Anyone else abandoning ship?

[Queen6]

It seems to me that if you’re interested in just getting stuff done and mainly concerned about the business end of that equation… A Thinkpad is the way to go.

I agree with the comments about not wanting to trade one glued down solution for another.

TBH whatever works, as for Microsoft they just give you a new unit in the event of issue, so does it matter how its constructed, although personally I prefer the modular approach. That's why I use big gamers re-rolled as workstations as the OEM's don't lose their mind if you open them up and swap RAM, storage around

I like the X1P, X1E & X1C a lot, just not in the niche that I need right now, being pretty much all or next to nothing

Q-6

 

[booksbooks]

People gloss over or discount or forget that Mac OS X IS multi-touch. You use the trackpad to do this, and it's way more efficient than touching the screen with gorilla arms.

iOS and the mediums its perched on (iPad, iPhone) is a blown up iPod Touch that sucks for productivity. It does not compare in any respect to a Mac. The multi-tasking on it is a joke and absurd: the userflow of making two Apps split screen is as awkward as being strip searched.

 

[turbineseaplane]

People gloss over or discount or forget that Mac OS X IS multi-touch. You use the trackpad to do this, and it's way more efficient than touching the screen with gorilla arms.

I don't think anybody is "forgetting" about the trackpad and multi-touch, etc..
There is just sometimes no substitute for directly touching and interacting with content.

That's the whole compelling pitch for Apple's very own iPads.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

People gloss over or discount or forget that Mac OS X IS multi-touch. You use the trackpad to do this, and it's way more efficient than touching the screen with gorilla arms.

iOS and the mediums its perched on (iPad, iPhone) is a blown up iPod Touch that sucks for productivity. It does not compare in any respect to a Mac. The multi-tasking on it is a joke and absurd: the userflow of making two Apps split screen is as awkward as being strip searched.

All I know is my Surface Pro 2017 has multi-touch as well on the type cover? It seems to work fine. I also have a Pen for art (Clip Studio Pro) and can touch the screen. I can also attach either a Bluetooth mouse or a USB mouse. The point is that I can use whatever works best for the situation. I can't even do that on a MacBook or an iPad.

 

[turbineseaplane]

All I know is my Surface Pro 2017 has multi-touch as well on the type cover? It seems to work fine. I also have a Pen for art (Clip Studio Pro) and can touch the screen. I can also attach either a Bluetooth mouse or a USB mouse. The point is that I can use whatever works best for the situation. I can't even do that on a MacBook or an iPad.

That’s because we as users don’t know what we want and only Apple does which is why they dictate to us how we have to do things…

I’m surprised I’m able to make it through the day without checking with Apple on how best to accomplish something

 

[rutrack]

That’s because we as users don’t know what we want and only Apple does which is why they dictate to us how we have to do things…

I’m surprised I’m able to make it through the day without checking with Apple on how best to accomplish something

I guess this is where most of the dislike comes from. Apple used to be good at exceeding user expectations, following a philosophy of delivering best user experience, building from user experience and working technology around that. So even when you didn't like choices apple made for you , it was fairly easy to understand. So even though I really need a dedicated Ethernet port, I can understand why it was dropped. I guess the bigger picture was somewhat visible. Right now it is really hard to understand their choices:
Why have emoji bar "instead" of upper key row and not "above" it ? At the same time having ginormous trackpad ?
Why have usb-c ports "instead" of usb-a and not in addition to it ? Why have usb-c charging instead of magsafe, rather than in addition to it ? All these choices really make very little sense to me and it's no surprise that this round no manufactures adopted these design decisions in their product apart from some sub notebooks.

Great explanation of how this works, it seems 11:20:

 

[booksbooks]

I don't think anybody is "forgetting" about the trackpad and multi-touch, etc..
There is just sometimes no substitute for directly touching and interacting with content.

That's the whole compelling pitch for Apple's very own iPads.

My experience is that there are many people I've come across in life and on this board that push the same argument: give the Mac multi-touch. My response is that it already has it via the trackpad. Then the next reply is, give it a multi-touch screen! The question then becomes why.

The Mac already has pretty much all of the multi-touch functionality that iOS and the iPad/iPhone have. It's just done via a trackpad, which is much faster than raising heavy arms to touch the screen (e.g., pinch to zoom, scroll, etc.). In other words, in order for a Mac to have a multi-touch screen, it needs a reason to exist... it needs to be better and more functional that what already exists, and it doesn't meet that threshold.

Further to this, the entire OS (X) isn't designed for direct touch as the hit targets (user interface elements) are geared toward a pointing device that is accurate to the level of 1 precise pixel. This has significant benefits for productivity and professional work, and something that materially and significantly separates this platform from iOS and the iPhone and iPad.

iOS and the devices it rests on are designed for meaty finger input and voice.

The entire design logic and pattern... the medium of each (Mac vs iOS/devices) and the outcomes that are possible are different as a consequence of each platforms differing foundations.

So I'm neither looking for or expecting or wanting Apple to do a meld of iOS and OS X in the way people propose. The Surface Pro is a lawnmower with wings, and the Surface Book is a lawnmower with bigger wings. They're not great tablets and they're not great laptops either. Need focused devices, and Apple does that well.

The only problem is they've slipped regarding the fundamentals: the keyboard on this damn 2017 MB Pro sucks so bad I hate it, and the trackpad is stupidly too big. And the Touchbar is like insult to injury.

 

[bunce66]

As I type this on my company issued 2017 MBP 15... I backspace to fix the double strikes. I bang harder on the keyboard to get some to type. I constantly have to deal with dongle hell just to do my daily job functions. I don't have the physical keys I need to touch type my way through my job.

I am a HUGE Apple fan. I have been an all in guy for a decade plus. But this is just getting ridiculous. I'm serious considering bouncing off to Linux because M$ is just not an option in my mind. I'm not going back to virus hell. I'm just wondering if I'm alone? Is this part of the plan? Is Apple pushing us to iPad Pros? It just feels like I got a "MacBook Plus" not a "Pro" machine. By that I mean it seems like somebody let a marketing person convince them that they could up sell people out of MacBook with bells and whistles and didn't bother giving a Pro line machine features and function I needed.

Again, I'm not some Windows or Android zealot here to start a flame war. Just a hardcore Apple guy wondering what Apple is thinking these days and if they just aren't that "into" the laptop market anymore?

If the next generation one of 2020 or so isn't better, I might be out the door as well.. Apple's greed and stinginess is too much for me now. I'll hold onto my 2014 MBP for as long as it works, but if Apple doesn't have a viable alternative, then i'll go elsewhere and may get the Thinkpad X1.

I hope that by the time I need a new one, USB-C is finally mainstream. If not, they should bring back at least 1 classic USB port. They also need to bring back Mag-Safe or have some kind of wireless charging.

I've never experienced the keyboard, but they should fix that too.

 

[c0ppo]

In other words, in order for a Mac to have a multi-touch screen, it needs a reason to exist... it needs to be better and more functional that what already exists, and it doesn't meet that threshold.

I agree completely. But then again, we have touchbar. No reason for that gimmick at all. You have to take your eyes off the screen, to touch small blurry thing, and do things you could do way easier with keyboard shortcuts.

I really don't like or need touch screens on desktop computers. But I would rather have a touch screen MBP than one with touchbar. You can easily ignore touch screen, but it's hard to ignore that gimmick they call touch bar.

 

[Naaaaak]

It is almost like they WANTED people to stay away from Macs. Its comical. Paradox. Just crazy

Suppose the ARMmac uses a locked-down iOS-like OS.

Do you think that to create space for such an ARMmac that they would need to kill macOS?

Killing macOS would be unpopular, but if they did it through attrition and neglect (as they seem to be doing) they'd have a market-driven excuse (i.e., "we don't sell enough of these") to transition to something else.

Killing macOS would allow them to focus on one platform / tech stack where everything is a fork of iOS. If the future of Apple is locked down devices + services, they could do all kinds of heavy-handed things. Apple could restrict it to Swift-only apps, make everything go through the App Store, and basically own your device in the name of security.

Take your Mac. Remove the Finder. Remove everything in Applications/Utilities including a Terminal. Remove all KEXTs. Make it so the only files you can get to are your Home folder (minus the Library and Sites folders) and external/network storage. All apps must come from the App Store. If you submit to the App Store you have to submit an analysis of your code (think a signature that proves 0 warnings and passes all static analyzer checks) and submit it only with Bit Code.

I could see Apple creating and celebrating this dystopian nightmare.

 

[agaskew]

Take your Mac. Remove the Finder. Remove everything in Applications/Utilities including a Terminal. Remove all KEXTs. Make it so the only files you can get to are your Home folder (minus the Library and Sites folders) and external/network storage. All apps must come from the App Store. If you submit to the App Store you have to submit an analysis of your code (think a signature that proves 0 warnings and passes all static analyzer checks) and submit it only with Bit Code.

I think you just described the current iOS operating model. The question becomes: do the potential gains of this approach outweigh the potential losses? Would the increased profitability offset the ****storm of bad publicity?

I would not buy another current Apple computer of any variation, but we need competition in the OS space, so I hope things change for the better.

 

[maflynn]

Suppose the ARMmac uses a locked-down iOS-like OS.

Imo, that's Apple's end game, and long term approach. I don't see that happening immediately but eventually macOS will be very much like iOS in may respects. We'll only be able to get apps through the app store, less access to under pinnings, I wouldn't even be surprised to see the terminal nerfed.

Killing macOS would be unpopular

They'll not kill it, but slowly lock it down. For instance at some point you will need to use the T2 (or what every version it will be), to boot up macOS, but they'll keep much of the features. Then later they'll remove more of those features. Death by a thousand cuts so to speak

 

[cardfan]

My experience is that there are many people I've come across in life and on this board that push the same argument: give the Mac multi-touch. My response is that it already has it via the trackpad. Then the next reply is, give it a multi-touch screen! The question then becomes why.

The Mac already has pretty much all of the multi-touch functionality that iOS and the iPad/iPhone have. It's just done via a trackpad, which is much faster than raising heavy arms to touch the screen (e.g., pinch to zoom, scroll, etc.). In other words, in order for a Mac to have a multi-touch screen, it needs a reason to exist... it needs to be better and more functional that what already exists, and it doesn't meet that threshold.

Further to this, the entire OS (X) isn't designed for direct touch as the hit targets (user interface elements) are geared toward a pointing device that is accurate to the level of 1 precise pixel. This has significant benefits for productivity and professional work, and something that materially and significantly separates this platform from iOS and the iPhone and iPad.

iOS and the devices it rests on are designed for meaty finger input and voice.

The entire design logic and pattern... the medium of each (Mac vs iOS/devices) and the outcomes that are possible are different as a consequence of each platforms differing foundations.

So I'm neither looking for or expecting or wanting Apple to do a meld of iOS and OS X in the way people propose. The Surface Pro is a lawnmower with wings, and the Surface Book is a lawnmower with bigger wings. They're not great tablets and they're not great laptops either. Need focused devices, and Apple does that well.

The only problem is they've slipped regarding the fundamentals: the keyboard on this damn 2017 MB Pro sucks so bad I hate it, and the trackpad is stupidly too big. And the Touchbar is like insult to injury.

I don’t disagree. But they could use some integration between iOS devices and macs. I want to be able to plug iPad in Mac and use as Wacom. It’s been a want for years though.

 

[Mendota]

My experience is that there are many people I've come across in life and on this board that push the same argument: give the Mac multi-touch. My response is that it already has it via the trackpad. Then the next reply is, give it a multi-touch screen! The question then becomes why.

The Mac already has pretty much all of the multi-touch functionality that iOS and the iPad/iPhone have. It's just done via a trackpad, which is much faster than raising heavy arms to touch the screen (e.g., pinch to zoom, scroll, etc.). In other words, in order for a Mac to have a multi-touch screen, it needs a reason to exist... it needs to be better and more functional that what already exists, and it doesn't meet that threshold.

Further to this, the entire OS (X) isn't designed for direct touch as the hit targets (user interface elements) are geared toward a pointing device that is accurate to the level of 1 precise pixel. This has significant benefits for productivity and professional work, and something that materially and significantly separates this platform from iOS and the iPhone and iPad.

iOS and the devices it rests on are designed for meaty finger input and voice.

The entire design logic and pattern... the medium of each (Mac vs iOS/devices) and the outcomes that are possible are different as a consequence of each platforms differing foundations.

So I'm neither looking for or expecting or wanting Apple to do a meld of iOS and OS X in the way people propose. The Surface Pro is a lawnmower with wings, and the Surface Book is a lawnmower with bigger wings. They're not great tablets and they're not great laptops either. Need focused devices, and Apple does that well.

The only problem is they've slipped regarding the fundamentals: the keyboard on this damn 2017 MB Pro sucks so bad I hate it, and the trackpad is stupidly too big. And the Touchbar is like insult to injury.

Well I have a Surface Book, unlike you, and I can tell you that it is a great laptop with a right sized and trackpad that works quite well, and a outstanding keyboard. As a graphic artist using it in tablet mode with Corel Painter and Draw is a dream. Given that you just admitted that the keyboard, a major part of the device is terrible, I don't see how you can turn around and knock on the Surface.

As for reaching up on the screen, well Apple is pushing the iPad pro as a "laptop replacement" and it has no trackpad as all. So guess what you have to reach up and touch the screen. You have to do that, whereas on Windows machines it is a choice.
[doublepost=1553530026][/doublepost]

I don’t disagree. But they could use some integration between iOS devices and macs. I want to be able to plug iPad in Mac and use as Wacom. It’s been a want for years though.

You can do that with the Duel Display app in the IOS app store. There are a couple of others as well. I use Duel, and it works quite well. The updated version will even work wirelessly. It is not free, but I don't mind paying for products.

 

[pshufd]

Well I have a Surface Book, unlike you, and I can tell you that it is a great laptop with a right sized and trackpad that works quite well, and a outstanding keyboard. As a graphic artist using it in tablet mode with Corel Painter and Draw is a dream. Given that you just admitted that the keyboard, a major part of the device is terrible, I don't see how you can turn around and knock on the Surface.

As for reaching up on the screen, well Apple is pushing the iPad pro as a "laptop replacement" and it has no trackpad as all. So guess what you have to reach up and touch the screen. You have to do that, whereas on Windows machines it is a choice.
[doublepost=1553530026][/doublepost]

You can do that with the Duel Display app in the IOS app store. There are a couple of others as well. I use Duel, and it works quite well. The updated version will even work wirelessly. It is not free, but I don't mind paying for products.

What I don't like about Windows 10 is the sacrifices that they made to the UI elements to be touch-friendly.

My standard environment is a VNC session into a Linux development server so I'm either typing and using a mouse because touch is far too inaccurate. To some extent, even a trackpad is often too inaccurate (I don't have one of the MacBooks with the huge trackpads). I'm usually in front of two high-resolution displays as well and touch is impractical on those.

 

[booksbooks]

Well I have a Surface Book, unlike you, and I can tell you that it is a great laptop with a right sized and trackpad that works quite well, and a outstanding keyboard. As a graphic artist using it in tablet mode with Corel Painter and Draw is a dream. Given that you just admitted that the keyboard, a major part of the device is terrible, I don't see how you can turn around and knock on the Surface.

As for reaching up on the screen, well Apple is pushing the iPad pro as a "laptop replacement" and it has no trackpad as all. So guess what you have to reach up and touch the screen. You have to do that, whereas on Windows machines it is a choice.
[doublepost=1553530026][/doublepost]

You can do that with the Duel Display app in the IOS app store. There are a couple of others as well. I use Duel, and it works quite well. The updated version will even work wirelessly. It is not free, but I don't mind paying for products.

The keyboard on the Surface Book is good. Also, why do you say "unlike me"? I have owned one, and a Surface Pro. I've used them for work. They both fail in being great at a tablet or laptop. The Surface Book is not a great laptop (the hinge is absurd... it's huge, ugly, and it doesn't fold flat together... the screen angles are also very limited... and the screen thickness is huge by laptop standards... because the screen is a damn tablet... which feels weird because it's so heavy). The Surface Book as a tablet isn't great either... one size fits all OS with smaller hit targets and less realistically 3-5 hours of battery life in tablet mode.

When it comes to the iPad being a laptop replacement, Apple never says this. And they don't believe it either. If they did, they wouldn't make laptops anymore. But this is the reality with this: if an iPad can 'replace' a laptop for you, you never needed a laptop in the first place. The iPad is nothing more than an alternative, basic, simple computer for people where this is all they need.

I have Duet. It sucks, always has. Stutters, delays, not full resolution. Come on man...

 

[Mendota]

The keyboard on the Surface Book is good. Also, why do you say "unlike me"? I have owned one, and a Surface Pro. I've used them for work. They both fail in being great at a tablet or laptop. The Surface Book is not a great laptop (the hinge is absurd... it's huge, ugly, and it doesn't fold flat together... the screen angles are also very limited... and the screen thickness is huge by laptop standards... because the screen is a damn tablet... which feels weird because it's so heavy). The Surface Book as a tablet isn't great either... one size fits all OS with smaller hit targets and less realistically 3-5 hours of battery life in tablet mode.

When it comes to the iPad being a laptop replacement, Apple never says this. And they don't believe it either. If they did, they wouldn't make laptops anymore. But this is the reality with this: if an iPad can 'replace' a laptop for you, you never needed a laptop in the first place. The iPad is nothing more than an alternative, basic, simple computer for people where this is all they need.

I have Duet. It sucks, always has. Stutters, delays, not full resolution. Come on man...

Well the Surface does not fail as a laptop for me or for many others. So it is incorrect to make a blanket statement such as you made. It might not work for you... As for the hinge, I like it. I like the way it looks so that is a subjective view. And I am not the one that said the iPad was a replacement, lay that one on Tim Cook LOL.

I am sorry that Duet hasn't work out for you. I didn't say it was perfect, but it is an option. Don't look at me I use Surface most of the time with the built in digitizer. But when I go to the Apple world I try to do things the Apple way, and using iPad pro for graphic art is what Tim wants to be the Apple way.

 

[richinaus]

Well the Surface does not fail as a laptop for me or for many others. So it is incorrect to make a blanket statement such as you made. It might not work for you... As for the hinge, I like it. I like the way it looks so that is a subjective view. And I am not the one that said the iPad was a replacement, lay that one on Tim Cook LOL.

I am sorry that Duet hasn't work out for you. I didn't say it was perfect, but it is an option. Don't look at me I use Surface most of the time with the built in digitizer. But when I go to the Apple world I try to do things the Apple way, and using iPad pro for graphic art is what Tim wants to be the Apple way.

I think the issue with the surface book is that there are better laptops and better tablets. It is a compromised device no matter how you look at it.
I don’t deny though that the hinge looks ‘cool’ but the thickness created by it when closed is off putting, and is a big reason why I would’t buy one (after the fact of no tb3 and the wobbly screen). Tb3 important for me for an egpu.
Plus lower voltage cpu puts the icing on the cake for not being a mbp replacement.
Btw I have seen a colleague try and use it as a tablet and answers everything that jobs said about using fingers over a stylus / pen.

 

[Queen6]

Btw I have seen a colleague try and use it as a tablet and answers everything that jobs said about using fingers over a stylus / pen.

That's more related to workflow/usage, I always travel with two systems, one a heavy lifter, the other for on the go use. The smaller secondary machine is a W10 2in1 as it can do what no IOS or Android, nor macOS for that matter. It presents no issue with either software or hardware.

Steve Jobs statement is valid to a point, equally with the evolution of hardware and software a 2in1 is now a perfectly practical proposition. Same as W10 there's a learning curve, however once past that they can really make a difference if. Personally I wouldn't revert to a basic clamshell notebook or a limited use tablet.

Q-6

 

[maflynn]

he Surface Book is not a great laptop

I think its a good laptop, I've owned the first generation, and its decent enough. I found the quality to be top notch, performance was decent. I opted for the low end mode that does not have the dgpu, and that was a mistake on my part. I don't think the hinge is awful, though it is unique.

They both fail in being great at a tablet or laptop.

The SB is a good laptop that can work as a tablet, though give the size/weight, I don't want to use it as a tablet for extended periods of time. The Surface Pro is a tablet that doubles as a laptop. I found it better to do tablety stuff then laptop stuff.

Both machines SP and SB suffer from having the weight in the display and so typing on your lap or an airplane causes the display to move around, and that bugged me. The SP was far worse. Overall though I didn't hate either machine, they did what I wanted them to do.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

I think the issue with the surface book is that there are better laptops and better tablets. It is a compromised device no matter how you look at it.
I don’t deny though that the hinge looks ‘cool’ but the thickness created by it when closed is off putting, and is a big reason why I would’t buy one (after the fact of no tb3 and the wobbly screen). Tb3 important for me for an egpu.
Plus lower voltage cpu puts the icing on the cake for not being a mbp replacement.
Btw I have seen a colleague try and use it as a tablet and answers everything that jobs said about using fingers over a stylus / pen.

Now where have I seen someone using a Surface Pro 2017 with a "stylus/pen" or fingers? Oh yeah that would be me. I use it all the time with my fingers, stylus/pen for art, touchpad, even a *gasp* usb mouse. I don't know why the great and vaunted Apple thinks it can't make a MacBook pro that could be used with the Apple Pencil and a touchscreen--oh wait, yes I do. It would cannibalize from their iPad sales.

The point is that the surface pro works just fine for people, as in me. There are other people it doesn't work for, that is fine also. I just refuse to pay Apple prices anymore on computers.

 

[SDColorado]

Now where have I seen someone using a Surface Pro 2017 with a "stylus/pen" or fingers? Oh yeah that would be me. I use it all the time with my fingers, stylus/pen for art, touchpad, even a *gasp* usb mouse. I don't know why the great and vaunted Apple thinks it can't make a MacBook pro that could be used with the Apple Pencil and a touchscreen--oh wait, yes I do. It would cannibalize from their iPad sales.

The point is that the surface pro works just fine for people, as in me. There are other people it doesn't work for, that is fine also. I just refuse to pay Apple prices anymore on computers.

I also have a 2017 Surface Pro I use with my fingers, stylus/pen, touchpad, and USB mouse as well. Options are good.

In fairness to Steve Jobs, his famous quotes about his disdain for the stylus was in relation to a 3.5" phone, not the larger tablets, so I don't even think he would be against the use of one for a larger device. I think the crack was more aimed at the Galaxy Note type phones.

Of course, Apple pushed back at a lot of the things Jobs didn't like after his passing. Larger phones, mini-tablets, the Apple Pencil. Jobs was great, but times change, devices change and Jobs could be stubborn.

Both machines SP and SB suffer from having the weight in the display and so typing on your lap or an airplane causes the display to move around, and that bugged me. The SP was far worse. Overall though I didn't hate either machine, they did what I wanted them to do.

While I find that true to a degree on my lap, due more to the nature of the Surface Pro's magnetically attached keyboard more so than the weight of the display, I found I can always position the kickstand in a way that it works in my lap.

Airplane use I have never had an issue. I actually find the footprint far more ideal on an airplane than I do my MBP.

 

[Mendota]

I think the issue with the surface book is that there are better laptops and better tablets. It is a compromised device no matter how you look at it.
I don’t deny though that the hinge looks ‘cool’ but the thickness created by it when closed is off putting, and is a big reason why I would’t buy one (after the fact of no tb3 and the wobbly screen). Tb3 important for me for an egpu.
Plus lower voltage cpu puts the icing on the cake for not being a mbp replacement.
Btw I have seen a colleague try and use it as a tablet and answers everything that jobs said about using fingers over a stylus / pen.

Once again it is not a compromise if you need and want what it does for you. As an artist a MacBook is a serious drawback as the only way to use it for art is to attach an awkward secondary device. AND if it is a traditional tablet with no screen you then have to look off to the side at the Mac's screen while drawing, or attach a multiple number of cables and have a second large device as in a tablet with a screen.

Thunderbolt means nothing to me because with a Surface Book you don't need a lame egpu because it has a powerful gpu built in that goes with the laptop wherever you take it. I laugh at the thought of lugging a giant egpu along with you to go somewhere. Of course you don',t you have to leave it at home. If you just want a laptop well the Window's world offers lots and lots of them all different kinds. Those that want a Surface Book know what they want, and it's features can never be match by a MacBook.

 

[booksbooks]

Well the Surface does not fail as a laptop for me or for many others. So it is incorrect to make a blanket statement such as you made. It might not work for you... As for the hinge, I like it. I like the way it looks so that is a subjective view. And I am not the one that said the iPad was a replacement, lay that one on Tim Cook LOL.

I am sorry that Duet hasn't work out for you. I didn't say it was perfect, but it is an option. Don't look at me I use Surface most of the time with the built in digitizer. But when I go to the Apple world I try to do things the Apple way, and using iPad pro for graphic art is what Tim wants to be the Apple way.

"Well the Surface does not fail as a laptop... for many others." You have no data to support this statement. I'm making an argument based on objectivity, but I don't state that it fails for many others because I don't know that 100%.

The Surface Book is not the best at being a laptop because:

• The screen is thick and heavy because it's a tablet, causing some unwanted movement in different positions.
• The hinge is less functional in a material way compared to standard laptop hinges because it impedes the ability of the screen to lay flush and flat against the keyboard when folded, causing it to bulge in that area with a larger open space running through it. This detracts from portability and can let in objects that could press against the screen or damage it when packed.. The hinge also has material limits to its range of motion.
• The battery life has been noted as being substandard.

 

[Mendota]

"Well the Surface does not fail as a laptop... for many others." You have no data to support this statement. I'm making an argument based on objectivity, but I don't state that it fails for many others because I don't know that 100%.

The Surface Book is not the best at being a laptop because:

• The screen is thick and heavy because it's a tablet, causing some unwanted movement in different positions.
• The hinge is less functional in a material way compared to standard laptop hinges because it impedes the ability of the screen to lay flush and flat against the keyboard when folded, causing it to bulge in that area with a larger open space running through it. This detracts from portability and can let in objects that could press against the screen or damage it when packed.. The hinge also has material limits to its range of motion.
• The battery life has been noted as being substandard.

I have no issues with battery and Mobile Tech Review, Lisa (a very honest reviewer) calls it the Energizer Bunny saying that she couldn't kill it even trying.

As far as letting objects in no one has reported that as being an issue, oh but hold on! There are numerous reports of MacBook screens cracking from things as simple as a piece of paper or staple getting between the screen and lid... Think about that for a moment. The Surface Book weighs very little and there is nothing to get in the way of it being portable. You are grasping at straws to try and prove the MacBook superior. Given its many issues this is a lost cause. People are not calling Microsoft because of something as basic as a keyboard failing.

Again all of the things you are complaining about are subjective. They are not actual issues unless you make them so. Oh the other hand MacBook... T2 chip reboots, keyboard failures, cracked screens, loose ports, what am I missing? Oh yes speakers crackling... And you know what if you don't want a Surface Book, but a straight up laptop, there is always the Surface laptop. What does it tell you that Microsoft, a company that just started with hardware offers more options than a company that has been in the game for years?