I still find the Surface Studio is not exactly breathtaking. I dislike the chrome arms - they are part of the computer and shouldn't stand out like that. I like the computer being on the base, usually a piece of dead space, but that makes the design of the arms more complicated as they need to carry signals back and forth.
It's good, but nothing I would be surprised seeing coming out of HP or Sony.
The arms are probably chrome to invite attention and imply motion. "Hey, play with me, I move!" It's a signal to potential buyers that they're not looking at yet another all-in-one computer. I think it's a smart choice. If you're staring at the arms enough to be bothered, then you're probably not the target market for this device; the arms are completely hidden when used in drafting/drawing profile.
For what it's worth, Apple created a similarly attention-grabbing hinge on their G4 iMac back in the day.
It's good, but nothing I would be surprised seeing coming out of HP or Sony.