What is Microsoft Surface Studio? Price, UK release date and specifications
Everything you need to know about Microsoft’s first-ever desktop computer
MICROSOFT'S first desktop computer the Surface Studio is directly targeted at professional designers, and has a "zero gravity hinge" to allow its 28inch screen to fall back like a drafting table.
The style and features of the "studio" have been met with a wave of approval from tech experts - so take a below to find out all you need to know.
What is the Microsoft Surface Studio?
This is Microsoft's first ever desktop PC and it has an elegant and simplistic folding design.
The Surface Studio has a 28-inch touchscreen mounted on two legs and a base that contains all of its processing and power components.
Its screen can be folded down to a 20-degree angle to give its users "room to be creative".
At 13mm thick, Microsoft also claim the Surface Studio's screen is the thinnest LCD computer monitor ever built.
It boasts a staggering 13.5m pixels - a 4k screen has 8.3m pixels.
Microsoft's product chief Panos Panay has boldly claimed the PC has "performance that will be unmatched".
It comes with a new control device called the Surface Dial - a large knob that allows you to scroll through apps and settings on the screen.
How much will it cost?
The Surface Studio is hardly on the cheap side but is almost solely targeted at professional users.
It will set you back a cool $2,999 - roughly £2,500.
However the dial is not free and will cost an extra $100.
Who is it aimed at?
The Surface Studio has clearly been developed for professional creatives.
The Dial can be placed on the screen and used as a colour pallet when drawing or sketching with Microsoft's Surface Pen.
When the screen is tipped back it resembles the slanted desks found in art studios.
The desktop computer, which was unveiled in New York on October 26, 2016, is directly aimed at artists and designers in need of a powerful computer and perfect pixel display.
The screen becomes like a drafting table thanks to its "zero gravity hinge".
It has been optimised to make the most of the new "Creators Update" to Windows 10 which includes a 3D update for Microsoft Paint.
The screen is a designer's dream as it also offers "True Scale" which is intended to provide a "what you see is what you get" view of their images.
What are experts saying about it?
Penny Arcade artist Gabe was involved in the early development of the device by testing and trialling the device.
He had been using it for a week before its unveiling, and said of the screen: "Moving the Studio from one position to the next is startlingly easy” and that “once there the Studio provides enough resistance to draw comfortably without worrying about pushing it out of position.”
He notes “drawing on the ($2500) Cintiq now felt like drawing on a piece of dirty plexiglass hovering over a CRT monitor from 1997. ”
wrote: "The Surface Studio is an incredibly clever, powerful and gorgeous all-in-one PC that, judging by its price, is clearly not for everyone. Regardless, Microsoft may very well have set the bar for all-in-one PCs like it has for 2-in-1 laptops."
Pcmag.com has weighted up the the pros and cons of the Surface Studio.
: "Attractive aluminum design with thinnest-ever LCD monitor. Super-high-resolution touch display folds for seamless transition to drawing surface. 3:2 aspect ratio benefits artistic precision. Fast processing."
Weighing up the downsides, they wrote: "Expensive. Aimed almost exclusively at professional artists. Lack of Pascal graphics seems like a missed opportunity. No 16:9 ratio may be more difficult for video editors."
When will the Surface Studio be released?
The Surface Studio is
In light of the heavy price tag users will be pleased to know that orders come with free shipping.
The UK release date has not been confirmed but Microsoft are expected to start taking pre-orders soon.
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