Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Microsoft's Surface Book Ads Borrow Music From Apple to Focus on Things a Mac 'Just Can’t Do'
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Working backwards... how is touching the screen then touching the trackpad 'unprofessional'? I think you're using a meaning for the word that is new or unusual. As for plastering the screen with grease and fingerprints - you're doing the same thing with your phone. Maybe you just have hygiene issues?
As for why you'd want it, let's address this in three parts.
First, you don't have to use it. It's there when you do want to and when you do need it. You're also missing that the Surface (like the iPad Pro) has a pen.
Second, I'm assuming you don't own an iPad or any other kind of tablet and only use desktops or touchless laptops? Because if you do, then ask yourself - why? Answer - because *some* kinds of interactions with software are actually easier with touch - and some aren't. If you have a hybrid device like the Surface, you can switch modes and use which ever one is best suited to the task.
Finally - as a long time hybrid user, here's a little secret that isn't talked about much: when you get used to having a hybrid, it's surprisingly hard to go back to just using a trackpad or a mouse. Here's the reason - with a mouse or a trackpad, you have 'drive' a pointer to the right place to cause an action. For precision tasks - that's really the best way with pen being second best - touch doesn't really work well. BUT, for clicking on buttons - even on non-optimised screens, touch is simply easier. You're doing something your entire nervous system is wired to do - see something - touch it. Once you get into the habit, it's literally reflex. When I switch back to a regular desktop, I'll reflexively tap my monitor with my finger to click a button without even thinking (much to the amusement of my coworkers).
It's not an either/or.
[doublepost=1457806034][/doublepost]
Maybe because fewer Chromebooks are sold than MacBooks (which is itself a very small number, compared to PC laptops) and most of the Chromebooks sell to the classroom/educational market which isn't a primary market for Microsoft?
Not necessarily...for me the switch from my Macbook to a surface pro 4 was surprisingly easy and the surface just fits my usage profile so perfectly that I am not coming back to a mac as my primary work tool unless there is a compareable touchscreen.
To clarify why I like the surface experience so much:
-I want my files with me, all the time, all of them
-I like using a physical keyboard with a trackpad for stuff like Excel/Word
-I like to take notes (handwritten) when in a meeting and the surface in combination with the pen and notes (to transfer handwriting into text) works awesomely for me
-the docking station of the surface works very smooth with my setup
So, while I do not need any part of the surface all the time, it just sums up what I want from my primary device in one gadget instead of having to take an ipad and a macbook with me...obviously, your mileage may vary....but the days that makes you come back screaming are gone for now (and I hope it stays that way, I like chioce) On the other hand, if Apple manages to put together a OSX based tablet I will obviously consider if their approach to touch plus keyboard/Trackpad will be a better experience for me
I have win10 on my iMac and aside from some scaling issues, its been smooth sailing
Ok so where are the Apple hatters that say Apple products cost touch. Lmao. My mom just got a new MacBook Pro Retina 13" to replace her old Pro 13". She paid $1,499. A very similarly specked Surface Book 13" is $1,899. So is a touch screen really worth $400 I guess to some it might be lol. A lot of other things I could spend $400 on. Oh and don't even get me started on windows 10. I think it's a step in the right direction but it's not there yet. I really prefer Mac OS but that's just my opinion.
Also I m not saying that apple should never add a touch screen (I could care less but I know some people have been asking for it) to Mac OS but I hope if they do it won't be at a $400-$500 mark up from the current price. I could understand $100-$200.
Also I m not saying that apple should never add a touch screen (I could care less but I know some people have been asking for it) to Mac OS but I hope if they do it won't be at a $400-$500 mark up from the current price. I could understand $100-$200.
Last edited:
the 1,899 Surface book comes with the Dedicated GPU.
the 1,499 MacBook pro does not.
the $400 difference buys you a detachable touchscreen and dedicated GPU.
but if thats not relevant to your mothers needs, than there's nothing wrong with buying the MacBook Pro. it's a great laptop. But don't be disingenuous with your comparison. the 1,499 MBP and 1,899 SurfaceBook are not comparable hardware.
at 1,499, you can get a similarly specced Surface Book that does not include the Dedicated GPU. But you lose 128gb of storage. Same RAM, Slightly newer CPU (About the same power level IIRC), But does still come with detachable touchscreen. This would be the like to like comparison for the MacBook Pro your mother bought.
the 1,499 MacBook pro does not.
the $400 difference buys you a detachable touchscreen and dedicated GPU.
but if thats not relevant to your mothers needs, than there's nothing wrong with buying the MacBook Pro. it's a great laptop. But don't be disingenuous with your comparison. the 1,499 MBP and 1,899 SurfaceBook are not comparable hardware.
at 1,499, you can get a similarly specced Surface Book that does not include the Dedicated GPU. But you lose 128gb of storage. Same RAM, Slightly newer CPU (About the same power level IIRC), But does still come with detachable touchscreen. This would be the like to like comparison for the MacBook Pro your mother bought.
I get it but is having a dedicated gnu and touch screen really worth $400 to some it might be. To my mom and many other no, plus my mom prefers Mac OS. Everyone has there deal breakers lol.
Absolutely. I'm not saying she made a wrong purchase at all.
But you're not comparing like products in your statement above. To many people, a Dedicated GPU is easily worth the $400 alone. Nevermind the aditional removable hi res touchscreen. To some, it's pointless.
But, the problem was in your comparison, you compared a higher specced Surface book, to a lower specced MacBook Pro and tried to use the money as the differential. This wasn't really a good indicator of the price being "overpriced", because there is an almost identically specced Surface Book, that is exactly the same price as the MacBook pro.
for 1,499, you can get either a MacBook pro with an i5 CPU, 8gb ram, and 256 GB hard drive, or you can get a Surface Book with a i5 CPU, 8gb ram, 128gb storage, detachable touchscreen display
there's no $400 difference you implied in like to like models
Am I the only one here who could care less about a touch screen? I don't want my finger prints all over my screen, nor do I see a point in having a touch screen.