Microsoft Announces Surface Book i7, Desktop PC 'Surface Studio,' and Windows 10 Creators Update

[aduteau]

They're beating Apple at their own game, and that's great, because that means Apple will have to fight back. I absolutely love these designs; unfortunately, I can't really stand Windows, so it would take quite a disaster on the Apple front for me to move to a different ecosystem.

I am afraid Apple wont fight back at this .... they will not see this as a treat unless people stop buying Macs ... and most people have invested sooooo much in the Apple Eco system that they find it hard to switch.
Until then I see minor design bumps and maximum profits for shareholders...

 

[Traverse]

Hackintosh……...

But you wouldn't get to take advantage of its signature features.

Aside from the screen, I don't think the specs are that stellar for $3000.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Amazing

 

[rowspaxe]

Studio is very expensive but it's also pretty niche..

I would describe it as aspirational. It will put a halo on the surface brand, and by extension, windows and pc's generally.

 

[pika2000]

Apple really need to get back into innovating on the Mac. Steve Jobs once said that the Mac should be the "Digital Hub" with the iMac ideally suited for that role. Today Apple and Tim cook appear to view the iPhone as the center of your digital life.

That's an old quote that even Steve Jobs himself has modified. Watch the keynote on the announcement of iCloud (by Steve Jobs). He said the Mac is just another device. The hub is the cloud.
So don't blame Tim.

 

[maflynn]

I just think Apple should manage their product prices, lowering the price according to age, i.e. the actual Mac Pro should be priced by half 1 year after its release.

I'd go one step further and keep updating the Mac Pro as well, its tough to spend 3k, on a machine that was released 3 years ago

 

[Wallabe]

What don't you like about it?

Other than annoying virus, I love it.

 

[bdkennedy1]

What Microsoft did with the Surface Studio, I had always thought Apple could do with the iMac and never did. Now at this point, Apple would just be a copycat. Rest on your laurels and something like this happens.

 

[blackcrayon]

They beat Apple at their own game: thinness.

Well, the computer is outside of the monitor, and Apple hasn't released a monitor in many years... Not too hard to beat them on that front

 

[JorgTheElder]

You are assuming that this will be as good as a Wacom Cintiq.

Actually I am not assuming anyting. Microsoft is bought the touch-screen/pen tech and do it all in house, and I know of multiple graphics artists that have moved to Surface 4s and Surface Books. They all say they had to adjust to the Surface 4 having its own feel and quirks, but they are happy with the change. None of them would even consider any existing Mac until Apple integrates the touch-screen/pen into the device.

Once you use an integrated device, you never want to go back to a computer + tablet/monitor.

 

[Traverse]

I would describe it as aspirational. It will put a halo on the surface brand, and by extension, windows and pc's generally.

That's an excellent way to phrase it.

That price will put it out of the mind of most businesses and consumers, but it looks like something from the future and will give MS that appeal that Apple had years ago.

 

[shk718]

it doesn't lay completely flat on the ground - its at a angle - i wonder how may will break when people rest their hands on it?

 

[atlatnesiti]

Yes, and:

• 4x USB 3
• SD Card
• LAN
• Mini Display port

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/devices/surface-studio/tech-specs

Yep, all outdated ports are there and NOT a single USB C/Thunderbolt port.
What a joke...

 

[LordVic]

If you can't see the appearance borrowed from the iMac I don't know what to tell you. Their entire line is Apple color-schemed now. They're clearly trying to match Apple's aesthetics. Don't be silly.

iMac

Surface Studio:

cause yes. Those are sooooo similar.

 

[HumpYourWayUp]

They beat Apple at their own game: thinness.

And in pricing:
- Surface Studio (Maxed) $4,199
- Surface Book i7 $3,299

 

[mgipe]

Did no one else notice the wireless keyboard with numeric keypad?
Apple, I've been asking for years...

 

[SirRahikkala]

MS is getting really good at this.



Might want to pay the doctor a visit.

It's the Apple inception. You must go deeper!

 

[pika2000]

I would describe it as aspirational. It will put a halo on the surface brand, and by extension, windows and pc's generally.

In the US, yeah. Outside, not really.
In emerging markets, where the growth is, the OEMs are still focusing on cheap crap in the race to the bottom, even selling blank laptops without Windows (that's actually the majority in some markets).

 

[32828870]

The Surface Studio is one gorgeous computer, its very apple like in its elegant lines and function. My iMac with the giant bezels and large chin feels so old and outdated.

Microsoft is swinging for the fences and its shows, where as I feel Apple is complacent - I hope at least I'm wrong and tomorrow's event will surprise me

Sadly, agree 100%. Can macOS be "Hackint0shed" on this hardware? They do use Intel processors? Ironic, buying non-Apple systems to install an Apple OS. That states a lot about Apple's [lack of] innovation.

 

[morcutt11]

I really liked the studio. It looked like a solid design from Microsoft and something I would definitely expect to see from Apple. With that said, my bi road block is still Windows. I can't get away from Windows - I administrate a server farm based off of Windows Server, as well as some other Windows workstations. However, I personally have been burned too many times with Windows. Windows 10 is just the latest example and was the reason I have an iMac on my desktop today. Windows 8 checked my machine, said it was 100% compatible with Windows 10, and ran the upgrade. After that, anything that caused heavy network traffic (e.g. streaming media) caused my network card drivers (supplied by Microsoft with Windows 10) to drop out and there was no way to fix it w/o a reboot. I eventually found old drivers for the NIC and got it stable, only to have a Windows 10 patch take out use of my audio card. And getting support from Microsoft? Forget it. When I crashed my rMBP by installing 3rd party software that messed it up so bad that it couldn't boot, I took it into the local Apple Store (our of warranty), they reinstalled the OS in 15 or 20 minutes. My data was still there, programs were still there, etc. and they did it for free. An OS install in Windows means wiping everything.

The bottom line is that I just don't trust Windows. I don't feel that I can depend on. And this is from someone that uses it daily.

 

[Traverse]

Yep, all outdated ports are there and NOT a single USB C/Thunderbolt port.
What a joke...

But I'm sure most current consumer will be less annoyed at no USB-C than no USB-A. I would think one USB-C could have made it on there, but I doubt sales will suffer at all.

No consumer is going to say "no USB-C port!? NO sale!" right now.

 

[ashdelacroix]

iMac

cause yes. Those are sooooo similar.

Keep drinking the kool-aid

You can't appreciate how similar those designs are? Seriously? Factor in the whole history of PC design and see how the iMac feeds directly into the Studio. This is not about the differences you perceive between the designs, but the substantial similarities that point to Apple as the progenitor of the design language involved here.

 

[whiteonline]

Microsoft is going for the creative professionals....the exact market Apple has abandoned. Well done.
[doublepost=1477504462][/doublepost]

You can't appreciate how similar those designs are? Seriously? Factor in the whole history of PC design and see how the iMac feeds directly into the Studio. This is not about the differences you perceive between the designs, but the substantial similarities that point to Apple as the progenitor of the design language involved here.

Who cares. They took an idea and improved it. Never heard of that one before...

 

[savvymac12]

I think I know the answer to this, but with MS pushing so much for a series of computers/tablets that strive to be adaptive to multiple markets is there any chance Apple will provide an answer in their line-up? Im not sure I really need/want my macbook to have touch screens, pens, etc. but MS has seem to found a way to make a truly all-in one device where you'd still need to buy an iPad and Macbook for the same level of productivity. Any chance Apple shows any more innovation than a cool-but-uncessary touch bar and spec bumps?

 

[jmgregory1]

That Surface Studio has a bunch of people at animation studios I know very, very excited. When Apple neglected the pro market, MS has started to market to and design for that group.

It may run windows, but that means it runs all of the neat tools out there that are windows only and or Cuda only.

With cuda in mind, though, the GPU options are disappointing for the price.

That's the thing I thought when I saw the Surface Studio too - but no animation studio is going to be ok with the so-so GPU specs. Heck, many graphic designers will have issues with it. And as I've noted previously, the idea of touching your high resolution screen all day, is going to drive people crazy with all the fingerprints and smudges that end up on the screen. That's where MS just doesn't get it - their thing with trying to compete with Apple's iPhone / iPad touch based OS just messed them up and they don't seem like they are ever going to figure it out.