Surface Pro 7 + older type cover / stylus?

[Gus Smedstad]

I've got a Surface Pro 4, with a fingerprint ID type cover, and of course the SPro 4 stylus. I've been toying with the idea of upgrading to a Surface Pro 7.

Since the type cover and stylus are extra-cost accessories, I'm wondering if I really need to buy them again. Would my existing accessories work with the 7? I gather the newer type cover has magnets to turn the Pro 7 on / off much like the typical iPad cover, and the older cover won't have that, but at least I'd get to keep the fingerprint sensor. I've found face ID to be a bit slow and sometimes unreliable.

I'd also welcome any comments from people who have gone the Surface Pro 4 -> 7 upgrade route. I gather resume is a lot faster now, for example.

 

[ScottyS]

I just upgraded from a SP3 to SP7 and yeah it's much faster. The SP3 type cover works but I can't speak to the fingerprint reader (don't know if the newest version of Windows 10 would use it instead Windows Hello, but I find it works fast and reliable).

 

[Gus Smedstad]

What about the stylus? Does your SP3 stylus work with the SP7? I'd understand if you upgraded - I gather the SP3 stylus wasn't great - but I'm wondering if my SP4 stylus will work.

I have the current version of Windows 10 on my Surface Pro 4, and it appears to allow me to skip the long "checking to see if it's really you" part of facial recognition if I use the fingerprint scanner. I could of course turn off facial recognition entirely in favor of the fingerprint reader. Assuming it works with the SP7.

I don't really understand Microsoft's decision to discontinue the fingerprint reader version of the type cover.

I'd love to have an iPad-like ability to stop at any point and resume pretty much instantly. I tend to use my iPad for more casual stuff because of that, and because iOS is just more touch-friendly in general. I have the SP4 as well because there are times I need an actual laptop with a decent CPU and an OS without iOS's intentional limitations.

 

[DonHeli]

I just upgraded from SP4 to SP7 and the old the SP4 cover and stylus work great. Everything is recognized correctly for SP7. There is no need to buy new accessories. Also SP7 facial recognition feature is faster. I'm in the process on checking out the USB Type C port.