I have had this for 5 days. I have a 16" MacBook which performs well but I need a Nvidia GPU for CUDA programming and a stylus for teaching, so I got this laptop. I genuinely like this laptop and wish I could keep it, but there are a few serious flaws that are hard to fix and will make me return it.
Pros
+Great stylus accuracy (useful for teaching online & in person. I can write equations shown on a projector, and teach coding on visual studio at the same time.)
+Great 3:2 screen aspect ratio for editing documents.
+Better keyboard and haptic trackpad than most laptops
+10nm Intel processor
+Nvidia GPU good for gaming, CUDA programming and machine learning
+Thunderbolt 4 ports, finally!
Cons
-The Nvidia GPU board keeps drawing 10 Watts of power even on idle. This drains the battery quite fast. Hot air is blown out of the vents and onto my hands even on idle. I have not been able to fix this, even by reinstalling Windows, and will probably have to return the laptop for this reason. Windows + Nvidia Optimus should turn off the discrete GPU and just use the integrated Intel GPU on battery power, but this does not happen.
-No DisplayPort via USB-C to HDMI adapter on the market (including Microsoft's) can output 4K@60Hz on an external monitor from this laptop. I only get 30 Hz and tried a dozen dongles (all of which work on a macbook). The only way to get 4K@60Hz is to use an expensive Microsoft Dock 2 or to connect a DisplayPort over USB Type-C cable directly to the monitor, if the monitor supports it (mine does, but if you have only HDMI, you are out of luck).
-4 core processor not enough for scientific computing. My 2019 Intel i9 MacBook has 8 cores and is twice as fast in matrix multiplication.
-The trackpad is not very precise when I drag the cursor with the tip of my finger. It jumps and wiggles slightly when I drag it on a straight line. I find myself having to correct where the cursor lands using the keyboard when text editing. This is annoying.
-Even if you buy the expensive business version with the Nvidia A2000 GPU, the GPU only has 4GB or RAM. The older Surface Book 3 business version had a 6GB Quadro GPU. This is important, esp. considering the business version cost.
-When I close the lid and let the laptop sleep overnight, and I open it in the morning, it has shut down, and takes 5-7 minutes to boot, showing a big thick circle with the windows logo, as if it is setting up windows for the first time. My macbook sleeps and wakes instantly. Why can't Microsoft get this right?
-The pen is accurate, but the eraser is not. On Microsoft OneNote, the eraser appears on the side of the eraser instead of being centered, making it hard to erase where you intend to, or erasing the wrong thing.
-No replacement nibs available for the slim pen 2. Seriously? When the nib wears out, I need to buy a new pen?
-The battery is not replaceable or serviceable. If it dies, Microsoft will replace the whole laptop if under warranty. Out of warranty, the laptop dies along with the battery. That is environmentally irresponsible, and unethical considering the cost of the laptop.
-Led backlight does not have good black levels. Black looks gray.
-Horribly glossy screen. Needs an anti-glare coating. If I wanted to see myself I would get a mirror. See the photo. Does Microsoft ever use their products?
Overall, I like the laptop, but the flaws are too serious to justify the price tag. Some of the issues may be fixed with software updates. I hope Microsoft will see this feedback and address the issues. Otherwise, I will wait for a gen 2 or gen 3 of this product.