Microsoft Surface Pro 7 12.3" 2019, Core i5, 8GB, 256GB, Platinum

A five-year-old Windows tablet that's still worth buying, but only refurbished and only cheap. Great for notes and light work, terrible for gaming and outdoor use.

The Core i5-1035G4 with 8GB of RAM is fine for everyday stuff. Word docs, spreadsheets, a dozen browser tabs, some light photo editing, all smooth. But the integrated graphics sit at the 15th percentile, so don't expect to game on this thing beyond indie titles or very old stuff. The 256GB SSD is quick and the 12.3-inch 2736x1824 display still looks sharp, though 150 nits is dim by modern standards. What surprised us most is how well the battery holds up for a refurb. Owners consistently mention getting through long meetings without hunting for an outlet, which is more than we can say for some newer Windows tablets.

Against the Apple iPad Air M3, the Surface Pro 7 loses on raw speed, battery life, and display brightness. The M3 chip runs circles around the i5-1035G4, and the iPad's screen is in a different league. But the Surface runs full Windows, which matters if you need desktop apps. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 is a closer fight, with better battery and a nicer screen, but Samsung's software update track record is spotty. The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus is the dark horse here, often cheaper with similar specs and a better display. If you need Windows specifically, the Surface Pro 7 is still the most refined option at this price. If you don't, get the iPad.

Here's the deal: prices on this thing are all over the place. We're seeing listings from USD 199 to USD 1,199 across 19 US vendors. The sweet spot is the refurbished units from Newegg, where you can find the 256GB model for a fraction of the high end. At USD 199 to USD 400, this is a steal for a Windows tablet with a real SSD and a great screen. At USD 1,199, you're being robbed. Buy refurbished, buy cheap, and don't look back.

The Surface Pro 7 is a weird one in 2025. It's a five-year-old tablet that still does the basics really well, but it's living on borrowed time. The one thing to know: this is a refurbished value play, not a new purchase. If you can grab one for a few hundred bucks, it's a surprisingly capable Windows machine for notes, browsing, and light work. If you're paying anywhere near original retail, you're getting fleeced.

If you want a tablet for media consumption, drawing, or gaming, this isn't it. The display is too dim, the graphics are too weak, and the battery can't keep up with modern ARM tablets. Go get an iPad Air M3 or a Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 instead. If you need Windows specifically but want better performance, look at a used Surface Pro 8 or a Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus.

The Surface Pro 7 is a solid refurbished buy if you need Windows in a tablet form factor and you find one under USD 400. It's not a performance machine, the display is dim, and the accessories add up fast. But for students, travelers, and anyone who wants a clean Windows experience without bloatware, it's still a genuinely useful device. Just don't pay new prices for old hardware.