Microsoft Surface Pro to Be Released February 9 with $899 Price Tag

[Tucom]

Windows 8 is VERY unstable on some hardware, and the gaming performance of Windows 8 is absolutely AWFUL compared to Windows 7. I just built an AMD FX 8150 with 16GB RAM and Radeon HD 7770 on a MSI 970 chipset motherboard, and bought a brand new retail copy of Windows 8 Pro for $140, and while the installation was fast and the OS was fluid, gaming performance was a disaster. Maybe with Nvidia it's better as maybe Nvidia has more optimized drivers for Windows 8? IDK


But I'm back on Windows 7 and all games are running IMMENSELY better and faster, at higher resolutions and framerates by a factor of 2 to 5 times as much.


Adobe Flash player did use about half as much CPU on Windows 8 than 7 though, but that's what caused the instability; at random times when there was a web page loaded that had Flash on it it caused my system to be unresponsive and video to be messed up; I had to put it to sleep and then re awaken it to reset everything.


Windows 8 still has a way to go.

[Renzatic]

Originally Posted by Tucom

Snip

Really? My experiences with Win8 have been almost exactly the same and slightly better than Win7. Game performance is almost equal across the board, give or take a couple of frames depending on the game (cept for Minecraft, which runs at twice the framerate for some reason). Flash, all that good stuff? Not much different than 7.

Considering it's building off of Win7, and can even use the same drivers if you're in a pinch, I'm surprised you had such a bad time with it.

[MagnusVonMagnum]

When the heck is Apple going to add Windows8 to Boot Camp (seriously, they're out of date and it makes them look bad and I don't want to buy Windows7 for Boot Camp when it's already outdated).

For that matter, when is Microsoft going to put the Start Menu back as an option (I mean they fired the guy that got rid of it so they must think it was a bad decision and yet it persists as do the stupid commercials touting how awesome odd colored blocks are to have as your desktop.

[delton05]

... mmm, but does it come in white?

[0dev]

[RightToDream]

I would rather pick up two ipads with that price!

[rjohnstone]

Originally Posted by 0dev

Image

Cartoon fail.
RT runs on several non-Microsoft devices, it's not exclusive to Surface.

Originally Posted by RightToDream

I would rather pick up two ipads with that price!

Why? An iPad is not in the same class as the Surface Pro.
Surface Pro is an Ultrabook convertible, not an oversized iPod Touch.

[0dev]

Originally Posted by rjohnstone

Cartoon fail.
RT runs on several non-Microsoft devices, it's not exclusive to Surface

So? That doesn't negate the central point the comic is making.

[rjohnstone]

Originally Posted by 0dev

So? That doesn't negate the central point the comic is making.

The comic shows the creator is intentionally trying to confuse the reader about the differences.

The real difference... they share a common interface.
RT=Windows RT apps only (old Windows based apps won't work)
Windows 8/pro = All existing apps AND RT apps will work.


Simple and straight forward.

Don't get me started on how the writer starts listing Surface with keyboard choices as different products.
It two products (Surface and Surface Pro) with optional accessories.

[0dev]

Originally Posted by rjohnstone

The comic shows the creator is intentionally trying to confuse the reader about the differences.

The real difference... they share a common interface.
RT=Windows RT apps only (old Windows based apps won't work)
Windows 8/pro = All existing apps AND RT apps will work.


Simple and straight forward.

Don't get me started on how the writer starts listing Surface with keyboard choices as different products.
It two products (Surface and Surface Pro) with optional accessories.

Your post just makes it all even more confusing

[raptorstv]

Good luck paying that $899+keyboard+$99 MS Office subscription fees..
Owning XBOX has shown me how greedy microsoft is, its the only console charging annual XBOX Live fees

[aerok]

Originally Posted by Renzatic

Really? My experiences with Win8 have been almost exactly the same and slightly better than Win7. Game performance is almost equal across the board, give or take a couple of frames depending on the game (cept for Minecraft, which runs at twice the framerate for some reason). Flash, all that good stuff? Not much different than 7.

Considering it's building off of Win7, and can even use the same drivers if you're in a pinch, I'm surprised you had such a bad time with it.

Same here, everything has been smooth. Only having issues with Witcher 2, don't know why but the game is unplayable on W8.

[Wicked1]

Good luck Microsoft, I just read today their return rate on the R/T is big.

We are all fine with Windows XP or Win 7 and all the other goodies that are out there, I do not see the Surface giving any competition to Apple or Samsung at all, they seem to be running at the top. Look where is HP's Tablet or BB's? Gone nobody wants them and they are not even offered in most places anymore, I heard Best Buy returned all BB tablets to Rim bc of lackluster sales.

[Macboy Pro]

Originally Posted by lordofthereef

The vast majority of iPads, and I mean VAST MAJORITY, sell without LTE. I don't think most people need devices like this to have a mobile data plan, based on sales records.

Actually, its 44% wifi+3g/4g/lte and 56% is wifi only. Not quite a VAST MAJORITY.

[lordofthereef]

Originally Posted by Macboy Pro

Actually, its 44% wifi+3g/4g/lte and 56% is wifi only. Not quite a VAST MAJORITY.

These numbers are based on what Apple is shipping/producing. When iPads sell out, people settle for the mobile internet compatible versions even if they don't want them. It is fact that wifi only models are always the first to sell out. Always. Your numbers are skewed based on Apple's production.

----------

Originally Posted by Tucom

Windows 8 is VERY unstable on some hardware, and the gaming performance of Windows 8 is absolutely AWFUL compared to Windows 7. I just built an AMD FX 8150 with 16GB RAM and Radeon HD 7770 on a MSI 970 chipset motherboard, and bought a brand new retail copy of Windows 8 Pro for $140, and while the installation was fast and the OS was fluid, gaming performance was a disaster. Maybe with Nvidia it's better as maybe Nvidia has more optimized drivers for Windows 8? IDK

I can't speak for AMD in Windows 8 as I have NVidia cards, but I hadn't noticed any issues at all. In fact, everything seems to load faster. That might be wishful thinking, bt it's definitely not worse, and far from a disaster.

unfortunately while AMD makes great cards, their drivers, in my experience, have been terrible. When SWTOR launched I literally had to switch to NVidia. The game simply wouldn't run properly with AMD. /shrug

[Macboy Pro]

Originally Posted by lordofthereef

These numbers are based on what Apple is shipping/producing. When iPads sell out, people settle for the mobile internet compatible versions even if they don't want them. It is fact that wifi only models are always the first to sell out. Always. Your numbers are skewed based on Apple's production.

Even if I could pretend to follow your logic, it still does not change the fact that the numbers sold are NOT vastly unbalanced in favor of WiFi only versions.

[2IS]

Originally Posted by Tucom

Windows 8 is VERY unstable on some hardware, and the gaming performance of Windows 8 is absolutely AWFUL compared to Windows 7. I just built an AMD FX 8150 with 16GB RAM and Radeon HD 7770 on a MSI 970 chipset motherboard, and bought a brand new retail copy of Windows 8 Pro for $140, and while the installation was fast and the OS was fluid, gaming performance was a disaster. Maybe with Nvidia it's better as maybe Nvidia has more optimized drivers for Windows 8? IDK


But I'm back on Windows 7 and all games are running IMMENSELY better and faster, at higher resolutions and framerates by a factor of 2 to 5 times as much.


Adobe Flash player did use about half as much CPU on Windows 8 than 7 though, but that's what caused the instability; at random times when there was a web page loaded that had Flash on it it caused my system to be unresponsive and video to be messed up; I had to put it to sleep and then re awaken it to reset everything.


Windows 8 still has a way to go.

I'd say this is more of an issue with your setup than Windows 8.

I'm running both Windows 7 and 8, I see no discernible difference in their gaming performance on my hardware nor have I heard of any large outcry of performance issues on several PC dedicated forums I frequent.

[lordofthereef]

Originally Posted by Macboy Pro

Even if I could pretend to follow your logic, it still does not change the fact that the numbers sold are NOT vastly unbalanced in favor of WiFi only versions.

I didn't think it needed more clarification, but here goes...

Apple is SELLING OUT their iPads, especially the minis, as soon as they get stock. Do you follow so far? That means they are selling whatever they are producing. Still with me? Whatever the numbers they are actually producing are therefor going to be the numbers they sell. If they are producing nearly identical numbers of wifi only versus wifi+LTE models, they are going to sell nearly identical numbers of these models. As such, the numbers don't tell you what the actual demand is; they tell you that the demand for iPads is high. Because they are selling out. But I can tell you that wifi only models are the first to go. It stands to reason, then, that more people come for the wifi model, but when it is sold out, they opt for the one with the cellular radio (rather than no iPad at all).

There you go. You can quit pretending (and the snarky commentary).

[Macboy Pro]

Originally Posted by lordofthereef

I didn't think it needed more clarification, but here goes...

Apple is SELLING OUT their iPads, especially the minis, as soon as they get stock. Do you follow so far? That means they are selling whatever they are producing. Still with me? Whatever the numbers they are actually producing are therefor going to be the numbers they sell. If they are producing nearly identical numbers of wifi only versus wifi+LTE models, they are going to sell nearly identical numbers of these models. As such, the numbers don't tell you what the actual demand is; they tell you that the demand for iPads is high. Because they are selling out. But I can tell you that wifi only models are the first to go. It stands to reason, then, that more people come for the wifi model, but when it is sold out, they opt for the one with the cellular radio (rather than no iPad at all).

There you go. You can quit pretending (and the snarky commentary).

LOL, and once again.... The numbers are not vastly unbalanced like you said. Thanks for the giant paragraph of humor.

[2IS]

Originally Posted by 0dev

So? That doesn't negate the central point the comic is making.

The central point? what was the central point exactly? I can make an iPad purchase even more complicated by mixing and matching colors, capacity, LTE vs no LTE, Verizon vs att, mini vs full and all the different combinations in between. And thats just the device itself. Nevermind the different color smart covers I can get for it.

Oh, yeah... And there's an iPad 2 option as well.

[Wicked1]

I have not seen a single one out there guessing sales are not so hot

[rjohnstone]

Originally Posted by Wicked1

I have not seen a single one out there guessing sales are not so hot

Some guy in Jersey hasn't seen one... we failed!!!

I've seen 3 of the RT versions here at work already but no Pro's yet.
The Pro must be teh suck!

Until someone releases numbers, we can only guess.

[Roessnakhan]

Originally Posted by Wicked1

I have not seen a single one out there guessing sales are not so hot

I saw a Surface RT at a restaurant back when it first came out, but haven't seen any more than that one sighting.

[Wicked1]

Originally Posted by rjohnstone

Some guy in Jersey hasn't seen one... we failed!!!

I've seen 3 of the RT versions here at work already but no Pro's yet.
The Pro must be teh suck!

Until someone releases numbers, we can only guess.

Lol

Us Jersey Folk like things that work well...lol

I have seen a bunch of the RT units, but a few people I talked to said they returned them, and got the Google Nexus Tablet instead and some for the iPad Mini, we will see over the next few months how it all works out...

----------

Originally Posted by Roessnakhan

I saw a Surface RT at a restaurant back when it first came out, but haven't seen any more than that one sighting.

I think about 80-90 % of what I see is some sort of Apple iPad either iPad or Mini
5-10% are some sort of Android Tablets, here at work it is a 80/20 in favor of Apple

I have seen only a handful of the Windows 8 tablets, all RT no Pro's yet.

Will be interesting to see if anyone can come close. A co worker has the new Google Nexus tablet and it is nice, but the iPad is more for me.

[lordofthereef]

Originally Posted by Macboy Pro

LOL, and once again.... The numbers are not vastly unbalanced like you said. Thanks for the giant paragraph of humor.

I don't see why you are stuck on what I originally said, when I corrected myself in subsequent posts. I was referring to demand, not sales. But there is no reasoning with someone who is unwilling to get the point even while I explain it to you multiple times, because you just have this need to point out that I am wrong. Yes, I was wrong to say that sales of wifi only far outweigh sales of wifi+LTE models. What I meant to, or should have said, was that demand of the wifi only models far outweighs demand of LTE models.

Anyway, done wasting my time on this. The wording of your responses reads "insecure individual trying to push my buttons", and I am uninterested in that.