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

[ZZ Bottom]

I've been wondering this myself. The only info I can find on it is that it's a Wacom digitizer, and....not much else.

Hopefully it'll at least match the high end Bamboo line. Though considering the price, I wouldn't be surprised if it used 512 levels of pressure as standard. Just enough to get you by, in other words.

This fellow seems to be quite convinced that it will offer 256 levels of pressure:
Look at the last post on the page

 

[MRU]

This fellow seems to be quite convinced that it will offer 256 levels of pressure:
Look at the last post on the page

Dissapointing if true, could have been a great solution for me.

I also dont fully agree with him either, going from an early Wacom tablet to a newer you can discern a tangible difference when there is more sensitivity.

 

[pearvsapple]

Apple should convert Macbook Air into a hybrid tablet with x86 hardwares.

 

[3lite]

See I actually like Windows 8, however.... Microsoft is crying poor me poor me. GET WITH THE PROGRAM!!!! You are not the only game in town! I get that this has some pretty kick butt specs but, $900 for a tablet?? You are out of your mind. Those kinds of prices are for laptops. But whatever... Just like Sony did with the PS3 which is actually a good system... They released it and charged $700 for it..... What kid is going to pay $700 for a game system? and that was the downfall of Sony. Everyone ended up buying up xbox's which in the long run ended up costing the xbox owner more because of the whole red ring of death issues. But.... My point is you can't charge to much for a product when you aren't the only game in town and as far as operating system wise... iOS and Android have been kicking butt so far so I have a feeling I know where this tablet is going to go..... as in it will be rare when you see someone with it. I like Windows 8 but not this much! I will stick with Mac OSX that updates every year and cost $20!!!!

MS fixes your XBOX for free.

So no... that is why PS3 is still losing out today. Hopefully they won't make the same mistake with the upcoming PS4.

 

[racer1441]

At $899 this isn't going to be your only computer. Once you add a keyboard cover you get closer, but I really want to see how much storage is left on the 64G model before saying it's really capable of acting as a daily driver.

I am very interested in the Yoga 11S when it comes out, though. Lower price point, built in keyboard, full x86 processor like the Surface Pro. If only it was available before June.

Sure it is the only driver for many people. I run an ipad only anymore, no big deal. Add the pen and keyboard cover, this is 100% a only machine.

 

[KdParker]

This is a full computer (Core i5) that can run Photoshop, Illustrator, OneNote without a sweat. It has a Wacom digitizer, which is 10,000 times more accurate than your finger, pressure sensitive, and you can actually rest your palm while writing without being detected as a touch. The Samsung ATIV 700T costs exactly as much, $1,100 with 128GB SSD and a dock. $1000 + $100 for the cover with Microsoft. If you want an Apple equivalent, the ModBook costs $3500, which is 3.5 times the Microsoft or Samsung. Yes, Apple is all glass and metal, but at that price point it doesn't matter.

I can understand that most people don't need a Wacom tablet running a full desktop OS. But if you do need that, for sketching, drawing, painting, charting, engineering, or art, then it is not expensive at all. A 12" Wacom Cintiq costs the same, and it's pretty outdated (you need a bunch of thick wires, the display is low resolution and uses old tech, and it needs an additional computer).

If you are looking for a small tablet pc then great. But I just don't have a need for that which is why I can't justify spending that much on a 10 in tablet.

 

[lordofthereef]

$100 less? But the Surface has no keyboard included at that price, vs. the Air's keyboard which offers two important things: backlighting, and adjustable screen angle. Two things you'll find hard to live without once you've tried them.

So at the very least, you'd better add that $100 back onto the Surface, to get at least a keyboard of some kind. Otherwise, you've got a product to compare with tablets, not laptops.

People are comparing hardware (CPU/gpu), inputs for peripherals, and of course software (full desktop os applications). I'd hardly say that just because it doesn't come pre pal shed with a keyboard that makes it more of a tablet than a laptop.

 

[ifij775]

Does anyone here really care about news from windows or micro shlit at all?

Why is here then? Everyone is here about MAC rumours. No one gives two farts
about windows.

Except when it sucks this bad....

----------

Apple should convert Macbook Air into a hybrid tablet with x86 hardwares.

HUH? Apple sells a tablet, Applet sells an ultrabook, and they will never sell a half-baked hybrid of the two.

 

[Someyoungguy]

Why is MR putting this chart up with the Surface Pro along side a iPad?

A Surface is a workstation, tablet, notebook crossbreed that will be very good for business. As a I.T. Manager this device will replace my thin clients, Workstations, notebooks, ultra books and the 100+ iPads. It is the perfect device for companies that do alot of admin work, accounting and telemarketing. Its going to save my a truck load out of the budget to spend on infrastructure upgrades and the like.

And to have a go at the operating system when it will do everything our IT department throw at it. The nightmares we have had trying to get iOS to be anything other than useless for productivity with in a large corporate network infrastructure has be laughable.

Back to my first question. Please don't put a iPad with it closed down Eco system striped of all choices to make it easy to use, against a product that will bring so much benefit to the business sector and push companies to make products similar or even better.

The Surface Pro will suit business a lot better than home use. Leave that to Apple and Android.

Ha, ha! I call BS! With your writing skills you're no IT Manager!

 

[lordofthereef]

I am going to sound like a MS apologist, but that is not my intention. In fact, I think quite a few things were executed poorly in their Surface line (most of that revolves around the mere existance of RT). Anyway, I will try and repsond as best I can here...

Let's look at the first use, tablet use.
As a tablet, the Surface pro is heavy. And thick. Call me limp wristed but it weighs significantly more than an iPad 3/4 which after prolonged use can get tiresome if using it one handed. All your tablet based tasks (web browsing, checking email, casual games etc) are far less demanding than an i5 CPU calls for. So you have all that power just wasting battery life. (More on that in a minute)

So as a tablet, it won't be a very good experience. Certainly more comfortable, cheaper solutions are out there. (See iPad, some Android tablets)

I think there is very much merit to what you are saying. At the same time I can say, from my relatively frequent travels, that I see almost nobody using their tablet one handed for any length of time. I generally see people resting their tablet on their laps, the tablet, the armrest, etc. When they are holding the thing upright, it is with two hands and they are, again, resting their elbows on something. Where I do see this device being completely inferior is reading a book, where you very much are holding the device to your face for hours at a time.

That brings us to the real drawcard of Surface Pro. It runs a full x86 OS and packs an i5 so you can run all your legacy apps! Great huh? Well for a start, they will be complete garbage if you try run them in tablet form. The windows 8 UI is designed for a touch screen, but all your legacy apps most certainly are not. Good luck using menu's and buttons on a 10" 1080p screen. I hope you have small, accurate fingers. (Sure you could use a stylus I guess but.....eugh)

Legacy devices aren't going to be used with the touch interface. They are going to be used in conjunction with the keyboard and trackpad combo, or a mouse. At least, that is the assumption I have made. I definitely don't expect MS to think that we are going to use legacy applications on the touch screen.

So you would set your Surface on a table, deploy the kickstand, attach your Type cover keyboard, and then what? Well then you have a laptop with a tiny screen, a cramped keyboard and trackpad and a screen you cannot adjust the angle on. Oh and I hope you have a nice flat tablet at a specific height available because you sure as hell can't use it as a LAP top, not with that bendy keyboard cover and kickstand. And for any serious work you would probably want to attach a mouse. At which point, there goes your 1 USB port. You could attach a USB hub I suppose? (Or just get a laptop with more than 1 USB port)

I don't buy the laptop with the tiny screen being an issue. Why? because netbooks were a popular buy up until recently. The MacBook Air is still a popular buy, and at 11", while it is larger than 10.1", it isn't an earth shattering size difference.

As to your mouse input, I wouldn't dream of plugging anything corded into something like this. Luckily we have bluetooth mice, and have had them for the better part of the decade, that would be quite suitable for something like this.

This brings me back to the battery life. The Surface Pro is totally useless for school use. The battery life is claimed by Microsoft to be HALF that of the Surface RT. So let's say 4 hours. At best. That one fact alone makes it instantly useless for schools, who are currently all rushing to implement some sort of iPad/tablet use for kids.

This is the achilles heel of this device, and something no amount of apologies will make up for. While I am still eager to see real world stats, I am not terribly hopeful. I think MS should have waited for the next gen super power efficient chips that would likely double battery life, even if it would be at the cost of raised production costs. I think expecting a real computer to last all day is a bit unreasonable, but expecting it to last more than four hours is not.

So as a Tablet, the Pro is too bulky and pointless for legacy Windows apps as the UI would be unworkable.
As a Laptop it's a poor, comprised design with poor battery life.

I think you summed things up way too simplistically here. Battery life is certainly a problem. Everything else, well, really isn't.

 

[Macboy Pro]

No LTE is a loser.

 

[lordofthereef]

No LTE is a loser.

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.

 

[LachlanH]

I am going to sound like a MS apologist, but that is not my intention. In fact, I think quite a few things were executed poorly in their Surface line (most of that revolves around the mere existance of RT). Anyway, I will try and repsond as best I can here...



I think there is very much merit to what you are saying. At the same time I can say, from my relatively frequent travels, that I see almost nobody using their tablet one handed for any length of time. I generally see people resting their tablet on their laps, the tablet, the armrest, etc. When they are holding the thing upright, it is with two hands and they are, again, resting their elbows on something. Where I do see this device being completely inferior is reading a book, where you very much are holding the device to your face for hours at a time.



Legacy devices aren't going to be used with the touch interface. They are going to be used in conjunction with the keyboard and trackpad combo, or a mouse. At least, that is the assumption I have made. I definitely don't expect MS to think that we are going to use legacy applications on the touch screen.



I don't buy the laptop with the tiny screen being an issue. Why? because netbooks were a popular buy up until recently. The MacBook Air is still a popular buy, and at 11", while it is larger than 10.1", it isn't an earth shattering size difference.

As to your mouse input, I wouldn't dream of plugging anything corded into something like this. Luckily we have bluetooth mice, and have had them for the better part of the decade, that would be quite suitable for something like this.



This is the achilles heel of this device, and something no amount of apologies will make up for. While I am still eager to see real world stats, I am not terribly hopeful. I think MS should have waited for the next gen super power efficient chips that would likely double battery life, even if it would be at the cost of raised production costs. I think expecting a real computer to last all day is a bit unreasonable, but expecting it to last more than four hours is not.


I think you summed things up way too simplistically here. Battery life is certainly a problem. Everything else, well, really isn't.

You certainly have a point with bluetooth mice. I was picturing a wireless mouse using a USB receiver thingy but actually forgot that most devices have bluetooth built in.

As for using legacy apps in touch mode, I agree, I don't see anyone doing that because the experience would be poor. I was pointing out however that because of this, it makes the whole 'it can run older windows apps' less appealing, when you consider that you could only really do this when situated at a desk, kickstand deployed and a keyboard and trackpad in use. (Remember, the keyboard doesn't come standard)

I also agree with your Surface RT comments. Windows 8 launched for PC's around the same time Surface RT hit. At the start screen, RT and Windows 8 look identical. I think Microsoft did a terrible job advertising RT and I am sure many people were under the false belief that Surface RT tablets were running Windows 8, when in fact they were not.

Another consideration is that Office doesn't come standard with the Pro. It should.

The way Microsoft handles the whole Windows Phone/RT/8 transition and marketing was....well for most users, confusing. I have read many people saying that Windows 8 is OK, but I suspect those people are more experienced computer users than the vast majority. I know if we moved to Windows 8 here at work, there would be an absolute flood of staff asking how the hell you do this or that.

I have been using Windows since 3.11. I work in IT. I hold qualifications in Windows support. I like to think I know a reasonable amount when it comes to the general use of Windows. Hence why I was extremely concerned when trying the Windows 8 release candidate. I had to Google and look up how to actually close a Metro app fully. Like shut it down, not just suspend and minimise it. Oh you have to move the mouse to the top and drag the entire app downward in a totally not smooth nor intuitive manner? Of course!

This isn't even mentioning the whole Windows Phone 7.5 couldn't be upgraded to 8, shafting the few people who did support that platform.

Also before Surface launched, Microsoft's big shpiel was "Why have a seperate OS for the laptop and tablet? (OSX and iOS), why not have them the same, then they are compatible with each other!"

And yet they went ahead and made 3 different, non compatible with each other operating systems. Windows Phone 8, Windows RT and Windows 8.

What a confusing move.

 

[Liquorpuki]

Another consideration is that Office doesn't come standard with the Pro. It should.

They're not gonna do this. It'll piss off the OEM's. Put Office on a Surface Pro and suddenly that Yoga 13 or Transformer Book doesn't stack up as well

 

[LachlanH]

They're not gonna do this. It'll piss off the OEM's. Put Office on a Surface Pro and suddenly that Yoga 13 or Transformer Book doesn't stack up as well

Surely cannibalising sales from your partners in favour of selling more Surface Pro's is better for Microsoft than having their own hardware sell poorly?

 

[twigman08]

Hmmm, Windows 8. I still don't know what to think about it. I've been using it as my primary OS and I do like it (though as a programmer I like to think of my self of being pretty good at using computers). It has some nice things to it and I like some of the new features and improvements they have done to the desktop.

Though it has it's bug. Yesterday when I turned my computer for some reason it decided that I checked "show hidden files/folders." I haven't done that one time on this OS yet yesterday on the start up it did. Hidden files and folders everywhere. I have lost my desktop icons for no good reason either (still showed them in the desktop folder and all that but would not show up, though I only had like 2 or 3 icons on my desktop including the recycle bin), plus it decided one time it didn't want to refresh my desktop background. So every time something moved over it it never did redraw it's self. So I started to see white stuff all over the place.

It has a lot of potential to be a good OS though Windows 8 feels incredibly buggy to me. I don't think I could use the full version of it on the Surface.

 

[yakapo]

I would not give up my macbook air for one of these - given.

However, as time goes by these high powered tablets will become lighter, thinner and even more powerful. -Captain Obvious

This thing has potential. You could be playing AAA pc games on one of these things one day (future) or use it for any enterprise windows application you need.

 

[MartiNZ]

LOL amusing that MacRumours is the first place I find out about the Surface Pro's release.

I don't think I'm going to be able to resist getting one. My RT has ruined me for non-touch-screens, but I just wish it could run more of the software I use. I think this is going to be the perfect device going forward .. just hope it gets another revision as Haswell would be a nice thing for it with various things being even smaller.

 

[AppleScruff1]

HUH? Apple sells a tablet, Applet sells an ultrabook, and they will never sell a half-baked hybrid of the two.

Until they do. Then if will be great, right?

----------

Surely cannibalising sales from your partners in favour of selling more Surface Pro's is better for Microsoft than having their own hardware sell poorly?

But the bulk of their business is software. They need to sell Windows and Office.

 

[2IS]

I don't have TOO much against Windows 8, in fact for a tablet I think it's pretty nice, though I don't think it's as good as Windows 7 for non-touch devices (yes I know there's a desktop mode and utilities to bring the start-menu back)

That said, my biggest concern for this would be the battery life. 17watt processor with a battery marginally SMALLER than the iPad isn't going to be pretty.

 

[herbalizer]

Only retards care about SPECS. I don't give a rats ass if the Surface has the best proc ever. I'm never going to voluntarily buy a MS product, let alone use one. They make garbage products for retards, period.

 

[Aidan5806]

STEAM, DROOL!!!

Just wish it had 8gb of ram... my steam games and my corded 360 joystick would love this on long flights.....

Ill wait for benchmarks...

Did you miss the part about the Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics, and the battery that is just below that of the iPad's on a chip that is far less power efficient? Yeah.......good luck with those long flights.....

 

[2IS]

I'm never going to voluntarily buy a MS product, let alone use one. They make garbage products for retards, period.

Oxymoron?

 

[MrRez]

Ha, ha! I call BS! With your writing skills you're no IT Manager!

I have been using spell check for nearly 20 years my writing and grammar are crap, but I am not employed to write literature. Blummin grammar nazi

 

[Darrin Bell]

They're not high

They are high.

Not really. This is going to make me switch to PC. I've owned nothing but Macs since '95 and I love the OS; but I'm a digital artist and I'm tired of waiting for Apple to come out with something like this (and the Modbook is WAY too expensive). The Surface Pro can run Photoshop, Storyboard Pro, and it's got a Wacom pressure-sensitive digitizer. I never wanted to go back to a PC, but this just makes so much sense for artists (and I'm sure it'll make plenty of sense for PC users who just like the form factor).