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Microsoft Surface Pro X Malaysian Pre-Order Starts at RM4,599 – Should You Get It?
January 8, 2020 Andrew Cheng

Microsoft just confirmed the Malaysian availability of its latest tablet, the Microsoft Surface Pro X. Set to go on pre-order tomorrow on 9 January, the ARM-based Windows tablet will retail from RM4,599 in Malaysia. Needless to say, that’s quite a hefty price tag, so should you get it?

Well, if all you want is a Windows system to do some light work on, you may be happy with the Surface Pro X’s slim form factor and sleek design. But if you need to do more “serious” work on the machine that requires a number of applications to work seamlessly…maybe not.

Here’s the thing: as the Surface Pro X is an ARM-based Windows tablet, app compatibility is an issue with the machine. In order to run apps made for Windows, the Pro X relies on emulation. Even then it is only limited to 32-bit x86 programs.

On top of that, performance is also not fantastic on the Surface Pro X. Not only is it running Windows apps in an emulation layer, it’s also only powered by the Microsoft SQ1 processor, which is a custom variant of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx chip. It pales in comparison to, say, the performance level of the Intel Core i5-1035G4 processor found in the Surface Pro 7.

Nonetheless, there’s no denying the sleek appearance of the Surface Pro X. Compared to, again, the Surface Pro 7, the former is noticeably thinner with smaller screen bezels. On top of that, the Pro X also comes with a larger 13-inch 2880 x 1920 PixelSense touch display over the Pro 7’s smaller 12.3-inch screen.

Another new addition to the Surface Pro X is the slimmer and lighter stylus, appropriately dubbed Surface Slim Pen. Unlike the stylus for previous Surface devices, there’s a slot right above the Pro X’s keyboard to store (and charge) the Slim Pen. It’s a small, but very convenient touch.

If you’re interested to get the Microsoft Surface Pro X, you’ll have to pay quite a bit of money for it. Two variants of the Windows tablet are available in Malaysia. The base model with 128GB of SSD storage and 8GB of RAM retails at RM4,599, while the 256GB variant with the same RAM capacity goes for a whopping RM5,799. LTE connectivity is available on both models.

However, only the 256GB Surface Pro X will be available for pre-order on 9 January; it’ll hit store shelves on 17 January. As for the more affordable 128GB variant, it will reach our shores much later on 21 February next month.

At these price points, the Surface Pro X is tough to recommend. For that kind of money – especially for the 256GB version – other Windows machine can offer better value for money. In fact, even the most affordable Surface Pro 7 variant with 256GB of storage – along with a Core i5-1035G4 processor paired with 8GB of RAM – costs less at only RM5,499.

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