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Best computing product of 2017

Fifth time's the charm for this year's most ambitious computer

By Matthew S. Smith December 22, 2017

Best Computing Product 2017 Surface Pro — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Every year, Digital Trends editors hand pick the most exciting products we’ve had the privilege of handling this year. Make sure to check out award winners in categories from cars to outdoors, plus the overall best product of 2017! Read on for the computing products that floored us this year.

Contents

Winner
Runners up

Winner

Microsoft Surface Pro

When Microsoft introduced the original Surface in 2012, it founded a new class of device, one that was equally usable as both a PC and a tablet. The first model didn’t deliver on that promise. Neither did the, second, third, or even fourth. Each iteration came closer — but it’s the new Surface Pro that finally fulfills it.

There are many reasons why the Surface Pro is superior to its predecessors, but portability tops the list. Past 2-in-1 devices, including Microsoft’s competitors, have compromised significantly on battery life. Not the Surface Pro. It lasted over 10 hours in our video loop test, and over five hours in our most demanding battery run-down. These figures easily defeat most alternatives, and they’re long enough to make the new Surface Pro an all-day companion.

Yet that gain wasn’t made at the expense of performance, or function. In fact, the Surface Pro’s fastest configuration actually smokes many other laptops, and the latest iteration on the Surface keyboard is the best yet.

The Surface Pro fulfills the 2-in-1’s promise and easily outpaces its competition.

Windows 10 deserves credit, too. Improvements in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update expanded support for the Surface Pen while also improving reliability. It’s now possible to use the Pen with numerous built-in apps and expect a responsive, reliable experience. Tablet use is not just possible. It’s enjoyable.

Price remains our only complaint. The Surface Pro isn’t affordable, and it doesn’t come with the Surface Pen or a keyboard. Add those and you’ll pay at least $1,050 for an entry-level model with just 4GB of RAM. Still, we think it’s worth digging into your wallet. The Surface Pro fulfills the 2-in-1’s promise and easily outpaces its competition.

Read our full Microsoft Surface Pro review

Runners up

Topics

Matthew S. Smith

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Matthew S. Smith is the former Lead Editor, Reviews at Digital Trends. He previously guided the Products Team, which dives…

Computing

Power up your tech game this summer with Dell’s top deals: Upgrade for a bargain

Dell Techfest and best tech on sale featured.

One of the best times to upgrade your tech stack, be it your desktop, a new laptop, or some high-resolution monitors, is when great deals are to be had. Well, I'm here to share that thanks to Dell's top deals, you can power up your tech game and have most of the summer to make it happen. Maybe you're happy with your current system or setup. That's excellent, but you're likely considering upgrading somewhere, and that's precisely what these deals are all about. Dell has a smorgasbord of deals on laptops, desktops, gaming desktops, monitors, accessories, and so much more. We'll call out a few of our favorite deals below, but for now, know that you should be shopping this sale if you're interested in anything tech-related.

What summer tech should you buy in Dell's top deals?

Computing

I love the MacBook Pro, but this Windows laptop came surprisingly close

Apple MacBook Pro 16 downward view showing keyboard and speaker.

There are some great machines in the 15-inch laptop category, which has recently been stretched to include the more common 16-inch laptop. The best among them is the Apple MacBook Pro 16, which offers fast performance for tasks like video editing and the longest battery life.

The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 is aimed not only at other 16-inch Windows laptops but also at the MacBook Pro 16. It offers many of the same benefits but at a lower price. Can it take a place at the top?
Specs and configurations

Computing

How to set an ‘Out of Office’ message in Microsoft Teams

Person using Windows 11 laptop on their lap by the window.

Many people use Microsoft Teams regularly to communicate with colleagues both inside of the office and remotely. It is considered one of the most efficient ways to ensure you can stay in contact with the people on your team, but what if you need to let people know you’re not readily available? Microsoft Teams has a method for you to set up an "Out of Office" status for your profile to let staff members know when you’ll be gone for the afternoon, for several days on vacation, or for an extended period.
Where do I go to set up my ‘Out of Office’ status for Teams?
It is important to note that your Microsoft Teams and Outlook calendars are synced. This includes your out-of-office status and automatic replies. So, whatever you set up in Microsoft Teams will reflect in Outlook. Similarly, you can set up your out-of-office status in Outlook, and it will be reflected in Teams; however, the former has a more straightforward instruction.

First, you can click on your profile icon in Teams and go directly to Schedule an out of office, as a shortcut. This will take you to the settings area where you can proceed. You can also click the three-dot icon next to your profile icon, then go to Settings > General, then scroll down to the bottom of the page. There, you'll find out-of-office settings and click Schedule.