Microsoft Debuts $999 Surface Laptop, 'Streamlined' Windows 10 S, and More at Education Event

[Chupa Chupa]

How far did it sink when Apple crammed in a useless touch bar on to the MacBook Pro?

As a MBP TB owner I would say it's not just useless to me as a touch typer, it's frustrating and unproductive. I look at the screen when I work, not my keyboard. I don't want to look down at my keyboard to find a "bold" button for Word. How stupid. But I do want to be able to type F5 to load a programmed macro. But can't do that anymore either without looking away from the screen.

 

[rowspaxe]

PS: In case you didn't get the internal memo. "Windows 10S" is the abbreviation for "Windows 10 SpeedFocus Education and College Product Corporate Engagement Edition with Bing! for Exclusive Education Wholesale Contracts"

"with bing" your killing me
[doublepost=1493822660][/doublepost]

No, not in the past. In the present. How many USB-C thumb drives are there out there? How many schools have the latest USB-C accessories?

time for critical re-evaluation of the usb-c revolution.

 

[Manatlt]

Great. Still doesn't excuse not including a single USB-C port. It kind of amazes me people here are defending MS on this.

*raises eyebrow* I rather have a USB-A 2.0/3.0 port than a USB-C port since most of today's devices including Apple's iPhone and iPad still uses it.

USB-C port is useless for most devices unless you want dongle converters.

 

[Ladybug]

You can't be serious. If Apple were to cure cancer, people would still criticize them for it.



No you were trying to pass false facts.

You can install any app on macOS. You're not restricted to the App Store. Period.

I am not passing false facts. Everyone knows Apple is a walled garden unto itself. But whatever I am not here to argue. Have a nice day.

 

[Sirmausalot]

Why is no one comparing it to the iPad Pro 12.9? Walled OS, similar screen size, touch screen? Also, the Surface laptops are discounted 10% in the MS store. The low-budget sweet spot seems to be the 8GB 256GB i5 and $1,169. A similar iPad Pro with keyboard is about the same price.

 

[jarman92]

They said "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." That means they got a laptop that had a touch screen and used it. How much did they use it? So much that they now naturally tap the screen instead of using the cursor, even when they are on a different device.

You are correct that not all professions use it, but I can confirm that the medical, research, and academic fields love it. Maybe the reason most professions don't use it has more to do with slow adoption and not limited need? Having worked at some different jobs I feel comfortable saying that just because something might improve productivity doesn’t mean that an industry will adopt it.

Oh, and the ergonomics argument is hogwash. Touch isn't an exclusive input. That's like saying joysticks are useless because they aren’t good at being a mouse.

You're making a huge assumption that that's what OP meant. I used a touchscreen laptop exactly ONCE and almost touched the screen on my Mac immediately afterwards—that doesn't mean anything. OP could have meant that, but not necessarily.

All the fields you mentioned would be—and are—better served using iPads/tablets vs. using a full laptop with an obnoxiously vertical touchscreen. I could even see the argument for one of those crazy foldable laptops that turn into a tablet over this ridiculous device. The fact remains that nobody wants to jab at a vertical screen all day long. Every once in a while, maybe, but then we're back to it being a waste for such infrequent usage. Once you start using touch extensively, you're far and away better off using a tablet.

 

[vkd]

Big question is, can you Hackintosh it with macOS?

 

[rjohnstone]

As a MBP TB owner I would say it's not just useless to me as a touch typer, it's frustrating and unproductive. I look at the screen when I work, not my keyboard. I don't want to look down at my keyboard to find a "bold" button for Word. How stupid. But I do want to be able to type F5 to load a programmed macro. But can't do that anymore either without looking away from the screen.

The TouchID unlock is nice, but I agree... the touch bar itself is more frustrating than useful.
I have not found a single incident where it has simplified my workflow.

 

[Manatlt]

Big question is, can you Hackintosh it with macOS?

Maybe, it's not been confirmed as the device isn't out yet. But if I ever get a Surface Laptop, no way I'm Hackintoshing it.

Why is no one comparing it to the iPad Pro 12.9? Walled OS, similar screen size, touch screen? Also, the Surface laptops are discounted 10% in the MS store. The low-budget sweet spot seems to be the 8GB 256GB i5 and $1,169. A similar iPad Pro with keyboard is about the same price.

iPad 12.9" is a tablet (a big one at that). SL is a laptop. Two completely different markets.

 

[sammyman]

The TouchID unlock is nice, but I agree... the touch bar itself is more frustrating than useful.
I have not found a single incident where it has simplified my workflow.

Just bought a TB MBP. Would you pay $100 more for the TB? That's what I wound up paying.

 

[rjohnstone]

Just bought a TB MBP. Would you pay $100 more for the TB? That's what I wound up paying.

Nope... unfortunately there is no option to purchase a 15" MBP without the touch bar.

 

[maflynn]

Big question is, can you Hackintosh it with macOS?

Its a kaby lake processor, I don't know if OS X has the kexts for that chipset yet.

 

[MrX8503]

To be fair, Windows 10 is on both Tablets and PCs, Windows 10 S is equivalent of iOS for Apple, the closed system for average users who shouldn't (and probably doesn't want to) be concerned with security and dealing with app management.

It's just that for Microsoft it's all on similar devices, Apple it's on different devices.

Personally, as long as Microsoft let you upgrade for a cheap 50$, it's acceptable. (Assuming that you technically pay a lower price for the device because Windows 10 S)

To be fair the OP was trying to pass false facts

I am not passing false facts. Everyone knows Apple is a walled garden unto itself. But whatever I am not here to argue. Have a nice day.

Yes you are....

Why not? Apple has been doing just that for years with iTunes and the App Store. No one here seems to mind and it works for Apple. Just sayin...

This thread is about laptops and you're bending the facts to fit your narrative. macOS allows users to install apps outside of the mac app store.

 

[convergent]

So, should we expect Microsoft hardware to be updated on a somewhat consistent basis, like Apple does? Or is Microsoft just testing the ground to see what products it will keep or take away?

Are you living on planet earth??? You are suggesting that Apple introduces follow on products on a consistent basis in a logical order. Surely you are not serious. Mac Pro... MacBook Pro... Airport Extreme... iMac... Displays. Nothing about any of that has been consistent and timely.

 

[mi7chy]

That is expected since the computer itself has a total of 4 gigs of RAM, it is the same as it is on MacOS. If there is more room to work with, usually the operating system uses it more generously for caching (since both my laptops have 16 gigs of RAM, I never see such a low RAM usage).

Here's on a desktop with 32GB and it's using 1.3GB DRAM. As a matter of fact, I've never seen Windows 10 Pro use above 1.xGB on any device.

 

[sammyman]

Nope... unfortunately there is no option to purchase a 15" MBP without the touch bar.

Oh. I bought a 13" with TB for $1330, and a 13" without for $1280. I think I'm returning the model without. Didn't really consider a 15"

 

[sammyman]

All Microsoft has to do now is create a phone that integrates as well as an iPhone with Windows 10 and I'll be packing up my bags.

Already started packing when I bought a Surface Pro 4 I suppose (it's excellent).

 

[MrX8503]

Why is no one comparing it to the iPad Pro 12.9? Walled OS, similar screen size, touch screen? Also, the Surface laptops are discounted 10% in the MS store. The low-budget sweet spot seems to be the 8GB 256GB i5 and $1,169. A similar iPad Pro with keyboard is about the same price.

I don't see many people shopping for an iPad Pro or Surface laptop.

All Microsoft has to do now is create a phone that integrates as well as an iPhone with Windows 10 and I'll be packing up my bags.

Already started packing when I bought a Surface Pro 4 I suppose (it's excellent).

I think it's clear that Microsoft is out of the phone business. The ship has sailed and they know that. They're focusing on other software ventures and it's paying off for them.

 

[aeronatis]

Here's on a desktop with 32GB and it's using 1.3GB DRAM. As a matter of fact, I've never seen Windows 10 Pro use above 1.xGB on any device.

I am speechless. I would like to know if there are certain settings for me to get my devices to use this little amount of RAM. Never have I seen Windows 10 Pro using less than 4 GB. I will look further into this. Thanks for the notice.

 

[DavidLynch]

All Microsoft has to do now is create a phone that integrates as well as an iPhone with Windows 10 and I'll be packing up my bags.

Already started packing when I bought a Surface Pro 4 I suppose (it's excellent).

I switched from an iPhone 7 to a Galaxy S8 and the integration with Windows 10 is pretty close. You can run Cortana and Office on the phone, read and write text messages from Windows, if you use Chrome then you can pick up websites from one device to the next etc. As a long time iOS + Mac I don't find myself missing much.

 

[sammyman]

I switched from an iPhone 7 to a Galaxy S8 and the integration with Windows 10 is pretty close. You can run Cortana and Office on the phone, read and write text messages from Windows, if you use Chrome then you can pick up websites from one device to the next etc. As a long time iOS + Mac I don't find myself missing much.

Read and write text messages from Windows? How? I have a surface pro, tried a galaxy 7 but found the message and pictures lacking. Tried whatsapp for some integration but it never worked great.

 

[jamesrick80]

Why is no one comparing it to the iPad Pro 12.9? Walled OS, similar screen size, touch screen? Also, the Surface laptops are discounted 10% in the MS store. The low-budget sweet spot seems to be the 8GB 256GB i5 and $1,169. A similar iPad Pro with keyboard is about the same price.

Because if you can actually read, you can upgrade to Windows 10 pro for free...So definitely not a walled OS and iOS is a mobile OS while Windows 10S is still a full OS similar to chrome OS with a actual file manager etc.....The iPad pro is the most limited device I have ever used...Nothing pro about it.

 

[DavidLynch]

Read and write text messages from Windows? How? I have a surface pro, tried a galaxy 7 but found the message and pictures lacking. Tried whatsapp for some integration but it never worked great.

I use Mighty Text. It's a Chrome extension but integrates with the system notifications. Also tells you phone battery status and a few other things.

 

[tallii4]

It's windows, but can't game. That's like buying a car with no headlights. Pointless.

Better yet a car with no motor.

 

[ton1772]

It didn't because it made more sense than having someone use a pen to draw or write on a laptop screen. The Touch Bar is useful it just needs more app support and to mature which will happen over time.

Touch Bar made more sense? You can't write complex equations/flow chart/graph/concept drawing with TB. Writing on a laptop screen may not feel good but at least we have options.