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maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,552
43,528
It depends on what you're looking for.

Some would say running a desktop OS, is better, or using a stylus.

Are you looking to buy and you need specific advise?
 

lparsons21

macrumors 6502
Jun 3, 2014
451
208
Southern Illinois
I have a Surface Pro (1st gen) and an iPad Mini. These days the Mini is mostly for reading books and doing some other minimalistic things that it has that are not really there for the Surface line.



One big thing, if it applies to you, is note taking. Simply put the new Surface Pro 3 and OneNote make for the very best note taking app/hardware combo out there imo. The new n-trig stylus is superb for note taking, better even than the Wacom one they used in the 1st and 2nd gens.



I got a chance to try out the SP3 and was blown away by how well that works. Unfortunately for me (but fortunate for my wallet), note taking isn't a big thing. :)



I have found that the more vibrant colors and contrasty screen on the SP are much better for my eyes than is iOS7. So the SP has become my go-to tablet.
 

nixiemaiden

macrumors 6502a
Jun 21, 2010
877
0
If you are talking about the Pro versions, then yes. They make a better laptop replacement than an iPad would. However, they don't make as good of a tablet.

Outside of that, it really depends on you. Personally, I wouldn't bother with a regular Surface over the iPad...however my dad prefers his Surface to the iPad since the web browser comes with flash plugins and he plays a lot of flash games.
 

lparsons21

macrumors 6502
Jun 3, 2014
451
208
Southern Illinois
Ah, thanks for bringing that up.



I've never been enamored of the non-pro Surface at all. Too many alternatives that are better in the Windows world in comparison.



I mean why pay that much for a non-Pro Surface when you can buy an ASUS T100 that runs a full version of Windows 8.1 and does it very well giving you the 'best' of both tablet use and small laptop use?



'best' in this case no comparing to the iPads.
 

MozMan68

macrumors demi-god
Jun 29, 2010
6,074
5,162
South Cackalacky
Of course you can finder cheaper alternatives that run full 8.1 with a touch screen and even a fold back keyboard... but none of them are as light or work as a tablet as well as the SP3. It still is the best of both that is available today.
 

lparsons21

macrumors 6502
Jun 3, 2014
451
208
Southern Illinois
I would agree that the SP3 is a great box, but at a super-premium price if all you really want is a great tablet.



I have the 1st gen SP and it does all of the things I do with a tablet on a daily basis. I have an iPad because I have lots of iBooks and I love AirPlay. And I have a Nook Simple Touch(?) for lots of other book reading.
 

TheHateMachine

macrumors 6502a
Sep 18, 2012
846
1,354
Is the surface better than the ipad in any way?

To me, in every way. My SP 3 is my work laptop, I play PC games on it, read sites and watch movies. I don't even own a keyboard cover for it and use it as a tablet 100% of the time.
 

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,421
Only if you want to plug in a flash drive, Mini SD card, external hard drive run most Windows programs Etc. Two different world's, you bored or just trolling??

Let's look at the different Surface models. We have the Surface Pro and the Surface RT. I'm not counting the different years, just condensing them. The RT is 16:9, which makes it better for viewing HD content (which the Surface 2 even has a 1080p display for). I have tried watching my shows on my iPad. It's doable, but the letter boxing is just annoying. I don't have that problem with my Surface RT.

Surface Pro has all of the benefits you mentioned, as well as being able to use a pen.

By the way, all of those things you mentioned are rather useful. I don't see how I'm trolling by saying that it can be argued that it is better in some ways.
 

burgman

macrumors 68030
Sep 24, 2013
2,726
2,301
Let's look at the different Surface models. We have the Surface Pro and the Surface RT. I'm not counting the different years, just condensing them. The RT is 16:9, which makes it better for viewing HD content (which the Surface 2 even has a 1080p display for). I have tried watching my shows on my iPad. It's doable, but the letter boxing is just annoying. I don't have that problem with my Surface RT.

Surface Pro has all of the benefits you mentioned, as well as being able to use a pen.

By the way, all of those things you mentioned are rather useful. I don't see how I'm trolling by saying that it can be argued that it is better in some ways.
sorry I meant to quote the OP, I was agreeing with you
 

sracer

macrumors G4
Apr 9, 2010
10,304
13,044
where hip is spoken
Let's look at the different Surface models. We have the Surface Pro and the Surface RT. I'm not counting the different years, just condensing them. The RT is 16:9, which makes it better for viewing HD content (which the Surface 2 even has a 1080p display for). I have tried watching my shows on my iPad. It's doable, but the letter boxing is just annoying. I don't have that problem with my Surface RT.
did you mean HD widescreen 16:9 content?

I rarely watched videos on my Surface RT and 2 that actually fit perfectly. Older movies still suffered from letterbox (wider than 16:9), TV shows from pillarboxing (4:3 & Academy).
 

Michael Goff

Suspended
Jul 5, 2012
13,329
7,421
sorry I meant to quote the OP, I was agreeing with you

OH, okay. I thought you were meaning that in a somewhat snarky way, as if to say 'who needs these things'. And yes, that has happened to me in a discussion before.

did you mean HD widescreen 16:9 content?

I rarely watched videos on my Surface RT and 2 that actually fit perfectly. Older movies still suffered from letterbox (wider than 16:9), TV shows from pillarboxing (4:3 & Academy).

Yep, good old 1080p content like Dr Who. I'd say MLP:FiM, but I haven't downloaded it on iTunes yet because I heard watching it on a nonApple device is a pain.
 
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