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Best computing product of 2017

Fifth time's the charm for this year's most ambitious computer

By Matthew S. Smith Published April 25, 2023

Every year, Digital Trends editors hand pick the most exciting products we’ve had the privilege of handling this year. Make sure to check out award winners in categories from cars to outdoors, plus the overall best product of 2017! Read on for the computing products that floored us this year.

Winner

Microsoft Surface Pro

When Microsoft introduced the original Surface in 2012, it founded a new class of device, one that was equally usable as both a PC and a tablet. The first model didn’t deliver on that promise. Neither did the, second, third, or even fourth. Each iteration came closer — but it’s the new Surface Pro that finally fulfills it.

There are many reasons why the Surface Pro is superior to its predecessors, but portability tops the list. Past 2-in-1 devices, including Microsoft’s competitors, have compromised significantly on battery life. Not the Surface Pro. It lasted over 10 hours in our video loop test, and over five hours in our most demanding battery run-down. These figures easily defeat most alternatives, and they’re long enough to make the new Surface Pro an all-day companion.

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Yet that gain wasn’t made at the expense of performance, or function. In fact, the Surface Pro’s fastest configuration actually smokes many other laptops, and the latest iteration on the Surface keyboard is the best yet.

The Surface Pro fulfills the 2-in-1’s promise and easily outpaces its competition.

Windows 10 deserves credit, too. Improvements in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update expanded support for the Surface Pen while also improving reliability. It’s now possible to use the Pen with numerous built-in apps and expect a responsive, reliable experience. Tablet use is not just possible. It’s enjoyable.

Price remains our only complaint. The Surface Pro isn’t affordable, and it doesn’t come with the Surface Pen or a keyboard. Add those and you’ll pay at least $1,050 for an entry-level model with just 4GB of RAM. Still, we think it’s worth digging into your wallet. The Surface Pro fulfills the 2-in-1’s promise and easily outpaces its competition.

Read our full Microsoft Surface Pro review

Runners up

Matthew S. Smith

Former Senior Editor, Reviews

Matthew S. Smith is the former Lead Editor, Reviews at Digital Trends. He previously guided the Products Team, which dives…

Topics

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Windows 11 is getting a new Screen Tint mode, and your eyes might thank Microsoft

Users can apply custom color overlays to reduce screen intensity and visual fatigue.

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Microsoft is testing a new accessibility feature for Windows 11 called Screen Tint, and it could be one of those small additions that make a surprisingly big difference. Instead of changing your display's color temperature like Night Light, Screen Tint applies a customizable color overlay across the entire screen, making bright displays easier on the eyes during long work or gaming sessions.

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Apple’s looking at a politically radioactive fix for the memory crisis, and the US government isn’t happy about it

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A few days ago, Apple announced an ugly mid-cycle price hike, blaming the worsening-by-the-day memory crisis. According to the Financial Times, the company is now lobbying the government for approval to buy memory chips from a Chinese company.

The company in question is CXMT, a Chinese chipmaker that the Pentagon added to its Chinese Military Company blacklist for alleged ties to the Chinese army.

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As iPads get pricier, Motorola’s Pad 70 Pro arrives as a solid option… just not for US buyers yet

Great specs, a stylus in the box, and no US launch date: the Moto Pad 70 Pro sounds both impressive and disappointing.

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If you don’t know about Apple’s recent price hike, which affected all the products in its lineup except the iPhone and Apple Watch (for now), you’ve got to be living under some sort of a rock. The revision made all the iPads much more expensive.

Motorola, however, has just launched a 13-inch tablet that actually sounds good on paper. It’s called the Moto Pad 70 Pro, and it costs around $440 for the baseline model. The catch, however, is that the device isn’t available in the US yet.