First Reviews of Microsoft Surface Pro: Good Display, Full Windows 8, Compromised Experience

[The Phazer]

In order for the pressure sensitive table to be any good for serious artists it would have to be bigger than 10". My wife does work on 1.2GB photoshop files and her 21" Cintiq doesn't even feel big enough.

Microsofts tablet is too expensive to be a toy and too diminutive to be a production machine. I can't think of anything serious that I'd want to do on a 10" M$ tablet. If it's something quick like browsing/email then an iPad would be better. If it something serious like graphic design or programming then I want a bigger screen.

It's for OneNote. Which is rediculously good, but has always been constrained by only working on crappy hardware.

OneNote for the iPad would be insanely big if it had proper digitiser support.

As for this? Hardware wise it will be fantastic in two years. Intel are about to crush everything in low power chips, and the digitiser is a real killer app.

The problem is that Windows 8 remains two OSes bolted together, rather than one good one that works for touch and mouse work. But the vision of looking at something on a laptop and being able to carry it around as a tablet to finish reading in the kitchen is absolutely compelling - I wish my Air was able to do that all the time. But it needs to run a proper, coherent OS in both scenarios.

 

[spazzcat]

I don't want an 4 hour sessions with content creation on Citrix; agree, its nice and convenient for a quick check of SAP or something similar, doing a quick edit in Office files but creating a PowerPoint with regular complexity ... I would not like that. Productivity would be much lower.
I think the Surface Pro (and its Intel-based competitors) will have a good chance; specially in enterprise environment.
Also while traveling with reduced connectivity Citrix don't really help.

People do it 8 hours or more all the time, they have a bluetooth keyboard and you can use you iPhone as mouse if you are doing something that needs a mouse.

 

[StoneJack]

I think that I'll pass that since I have Vaio ultrabook and iPad. Nothing compelling for me, Vaio already has SSD. And Vaio also has a similar 3-4 hour battery life. Horrible, I know.

 

[spazzcat]

It's for OneNote. Which is rediculously good, but has always been constrained by only working on crappy hardware.

OneNote for the iPad would be insanely big if it had proper digitiser support.

As for this? Hardware wise it will be fantastic in two years. Intel are about to crush everything in low power chips, and the digitiser is a real killer app.

The problem is that Windows 8 remains two OSes bolted together, rather than one good one that works for touch and mouse work. But the vision of looking at something on a laptop and being able to carry it around as a tablet to finish reading in the kitchen is absolutely compelling - I wish my Air was able to do that all the time. But it needs to run a proper, coherent OS in both scenarios.

I miss OneNote. I don't use it anymore mainly because the job I have now I get to use a Mac. I have moved to Evernote.

Windows 8 seem more build for a tablet. I have it install on one of my home computers, and have never used anything other the desktop.

 

[E.Lizardo]

If it were an Apple product,Tim would be forced to apologize in a week, and probably fired soon after.

 

[barmann]

To be honest I tried a surface RT and was impressed.

I think Microsoft is heading in the right direction.

The key board cover with mouse pad is a killer feature that I wish the iPad had.

I think Apple released the 128 gig iPad as a reaction to the surface. I think they understand that they are falling behind.

I think they need to get office on the iPad and need to make the MacBook Air and pro into convertible touch screen devices.

I couldn't agree more .

It looks like combining a tablet with a desktop OS is a huge challenge, but MS has thrown down the gauntlet, and I can't think of anything more desirable in portable computing than a Mac laptop-tablet hybrid with a full OSX and access to all the programs .

I think Apple has painted itsself into a corner with iOS and the hardware limitations of the iPad ; there just is no way it will ever turn into fully functional computer, it's basically still stuck back in the Blackberry age .

The Surface Pro might or might not be a perfect device, and only time will tell if it will succeed, but that's forward thinking by MS .

More options, compatibility, usability, flexibility, customizability - what's not to like ?
The exact opposite of iOS and the iPad .

 

[roadbloc]

The question is when will the Mac Book air have a touch screen?

2nd of never. Apple appear to be adamant that touchscreen doesn't belong on laptops and desktops, which is a real shame IMO.

 

[BornAgainApple]

To those who say the first iPad nailed it, I beg to differ. While the design was very nice for a first generation device, it was severely compromised. The same A4 SoC that made a fine fit for the iPhone 4 just didn't have enough GPU to drive the iPad's display. Add to that a paltry 256MB of RAM, and it added up to a less than desirable experience when apps crashed all the time. I was so frustrated with it that I was one of the first to buy an iPad 2. I've been happy ever since.

 

[spazzcat]

I couldn't agree more .

It looks like combining a tablet with a desktop OS is a huge challenge, but MS has thrown down the gauntlet, and I can't think of anything more desirable in portable computing than a Mac laptop-tablet hybrid with a full OSX and access to all the programs .

I think Apple has painted itsself into a corner with iOS and the hardware limitations of the iPad ; there just is no way it will ever turn into fully functional computer, it's basically still stuck back in the Blackberry age .

The Surface Pro might or might not be a perfect device, and only time will tell if it will succeed, but that's forward thinking by MS .

More options, compatibility, usability, flexibility, customizability - what's not to like ?
The exact opposite of iOS and the iPad .

You know there has been full OS tablets for years. The iPad is what made tablets work...

 

[samcraig]

I haven't read the other comments here in this post. I did read the article and some of the reviews. Here's the thing - whether someone sees value in the device or not is completely subjective based on their use case. There were plenty that thought (and still do) that the iPad, while a nice device - isn't for productivity.

I have to chuckle at those people/reviewers who argue that this device has an identity crisis (my words) and this isn't "successful" (my words) at being either. Again I defer you to the original comments about the iPad.

There were plenty of people stating that they didn't see the point of the iPad and/or it was a solution to which there was no problem. Now obviously it's done very well.

There's nothing to suggest that this hybrid couldn't be successful. There are plenty of people who want the productivity of having a full OS but the benefits of a tablet.

 

[rdlink]

I agree. This is a "Version 1.0." Haswell ought to allow for thinner, lighter designs. There may well be a market for a "toasterfridge" device in the future. Hopefully Apple is paying close attention and doesn't miss market signals the way it did with larger phones.

Not sure how Apple "missed market signals" with larger phones when the iPhone 5 dominated smartphone sales last quarter, even with the supply constraints and negative press about Maps. I, personally will be looking elsewhere if/when Apple starts making me carry an iPhone Phablet.

When Apple starts taking its queues from MS they'll truly be in trouble.

 

[Wicked1]

Tablets won't replace laptops until they're truly better than a laptop, and I think the surface pro hits the nail on the head in that regard. Wether you like it or not, the surface is the future.

Especially with the 11" MBA, with something so light yet so powerful you kinda get both without the touchscreen, IMO I would buy a MBA before any tablet including an iPad

 

[barkomatic]

Apple invented the modern tablet to free us from the constraints of a laptop and to run new and different applications. Now, Microsoft is turning the tablet back into a laptop.

If a physical keyboard is necessary to fully optimize this thickish tablet--why not just go with an ultra book? This doesn't make sense to me.

 

[ChrisTX]

iPad will continue to own the market but this device creates a higher end tablet space and expands the market. I think over time it'll eat into the iPad's market share by drawing away power users. In the future possibly after Haswell, 86 architecture on a tablet could become the new premium tablet space. If that happens Apple will be in trouble because they can't compete with this without radically blowing up iOS and killing their silo'd mobile-desktop approach

With Office, I think MS is trying to preserve the price point of its IP by being careful in how they monetize off it. iOS is a budget market with prices pushed down through commoditization. Trying to counter race to the bottom pricing is probably why they're opting for a subscription and fighting Apple for that 30% revenue

To address your first point. Instead of trying to be good at everything like the surface is trying to do. Why not just address one key area and be really good at it? Instead, I don't see where the Surface RT/Pro is better than the iPad in any area. MS has failed so far at bringing a tablet, and laptop all in one. It's horrible as a tablet in any orientation other than landscape, and fails at being a "lap"top outside of sitting on a desk. They will have to radically alter the form factor if they want to achieve the "all in one" form factor. I hate to sound like a broken record, but yes I'd rather just buy a MacBook Air.

As far as MS Office, and their price point is concerned. There are plenty of premium apps in the AppStore that come with a premium price point that seem to be doing pretty well. The iPad is no longer considered an "iToy"(Not sure that it ever really was but that's a different story.), and many business professionals, and students alike would be willing to pay for such a coveted app suite like MS Office. I know I would.

 

[Thunderhawks]

I can just see all 192 people who bought the Zune lining up at my nearby Microsoft kiosk to get their hands on this baby!

And like with the Zune, Microsoft asked their employees to throw their iPads and MacAirs into a garbage bin at the head office to get a free Surface.

 

[Rogifan]

ffs you people need to stop throwing MBA into this debate. MBA is a laptop/notebook/whatever, Surface is a TABLET. It's a tablet that can also support full Windows 8 and just because it can, it doesnt mean you can now throw it into the category of laptops. Yes, it has the "rubber keyboard", but that is only an option and because of that it doesnt make it a laptop. So doesnt the 1000$ price.

Well most of the Surface Pro reviews I've read are dumping it squarely in the laptop category, mostly because it sucks as a pure tablet (too heavy, too thick, horrible battery life). At the same though they're knocking it as a "lap" top because using it on your lap is a miserable experience. Tim Cook was right when he called this a compromised device.

 

[Thunderhawks]

There are plenty of people who want the productivity of having a full OS but the benefits of a tablet.

Yes, they buy an MBA

 

[samcraig]

Yes, they buy an MBA

On this forum perhaps. Last I read - the windows user base was squeaking by...

 

[Xiroteus]

Yes, they buy an MBA

That does not have any tablet features nor does it have a wacom digitizer.

 

[Abazigal]

Not sure how Apple "missed market signals" with larger phones when the iPhone 5 dominated smartphone sales last quarter, even with the supply constraints and negative press about Maps. I, personally will be looking elsewhere if/when Apple starts making me carry an iPhone Phablet.

When Apple starts taking its queues from MS they'll truly be in trouble.

Are its great sales because the iphone sported a smaller screen, or in spite of this?

We may never know if Apple could have had better sales if it had released a much larger phone instead, but I think it is clear there is a huge demand for "phablets". I have many friends and colleagues who are clearly not using Android's full features (don't even bother changing default apps, much less flashing roms and stuff), but got a S3 or Note2 purely because of its larger screen.

 

[ncaissie]

Maybe that's the reason Apple decided to come out with a 128GB version of the iPad. I know you can't compare two different products meant for different things, but iPad 128GB @ $799 vs Microsoft Slate 128GB @ $999. I think we can all agree that the 128GB iPad is a much better deal

Only that ipad is basically a cell phone processor.
I believe it will not fly because when I need to use my MBP it’s for gaming or doing things with Office. For those things you need a mouse. It looks like they are trying to do away with a mouse. PC gamers won’t go for that.

 

[Northgrove]

It's pretty simple to me.

If you expect/want to use it mostly as a tablet, I'd recommend iPad -> Android tablet -> Surface RT, in that order. Android tablets aren't too hot, but the Metro / Modern UI app market for Surface RT is even worse.

If you expect/want to live mostly in desktop/laptop mode, get a MacBook Air or a Lenovo.

Who in their right mind buys an expensive 10" tablettop for any kind of professional work? The lack of focus in this device is a huge weakness, since there are compromises all over the place, from hardware to software. The keyboard is so flimsy that you can't use it on your lap, like a laptop, and the tablet experience turns into poop as soon as you need to enter desktop mode, and God knows how often you need to with the state of the Metro market.

 

[MagnumOP]

Are there anti viruses recommended for the Pro?

Put anti-virus on there and see what happens to your battery life and available storage....

 

[Nahaz]

You can see now why Steve Jobs installed iOS instead of OSX on the iPhone and the iPad. It's small and it does the job. It's far easier for Apple to add iOS features to OSX than go the other way and bloat iOS.

Microsoft has tried to cover 2 many bases. I believe they are better off dumping the Surface Pro and concentrating on making Surface RT and Windows Phone 8 OS fully compatible with each other like iPad/iPhone.

I do however agree that a stylus would be handy for where fingers are just too fat to get accuracy. You could even have a button for the index finger which could be used to open an editing menu.

 

[uknowimright]

Apple doesn't want to do something like this because instead of selling you 1 device they would rather sell you 2