Microsoft Surface Pro 8 notes

Overview

If you are looking for running Windows desktop apps on a standalone tablet for notetaking rather than art, then the Surface Pro 8 (and above) is a good choice when combined with Surface Pro Signature Keyboard and Slim Pen 2.

Included pen

The tablet does NOT come with a pen.

You have to buy that separately

Compatible pens

Surface Slim Pen 2 - my notes on this pen

Drawing experience with the Surface Slim Pen 2

With a Surface Pro, you can use various versions of the surface pen. None of these are great for art. But some are tolerable. I would consider them OK for "occasional use" for art. I really find these devices and their are more suited to note taking rather than drawing.

  • Surface Pro 7 ands below do not have good pens for drawing. They exhibit too much line wobble.

  • I find the drawing experience to be OK / Tolerable with the Surface Pro 8 and above with the Surface Slim Pen 2. It doesn't match what you get from the iPad or the Samsung Galaxy Tab series.

Using it with the Surface Dock 2

I connect it the Microsoft Surface Dock 2 for power and network connectivity.

I use two Thunderbolt 3 cables from the Surface Pro 8 to connect two 4K 60Hz displays (one of those will be the a 4K pen display)

The Surface Pro can be used for drawing with its own pen. However I don't like drawing with the Surface pen. Instead, I prefer to use attached drawing tablets.

Using it with the CalDigit TS4 dock

Since about June of 2024, I've been using it with the CalDigit TS4 dock since that dock provides more ports than the Surface Dock.

Limitations on number of simultaneous displays

Including the built in laptop display, I've only every been able to use 3 displays connected to the Surface Pro 8. Even if I connect 4 (using a dock) only a maximum of 3 displays will be used by the Surface Pro 8.

Using drawing tablets with the Surface Pro 8

Because the Surface Pro uses its own pen technology (N-TRIG) and its own pen (Surface Slim Pen 1) some people ask if there is any problem when using a traditional drawing tablet with the Surface Pro.

My experience is that The Surface Pro has worked seamlessly with drawing tablets once you install the tablet driver. The fact that the surface pro has its own pen features does not interfere with the drawing tablet. Nor does the drawing tablet interfere with the Surface pen.

I've used every brand of tablet successfully: Huion, XP-Pen, Xencelabs, etc.

I have extensively used these drawing tablets with my Surface Pro 8:

  • Wacom Cintiq 24 (2025)

  • Wacom Intuos Pro (PTH-860)

  • Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 (DTH-271)

  • Wacom Cintiq Pro 16 (DTH-167)

  • Huion Kamvas Pro 19 (GT-1902)

Last updated