---
title: "Working with the Surface Pro X, an ARM Windows tablet in daily use"
language: en
topics: ["SSH", "Windows", "design", "laptop", "mobility", "office", "pencil", "review", "tablet", "work"]
full_article_url: https://willem.com/en/2020-04-14_talking-tablets-what-makes-a-great-tablet/
---
# Working with the Surface Pro X, an ARM Windows tablet in daily use

*Capable hardware, with a keyboard that stands out.*

> When I worked with the Surface Pro X in 2020 it proved super capable: video calls, reading in portrait, sketching with the pen, web development in desktop Firefox and Chrome, GIMP image editing and native SSH all worked fine.

Microsoft designed the Surface Pro X as a next generation device: ultra thin, always connected over 4G/LTE, with an efficient ARM processor. The Signature Keyboard is the best tablet keyboard I have seen, with all the normal PC keys including escape and function keys and great tactile feedback. I only wish it also worked while disconnected, and the alcantara palm rests are too warm and mushy for my taste.
The camera sits above the screen in landscape, unlike on the iPad Pro, which improves eye contact in Teams meetings. I had no trouble running GIMP with high resolution graphics and multiple layers, and Windows now ships SSH natively, so logging into a cloud VPS works out of the box.
Keyboard and Slim Pen are sold separately, just like with the iPad Pro, which I still think is stupid.