This article lists cheap surface pro alternatives to help you save money to buy a decent budget laptop instead of a surface pro. All of them have digital pens, touchscreens, and slim-like surface pros but are cheaper alternatives of the surface pro.
A Surface Pro can easily cost you $600-$800 but having a decent alternative would be much cheaper and you would be able to together all perks like 2-in-1 functions, plus you would be able to enjoy the tap and swipe on the touchscreens or use digital pens that makes them great surface pro rivals. Similarly, few of these notebooks and tablets we have mentioned have limited storage for games and apps, so they have the option to insert the MicroSD card to enhance the storage.
A decent budget surface pro alternative with all the perks like digital pens, touchscreen, and a digital keyboard can cost you around $300 and that’s half the cost of owning a Surface Pro and even the cheapest surface pro would be more than this price.
Another option for you is to use MS Military and Student Discount to save some cash when you made your mind to buy a cheap surface pro alternative. But, that’s only possible when you have any active service member of your family as a student, teacher, or a military service member and this can get you a 10% discount which is also available for former and retired family members as well.
Another option to afford a surface pro is available to get through the Microsoft Surface Plus program that allows you to pay $38.71 monthly installments and on top of that you can get accidental protection through Microsoft Complete to get a new Surface Pro in 18 months or pay off your windows 2-in-1 and no need to return it.
Let’s take a look at some of the cheaper surface pro alternatives and get a laptop without spending too many dollars.
Lenovo yoga book is a perfect cheap surface pro alternative and allows you to perform drawings with extreme productivity.
Furthermore, the 1920 x 1280 display 10.1-inch display and the best part is that you can put the laptop into tablet mode as well and other than that you have the option to turn the keyboard off and the touch-sensitive areas will be used as a digital keyboard or a writing pad where you can easily sketch and draw on. When you have layered the included paper pad over this area then every stroke you make on the yoga book will be registered on either OneNote or Windows 10’s Sketchpad app. The two best features are writing on a paper pad and the second one is an option to upload the digital sketch without the scanner.
Moving on, you can put the laptop into the Laptop mode if you intend to use a keyboard with a trackpad. There are no physical keys but the job is done through the hidden monitor that is hidden inside the tablet that stimulates the feedback that pressing a physical key would create.
Everything can be performed through the Halo Keyboard either it’s browsing the internet or writing an email. Plus, if you intend to write longer paragraphs or sentences then you have the option to connect the Bluetooth keyboard. Additional accessories include a MicroUSB port, HDMI port, and a Mini HDMI Port.
Regarding specifications, the laptop comes with 4GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD, and a powerful Intel Atom X5 processor. Log in options include PIN code and password, and there is a powerful super-sharp 8 MP rear-facing camera on the backside of the unit and a 2MP front camera. The best part of this laptop is the 13 hours on a single charge. This is the perfect surface pro replacement that you should get.
The Lenovo Miix 320 is another great cheap surface pro alternative that is equipped with a physical keyboard to give you a windows tablet as well as a windows laptop experience. Plus, there are two USB 2.0 ports and a responsive trackpad. For a single charge, the Lenovo Miix 320 can last for more than 10 hours.
Regarding specifications, the laptop features 4GB RAM, 64GB physical storage, and an Intel Atom x5 processor and a 5MP back camera, and a 2MP front-facing camera for taking clear selfies and photos. Other than that, there are a USB Type-C port, SD Card slot, and an HDMI port and if you want to use headphones, there is a jack available as well.
The 1920×1200 resolution display with 10-inch screen size is smaller and can easily give you enough room to work on Chrome or Microsoft Office Mobile. All in all, this digital notebook is the favorite cheaper alternative to a surface book.
The next cheap surface pro alternative on our list is HP x2 10-P012NR, a super lightweight tablet that comes with a 10-inch display and a physical keyboard. The touchscreen display allows you to draw and sketch easily and also you can use the comfortable keyboard for typing articles. At an affordable price tag, this one brings a stylus which many surface pro alternatives don’t offer at this price bracket.
Everything is pretty much accessible through the tablet and if you don’t have the keyboard along, it’s fine. Regarding specifications, the model comes with 4GB RAM and 128GB of physical storage. There are a plethora of ports for connectivity including USB Type-C, USB 3.0, Micro HDMI, and a headset jack.
Finally, there are two cameras onboard on the device, the rear-facing camera with the 5-megapixel resolution is a good camera but not a solid one for taking amazing pictures. The Front web camera can be used for Skype and other messaging apps for video calling on zoom or Skype or video conferencing.
Overall, the HP x2 10-P012NR is a perfect alternative Compared to buy a surface pro which can be expensive for you and rather than spending big dollars on a device, get a similar one with the same features but a lower price tag.
The Huawei Matebook E is an amazing device that can save you a lot of cash and this is a decent surface pro alternative that you would love to have.
Although this alternative costs you more than other options but the features this device offers makes it worth the money you spend on it and it is still a lot cheaper than a surface pro.
This is a decent windows 2-in-1 tablet that brings a keyboard cover that kickstand for laptop mode but with a surface pro, you would pay separately for a cover to use a surface pro as a laptop replacement. There comes a USB Type-C adapter which is ideal to connect external accessories with the tablet.
This is a solid device that comes with a bigger 12-inch display with 2,160 x 1440 resolution that is sharper than other alternatives on the list and it also comes with a digital pen which is helpful for drawings, sketching, and taking notes. The best part is that you can use the keyboard to take class notes with typing.
The unit comes with a powerful Intel Core m3 processor, 4GB RAM, and a super-sharp display for this device type. If you can spend a little more, there are more powerful variants of this device available with more premium features and higher battery life.
The best alternative to a surface pro is ASUS Transformer Mini T102HA and if you want big savings, this is the best option for you.
The ASUS Transformer Mini T102HA saves you a lot of the money of a handful of things like it comes with a cover so that a big save and a stylus which is sold separately to Surface Pro buyers. The cover can extend up to 170 degrees to use the tablet as laptop mode.
Specifications include a 10-inch standard HD display that can let you enjoy movies and games with clear visuals. There is a 4GB RAM, 128GB storage, and an Intel Atom x5 processor and finally, you can also enjoy the 11 hours of battery backup with video playback which is awesome for such an affordable alternative to surface pro.
For connectivity, there is a range of options like USB 3.0, Micro HDMI port, Micro USB port, and a USB 3.0 port. There is a windows Hello fingerprint reader for extra security of the device. Last but not least, the device onboards a 2MP web camera that can let you connect with your friends and family through video chats.
Overall, the ASUS Transformer Mini T102HA is a reasonable surface pro alternative that doesn’t cost you a dime and doesn’t put a dent on your wallet. So, without spending huge bucks, you can enjoy the perks of a surface pro.
Acer Swift 3 is a great surface pro alternate that offers a bigger screen real-estate, keyboard, and a digital pen for interacting with the device. The Acer Swift 3 is a beautiful laptop and a tablet device a detachable device that offers exact same size of the workspace as a surface pro and using this space you can productively work either sketch or write through the Active stylus, thanks to the full-size keyboard.
Compared with other notebooks in this same price range, this is a smaller display but is the best performing unit as it comes with 4GB RAM, 1.1 GHz Pentium processor and delivers top-notch performance for daily Web browsing or basic activities.
For connectivity, the laptop comes with a USB 3.0 Type-C, USB 3.0 port, or MicroSD card reader, and this way you can either connect with external devices or store data as much as 64GB.
Finally, there are two cameras on board, a 5MP rear camera to taking the best photos and a 2MP front camera for video calling and conferencing, and chatting.
All in all, the Acer Swift 3 is a powerful surface pro alternative and a bigger alternative that comes with great specs and offers 8 hours of battery backup that makes it an extremely portable notebook alternative to a surface pro.
Buying a refurbished surface pro is a better cheaper alternative to a surface pro because refurbished devices come at a significantly cheaper price tag.
This particular unit comes with an Intel Core m3 processor and 8GB RAM, and 256GB storage.
Furthermore, the system comes with all the bells and whistles that you expect from a great surface pro alternative and this is the only cheaper Surface Pro alternative that comes with Microsoft essential accessories.
The system comes with 2,736 x 1,824 pixels resolution which is the 2k resolution and the unit comes with a 5MP display camera which is also a cheaper alternative and the best part is the 13.5 hours of battery backup which is more than any other laptop on our list of cheap surface pro alternatives.
Overall, the Refurbished Surface Pro is a great tool and a superb alternative to surface pro and comes with amazing features and a range of connectivity options as well.
The cheaper option for a surface pro user is the Surface Pro 4 that’s super cheaper and comes with all the perks that you expect from a great surface pro laptop.
This is a laptop to tablet convertible unit that has a bigger screen and more ports and is the best option for you.
If you have the cheapest budget and want something powerful not other than surface pro then this is the most suitable option for you.
Robert Smith is a technology lover and loves to write about laptops, monitors, printers, tablets, Apple products and anything that's related to computers and games. He is passionate enough that he maintains this blog regarding tech updates on a daily basis.
Robert Smith is a technology lover and loves to write about laptops, monitors, printers, tablets, Apple products and anything that's related to computers and games. He is passionate enough that he maintains this blog regarding tech updates on a daily basis.
