Microsoft just announced the most immersive creative computer experience I’ve ever seen, and it’s about to make the Wacom Cintiq look like a dinosaur. The Surface Studio is a huge, beautiful computer workspace that looks… well, let’s just say I’m full of a lot of “want” right now.
It’s important to note that The Surface Studio is designed for creative professionals. It boasts the thinnest LCD monitor ever built at 1.3 millimeters, which is housed in a seamless forged aluminum enclosure. With a 28-inch display armed with 13.5 million pixels, it offers a TrueColor profile, bringing increased color depth and calibration. This also allows users to convert color profiles, let’s say DCI-P3 to sRGB, on the fly in one simple click or touch. At 192 PPI with a 3:2 aspect ratio, it’s clear that if everything promised is delivered, this is a photo and video editing powerhouse.
A stunning 28-inch PixelSense Display. 13.5 million pixels immerse you in TrueColorTM. At 192 PPI, the pixels are indistinguishable, delivering True Scale, where 12-point font on the display is identical to 12-point font on a printed page. The contrast ratio of 1100:1 with low glare ensures comfortable use across wide viewing angles. The wide color-gamut display features fast color profile switching between sRGB, DCI-P3, and Vivid (P3-D65). And with DCI-P3 color space, Surface Studio delivers more color than 99 percent of the world’s desktop monitors. Each screen is individually color-calibrated at the factory to guarantee color accuracy and precision. All this, in the thinnest LCD monitor ever built at this size.
Effortlessly transforms from Desktop to Studio Mode. Surface Studio’s display moves weightlessly on the innovative Zero Gravity Hinge between upright Desktop Mode, down into Studio Mode. In Studio Mode, the monitor creates a stable 20-degree drafting table optimized for natural interactions using Surface Pen, touch and Surface Dial, so people can visualize and develop ideas in a natural way — just like a sheet of paper on a drafting table. In Desktop Mode, Surface Studio is a powerful workstation designed to handle every aspect of your day. Surface Studio’s unique ability to transform adjusts to every step of your creative process.
Collaborate with ease. Surface Studio is a tool for collaboration and will make your video calls feel like face-to-face meetings with the 1080p low-light-capable front camera and stereo 2.1 speakers powered by Dolby® Audio™ Premium. It also comes with a front-facing infrared camera, giving you enterprise-grade security with Windows Hello.
Workstation-class power and performance. With Quad-core 6th Generation Intel® CoreTM processors, a discrete NVIDIA® GeForce® GPU with up to 4GB GDDR5 memory, and up to 2TB Rapid Hybrid Drive storage,2 Surface Studio is able to smoothly run the most intensive desktopclass software such as Siemens NX™ software.3 These powerful applications take on a whole new life on Surface Studio. Surface Studio with discrete GPU is also powerful enough for the latest PC games or VR experiences, including HTC VIVE. Surface Studio supports Xbox Wireless, allowing you to connect up to four Xbox One-compatible controllers.
Innovative and thoughtful accessories. Surface Dial is a new, wireless rotational peripheral with adaptive haptic feedback and 3,600 points of precision built for Surface. With customizable controls, Surface Dial delivers both on-screen and off-screen experiences that enable you to interact with applications in natural ways that deliver a fluid creative process. Along with Surface Pen, Surface accessories are designed to allow you to reinvent the way you work, moving from touch to Surface Pen to Surface Dial without interrupting your flow. Built with premium materials, Microsoft Surface Keyboard and Microsoft Surface Mouse are the perfect complements to your Surface Studio, and the finishing touches to your desk space.
Here are some basic hardware specs:
Linear mic array with Cortana
32gb RAM
i7 processors
2TB drive
Stereo 2.1 speakers with Dolby Premium
Haptic feedback sensor
Studio HD camera, focused on high-end video conferencing
Foldable monitor with zero-gravity hinge, fine-tuned springs, allowing for a 20 degree drafting angle, that does, in fact, turn your desk into a studio
Pricing: $2,999
Directly related to the Surface Studio is the Surface Dial, a compatible hardware device that has multi-function capability when combined with the Studio.
Surface Dial is a revolutionary new input for the creative process. It is a wireless rotational peripheral with adaptive haptic feedback and 3,600 points of precision built for Surface. With tools and shortcuts at your fingertips, Surface Dial allows you to remain focused on what matters most. You can manipulate images, adjust volume, change color hues and much more, all with simple gestures. With Surface Dial in one hand and Surface Pen in the other, the creative process is made more productive and more enjoyable. Plus, custom integrations from industry-leading applications give you access to a range of new and innovative tools that help create an immersive working experience. Surface Dial works off-screen with any PC, laptop or tablet running the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.
Immersive creating experience. Surface Dial allows you to enter a creative space where the only thing that matters is you and your work. Simply press and hold to access tools and shortcuts, making it easier and faster to customize and do the things you love with software from BlueBeam Inc., Drawboard, Mental Canvas, Siemens PLM Software, Silicon Benders, Smith Micro Software, Inc., StaffPad and more.1 Plus, adaptive haptic feedback lets you literally feel your creativity come to life
Seamless transitions through tasks. There is no longer a need to click through multiple screens and drop-down menus to accomplish the tasks to get stuff done. Surface Dial puts a range of tools and shortcuts at your fingertips so you can work without interruptions. In addition, Surface Dial enables you to create custom controls that suit your specific needs. With Surface Dial, even everyday tasks are made more exciting: You can change music tracks, scroll through news articles online, and fly through maps — all with a turn of the dial.
Differentiated on-screen features with Surface Studio. When you place Surface Dial on the Surface Studio screen, PixelSense™ technology detects both the presence and position of Surface Dial, adding another dimension of input. Surface Dial allows you to completely reimagine the way you design in the most natural way. Watch as circular menus, a color picker or ruler magically appear on your digital drafting table.
For more details, check out our coverage here.