Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple going all-in into USB-C, making all ports to be versatile = people booed.
Microsoft making a laptop with restricted OS and old I/Os = people cheered

Talk about alternate universe.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobob and nfl46
BTW, this might have been mentioned somewhere but I must have missed it. Was there a mention whether these laptops can be used with a non-restricted OS or even other OSes or is it firmware-locked?
 
BTW, this might have been mentioned somewhere but I must have missed it. Was there a mention whether these laptops can be used with a non-restricted OS or even other OSes or is it firmware-locked?
You can pay $50 to upgrade it to Windows 10 Pro.
And I think MS is doing a promo right now that the upgrade is free, plus you get Office 365.
In short, if you want one, just buy one.
 
This is a pretty nice machine that I'm completely uninterested in. Glad there are options, and it'll put a little pressure on the other laptop manufacturers to do similar things. I really like ultrabooks for light work but have never had an opportunity to get one - I always end up getting something a bit beefier for occasional gaming etc, or a more drawing focused device.

I'm one of those weird people who'd take a iPad Pro over a laptop in most situations.
 
Not bad, but come on.. should be runinng Windows 10 Pro at the very least. Not windows 7. Just another scam to get mney for consumers. I can understand Windows 10 S being for education devices, but on normal surfaces, no way in hell.
Hey that's just me being picky and thinking they only care about the money and to get out of consumer pockets (ironic though)
 
It's not bloated like MacOS. Windows 10 Pro uses a little over 1GB DRAM booting into the OS so Windows 10 Slim will even be less. Perfectly usable for most students up through university. If it was me, though, if I'm spending $899 (with 10% edu discount) on the i5/4/128 it makes more sense to go up to $1169 i5/8/256 for future proofing which is still less than $1399 Macbook Pro i5/8/256.

As someone who uses both operating systems on relatively powerful notebooks, I have to ask: How on earth Windows 10 Pro uses a little over 1 GB of DRAM? With a fresh boot after only basic drivers loaded, I have never seen it below 4 GB of RAM usage (and my Dell XPS 9560 device is brand new device and despite having stronger hardware, overall operation feels slower than MacBook Pro).

Neither Windows 10 Pro nor MacOS Sierra are perfect and I still like using them both; however, calling MacOS bloated over Windows 10 is a little misleading, I believe (I mean no disrespect!).

I can imagine Store apps running well on the Surface Laptop with 4 GB RAM though.
 
Well, I tried Windows 10 for some time and determined that it is half bad. Went back to 7.

Well I've used Windows 10 as a daily driver on my PC build and I've had no problems whatsoever. I'm very much enjoying the sleek new look and customisation features that were added with the recent Creators update.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Atlantico
Oh God. This is actually good.

I for one am excited to - even if I have no interest in the touch functionality I love the fact that they're delivering a top to bottom crapware free computer straight from Microsoft. So whilst Tim Cook is embracing his new role of being an 'iPad wanker' the rest of us who want to get work done are admiring how Microsoft has stepped up and produced great products like the Surface Studio, Surface Laptop, Surface Book etc. whilst improving their underlying operating system in the process - Project Centennial will be a big gamer changer for win32 developers going forward even if they opt to only distribute .appx packages outside of the store.

MacFather -- Steve was right only if the touchscreen is your sole input device. I also used to mock them, but then after having PCs with it, I find myself stabbing the screen of my 12" Macbook (the only Apple device I've owned that I've despised) only to have nothing happen.

As for this new Surface Laptop -- it is beautiful (at least from promo videos). But it's a "meh" for me. Especially at that price point.

And when did Steve actually say that? watch the video, watch it again and then watch it again because clearly you didn't watch the video the first time it was posted.
 
  • Like
Reactions: apolloa
For those who can't seem to understand the concept:
1. Windows 10s is only for locked down educational reasons people who want more can just upgrade to Windows 10 Pro
2. 4gb ram is only the basic versions while it's not a lot still eough for basic office tasks
3. No matter what if the 14 hour of battery life are true that's amazing
4. Not every country has endless wlan connections everywhere so Chromebooks aren't the way to go and I challenge everyone to do some real productive work on a fully internet focused device with a less powerful office software packed in

That being said damn I was a bit too quick, again the touchscreen nonsense so I'm again paying a premium for somethng my logitech anywhere mouse can do much better that's really annoying, thought this baby would come without a TS.
I am just as productive on my Chromebook as I am on any Mac or PC. ChromeOS isn't as internet based as it was it's evolving just like everything in tech. My next laptop will be the next Chromebook Pixel just like my current laptop is a Chromebook Pixel.
 
What a pointless laptop.

Starts at 4GB ram, Windows 10 S and no USB-C? $999?

And blogs are praising this laptop? What in the world.

It should include the full fledge Windows from the start and you shouldn't have to upgrade to it. It's 2017, 8GB & USB-C should be standard. Hell, even Apple makes it standard in their newest laptops. And that's saying a lot. If I'm spending $999 on a windows laptop, I sure as hell wouldn't be spending it on a Surface Laptop.
 
What a pointless laptop.

Starts at 4GB ram, Windows 10 S and no USB-C? $999?

And blogs are praising this laptop? What in the world.

It should include the full fledge Windows from the start and you shouldn't have to upgrade to it. It's 2017, 8GB & USB-C should be standard. Hell, even Apple makes it standard in their newest laptops. And that's saying a lot. If I'm spending $999 on a windows laptop, I sure as hell wouldn't be spending it on a Surface Laptop.

We need to give credit where credit is due, Microsoft is out innovating apple and am sure no one can disagree with the fact. Microsoft has to charge a premium otherwise their partners would be very upset if they didn't. Kudos to MS, apple is very fortunate to have iPhone otherwise they would be down in the dumps.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FatherJack1980
What a pointless laptop.

Starts at 4GB ram, Windows 10 S and no USB-C? $999?

And blogs are praising this laptop? What in the world.

It should include the full fledge Windows from the start and you shouldn't have to upgrade to it. It's 2017, 8GB & USB-C should be standard. Hell, even Apple makes it standard in their newest laptops. And that's saying a lot. If I'm spending $999 on a windows laptop, I sure as hell wouldn't be spending it on a Surface Laptop.
Surface Laptop is aimed for students. Most students won't care of the specs including and especially USB-C as long as the laptop's fast and looks pretty.

Get a Surface Book? Or a HP Spectre x360?

Also, until iPhones and popular mobile devices begin to use USB-C, it's not that much of a dealbreaker.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FatherJack1980
As someone who uses both operating systems on relatively powerful notebooks, I have to ask: How on earth Windows 10 Pro uses a little over 1 GB of DRAM? With a fresh boot after only basic drivers loaded, I have never seen it below 4 GB of RAM usage (and my Dell XPS 9560 device is brand new device and despite having stronger hardware, overall operation feels slower than MacBook Pro).

Neither Windows 10 Pro nor MacOS Sierra are perfect and I still like using them both; however, calling MacOS bloated over Windows 10 is a little misleading, I believe (I mean no disrespect!).

I can imagine Store apps running well on the Surface Laptop with 4 GB RAM though.

Here's one of my devices, a laptop, with Windows 10 Pro x64 using 1GB DRAM on boot. I've even ran Battlefield 4 on top of Windows 10 Pro x64 on a Surface Pro 4 with 4GB DRAM. I'm guessing Windows 10 Slim will be even lower at about 700MB.

Like I said MacOS is more bloated and on top of that things like Safari on a high end Macbook Pro scrolls slower than Edge on the low end Surface 3 (non-Pro). As far as efficiency ChromeOS > Linux > Windows 10 > MacOS from my experience but for the largest professional software ecosystem, games, etc. Windows is #1.

Windows10ProMemoryUtilization_zps7hnf1zx4.png
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Atlantico
Surface Laptop is aimed for students. Most students won't care of the specs including and especially USB-C as long as the laptop's fast (which it is).

Get a Surface Book? Or a HP Spectre x360?
$999 for a "fast" laptop? If that's your reasoning for purchasing a SL, what a waste of $1,000 for a Windows laptop. Seriously for that price, you can get a decent Windows laptop.

That's my point I'm trying to make. I'm not trying to make it a MacBook vs Surface discussion. Just simply saying, if a student is purchasing a Windows laptop (not a Macbook) for $1,000 then why not spend less money on getting a full fledge laptop with 8GB, USB-C, etc.
 
$999 for a "fast" laptop? If that's your reasoning for purchasing a SL, what a waste of $1,000 for a Windows laptop. Seriously for that price, you can get a decent Windows laptop.

That's my point I'm trying to make. I'm not trying to make it a MacBook vs Surface discussion. Just simply saying, if a student is purchasing a Windows laptop (not a Macbook) for $1,000 then why not spend less money on getting a full fledge laptop with 8GB, USB-C, etc.

I'm aware of cheaper laptops that have 8GB, USB-C etc. But they don't look "pretty". They don't look "premium" compared to MacBooks or the Surface Book/Laptop. The cheaper ones will most likely use plastic casing and/or a weak screen.

Students buy MacBooks because they are pretty to look at, and MS wants that slice of that pie.
 
I'm aware of cheaper laptops that have 8GB, USB-C etc. But they don't look "pretty". They don't look "premium" compared to MacBooks or the Surface Book/Laptop. The cheaper ones will most likely use plastic casing and/or a weak screen.

Students buy MacBooks because they are pretty to look at, and MS wants that slice of that pie.
So, as a student I should buy a SL because it's pretty?

So... 4GB of ram, 128GB SSD, no USB-C, ONE port, Windows laptop in 2017 for a LOW price (/s) of $999? And I supposed to keep that for the next 3-4 years. It screams DOA.

You're making this a MacBook vs Surface discussion and I'm not. I'm just trying to look at it from a student perspective that's interested in purchasing a Windows laptop for $1,000. I just couldn't see myself recommending it to someone for that price.
 
So, as a student I should buy a SL because it's pretty?
...ehhhh yeah? And it functions well? It has Microsoft Office?

So... 4GB of ram, 128GB SSD, no USB-C, ONE port, Windows laptop in 2017 for a LOW price (/s) of $999? And I supposed to keep that for the next 3-4 years. It screams DOA.

Yes. YOU. You are thinking about yourself. This laptop is for non-techy (but has money to spend) students.

Unless the student is a Computer Scientist or has great knowledge about specs, nobody cares. You think an average student knows what a SSD is? Or USB-C? All they want is a port that they can plug in their phones or thumbdrives in to and Surface Laptop HAS THE PORT.

If the new MacBook can get away with just literally ONE USB-C port, why can't MS? (And even then, SL has more ports).

You're making this a MacBook vs Surface discussion and I'm not. I'm just trying to look at it from a student perspective that's interested in purchasing a Windows laptop for $1,000. I just couldn't see myself recommending it to someone for that price.

You're not really looking at a student's perspective. Because if you do, you notice many students have MacBooks. Those students have money to spend to get those MacBooks. My brother that just went to university few years ago with the MacBook because he likes the design of it, and spent £1000 odd on it. Even though I tried my best to tell him he is making a mistake.

MS released SL to compete with MacBook Pro and Air. It's written all over the event. So it's hard not to turn it to a "MB v Surface" discussion.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: FatherJack1980
Apple is actually selling a - so called - laptop, with NO ports, a much slower cpu, a much slower gpu, an older chipset, no touchscreen (more so, even if it had, macOS is not ready for touch screens at its current state anyway) and at a higher price. For real.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Busmall9
Apple is actually selling a - so called - laptop, with NO ports, a much slower cpu, a much slower gpu, an older chipset, no touchscreen (more so, even if it had, macOS is not ready for touch screens at its current state anyway) and at a higher price. For real.
Yet people gob it up. It's no wonder why MS released SL with meh specs. We are the minority, people need to know that.
 
This looks good. Windows 10 is great, too. I like how they put "streamlined" into parentheses. I am not sure what that's supposed to imply but Windows isn't any more bloated these days than macOS.

This is't running a full version of Windows 10. More like the old Windows RT (which was not a full version of Windows 8). Didn't Microsoft learn. Lmao. I work in sales and we had a lot of un happy customers who's bought machines running Windows RT. Not knowing what it was (even though we would explain its limitations) only to return it saying it didn't do what I needed it to do. $999 is a bit steal for this. If Microsoft pieced it at $499 it would make more sense. And people say Apple is casy lol.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.