Although the color change is purely aesthetic, it adds a slightly sleeker look to the already elegant design. As Tom Brant, another hardware analyst, noted in his Surface Pro hands-on test at the Microsoft preview event, the black color has the famous slimming effect and somehow makes the Surface Pro 6 look sleeker than its predecessor. In keeping with the product name, the color also makes the device look more professional. The traditional, relatively tame gray color wasn’t exactly wild, but this one gives even more of a business laptop impression. If you use your 2-in-1 this way, you’ll appreciate the look; otherwise, you might just prefer the color. If you’re not a fan, you can also buy it in the original “platinum” color. The display is identical to its predecessor, which means it’s gorgeous. The 12.3-inch screen has an aspect ratio of 3:2, different from the usual 16:9 format, and therefore offers an unusual resolution of 2,736 x 1,824 pixels. This is a higher resolution than HD and looks very sharp in practice. The display has great viewing angles and is very bright at maximum settings, with colors looking particularly vibrant. Since there are no physical changes, the Surface Pro’s typical convertibility remains intact. The integrated rear stand, which has been mimicked time and time again since its debut, is designed exactly like the previous model. A fully adjustable hinge allows the screen to tilt within a 165-degree range, including the near-flat position, which can be helpful when using the stylus for sketching or note-taking. The original Surface models had a hinge with a limited number of adjustment points, so this system is still much to be preferred. The kickstand is only half the battle in turning the Surface Pro 6 into a laptop. It’s the Surface Type Cover, the detachable keyboard that has also found many imitators over the years, that does the magic. As always, the keyboard simply attaches magnetically to the bottom of the Surface Pro, making the transformation a breeze. The Type Cover is still sold separately. This has been a complaint of mine and many others since the Surface hit the market. The keyboard is an integral part of the experience that Microsoft rarely shows or advertises separately. Without it, the Surface Pro is really just a nice and expensive tablet. The Type Cover should really be included to make the concept of the device fully work.
