Why I Love the Microsoft Surface Pro for Working While Traveling

As a frequent traveler and remote worker, I’ve tested multiple portable tech setups, from an old iPad Pro to a sturdy Lenovo ThinkPad. After 6 months of traveling and working, nothing but the Microsoft Surface Pro has struck the right balance between power, portability, and flexibility.

I love that this device is lightweight, small enough to slip into a personal item, and powerful enough to handle real work tasks. It’s the perfect work travel device because it has the power of a laptop but the size and flexibility of a tablet. I can use the Microsoft Surface Pro to work whether my office is a hotel desk, lounge chair, cramped tray table, or even my lap.

I don’t use it for everyday work at home, but if I’m traveling, you can bet this device is coming with me. Here’s why the Microsoft Surface Pro is an essential tool for working on the go.

Microsoft Surface Pro 11 Specifications

Before I explain how I use the Microsoft Surface Pro, here’s a quick look at its specs:

I paid $2,199 for the Microsoft Surface Pro, including the Flex keyboard, using my American Express^® Business Gold Card, which earns 4x Membership Rewards points on the 2 categories where you spend the most each month, on up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year (then 1x points). There are 6 eligible categories, including U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers, but only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count toward this $150,000 threshold.

I added a couple of accessories to enhance the Microsoft Surface Pro’s functionality:

• Protective case that added a soft surface underneath the keyboard and integrated with the kickstand
• Laptop-rated compact charger and USB-C cord that work with my phone and the Microsoft Surface Pro (using an adapter)
• Charging adapter to plug the USB-C cord into the Microsoft Surface Pro’s charging port

I used my Prime Visa for Amazon purchases and earned 5% back.

Hot Tip:

The Amex Business Gold card and Prime Visa card offer purchase protection and extended warranty for the items I purchased above!

Why the Microsoft Surface Pro is Great for Travel

The Surface Pro is a laptop and tablet hybrid, so it’s super portable but still powerful enough for real work. Let’s look at the features that make it an excellent device for working on the go.

1. Flexible Form Factor

I can use the Microsoft Surface Pro with or without the attached keyboard, use a built-in kickstand to stand it upright on a surface, or fold it down to just a tablet for compact functionality with the touchscreen.

I can also use an on-screen keyboard (large or small) or the mouse-like integrated pen. I like that the attached keyboard is there when you need it, but easily detaches so you can transform the laptop into more flexible forms.

2. Adapts to All Work Environments

In an airport lounge or hotel room, I probably have the space to use the keyboard, or maybe even add an external mouse. But if a lounge only has small tables or I want to work on an airplane, I can adjust the Microsoft Surface Pro to more cramped spaces. I’ve even used it in a vehicle on a long road trip.

When I have an adequate table, I use laptop mode with the attached keyboard and kickstand for stability. This is the most comfortable way to work — assuming there’s space — but it isn’t any better than a regular laptop.

On a recent trip, using the keyboard on a narrow airport lounge table felt too cramped, so I ditched it and leaned the kickstand back more for better stability while using the on-screen keyboard.

It still took up the same footprint with my tablet cover, but I had more space to rest my hands while using the on-screen keyboard. The kickstand is large and integrated with the laptop, so it always feels stable.

If I want to work without a table, I can fold the tablet flat and place it on my lap.

That’s handy when I can’t use a table, such as airplanes during takeoff and landing. With a traditional laptop, I’d have to keep it stowed away at the beginning and end of every flight. But with the Microsoft Surface Pro, I can work gate to gate if I want to. I can easily knock out an article or work through a few edits on a flight.

Although I could work without a tray table, the tablet is small enough not to overwhelm even the flimsiest low-cost-carrier tray tables.

3. Multi-Function Keyboard

The keyboard uses an integrated pen that functions sort of like a mouse. I can click with the pen to interact with elements on the screen or write words.

I can write with the pen instead of the keyboard. I’ve found this useful for jotting notes, writing messages or emails, or doing basic editing, but not for writing articles. Still, it’s nice to have.

The on-screen keyboard is almost the same size as the external keyboard, and I’ve found it easy to type on.

It takes up about half of the screen, which is sometimes annoying. It’s always easier to use the external keyboard and have the full screen available, but the on-screen keyboard is useful when I need to use the laptop in tablet mode.

I can use a more compact on-screen keyboard when I want more screen visibility, and I’m okay with smaller keys.

4. Quick and Easy Charging

Laptops often require large and powerful chargers. The charger that came with the Microsoft Surface Pro was a little too large for my compact travel style, so I got an adapter that allows me to use a high-speed USB-C cord and power brick to charge the laptop. This adds to the functionality because I can pack lighter using the same cord and brick to charge my laptop and phone.

The charging adapter I got is specific to the Microsoft Surface Pro’s charging port and rated for high-speed charging.

Hot Tip:

To lighten your travel load, use a high-speed USB-C charger with a Microsoft Surface Pro-compatible adapter to charge your laptop and phone simultaneously.

5. Uses Desktop Tools Flawlessly

Any tablet with a keyboard and pen can follow the form function that the Microsoft Surface Pro does. But it really shines by combining the form factor with a laptop OS. I no longer get kicked to mobile browser experiences, and I can use all my work tools appropriately because it has Windows 11 Pro, not a mobile OS.

With Windows 11, I can use tools like Grammarly, a writing assistant, to their full capability. Although Grammarly has Android and iOS mobile apps, they don’t compare to using Grammarly Business on a real computer. I’ve tested Grammarly on both Android and iOS and found it lacking.

Mobile Grammarly was clunky, requiring me to click on phrases for review. It also missed a lot on mobile compared to using a laptop. For example, if I started writing or editing an article on mobile and later got on a laptop, Grammarly would light up with many more suggestions it missed on mobile. I don’t miss a thing when I use it on the Microsoft Surface Pro.

Microsoft Surface Pro Alternatives

I’ve previously traveled with and worked on other laptops and tablets, and I looked at other options when shopping for the Microsoft Surface Pro. Here’s why all of those fell short compared to the laptop-tablet hybrid.

• iPad Pro (first generation): This aging tablet wasn’t powerful enough for work. I didn’t like how every browser window defaulted to a mobile experience. If I navigated to a different browser tab or app, the page would sometimes refresh, and I’d lose work. Grammarly was awful on this device.
• Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: I used this tablet primarily for reading and videos, but I occasionally tried out some editing with it. It was disappointing. Although newer than the iPad Pro I’d used, it behaved similarly with a mobile experience, random browser tab refreshes, and limited Grammarly usage.
• Lenovo ThinkPad T14: A 14-inch laptop, the ThinkPad delivered all the capability I needed to work on the road. However, it was a little too big to bring along regularly. It weighs 3.23 pounds and measures 12.95 x 8.94 x 0.7 inches compared to the Microsoft Surface Pro, which is lighter and smaller at 1.94 lbs and 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.37 inches. That made a difference when I traveled with only a personal item.
• iPad Pro (seventh generation): I seriously considered getting a new iPad Pro, but in testing it, I found that it still behaved too much like a tablet for serious work. I’d have to rely on a mobile OS and apps, including a sub-par Grammarly experience and mobile browser windows. The Magic Keyboard added a kickstand and keyboard, which was promising. However, that didn’t allow me to remove the keyboard and use a kickstand only — I’d have to remove the keyboard and leave the tablet uncovered and unsupported.
• Lenovo Yoga Book 9i Laptop: I wanted to love this dual-screen laptop. It had 2 touch screens to create a clamshell laptop. It also had a separate stand and keyboard, giving me a lot of screen real estate to do side-by-side browser windows like I do on my home office computer. I thought it might be weird to type on a touchscreen keyboard in laptop mode, but I was willing to give it a shot. Ultimately, this laptop was too large and had too many pieces to make it worthwhile for travel. At 8.25 x 2.4 x 0.63 inches, it was similarly sized to my Lenovo ThinkPad, which was too big and heavy for compact travel, plus it had the stand and keyboard to bring along.

I briefly considered but didn’t look deeply into small traditional laptops, such as the MacBook Air, but knew I didn’t want to go with a traditional clamshell laptop. I was looking for a flexible device, and the Microsoft Surface Pro delivered on that.

Final Thoughts

After months of traveling with the Microsoft Surface Pro, I’ve found it’s adaptable and powerful. I love that it gives me the freedom of using a tablet but has a laptop operating system, so I can get work done the same way I do at home. It’s lightweight and compact enough to take anywhere, even if I’m cramming everything for a weeklong trip into a backpack. This laptop-tablet hybrid is an excellent choice for anyone who needs a dependable and compact device while traveling.

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For the purchase protection benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold card, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the extended warranty benefit of the American Express^® Business Gold card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.