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

[Queen6]

So the entire Surface product line, which depends on its claim to be a tablet and a PC, gets the most non-tablet product yet...and that's appealing?

If your an artist or engineer yes, As Microsoft stated Surface is about redefining your usage, Apple is just chasing the mass consumer these days, and it shows...

Q-6

 

[Jack Burton]

Just checked Wacom's product page:
$2,800 for the Cintiq 27 inch QHD touch.
https://us-store.wacom.com/Catalog/Pen-Displays/Cintiq/Cintiq-27QHD-S01

Wacom should be worried.

 

[LordVic]

Cut it out. This is not how you generate clicks. Factions. Factions move the needle. Now quit dicking around and pick a team. I don't need anyone else out there like me.

Can I choose team Rocket?

 

[citysnaps]

I don't care for the design - looks like something out of the 1990s an engineer designed, no beauty or gracefulness...

With respect to utility, I wonder if the bottom edge of those pivoting arms can be sharpened? Could be great for slicing deli meats and cheeses off the edge of the case.

 

[NufSaid]

If your an artist or engineer yes, As Microsoft stated Surface is about redefining your usage, Apple is just chasing the mass consumer these days, and it shows...

Q-6

Working as a full-time artist and saying some of the benefit of this, I am the target market.

However, even I being in the target market find it hard to be justified. I will wait to see what the performance is because it needs to be blistering fast to be effective in this market.

 

[imronburgundy]

yes, but this excuse is wearing thin...

Seriously. I just completed an i5-6600k build with Windows 10, and I'm pretty dang impressed. Install flew by in about 10 min and the PC has run better than anything I've ever used, including my 2 MBP's.

 

[retrospek]

Remember everyone - Jony Ive is designing Xmas Tree's right now !

Where the hell has Jony gone ? Should we try and find him ?

 

[anson42]

View attachment 668137
Why should Apple care about new PC's? Their path is clearly marked down

This. Plus the fact that Apple is spread quite widely is a likely reason why Macs don't get the focus we all want. You can say Apple succeeds in areas that Microsoft only wishes it were a player. Certainly we can't expect Microsoft's mobile business to encroach on today's market any time soon, so they must be focussing and doubling down on areas they have demonstrated they can innovate in, hardware+software bundles. How much $$ they actually make on the hardware remains to be seen.

As an aside, I know this is just one region, but I work in the SF Bay Area / Silicon Valley and commute on trains and buses. I occasionally see a Surface Pro but I have yet to see a single Surface Book. Macs dominate around Apple land here.

 

[JOLoughlin]

This is great competition, I hope Apple keeps up. I was worried desktops were going to be ignored by everybody in terms of innovation. I’m rooting for Apple to deliver a new iMac, Cinema Display and Mac Pro solution at this level.

 

[TurboPGT!]

If your an artist or engineer yes, As Microsoft stated Surface is about redefining your usage, Apple is just chasing the mass consumer these days, and it shows...

Q-6

Please spare me the armchair critic opinion of what Apple is doing with the Mac lineup. They still command 90% of PC purchases over $1000, like they did 10 years ago.

 

[MacsRgr8]

No it hasn't.

It's just changed into a more mature environment, where we are genuinely interested in new technology, whether for work or leisure.

And whilst this forum is generally focussed towards Apple products, innovation in the wider tech industry is absolutely of interest.

The days of being labelled "fanboys" or other partisan brand loyalty are definitely being left behind..

There will always be opinion and argument, that will never change! But I think everyone here is interested and indeed passionate about innovation and creativity in information technology, engineering and design. And in computer devices specifically.

And that's cool!

: - ))))

Oh, I agree.
I wasn't being hateful or anything. Just an observation.

It's just that times are changing.
Having MacRumor's forum not bashing Microsoft but actually applauding their efforts should send warning signals to Cupertino: PLEASE KEEP UP! EVEN YOUR MOST ENTHUSIASTIC USERS START TO PREFER OTHER PRODUCTS.

It really seems Microsoft is turning onto the "let's make cool products" - company, while Apple is stagnating.

 

[cult hero]

Still runs windows... xD

That's the biggest drawback with Microsoft. As a developer, I'm leaving something running a UNIX-based OS, period. Add in their web browser and it's horrid history...

The hardware looks good though. Not a fan of the Surface Book, but the Studio seems like a cool, albeit niche, product.

I'm happy for these announcements though. If Apple is getting complacent (and I can't help but feel like it is in the computer realm) these sorts of things help kick people in the rear.

And is it just me, or does all the marketing seem like an Apple rip job? (And I don't even like Apple's marketing a lot of the time, I think it is extremely lame.)

 

[gnipgnop]

People often complain when one company "copies" the idea of another. In this case, I really hope Apple does just that with the next iMac!

Apple already has better ideas than MS in place if they wanted to make a "copy".

A. An all-in-one where the computer is inside the screen itself, which allows you to mount it on a swing-arm.

B. The Apple Pencil, which eliminates the need to have pressure sensitivity built into the screen, which in turn cuts cost for the overall product.

 

[rowspaxe]

This is a pro machine. A pro machine that only has USB3 as its fastest external connectivity is embarrassing.
USB-C means Thunderbolt, and considering this "pro" machine only has a single notebook-class GPU, I say that's an unfortunate miss by Microsoft.

I think your gpu arguement is more compelling. three usb 3 ports are a better fit for most user needs at this point. usb-c advantage becomes compelling with advanced hubbing solutions that include video--but most users will be happy with the surface studio monitor. This is a designer--not videographer or fx machine--imo

 

[\-V-/]

Apple already has better ideas than MS in place if they wanted to make a "copy".

A. An all-in-one where the computer is inside the screen itself, which allows you to mount it on a swing-arm.

B. The Apple Pencil, which eliminates the need to have pressure sensitivity built into the screen, which in turn cuts cost for the overall product.

The iMac is not comparable to this product in any way. And are you really comparing the Apple Pencil to this? Seriously?

 

[HBX]

It's not bad, but for me as an IT professional, I rely on Homebrew and terminal a lot. The Windows (10) experience isn't for me, I'm not into dealing with applications crashing, malware and the rest of the swiss cheesery that comes with dealing with Windows and all its holes. All I see is a lot of fluff on top of more fluff, that machine they had at the event was probably running a customized internal build of Windows to optimize the software and hardware just for the event, we'll see what happens when it gets into the hands of end users. Apple is in the refining transition. I pretty sure they have tons of internal projects they could've released to show "innovation" everyone keeps complaining about. I still don't like what MS has done with the aging NT kernel, And yes I prefer XNU Kernel from MacOS. I guess thats what happens when you learn to love OpenBSD/FreeBSD for so many years.

 

[dylin]

nvidia already announced that there are no "mobile" 10xx series GPU's. The standard Desktop GPU's can be fitted into mobile computers as is. (obviously not the desktop boards, i just mean the chips themselves)

There are already anounced products that will feature 1060's and 1070s. Razer and Dell both have announced them already. I believe Razer's New Blade which features the 1060 starts shipping soon

thats why I'm a bit surprised that Microsoft did go with the 9xxm at this point. Especially sicne these aren't going to be on store shelves for a few months.

Just indicates that the Dev cycle for these devices probably is 6+ months, before they announced Kaby Lake or the 10x0 series GPU's for mobile

Ah I see. My mistake. So yea most likely an update down the line.

You're probably right about introducing the 1000 series with kaby lake.

 

[muddygun]

When comparing the specs of the PC laptop to the current MBP, its not that much more powerful and the price is the same. It still has 1TB SSD, 16GB of RAM. The only update is a new processor and video card. Also the feature of touch screen and making your 3d images in 3D paint is pretty awesome, so windows has that going for them. But expect tomorrow for Apple to have a 2TB SSD, and possibly 32GB of ram with the same updated processor/graphics card.. and they might even have a trick up their sleeve in that realm. *crosses fingers. And the current price of the most expensive MBP is 3200, so expect the same for those big ticket items. I am personally happy to see Windows making headway into this arena, even if it is copying the design in every aspect. But as for most the posts on here about wanting to ditch windows for mac because of this awesomeness, i would hold your breathe...even when comparing the current version of the MBP.

 

[Dekema2]

Wow, this is embarrassing for Apple. I find it funny how a few years ago Mansfield talked about the uber-expensive garbage can as the response to "can't innovate" my ass, and now there's this thing which looks to run circles around the Mac Pro and has that "innovation factor" that Steve probably would have liked.

It's as if Apple and Microsoft are changing places, which is a shame, because Apple has always been at the forefront of quality and innovation. Very sad, and tomorrow will put salt on the wound.

 

[\-V-/]

Ah I see. My mistake. So yea most likely an update down the line.

You're probably right about introducing the 1000 series with kaby lake.

Yeah, no more mobile versions of NVIDIA's GPUs. Just scaled versions of the desktop counterparts for smaller devices. Kind of awesome, really.

 

[Trusteft]

In terms of looks, they look very good.
The problem for me is the software or to be more exact, Windows 10.
That keystroke recording, file opening recording, big brother BS of an OS will never get a place as my main OS.
If they fix their spying crap W10, we will talk.
Till then, no thank you.

 

[Traverse]

Even when a comparable 27" Cintiq is $2700 and just a touch/pen monitor?

But the Cintiq is a specialized product not meant to be a PC. This is a PC and I feel that aside from the screen, its not really worth the $3000.

 

[urbanlung]

All this positive chat has got to give Apple some pain, lets hope they pull something out tomorrow that flattens this. (No pun intended)

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

Only thing I want is that 'lock screen'.
Have better lock screens on Windows/iOS than MacOS.

 

[macs4nw]

They beat Apple at their own game: thinness.

They're copying, but thinness is what people want. I do like the fact that the monitor adjusts vertically as well as inclines, something missing in the iMac (and past Apple monitors) since the 'lampshade neck' G4 iMacs of 2002-2003.

 

[\-V-/]

But the Cintiq is a specialized product not meant to be a PC. This is a PC and I feel that aside from the screen, its not really worth the $3000.

The screen is the entire reason it costs that much.

They're copying, but thinness is what people want. I do like the fact that the monitor adjusts vertically as well as incline, something missing in the iMac (and past Apple monitors) since the 'lampshade neck' G4 iMacs of 2002-2003.


View attachment 668143

That neck broke so easily.