Microsoft's Surface Studio Is the iMac We All Want

At first glance, the Surface Studio looks Microsoft’s take on the iMac, an all-in-one computer with a simple, clean design and just one power cable. But what you’ll quickly realize is that Microsoft essentially took the iMac to the next level, essentially making both an iMac and a really big iPad Pro at the same time.

The hardware looks beautiful to me. All the power and graphics are housed in a little small rectangular box that almost looks like a flattened Mac Mini. In fact, this kind of reminds me of the second-generation iMac G4 that housed all the power in a bottom sphere with an LCD mounted on an adjustable arm.

Pricing starts at $2999 which is certainly not cheap and is actually $700 more expensive than the starting price of the highest tier 5K iMac. At that price, you get a 1TB hard drive, an Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM. Want the top-of-the-line Studio with 32GB of RAM and an Intel Core i7? That’s gonna set you back $4199. Pricey.

Still, the fact that Microsoft is making this is super awesome if you ask me. Is it enough to get me and most Mac users to switch over? Probably not. But do we all wish Apple would make its own version of this thing? Hell yes.

With Apple set to unveil new Macs tomorrow, it’s going to be interesting to see if they’ve got anything to show that has as much of a “wow” factor as the Surface Studio had today. Just yesterday, images leaked of Apple’s upcoming OLED Magic Toolbar, a feature that looks like it will allow for a variety of different functions, including the ability to use TouchID for Apple Pay.

Overall, I’m excited to see Microsoft push the boundaries of what is capable in hardware and software. People like to joke that the Surface is a complex and weird product, and maybe it is, but this Surface Studio looks really awesome.

I just wish it ran macOS.