Surface Pro is finally available. Surface RT and Windows 8-based Ultrabooks have been around for months, but the former can't run legacy apps and the latter have largely failed to maximize Microsoft's new operating system. Pro, in contrast, is the most thoroughly focused attempt yet to optimize cutting-edge hardware for arguably the most radical Windows refresh ever. The device is intended to set the standard for laptop-tablet hybrids, and to many Microsoft devotees, it has been the option worth waiting for.

Does Surface Pro live up to the hype? It depends. So far, the consensus is that your mileage will vary depending on your priorities; though both a laptop and a tablet, the Surface Pro is also an exercise in calculated compromise.

The same was true for the iPad, of course, and if the Pro's combination of tablet mobility and laptop power is liberating enough, users could grow to forgive its mediocre battery life and limited storage space. Surface GM Panos Panay explained during an "Ask Me Anything" session on Reddit that though engineering considerations necessitated many compromises, the device can surmount most challenges via accessories.