Yeah it's definitely a good value if you don't need a touchscreen and don't need to run Windows virtually.
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Microsoft Debuts Magic Keyboard-Like Surface Laptop Studio and Surface Duo 2 Foldable Smartphone
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Yeah it's definitely a good value if you don't need a touchscreen and don't need to run Windows virtually.
Yes, they do steal Apple's ideas BUT there is one fundamental difference...
Apple is trying to sell you multiple devices for you daily activities, while Microsoft is more into creating an all-in-one device. While I appreciate why Apple does this, you can't deny the value of having one device that can do everything you need to, if it's possible. While I generally hate Windows compared to MacOS etc, I admire and desire an all-in-one solution. It's a pain to carry around an iPhone, Ipad (for the pencil), and a Macbook Pro. Further to this, the Apple platform can't game very well so add a PC to the list of devices you have to maintain.
I hope Microsoft succeeds with the Surface and shows Apple that it's possible to make an all-in-one device. If I could have one lofty wish, I wish they would create an iPad that had MacOS.
One of our users has display scaling at 150%, the rest have 100%. Even with 150% scaling, you can see a lot more in things like spreadsheets without having to zoom in. It does make a difference. It's very odd for Microsoft to take such a big step backwards.
Sorry, I meant resolution in regards to screen resolution i.e. pixels on the screen. SB13 is 3000x2000=6mil pixels. SB15 is 3240x2160≈7mil pixels. SLS14.5 is 2400x1600≈4mil pixels. So the SB13 has 56% more pixels than the SLS14.5 and the SB15 has 82% more pixels than the SLS14.5. Those are significant differences. Maybe I don't revolve in the right circles but I've never actually seen anyone use a stylus with a Surface and I've never seen anyone game on them, certainly not the kind of gamers that care about 120hz. They're buying gaming laptops and the designers are buying Macs and iPads.
The SP's kickstand warrants a heck of a lot of praise, as does the keyboard. Having such a thin but still quite usable keyboard double up as a screen cover in just ingenious, add to that how it gives stability due to how it attaches as well as not requiring external power or recharging, I can't fathom how anyone would not recognize that as a significant achievement, but then again I believe in those dark days the iPad didn't even have mouse or keyboard support.
It's even worse if you are comparing that to the cheapo Apple crappy tri fold cover which becomes loose and weak after a couple of months where you hope and pray it holds your expensive tablet up, and has only 2 terrible positions achieved by flipping the entire tablet over, and only one of those positions *might* be halfway decent on your lap, if you are using the onscreen keyboard that is. I'd rather compare it to something better made like the magic keyboard, although good luck using that monstrosity in your lap. On that topic, I use my surface pro on my lap almost every day and it works quite well, that BS myth has to go.
Edit: Here in post 210 is where I uploaded a video of surface pro use on a lap. Can we please leave behind this BS myth that it's not good on a lap. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/testing-apples-new-magic-keyboard-for-ipad-pro.2232238/page-9
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I have a surface book and I love it. The first year was crap but with software updates it became better year by year.
I like the idea of the design of the surface book and the hardware is amazing. The trackpad is not as good as a Mac but the screen is amazing (more resolution) and the 3:2 ratio is much better than the MacBook although not as good as the 4:3 of my iPad Pro 12:9. With remote working the battery holds between 12 and 15 hours amazing for a windows product. The real problem is that the detached part has 2-3 hours autonomy and this is the biggest drawback of the product for me. It cannot be really used as a proper tablet. Apple could solve all these problems and improve on this design by using the super efficient M1 chip and it’s great software. Also so many years and I have not found a suitable software for using the pencil. Nothing even remotely close to GoodNotes. Therefore the biggest limitation of the surface book is the Microsoft heritage and ecosystem than the basic design idea of the product, of course for someone that has the stylus capability as a first priority like me.
I love the 4:3 iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil. I still have the first generation but looking forward to update at some point. I tested briefly the new iPad Pro with the magic keyboard and that I believe probably upgrades this idea to another level except that there is not a double boot possibility with macOS. I would have buy it in instance otherwise.
Of course, all my opinion is influenced by the fact that I am annotating a lot of papers with maths as part of my job so pencil capabilities is the epicentre of how I see these devices, so I understand that the vast majority without these specific requirements cannot understand why these devices should exist at first place.
The new surface laptop seems appalling to me and I am sad that it replaces the surface book.
In future, as the things seems to stand right now, I see myself needing three different devices. A MacBook or iMac as a proper computer device, an e-ink device like Fujitsu quaderno for dedicated note taking and an iPad Pro as a hybrid device between the two (and also for colour note taking).
I like the idea of the design of the surface book and the hardware is amazing. The trackpad is not as good as a Mac but the screen is amazing (more resolution) and the 3:2 ratio is much better than the MacBook although not as good as the 4:3 of my iPad Pro 12:9. With remote working the battery holds between 12 and 15 hours amazing for a windows product. The real problem is that the detached part has 2-3 hours autonomy and this is the biggest drawback of the product for me. It cannot be really used as a proper tablet. Apple could solve all these problems and improve on this design by using the super efficient M1 chip and it’s great software. Also so many years and I have not found a suitable software for using the pencil. Nothing even remotely close to GoodNotes. Therefore the biggest limitation of the surface book is the Microsoft heritage and ecosystem than the basic design idea of the product, of course for someone that has the stylus capability as a first priority like me.
I love the 4:3 iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil. I still have the first generation but looking forward to update at some point. I tested briefly the new iPad Pro with the magic keyboard and that I believe probably upgrades this idea to another level except that there is not a double boot possibility with macOS. I would have buy it in instance otherwise.
Of course, all my opinion is influenced by the fact that I am annotating a lot of papers with maths as part of my job so pencil capabilities is the epicentre of how I see these devices, so I understand that the vast majority without these specific requirements cannot understand why these devices should exist at first place.
The new surface laptop seems appalling to me and I am sad that it replaces the surface book.
In future, as the things seems to stand right now, I see myself needing three different devices. A MacBook or iMac as a proper computer device, an e-ink device like Fujitsu quaderno for dedicated note taking and an iPad Pro as a hybrid device between the two (and also for colour note taking).
I like it. I think apple is done deaf by not designing something similar
Yes I forgot about that, but yes a new design iMac is after all these years something special.
So, the 15” Macbook Pro is 4.02 pounds. Doesn’t seem like that Surface is particularly heavy.
How often did you actually use the Surface Book detached from the keyboard? No one from our office ever does that but then they don't need to annotate anything. I think most don't realise it's a touch screen, to be honest, let alone that it detaches. We got them because my wife didn't want Macs and we wanted a good quality screen with high quality screens from a reputable brand and the 3000x2000 screens are simply superb.
The biggest problem with these new Surface Laptop Studios (pretty dumb name imo) is that they're terrible value compared to Apple's offerings. For the same price as the entry level one, you cold get a 16GB M1 MacBook Air and an iPad (or iPad Air) which would be a much more versatile and powerful combo, not to mention probably lighter. As soon as you start upgrading the Surface Laptop Studio to something more reasonable if you want the power (e.g. i7 and GeForce), that leaves a lot of room for getting a decent M1 laptop and iPad solution for the best of both worlds.
except they dont run windows which some of us need still to be productive.
I really dont understand why anyone would buy a surface book if they didnt use inking or have a need to annotate. It is really the main reason to get them. plenty of better laptops around than the surface book, without a doubt.
From my experience of using both the surface keyboard and iPad one over the past few years I much prefer the magic keyboard (the one made for the 10.5). I’ve never had it come loose despite daily use. The surface kickstand was fine on a proper desk, but on my lap or on a airplane table, often it either required too much space to get it into a comfortable angle or was unstable when I was typing because its center of gravity leans it backward a lot more. Even in your video you had to pull it forward by a lot just so the kickstand would have enough room. Not unusable, not really something that I enjoyed using by any means.
This device seems amazing and the Microsoft event definitely beat any of Apple’s events in the past two years. The ones complaining rarely even use Microsoft products.
To be fair, the surface book is an attractive and portable device. I know a few people who only needed a laptop for business uses and ended up with a surface book. Almost everyone I knew who got a surface tho, ended up getting a second laptop.
You're not wrong with what you say but for those who prefer Windows, the SBS is a great option.
If you wanted a Windows laptop from a reputable brand then the Surface Book was a great option. It didn’t have the flappy stands of the rest of the Surface line and this was before the Surface Laptop came out (which also has a cloth like keyboard area, which is a bad idea imo). Then on top of that, they had a market leading display. 3:2 is a wonderful resolution for office work and the 3000x2000 resolution is absolutely superb. Hence why we use them for all our office staff. They’re great laptops. No idea on the tablet front because literally no one uses them like that in our office.
Do you spend a lot of time looking at the bottom of your devices?
Fair enough.
I never bought them for the following reasons :
1. lack of thunderbolt
2. Thickness at hinge when transporting
3. Lacklustre GPU except for the 15”
4. average CPU until recently, with undercharge
5. Huge bezels
6. Wobble in the screen
But yes, they have great screens and keyboards, and I do love the design.
Hence my enthusiasm for the new design - it ticks a lot of the issues I had before. We are a creative agency where drawing is a massive part of the day.
I put the HP Z books, Dell XPS and Lenovo P1 above the surface book in terms of laptops [if not using a pen].
If you need mobile annotations, you're way better off buying an ipad pro.
Frankly I think most people are best of with a 1. ryzen desktop (or laptop) with dedicated screen(s) + ipad/pro for mobility vs. an expensive all in one device.