How Long Does A Microsoft Surface Pro Last? (the Truth) 2024

How long do you think a Surface Pro 7, 8, and 9 really lasts? Well, most people (reasonably) look for the Surface Pro lifespan before they purchase this premium 2-in-1 tablet. Knowing this can help you find out when you will need to upgrade to a newer model or a different laptop.

So, what’s the average lifespan of Surface Pro?

According to experts, a well-treated Surface Pro laptop will last 5.5 years on average. Of course, the lifespan also depends on your usage. Many users will replace their Surface Pro after 4.5 years of usage, mainly because the battery can’t cope with their daily tasks anymore and new technology has developed in modern laptop models.

You can always extend the lifespan of the Surface Pro if you plan to use your laptop for longer periods of time.

In this article, we will also examine the Surface Pro battery life as well as other parameters that may force you to replace your device sooner.

See: How to Fix a Surface Pen Not Working [Step-by-Step Guide]

Let’s have a look at how long your Microsoft Surface Pro laptops will last as well as how heavy, moderate, and casual usage affects the lifespan of Microsoft’s flagship.

Table Of Contents

How long do Microsoft Surface Pro laptops last?
Surface Pro battery replacement costs
How to make a surface pro battery last longer (Increase lifespan)
When to replace a Microsoft Surface laptop
How long does a Surface Book last?

How long do Microsoft Surface Pro laptops last?

The average lifespan of a Microsoft Surface Pro laptop is 5 years. In fact, the Pro models are one of the most premium and reliable 2-in-1 touchscreen laptops ever created. From a chipset perspective, the Pro 7, 8, and 9th gen should last an easy 3-5 years.

Of course, that’s better than almost any entry-level and mid-range tablet or laptop out there. Our only concern is the battery. It’s not (easily) user-accessible so you are stuck with what you get.

If you put a lot of battery cycles on the machine, expect 3 years before the battery loses a few hours of runtime. The same is true for any high-end tablet or laptop like the Macbook Pro – where a higher battery cycle count means a decline in battery life per charge.

As long as you get the right processor and RAM combo you will be ok for at least 4-5 years for mixed office type use, the only caveat being battery life which of course will deteriorate over time.

One thing to note is that the battery lifespan will also deteriorate based on how many charging cycles are completed as well as what type of usage you perform daily: light, moderate, or heavy usage. Heavy usage would be considered as someone using a stylus pen on the Surface Pro for animation software, graphic design apps, or 3d modeling.

Apart from the battery, the lifespan of a Surface Pro laptop has everything to do with your needs and usage. Let’s find out what the average Surface Pro longevity really is, depending on your daily needs.

Surface Pro battery replacement costs

Replacing a Surface Pro 7, 8, or 9 battery will cost anywhere between $290 – $550 depending on the model; and may be other fees associated. I’ve seen the Surface Pro 9 battery cost over $499 to repair, while the surface pro 8 was $330, and the 7th gen model $290.

The type of repair matters based on where it is repaired (third party shop vs manufacturer service) and how it was damaged.

See our post on the 9 Best Surface Pen & Slim Pen Alternatives (Surface Pro Pens)

For instance, the pricing of each type of damage varies: Liquid Damage Repair, Screen Damage Repair, Battery Replacement, and typical Repair (excluding liquid, screen, and physical damage).

You can view the official Microsoft repair costs, which may change as new models are released.

Related: Best Surface Pro Alternatives

Battery lifespan of Surface Pro 7, 8, and 9

The Surface Pro battery life is, according to Microsoft, 15+ hours. But, from our experience, you can expect your Surface Pro battery to last up to 10.5 hours depending on the apps and tasks you’re dealing with.

For example, there are battery draining tasks (like video streaming) and non-native apps like Chrome Slack and Zoom. But since these are some of the most popular apps, you should know how much your battery will last.

“Well, the Surface Pro is an unbelievably great product”
-Bill Gates

How long does a Surface Pro battery last?

How long does a Surface Pro laptop battery last before replacement? Well, we can safely say that a well-cared Surface Pro 7 battery can last up to 3 years without any problems (decreased performance).

With a 60-Hz refresh rate, you should expect to get about 6.5 hours out of a single charge. The same applies to creative apps like Photoshop and reading software like OneNote. Even if you keep the brightness at around 35%, you still won’t get more than 6-7 hours.

This is because Microsoft has included a great battery in terms of battery size and capacity.

Still, if you’re not getting the autonomy we are suggesting, there are ways to make a Surface Pro battery last longer.

See our post on: How long do laptops last (and should I upgrade?)

How to make a surface pro battery last longer (Increase lifespan)

Although the battery of the Surface Pro should last many hours without any problems, there are occasions where you need it to last longer. If you are wondering how to save battery on a Surface Pro, we found the most effective solutions. All you need to do is follow the steps below:

Turn off the Connected Standby function: Because of the Connected Standby function, which is enabled by default on every Surface device, the Advanced Settings power configuration is limited. We need to disable linked standby via Registry Editor in order to establish a fresh power plan with optimum advanced settings.
Take note of the Balanced power plan’s default properties: Before you begin constructing the Surface Pro Optimization power plan, you can copy all of the settings from the Balanced power plan into our new power plan.
Make a new power plan for Surface Pro Optimization: Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Create a new power plan. From there, you can lower the screen brightness, shorten the time it takes for the display to turn off, and more.

Other things you can do to make your Surface Pro battery last longer:

Disconnect any external devices that aren’t in use (USB flash drives, mouse, etc)
Turn off Wi-Fi if you’re working offline
Monitor the operating temperature (make sure your device works between 32°F and 95°F)
Turn off visual effects: To disable visual effects, open Search charm (with Settings filter), type Adjust the appearance and performance of windows, then choose Adjust for optimum performance from the four alternatives provided.

Should I get a battery pack to extend the life of a Microsoft Surface Pro?

If you’re not happy with the battery autonomy that your Surface offers, you should definitely get a portable battery pack for Surface Pro 7 and extend its battery life. When it comes to power accessories, whereas phones are simply attached to battery packs or car chargers, the Surface Pro requires a little more consideration.

Opt for a battery pack if you want a portable charger that, most essential, works with your device.

A good example is the Batpower battery pack for the Surface Pro. The Batpower is a battery pack with a 98Wh capacity and a slew of USB ports into which you may put your various devices. It also comes with a Surface charging cord, which you can use to charge your machine while you’re out and about.

Although battery packs are a bit pricey, they are a great choice for those of you who need a portable charger that can fully charge your Pro. It takes a little more planning to charge a Surface Pro on the move.

It weighs 20 ounces, and the only significant disadvantage is that it takes a while to recharge. It is, however, just small enough to be carried on a plane, making it an ideal companion for your Surface Pro wherever you go.

What warranty options do I have if my Surface Pro starts to wear out and get old?

Nothing is more frustrating than dropping your Surface on the sidewalk and smashing its screen – no way! This is why you should figure out if you have the correct kind of warranty to acquire a free replacement Surface or if you’ll have to pay for a new tablet.

When you buy a Surface, you have three different warranty options:

Warranty Plan	Duration	Starts on	Price	Includes
Manufacturer Hardware Warranty	1 year	The day of purchase	Included	Mechanical breakdown, advanced exchange
Microsoft Extended Hardware Service	3-4 years	Available within 45 days of purchase	$99 to $159 (depending on the model and duration)	Mechanical breakdown, advanced exchange, optional add-ons
Microsoft Complete (for Business)	2-4 years	Available within 45 days of purchase	$149 (3 year)	Mechanical breakdown, advanced exchange, accidental damage, optional add-ons

A Surface Online Service Center warranty can be added up to 45 days after purchase, according to Microsoft’s website. However, one of my Surfaces is older than 90 days, and when I registered, Microsoft offered me the option of purchasing a 1-year Complete subscription for $99.

So, if you forget to get one when you get your Surface, that tiny loophole might come in useful. Also, Software & Drivers can help with battery management.

You can extend the lifespan of your device by managing the apps that you use and how often you use them. You can start by exploring the settings and eliminating the ones you don’t require for everyday usage.

When to replace a Microsoft Surface laptop

You should replace your Microsoft Surface laptop when it doesn’t cover your needs anymore. For example, if you are a professional graphic designer, you should replace your Surface with a newer model with larger screen size, only if it can’t cope with the software you use (e.g. Illustrator, Krita, etc) anymore.

So, when your Surface can’t handle your personal or professional tasks anymore, it is probably time to replace it with a reliable replacement option (a new model, a standard laptop, etc).

We believe that, especially with the latest models (Microsoft Surface Pro 7, 8, and 9 – this won’t happen earlier than 4-5 years after the purchase.

Apart from that, there are other issues that may force you to replace your Surface Pro:

There are loud noises.
Overheating.
Data that has been tampered with.
Battery life is poor.
Freezing or crashing at random.

However, many of these problems have a reliable solution. For example, if your laptop’s temperature is too high, it’s conceivable that dust and filth have clogged the laptop fan, preventing it from cooling your laptop.

Therefore, a good cleaning (from an expert) could instantly solve your Microsoft Surface performance issues.

Don’t forget that the Surface Pro 7 is one of the best laptops for writing and drawing digital art. So, if a problem occurs, it is always better to first seek a solution and replace it only if the problem can’t be fixed.

Here are some symptoms that indicate when a microsoft surface laptop needs replacement:

Your Surface Laptop no longer supports the latest OS
Apps on Surface Laptop start to run slow.
You can’t upgrade it any further
You can’t upgrade the Ram

How long does a Surface Book last?

Although this depends on the usage, we can safely say that most Surface Book batteries will last a minimum of 4.5 years. For almost five years, I used a Surface Book, and the battery life stayed steady throughout.

It was only recently (after 3.5 years) I discovered that the battery was degrading, resulting in a shorter battery life.

My old book 1, which is 5 years old, appears to be having a swelling problem as well. I recently purchased a Book 3, and it appears to operate cooler, with no issues with battery heating while charging.

When it comes to battery autonomy, Microsoft promises up to 17.5 hours of work in laptop mode. However, our testing has revealed that the Surface Book battery lasts around 11 hours (80Wh battery in the base).

Of course, you can expect this to be decreased when you use your Book for CPU and battery-intensive tasks like video streaming, photo-editing on creative software, etc.

How to show, check and test battery levels of surface pro 7, 8, studiobook and more.

Are you wondering how to show and test your battery on Surface Pro 7 (or any other Surface device)? Well, there’s a very easy way to do it.

To check your Surface Pro 7’s battery percentage level, simply click the battery symbol on the right side of your Taskbar, and it will display your Surface Pro 7’s current battery level.

On the flip side, if you want to conduct a battery report, you can follow these steps:

In the search box on your Taskbar, type cmd.
Right-click the Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator from the context menu.
On the popup, select Yes.
Once the Command Prompt is open, type the following command and press Enter 5. The device will perform a battery report and display the location of the file.
Navigate to the file location specified in the Command Prompt in File Explorer. To open the battery report file, double-click it.
On the second page of the battery report, you’ll see the Design Capacity and Full Charge Capacity (under Installed batteries)

Windows 10 does not offer a setting that allows us to set the maximum charge to a certain figure, however our Surface Pro 7 does have a Battery Limiter setting in the UEFI.

If the Battery Limiter is turned on, the device’s charging capability is limited to 50% of its full capacity.

Where is the battery icon on surface pro 7 & 8

To answer this question briefly, the battery symbol is located on the right side of your Surface Pro Taskbar. This icon displays your Surface Pro 7’s current battery level.

If the icon isn’t visible, you can easily make it appear by following some simple steps:

Scroll down to the notification area by going to Start > Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.
Choose Turn on the Power toggle after selecting which icons appear on the taskbar.
If the battery symbol is still not visible, select Show hidden icons on the taskbar, then select the battery icon.

If the battery symbol does not appear on the taskbar after you pick Start > Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and turn on the Power toggle:

type task manager in the taskbar’s search box
Select Task Manager from the list of results.
Right-click Explorer in the Processes tab under Name
Select Restart.

Surface pro 7 & 8 battery will not charge

There are some occasions where your Surface Pro 7 or 8 battery will not charge. This doesn’t automatically mean that you have to conduct a Surface Pro update or replace your device. First, you can check one of the following solutions:

Double-check your connections: Make sure the connections are secure and that nothing is hooked into the power supply’s USB charging connector.
Make sure the power connector light is on:When your power connector is plugged into your Surface, the LED light should be on. After making sure the connector is fully seated in the device, consider relocating the power supply to a different wall socket. If the LED light does not turn on, your power source may need to be replaced.

Surface pro 7 & 8 battery calibration

Are you looking for the best way to calibrate the battery of your Surface Pro 7 or 8? Well, it’s easy to recalibrate your battery by letting it run from 100 percent capacity to almost dead, then charging it back up to full.

The battery’s power meter will determine how long the battery lasts and provide a considerably more precise estimate of the battery’s remaining capacity.

Charge your laptop’s battery to 100 percent capacity.
Allow at least two hours for the battery to recharge while keeping the computer plugged in. This ensures that the battery is not still warm from the charging procedure. While your computer is plugged in, you can use it normally, but be sure it doesn’t get too hot.

Set your computer’s power management settings to hibernate automatically when the battery is at 5%. To do that, all you need to do is:

Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Choices > Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings to access these options.
The “Critical battery action” and “Critical battery level” choices can be found under the “Battery” category.

How do I make my battery last longer on the surface pro 8?

The best ways to make your Surface Pro 8 battery last longer are:

Turn on the battery saver function
Determine which apps are allowed to operate in the background
Disable sleep mode (Surface pro 7 & 8 battery drain during sleep)
Change the power options (from the display settings)
Turn off all startup programs (from the task manager)

Battery replacement options

It is reasonable to ask whether you can change the surface pro 7 battery. Although you can’t change the battery of the Surface Pros yourself, you can send it to Microsoft and the brand will replace it if your warranty permits it.

Alternatively, you can take your device to a third party expert, and they can replace the battery in a few hours. Of course, if your Surface is inside the warranty, Microsoft will (usually) replace the device with a new (or refurbished) one.

How to Turn off a Surface pro 7 or 8

Every Surface device has a power button that you can use to turn off your Surface Pro 7. To do so:

Hold down the Power button for a few seconds (about 3s).
Wait until you see “Slide to shut down your PC” on the screen.

Alternatively, you can turn off your Surface by going to Start > Power > Shut down. To return to the previous screen without shutting down your device, press any key or slide the lock screen up.

Conclusion

During our testing of the Surface Pro lifespan, we had a look at the average lifespan of the Pro 7, 8, and 9, and analyzed all the related parameters (battery, usage, etc) that can affect how long a Microsoft Surface Pro will last.

The lifespan of a Microsoft Surface is around 5-6 years. Of course, this is also affected by the Surface Pro version you choose. For example, a well-cared Surface Pro with LTE, can easily last 7 or 8 years.

On the flip side, older model laptops like the Surface Pro 6 and 4 appear to have a slightly shorter lifespan (3-4 years). When it comes to the Surface Pro battery, it can easily last 2-3 years without any performance decrease.

You should always keep in mind that every device you buy will, at some point, get outdated. But, the Surface Pro series proves to be one of the most reliable 2-in-1 laptop series on the market.

So, if you are looking for a device with an extended lifespan, Microsoft Surface Pro 7, 8, or 9 is a smart solution.