, Ableton Live 10 and Reason 10 to compare projects and how well they run.

 

 



http://www.SurfaceProAudio.com
http://www.moltenmusictechnology.com
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Intro – 0:15
What are we testing? – 3:04
What are the tests? – 6:18
SP6 DAWbench and HALion poly test – 7:52
Checking the power tweaks – 12:53
Surface Pro 2017 – DAWbench and HALion poly test – 14:47
Surface Pro 4 – DAWbench and HALion poly test – 17:46
Surface Pro 6 – Ableton Live test – 21:58
Surface Pro 6 – Reason test – 24:00
Surface Pro 2017 – Ableton Live and Reason test – 27:07
Surface Pro 4 – Ableton Live and Reason test – 29:40
Revisiting Ableton Live on Surface Pro 6 – 32:36
Conclusions – 32:58




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6 thoughts on “Surface Pro Audio Performance Comparison – SP6 – SP2017 – SP4

  1. Why don’t you try and compare the HP X2 1013 G3 (Surface Pro copy that comes apart easy and not glued) with the quad-core CPU? I have a SP4 with an i7 but shopping for the HP. I bet it blows away the SP for latency and audio processing

      1. Reading up about performance comparisons: There is an article here with a URL I have shortened https://tinyurl.com/y6kvtheg of benchmark tests that the HP Elite X2 1013 G3 i7 model is not significantly faster than the HP i5 model of the same vintage and not recommended by the authors for the price difference vs performance. So I may be looking to shop for the i5 version to try. I really like that I can change the battery in 10 or 15 minutes (or screen, put in LTE, raise SSD size) and taking apart a Surface Pro with a heat gun is very difficult not to destroy the WIFI antenna plastic piece on the top that is VERY heavily glued. Gluing is just inexpensive engineering of assembly. Fasteners surely will cost more to make the tablet. Also, only a most-seasoned servicer on s Surface Pro can take the screen off and put the the same screen back on after service without damaging the screen with a heat gun or similar higher-end apparatus. My battery already in the my Surface Pro 4 i7 is noticeably weaker (I would guess about 20% weaker from new).

        Microsoft will be announcing new SP tablets, one with a 15″ display it is rumored Oct 2nd

  2. I know it was just announced, but any plans to get your hands on a new SP7 and test it out? I’m really hoping to get one (i7, 16GB ram) and run Pro Tools on it, but have never owned a Surface (or any tablet, for that matter) and want to make sure it can handle my recording and music production needs. Thanks for the great site!

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