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Anyone else switch from iPad to Surface Pro 3?

macmee

macmee

Suspended
Original poster
Dec 13, 2008
835
1,110
Canada
Reasons I made the switch:

1. Split screen. I was never happy with multitasking in iOS. It's slow, sometimes apps have this weird "refresh" delay when you switch to them, you simply can't do 2 things at once in iOS. With Split screen in metro I think it completely solves this problem.

2. Note taking. The stylus and OneNote are phenomenal. I tried several styluses and note taking apps for my iPad and nothing came close to how nice note taking is on my SP3.

3. Keyboard cover. I was sick and tired of bad bluetooth covers for the iPad. I like how simple the keyboard cover is for the SP3.

4. I just like having a full OS. I can run full desktop apps when I want, I have the file explorer, USB and a lot of added benefits from this.

I still have my iPad 3, and it is thinner and lighter than the SP3, but that's about it. It has similar battery life and other than maybe being slightly more stable, is considerably worse than the SP3 in every category that matters to me. If Apple came out with a tablet with the above features and OS X though, I would dump the SP3 in a heartbeat ;)
 
M

markusbeutel

macrumors regular
Sep 26, 2014
144
14
I did, but I wouldn't really compare it to the iPad - the specs on the surface rival those on the MacBook Air, and lower model MacBook Pros (and it trumps the screens on any of those models what with the 3:2 aspect ratio IMO).
 
macmee

macmee

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Dec 13, 2008
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markusbeutel said:
I did, but I wouldn't really compare it to the iPad - the specs on the surface rival those on the MacBook Air, and lower model MacBook Pros (and it trumps the screens on any of those models what with the 3:2 aspect ratio IMO).
Click to expand...

I would say it depends on the user. I compare it to my iPad because I've completely replaced my iPad with my SP3, but I still use my macbook as my main computer due to its more power and my personal preference of OSX > Windows.
 
M

markusbeutel

macrumors regular
Sep 26, 2014
144
14
macmee said:
I would say it depends on the user. I compare it to my iPad because I've completely replaced my iPad with my SP3, but I still use my macbook as my main computer due to its more power and my personal preference of OSX > Windows.
Click to expand...

Do you have the lower version i3 or i5 model of SP3 then? Cause the i7 model is equal in power to the highest model MacBook Air in specs + the touchscreen - arguably higher I'd say though, as it's easy to overclock.
 
macmee

macmee

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Original poster
Dec 13, 2008
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Canada
markusbeutel said:
Do you have the lower version i3 or i5 model of SP3 then? Cause the i7 model is equal in power to the highest model MacBook Air in specs + the touchscreen - arguably higher I'd say though, as it's easy to overclock.
Click to expand...

I have a i7 quad core macbook pro. The Air wasn't working out in terms of xcode :p
 
spinedoc77

spinedoc77

macrumors G4
Jun 11, 2009
11,394
5,257
I replaced my iPad with a windows tablet a couple of years ago and never looked back, there is just so much more functionality with zero compromises. Currently have a SP3 and it's phenomenal, although a different beast because of it's larger screen IMO.
 
R

radus

macrumors 6502a
Jan 12, 2009
711
428
the pen ist the wine

the pen is the winner
swichted to the surface pro 3 because of:
- handwriting with the pen into onenote
- full operating system
- large ssd
- 4k monitor support via display port 1.2 (great with the latest intel drivers, 4k, 60hz)
- all the windows software
- usb 3 connectivity
all in all the surface pro 3 plays in a different league compared to the ipad
 
Last edited:
spinedoc77

spinedoc77

macrumors G4
Jun 11, 2009
11,394
5,257
mrex said:
i would go right now and buy sp3/i7 if only there wasnt heat issue :/
Click to expand...

There isn't a heat issue unless you are running something which is graphically intensive AND sustained over a period of time. I think that pretty much leaves only gaming, although mine has functioned better than I thought with the games I've thrown at it, but yes it does throttle somewhat after a while.
 
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Brenster

macrumors 6502a
Jul 7, 2008
794
787
Not giving up my retina mini here, still good for light editing and media consumption. As good as OneNote and Evermore are on the mini, and they are good, they dont hold a candle to OneNote 2013 and OneNote 2013 on my Surface Pro 3.

As much as I love my 15" MBP, Office 2011 for mac pales next to Office 2013 on the SP3. Aside from the SP3 being highly portable, the infinitely variable kickstand and the new type cover work really well in my lap, even with one leg crossed over the other and the kickstand hanging over the raised knee.

Not using the metro version of snap much, but Aero Snap on the desktop really has no parallel on OSX; if you don't want full screen then you're down to manually managing windows if you need side by side concurrent viewing of applications.

Just be sure not to load up the SP3 with shovelware and Win8 is a decent OS from a user perspective and is good enough under the bonnet relative to OSX.
 
mi7chy

mi7chy

macrumors G4
Oct 24, 2014
10,495
11,155
9.7" is ok for consumption but is too small for productivity, doesn't support mouse input and doesn't have precision pen for creativity/note taking/PDF annotation/etc. Apps are fun but are very limiting when you need to get work done compared to the full MS Office 2013, Visio, Acrobat Pro, full Chrome browser experience with Adblock, etc. Surface Pro 3 weighs about the same as my iPad2 but is immensely more useful. Even use it with iTunes to update iOS on the iPad2 when it's being stubborn.
 
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