HP Spectre 13.3 vs MacBook 12

[Serban]

Ok, i had my spectre for 2 days now. Both mb and spectre laid down on the table , i dont get it but the mb is the thinnest. So probably hp measured this on the thin shape like apple did with the imac saying the edge is 5mm thick.

Running in windows some photoshop and raw the fans are pretty load, the heat is starting to be present too much into the keys and if you use it on the lap and its not winter or cold, you will feel very uncomfortable. The macbook doesnt have this, probably because osx and core m.
Editing video with the same length took me 1 min and 25 sec, m5512 ssd, and on the spectre with i7 took me 1 min and 18 sec... Wtf?!? Yes maybe in a longer lengh the difference will be bigger but again, not so much, m5 vs i7?!
The screen is the best 1080p out there but ...no near the mb. Spectre has more ports but i would love them to be on the sides. The heat again comes when windows is just updating...
Speakers are not so high quality as those from mb
The hinge is not so balanced as the mb
The battery on spectre last around 2 hours and 19 min on heavy load.

 

[Queen6]

Ok, i had my spectre for 2 days now. Both mb and spectre laid down on the table , i dont get it but the mb is the thinnest. So probably hp measured this on the thin shape like apple did with the imac saying the edge is 5mm thick.

Running in windows some photoshop and raw the fans are pretty load, the heat is starting to be present too much into the keys and if you use it on the lap and its not winter or cold, you will feel very uncomfortable. The macbook doesnt have this, probably because osx and core m.
Editing video with the same length took me 1 min and 25 sec, m5512 ssd, and on the spectre with i7 took me 1 min and 18 sec... Wtf?!? Yes maybe in a longer lengh the difference will be bigger but again, not so much, m5 vs i7?!
The screen is the best 1080p out there but ...no near the mb. Spectre has more ports but i would love them to be on the sides. The heat again comes when windows is just updating...
Speakers are not so high quality as those from mb
The hinge is not so balanced as the mb
The battery on spectre last around 2 hours and 19 min on heavy load.

Be interesting to see how both the systems perform on a longer video encode, as for such a short period it`s really not tasking either. I strongly suspect the i7 will pull ahead, as the M5 will ultimately throttle down, equally the trade off is increased temperature.

Q-6

 

[Serban]

the i7 after 44-45 sec also was running at 1100hz
[doublepost=1464433401][/doublepost]but yes today i will test a longer 15 min video

 

[SteveJUAE]

Ok, i had my spectre for 2 days now. Both mb and spectre laid down on the table , i dont get it but the mb is the thinnest. So probably hp measured this on the thin shape like apple did with the imac saying the edge is 5mm thick.

Running in windows some photoshop and raw the fans are pretty load, the heat is starting to be present too much into the keys and if you use it on the lap and its not winter or cold, you will feel very uncomfortable. The macbook doesnt have this, probably because osx and core m.
Editing video with the same length took me 1 min and 25 sec, m5512 ssd, and on the spectre with i7 took me 1 min and 18 sec... Wtf?!? Yes maybe in a longer lengh the difference will be bigger but again, not so much, m5 vs i7?!
The screen is the best 1080p out there but ...no near the mb. Spectre has more ports but i would love them to be on the sides. The heat again comes when windows is just updating...
Speakers are not so high quality as those from mb
The hinge is not so balanced as the mb
The battery on spectre last around 2 hours and 19 min on heavy load.

Interesting, maybe they measure them without the rubber feet , your Spectre will still be indexing etc etc so hopefully you will see less fan/heat shortly

The speed difference is quite notable as your still likely to be inside the non throttling window on your rMB tasks of longer duration should see larger differences

 

[Serban]

i don't know, i think I'm no longer under indexing upgrading etc
but still after 45 sec of editing to come down from 2.5ghz to 1100??? i sent an email to hp if this is normal, and the heat also
[doublepost=1464434494][/doublepost]i will try later this day another unit. But still for a 13" ultrabook there are too many compromises. I prefer to wait a little bit longer on my MB but dont have so much heat and fan noise (the fan noise is on level with those from 2011 15" MBP).
The battery also is no where near the today standards 13", on my dell xps i get around 3.50 to 4 h under full load and around 7 hours of normal usage. My macbook i get around 4.5 hours and 9 hours of normal usage, my MBP i get 3.5h under heavy load and around 8 h normal usage. I think if apple will come up with a 13.6" MAcbook with an even longer battery life, another usb-c port...i think no one will opt for the spectre.

 

[Queen6]

the i7 after 44-45 sec also was running at 1100hz
[doublepost=1464433401][/doublepost]but yes today i will test a longer 15 min video

That doesn't look right, most reviews are stating the Spectre throttles and I too would expect it, equally to be running at 1100GHz after just 45 seconds rather implies some sort of hardware issue. What reviews I read so far most are impressed with the Spectre`s thermal management

100% load at >1.9GHz with over 60 seconds of full CPU utilisation, nor is he observing very elevated temperatures (42C)

Q-6

 

[SteveJUAE]

I think if apple will come up with a 13.6" MAcbook with an even longer battery life, another usb-c port...i think no one will opt for the spectre.

Don't underestimate price point and Apple will have to go a long way to beat the Dell XPS late 2015 model etc. Additional there is more controversy over the Apple new KB's than the trackpads these days.

The Spectre like the rMB plugs a hole between a lot of models both with compromise's but in terms of potential productivity and flexibility the rMB is more compromised IMO but the rMB in terms of portability for daily tasks is hard to beat in it's class.
[doublepost=1464436907][/doublepost]

That doesn't look right, most reviews are stating the Spectre throttles and I too would expect it, equally to be running at 1100GHz after just 45 seconds rather implies some sort of hardware issue. What reviews I read so far most are impressed with the Spectre`s thermal management

100% load at >1.9GHz with over 60 seconds of full CPU utilisation, nor is he observing very elevated temperatures (42C)

Q-6

Agreed and they are especially prone to heat from battery charging, so if you drained it flat and just plugged it in to run tests, on a 2 day old laptop, this won't help along with other settling in issues.

 

[Serban]

Apple still makes the best overall with the less compromises devices. Dell is in my opinion on second place and with Hp on third. Probably this year with Microosft surface book 2 will move up, but still they dont do so many devices as the others do.Since Lumia is not doing so well...i expect they try harder with the surface devices
[doublepost=1464437847][/doublepost]and i always am testing the product to see the true, i kind of never believe or trust the reviews.
[doublepost=1464437934][/doublepost]and not to mention in reality this things look like a tablet placed into a keyboard dock than a laptop
[doublepost=1464438273][/doublepost]Test it again with a longer video. So its starts good, after 38-40 sec it goes under 1200hz after that the fans kick in , are beginning to be loud and the cpu reach 1.87hz-19hz and stay that way. but i dont get it in the review in said the fans and heat are not a problem...i dont know about him ,maybe he was in a cold room, but it is defiantly hotter than a MB or a 2013 MBP. Again the difference in a 7 min video was about 19 seconds. I think the heat is around 42C on the Spectre and around 33C on the Macbook and this impacts my good experience and comfort. I think nobody will work on a spectre outside in the summer

 

[SteveJUAE]

Apple still makes the best overall with the less compromises devices. Dell is in my opinion on second place and with Hp on third. Probably this year with Microosft surface book 2 will move up, but still they dont do so many devices as the others do.Since Lumia is not doing so well...i expect they try harder with the surface devices
[doublepost=1464437847][/doublepost]and i always am testing the product to see the true, i kind of never believe or trust the reviews.
[doublepost=1464437934][/doublepost]and not to mention in reality this things look like a tablet placed into a keyboard dock than a laptop
[doublepost=1464438273][/doublepost]Test it again with a longer video. So its starts good, after 38-40 sec it goes under 1200hz after that the fans kick in , are beginning to be loud and the cpu reach 1.87hz-19hz and stay that way. but i dont get it in the review in said the fans and heat are not a problem...i dont know about him ,maybe he was in a cold room, but it is defiantly hotter than a MB or a 2013 MBP. Again the difference in a 7 min video was about 19 seconds. I think the heat is around 42C on the Spectre and around 33C on the Macbook and this impacts my good experience and comfort. I think nobody will work on a spectre outside in the summer

Whist it may of been true in little peeks over the last 6-8 years outside of a niche rMB the offerings in the same tin can just do not equate to the uniqueness that was once in Apples hands

IMO Apple have systematically raped it's fan base with mediocre offing's and the boutique appeal has been downgraded to colour choice

Loyalty that Apple users express is simply not rewarded and scrambling's to clutch on to the simplest advantage over other OEM's in the face of many other advantages shows how loyal they are.

There's only so many times you can be punched in the face (ala MBA users re screen) for us that only look at Apple as a hardware platform it's a bit easier for the trusty OSX user who believed in the vision of a man are swimming in very muddy water IMO

June may hold many answers, but I suspect most will be jerked along again for another $2-3k on a 3-4 year cycle.

 

[Queen6]

Well on full load my 2014 2.8GHz easily exceeds the Spectre at 42C, and so it should given it`s a 28W CPU cooled by a single fan versus the Spectre`s 15W CPU cooled by twin fans. Mac`s are notorious for running hot under full load, Thx to the design & aluminium shell.

To me this HP Spectre in question has some issue, as all reviews so far do not represent the Spectre as running overly hot or excessively throttling, only real negative point so far is that the fans spool up more frequently, nor are they documented as being overly noisy. I also expect the Spectre to be hotter than the rMB, given the i7 15W versus M5 5W, and the inclusion of Alpine Ridge for TB3, however the Spectre is actively cooled and generally should deal with sustained loads far easier.

Q-6

 

[KPOM]

Whist it may of been true in little peeks over the last 6-8 years outside of a niche rMB the offerings in the same tin can just do not equate to the uniqueness that was once in Apples hands

IMO Apple have systematically raped it's fan base with mediocre offing's and the boutique appeal has been downgraded to colour choice

Loyalty that Apple users express is simply not rewarded and scrambling's to clutch on to the simplest advantage over other OEM's in the face of many other advantages shows how loyal they are.

There's only so many times you can be punched in the face (ala MBA users re screen) for us that only look at Apple as a hardware platform it's a bit easier for the trusty OSX user who believed in the vision of a man are swimming in very muddy water IMO

June may hold many answers, but I suspect most will be jerked along again for another $2-3k on a 3-4 year cycle.

We've seen this pattern before. The polycarbonate MacBook was left to whither while the original Air got all the attention. I think 2016 will be a good year for the MacBook Pro. Looking at the MacBook, I think the Pro will be a shade under 3 lbs. They won't try to cram it into a 2.5lb package like the Spectre since it would require too many compromises (the Spectre has a lower resolution screen and only a 15W processor vs the 28W designs Apple has historically used in the Pro). If Apple does use the 15W SkyLake or Kaby Lake processors, I think it would be in a larger MacBook (maybe the rumored 13.3" design).
[doublepost=1464450545][/doublepost]

Interesting, maybe they measure them without the rubber feet , your Spectre will still be indexing etc etc so hopefully you will see less fan/heat shortly

The speed difference is quite notable as your still likely to be inside the non throttling window on your rMB tasks of longer duration should see larger differences

The Spectre has a flatter chassis than the rMB's tapered design. The new HP seems determined to prove itself as an independent company so they are putting out lots of different designs and models. I think they'd be better off focusing on a more targeted lineup like Dell appears to be doing.

For example, HP has the Spectre and the EliteBook Folio, both ultraslim premium notebooks. One is 12.5" running Core M with a classic design and the other is 13" running Core i5/i7 and a more flashy/gaudy design (depending on your perspective). There is too much overlap, IMO.

 

[Queen6]

Whist it may of been true in little peeks over the last 6-8 years outside of a niche rMB the offerings in the same tin can just do not equate to the uniqueness that was once in Apples hands

IMO Apple have systematically raped it's fan base with mediocre offing's and the boutique appeal has been downgraded to colour choice

Loyalty that Apple users express is simply not rewarded and scrambling's to clutch on to the simplest advantage over other OEM's in the face of many other advantages shows how loyal they are.

There's only so many times you can be punched in the face (ala MBA users re screen) for us that only look at Apple as a hardware platform it's a bit easier for the trusty OSX user who believed in the vision of a man are swimming in very muddy water IMO

June may hold many answers, but I suspect most will be jerked along again for another $2-3k on a 3-4 year cycle.

Am hoping Apple`s drop in sales will promote them to be more innovative than just the usual "shrinkage" equally I have low expectations of the current team

To me the current Mac lineup is simply laughable, deliberately neutered systems to force more expensive purchase, Desktops that have near zero upgrade path and or disregarded once again, portables that are now ridiculously over priced, high tier 15" rMBP has to be one of the biggest jokes on the market, with Apple laughing all the way to the bank, forced in house upgrades, that`s primary purpose is to inflate Apple`s Margin and gouge the customer. Only Apple product that I have any interest today is the Retina MacBook, the rest Apple are very much welcome to keep for themselves.

The very fact that OEM`s are producing ultraportable`s like the XPS, Spectre, NoteBook 9, which have user upgradeable storage and some cases RAM are equally thin & light, offer more performance. We are now at point where 2 in 1`s are very acceptable systems, with a huge diversity.

What can we be certain Apple will deliver for the Mac in 2016 is "Pink" and another iteration of OS X that will still be bug ridden even at the end of it`s development cycle.

Q-6

 

[SteveJUAE]

We've seen this pattern before. The polycarbonate MacBook was left to whither while the original Air got all the attention. I think 2016 will be a good year for the MacBook Pro. Looking at the MacBook, I think the Pro will be a shade under 3 lbs. They won't try to cram it into a 2.5lb package like the Spectre since it would require too many compromises (the Spectre has a lower resolution screen and only a 15W processor vs the 28W designs Apple has historically used in the Pro). If Apple does use the 15W SkyLake or Kaby Lake processors, I think it would be in a larger MacBook (maybe the rumored 13.3" design).
[doublepost=1464450545][/doublepost]
The Spectre has a flatter chassis than the rMB's tapered design. The new HP seems determined to prove itself as an independent company so they are putting out lots of different designs and models. I think they'd be better off focusing on a more targeted lineup like Dell appears to be doing.

For example, HP has the Spectre and the EliteBook Folio, both ultraslim premium notebooks. One is 12.5" running Core M with a classic design and the other is 13" running Core i5/i7 and a more flashy/gaudy design (depending on your perspective). There is too much overlap, IMO.

I think the Spectre will nestle between the small footprint rMB and the new MBP, but as Q6 notes will the new MBP be something worthy in innovation/function/design and price or just same components squished in to a new Ali case to cover the next 4 years

 

[Howard2k]

Whist it may of been true in little peeks over the last 6-8 years outside of a niche rMB the offerings in the same tin can just do not equate to the uniqueness that was once in Apples hands

IMO Apple have systematically raped it's fan base with mediocre offing's and the boutique appeal has been downgraded to colour choice

Loyalty that Apple users express is simply not rewarded and scrambling's to clutch on to the simplest advantage over other OEM's in the face of many other advantages shows how loyal they are.

There's only so many times you can be punched in the face (ala MBA users re screen) for us that only look at Apple as a hardware platform it's a bit easier for the trusty OSX user who believed in the vision of a man are swimming in very muddy water IMO

June may hold many answers, but I suspect most will be jerked along again for another $2-3k on a 3-4 year cycle.

I don't think you know what "peeks" means.
Or "raped".
Or "mediocre".
Or "loyalty".
Or "punched".
Or "trust".

The only thing that Apple owes you is the product of the sale agreement. Apple presents a product, you can buy it by giving them money, or not buy it by not giving them money.

If their products aren't working, then that's an issue. Like the 15" dGPU fiasco - atrocious.

But otherwise, if Apple offers you a Macbook based on Technology X, then whether you buy it or don't buy it you haven't been raped, or punched in the face, or had your loyalty and trust tested. Not by Apple anyway.

They're computing devices. If they're not for you then don't buy them. Sure it's cool to have opinions and to want something newer, better, and cheaper, but in all seriousness maybe you're not the target audience for Apple any longer? Maybe it's time to let go and buy a laptop based on how it can be useful to you, not based on the brand.

This isn't an attack on you, I just happened to quote your thread.

 

[SteveJUAE]

I don't think you know what "peeks" means.
Or "raped".
Or "mediocre".
Or "loyalty".
Or "punched".
Or "trust".

The only thing that Apple owes you is the product of the sale agreement. Apple presents a product, you can buy it by giving them money, or not buy it by not giving them money.

If their products aren't working, then that's an issue. Like the 15" dGPU fiasco - atrocious.

But otherwise, if Apple offers you a Macbook based on Technology X, then whether you buy it or don't buy it you haven't been raped, or punched in the face, or had your loyalty and trust tested. Not by Apple anyway.

They're computing devices. If they're not for you then don't buy them. Sure it's cool to have opinions and to want something newer, better, and cheaper, but in all seriousness maybe you're not the target audience for Apple any longer? Maybe it's time to let go and buy a laptop based on how it can be useful to you, not based on the brand.

This isn't an attack on you, I just happened to quote your thread.

Whilst I do not disagree with you in principle and when looking at laptops in terms of pure hardware box is easier for some of us Apple marketing has excelled in convincing many it's more than this and why branding is such a big business and something we all fall for to a one degree or another.

As you note if it's not in the Spec's, advertising, TC's, warranty it's not worth squat but there are many that believe otherwise

 

[KPOM]

Am hoping Apple`s drop in sales will promote them to be more innovative than just the usual "shrinkage" equally I have low expectations of the current team

To me the current Mac lineup is simply laughable, deliberately neutered systems to force more expensive purchase, Desktops that have near zero upgrade path and or disregarded once again, portables that are now ridiculously over priced, high tier 15" rMBP has to be one of the biggest jokes on the market, with Apple laughing all the way to the bank, forced in house upgrades, that`s primary purpose is to inflate Apple`s Margin and gouge the customer. Only Apple product that I have any interest today is the Retina MacBook, the rest Apple are very much welcome to keep for themselves.

The very fact that OEM`s are producing ultraportable`s like the XPS, Spectre, NoteBook 9, which have user upgradeable storage and some cases RAM are equally thin & light, offer more performance. We are now at point where 2 in 1`s are very acceptable systems, with a huge diversity.

What can we be certain Apple will deliver for the Mac in 2016 is "Pink" and another iteration of OS X that will still be bug ridden even at the end of it`s development cycle.

Q-6

Not many people purchase the 15" rMBP or its competitors. OS X and Windows are essentially legacy products now. I think we'll see a radically re-designed 13" rMBP (or perhaps a 14" in a similar package), and that the 12" MacBook and the smaller Pro will be the top 2 selling Macs. I'm not sure why there is all this emphasis on user upgradability. Most notebook users don't upgrade. I think the use of the M2 slots is more for the convenience of the OEMs rather than for user benefit.

We are at the point where the Core M provides enough power for the vast majority of users. I'm a bit surprised we don't see more OEMs use it, though Intel's pricing is probably a big part of it. Being able to advertise the higher clock speeds of the Core i5/i7 for similar prices as Core M, even if most customers don't need it, is tempting. Take the Spectre, for instance. With its footprint, the Core M wouldn't throttle as much as in the MacBook in the first place, even without a fan. Perhaps they needed a fan for Thunderbolt 3 support, but then a smaller, quieter fan might have worked just as well and offered very similar performance to the Core i5 even in extended conditions (since it could turbo boost longer).

That said, overall I think the PC notebook market will gravitate toward devices like the Spectre and XPS 13. That's the sweet spot where people will still pay a premium for good design.

 

[MrNomNoms]

Not a fan of the design personally but putting that aside it does come down to whether you're wanting to run Windows or OS X. The hardware specifications designs might be to your liking but keep in mind that a computer is the sum of all its parts including the operating system running on it and as I've said in the past the biggest turn off for me is Windows - HP might create the worlds most gorgeous computer with awesome features and battery life but ultimately if I'm going to be saddled with Windows then it is really not viable for someone like me.

 

[Queen6]

Not many people purchase the 15" rMBP or its competitors. OS X and Windows are essentially legacy products now. I think we'll see a radically re-designed 13" rMBP (or perhaps a 14" in a similar package), and that the 12" MacBook and the smaller Pro will be the top 2 selling Macs. I'm not sure why there is all this emphasis on user upgradability. Most notebook users don't upgrade. I think the use of the M2 slots is more for the convenience of the OEMs rather than for user benefit.

We are at the point where the Core M provides enough power for the vast majority of users. I'm a bit surprised we don't see more OEMs use it, though Intel's pricing is probably a big part of it. Being able to advertise the higher clock speeds of the Core i5/i7 for similar prices as Core M, even if most customers don't need it, is tempting. Take the Spectre, for instance. With its footprint, the Core M wouldn't throttle as much as in the MacBook in the first place, even without a fan. Perhaps they needed a fan for Thunderbolt 3 support, but then a smaller, quieter fan might have worked just as well and offered very similar performance to the Core i5 even in extended conditions (since it could turbo boost longer).

That said, overall I think the PC notebook market will gravitate toward devices like the Spectre and XPS 13. That's the sweet spot where people will still pay a premium for good design.

I tend to agree, equally I also see it as a benefit, potentially extending the useful life of the system, adding more value to the end user.

For the Spectre personally I think the sweet spot will be the i5 with it`s slightly reduced operating temperature, then the option to upgrade the SSD makes a lot sense by purchasing the base model. Alternatively opt for HP`s own 512 SSD at an additional $250.

Q-6

 

[Serban]

if you want an OEM windows 13" laptop i suggest the dell xps and not the spectre

 

[Queen6]

if you want an OEM windows 13" laptop i suggest the dell xps and not the spectre

Samsung 13.4" Notebook 9 is another, and there`s a QHD version, touch and 360 degree display, one of the very best 2 in 1`s on the market. Super deal on pricing for our US based members and a free 256 external SSD thrown in if bought directly from Samsung. If I could source one in Asia for $1200 I would be writing this post on one.

http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/pcs/NP940X3L-K01US

Now named - Notebook 9 Spin

Personally I think that this is a very underrated notebook with a build quality that easily matches Apple, the slight extra weigh of the QHD touch & 360 display well worth the extra utility, my only issue is sourcing one at sensible price, right now am looking at over $1900 and no free SSD

Q-6

 

[maflynn]

I have to say, I really like what the Spectre is offering, design wise, but the screen AFAIK, is only 1080p and GPU doesn't seem to be the best (or am I wrong on that aspect?) and the CPU is dual core.

Where as the SurfaceBook has a higher resolution, better GPU, but the CPU is dual core as well, plus I like how its base is detachable. Now that Ms has fixed all the glitches, my interest in the SB has been renewed.

 

[Serban]

Dont buy surfacebook first gen
The gpu is around 940m
Battery for clipboard is under 3 hours
In laptop mode you scratch your desk
Still drivers issues with external monitors
The fans are too loud since they are on the screen in laptop mode so closer to your ears
[doublepost=1464528837][/doublepost]

Samsung 13.4" Notebook 9 is another, and there`s a QHD version, touch and 360 degree display, one of the very best 2 in 1`s on the market. Super deal on pricing for our US based members and a free 256 external SSD thrown in if bought directly from Samsung. If I could source one in Asia for $1200 I would be writing this post on one.

http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/pcs/NP940X3L-K01US

Personally I think that this is a very underrated notebook with a build quality that easily matches Apple, the slight extra weigh of the QHD touch & 360 display well worth the extra utility, my only issue is sourcing one at sensible price, right now am looking at over $1900 and no free SSD

Q-6

Yea, poor laptop from my perosnal working on it. Wireless issues because of power plan settings, touchpad issues. It happens most of the times after I closed the laptop and opened it again (sleep mode i guess?), when i want to continue after closing the laptop, the touchpad sometimes does not work at all. I need to get a real mouse to shut the laptop down. When i reboot it, the touchpad works fine again..

 

[SteveJUAE]

I have to say, I really like what the Spectre is offering, design wise, but the screen AFAIK, is only 1080p and GPU doesn't seem to be the best (or am I wrong on that aspect?) and the CPU is dual core.

Where as the SurfaceBook has a higher resolution, better GPU, but the CPU is dual core as well, plus I like how its base is detachable. Now that Ms has fixed all the glitches, my interest in the SB has been renewed.

LOL that's almost full circle and I thought you were happy with a new MAC

I understand the Spectre screen is supposedly better IRL than on paper

Yes keep going back and looking at SB or even the Vaio Canvas which had a Stella drop in price in the US

Although some fret over 1st gens I think MS have done a fine job sorting out most problems that plagued some more than others which is more than can be said with the rMB that equally has issues on connectivity for some and on 2nd Gen

Serban is wrong about the fans on both the SP4 and the SB these side/top mounted fan exhausts are placed such that you do not get the echo/bounce back on hard surfaces from fans that are typically on the rear edge and find that little gap between the screen and KB. The SP4 you even have to cup your hand to see if the fan is on unless its at full roar after benchmarking or some other prolonged extreme activity

My wife can't use her rMB for prolong periods on her lap the ali body is just too warm for her comfort, the SP4 is far more comfortable heat wise thanks to fan location and kickstand.

3hrs is probably long enough for most tablet situations IMO and the KB/base should of had BT capability like the Vaio. Never had chance to test the MS dock as my son stole it after he ditched his MBP in favour of a SP4

For those that are 2in1 shy the SB is a good compromise being a laptop first but as Q6 has been highlighting there are some great Windows laptops around currently with enough differences between them to fill most needs and preferences with some great bargains to be had.

 

[Renzatic]

Where as the SurfaceBook has a higher resolution, better GPU, but the CPU is dual core as well, plus I like how its base is detachable. Now that Ms has fixed all the glitches, my interest in the SB has been renewed.

I played with the Surface Book in Best Buy the other day. Like the SP4, MS had done an excellent job of cleaning up the bugs, but the one thing they can't fix is it's obvious first gen drawbacks.

If I were a betting man, I'd say the SB2 will address the current SB's shortcomings by adding a quad core CPU, and boosting the battery life in the tablet section by another couple-three hours. These are the two things it needs to be a better workhorse laptop than the MBP, and to make the tablet portion more than an interesting aside.

...and if it doesn't, then the arrival of a slightly underwhelming SB2 will at least knock a few hundred bucks off the price of the original.

 

[Queen6]

I played with the Surface Book in Best Buy the other day. Like the SP4, MS had done an excellent job of cleaning up the bugs, but the one thing they can't fix is it's obvious first gen drawbacks.

If I were a betting man, I'd say the SB2 will address the current SB's shortcomings by adding a quad core CPU, and boosting the battery life in the tablet section by another couple-three hours. These are the two things it needs to be a better workhorse laptop than the MBP, and to make the tablet portion more than an interesting aside.

...and if it doesn't, then the arrival of a slightly underwhelming SB2 will at least knock a few hundred bucks off the price of the original.

Totally agree Microsoft is absolutely on a mission to resolve issue in it`s hardware & software, with the Mac & OS X Apple is snoozing, living on yesteryears IOS profits. One is innovating & imaginative, the other is only looking to gouge the customer ever deeper for the same rehashed product, which is now dull, stale and mediocre. 40% drop on Q on Q sales no surprises here. Apple need to get off it`s arse and do the Mac justice, both hardware & software, same as before they got rid of the wrong guy...

Q-6