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Microsoft Says Its New Surface Book 2 is Twice as Powerful as Latest MacBook Pro
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Spec wise, this is a lot better computer than the Macbook Pro, we'll see if the hardware holds up over time. If it does, I have no problem switching from Macbook Pro.
Yep, Apple is quickly dumbing itself down to the old Microsoft's level, while MS is quietly getting better and better. How do we know, three updates in 3 weeks for a new major iOS release. Not much QA going on any more, now that people don't get fired for making bad judgements.
Or take the dev tools, releases every 2 weeks and yet hardly no bugs fixed, according to the release notes and personal experience.
Or the general trend not to install, for any important use, new major releases until after many point releases. Or how about releasing a major macOS upgrade that will not work on with the most popular iMacs sold in the last couple of years.
And the list just keeps getting longer.
So tiresome to see the usual Mac OS is superior to Windows jibes. Better to look at what the Surface Pro 2 means - competition. Microsoft are playing Apple's game and trying hard to beat them at it. It stands to reason that as this is a Mac forum most people here will prefer the Mac! However not every consumer is fixed to a brand and this means they will compare the MacBook Pro and Surface Book 2's features.
Prior to the October 2016 model there hadn't been a MBP update for over a year! Then when Apple released a new model it was stripped of ports. Microsoft have just revealed there new Surface Book 2. It has the latest Intel chips, respectable graphics cards, higher resolution screens and ports. If consumers want a newer spec MacBook Pro they have to wait and hope! There is no communication from Apple. On these very forums the consensus is that there won't be another refresh until Spring next year - at the earliest.
The Surface Book 2 is not my first choice of laptop (although I'd happily accept one as a gift!) But it has a new high spec and will be available in just a month. It's release is a good thing for MBP fans because hopefully Apple will be taking notice and realise that with the release of the next MBP models they need to listen to what their consumers want and make the specs more Pro.
Prior to the October 2016 model there hadn't been a MBP update for over a year! Then when Apple released a new model it was stripped of ports. Microsoft have just revealed there new Surface Book 2. It has the latest Intel chips, respectable graphics cards, higher resolution screens and ports. If consumers want a newer spec MacBook Pro they have to wait and hope! There is no communication from Apple. On these very forums the consensus is that there won't be another refresh until Spring next year - at the earliest.
The Surface Book 2 is not my first choice of laptop (although I'd happily accept one as a gift!) But it has a new high spec and will be available in just a month. It's release is a good thing for MBP fans because hopefully Apple will be taking notice and realise that with the release of the next MBP models they need to listen to what their consumers want and make the specs more Pro.
My sentiments exactly. I feel the same way about the Pixel. Let Apple trim its precious margins and try to compete a little here. I love my new MBP, but there are definitely some frustrating factors that should be addressed.
I just hope their reaction to this is not to fold up the tent and exit the laptop business.
Right, in other words, different use cases, different devices. The Microsoft Surface is great for professional Apps like ZBrush and real coding. It’s also great for texture creation, you draw make changes in a big 500-1000MB psd texture file and all changes are instantly reflected inside the 3d App, at the same time you can comfy code/add a few python IK animation tweaks to your 3d scene. There are uncountable professional hybrid device usecases which makes the iPad looks like a toy, and for the MacBook you would need a additional Wacom tablet.
So, in my opinion Hybrids are not a must, but somebody must create contents for all these normal users.
And exactly here it’s where these special devices shines.
Same here, any issues i've had with Windows have been mitigated by simply backing up data, formatting, installing windows 10. Even the most troublesome of my Windows users have been issue free. Windows 10 just works, and works well.
Well, if you want to get really pedantic about it, he's correct, it _is_ people, he didn't qualify all/most/some, I suspect it's at least two, so he used the plural
It's definitely not cats, as far as I know, our cat only has an iPhone ...
This is the age old answer I see on forums. One cannot separate the two.
I've used win and mac for 25 years. My windows box still makes me want to pull my hair out. My recent battle led me to some forums for help. The more we talked, the more one troll's answers changed. First it was me not knowing windows. Then he insisted it's just my computer. Then my power supply. Then my video card. Then the USB thumb drives I tried. Then a driver issue. Then the motherboard, and if I knew what was doing, I should have known not to buy that brand.
He thought he was belittling me, but really he was belittling the OS. The only thing each of his changing reasons had in common was the operating system running it all.
I'm sure people have had positive experiences with Windows. I did have a good experience back in Win XP using a dell xeon precision tower during my Autodesk days. Slow (for the price). Expensive. Ugly. But rock freaking solid as long as I left it alone. Autodesk helped there - they only offer support running certain hardware and drivers, so I was scared to touch anything lest Maya become unstable.
This is why I like the surface (plus the tablet drawing keeps getting better!). It's MS trying Apple's method: control the hardware and the software. It seems to be helping so far. I put part of that on MS' new extreme dedication to the customer service with the surface brand.
If only MS would make a tower. Their version of a Classic Mac Pro, with no whirly LED lights and strips inside. Then offer upgrades with certified video hardware and drivers.
But I don't think they will.
I have to admit, if I wasn't a programmer by trade I wouldn't touch windows with a barge pole. I would never use it as my personal computer. (I just use the VM to program it and thats it).
It's such a weird product. Because I've invested literally decades into using it I'm comfortable with it, it's second nature to use it. But I've never actually liked it. Never. Never thought, wow, this is really great.
It's like in 2017 I'm using the UI for something like SQL server management studio and i'm thinking, what is this trash?
I feel like they just keep putting licks of paint over the whole thing. And when you drill down just a little you see UI crap from 1995 or something. I just don't get it. An undeniably useful OS marred by a slavishness to enterprise principals (i.e. not delighting users, work is not nice etc..).
You pay $2500 dollars for the privilege of the using Mac OS on a machine that wouldn't look out of place in your living room. Thats why you buy mac. Paying $2500 to use windows?? I just couldn't do it to myself.
It's such a weird product. Because I've invested literally decades into using it I'm comfortable with it, it's second nature to use it. But I've never actually liked it. Never. Never thought, wow, this is really great.
It's like in 2017 I'm using the UI for something like SQL server management studio and i'm thinking, what is this trash?
I feel like they just keep putting licks of paint over the whole thing. And when you drill down just a little you see UI crap from 1995 or something. I just don't get it. An undeniably useful OS marred by a slavishness to enterprise principals (i.e. not delighting users, work is not nice etc..).
You pay $2500 dollars for the privilege of the using Mac OS on a machine that wouldn't look out of place in your living room. Thats why you buy mac. Paying $2500 to use windows?? I just couldn't do it to myself.
Ok, I stand corrected. It should have been: Don't try to be the voice of peopleWell, if you want to get really pedantic about it, he's correct, it _is_ people, he didn't qualify all/most/some, I suspect it's at least two, so he used the plural
Macs generally last longer than PCs but all my PCs are custom built. My desktop will always be a custom built windows machine however once i sell my laptops, i'll be the proud owner of a macbook pro.
Microsoft has a lot of marketing muscle. They need to compare it to a MBP since that is their price point. I guess if you want half baked hardware with an OS overrun with security vulnerabilities then talk to Santa! I like that Apple doesn’t have to use such low marketing techniques like resorting to fake battery life reports which Microsoft has always done.
No, Apple never did anything low or said anything negative about it's competitors. Apple is a real saint.
macOS is starting to feel more like abandonware these days.
It gets some trickle-up features from iOS to maintain the "ecosystem" but is largely ignored otherwise. Can't even get a decent window management in macOS after all these years. And even at that, every year the small changes they make cause a large number of problems, both with the OS itself and compatibility with software (especially Adobe).
Windows and Linux are both making some really nice effort and progress these days are seem to both be very stable and forward-thinking platforms.
Yeah same here, I love my MacBook Pro, but i must admit, sometimes i think...i should have bought me a Windows Laptop. I miss professional macOS features, and my next Computer probably won’t be a Apple device.
I my opinion, Apple is also not caring about their good old loyal professional main customers.
Remember when the critical difference between Apple computers and their PC competition was the fact that you couldn't get the same software titles on Mac as you could Windows. That was the deal breaker for lots of businesses and consumers, which drove Microsoft's (and the PC industry's) profits for decades. It's still the case with more technical programs, but for a lot of people who are using their computers for more basic communications, document generation and spreadsheets, it almost doesn't matter what you use, including being able to use an OS-free device running Google web services instead.
And as more applications move to the cloud and operate OS-agnostically, buying decisions are going to be made based upon ease of use, price, quality, etc., not whether some device can run legacy software or ancillary plug-in devices. And for businesses, it's already been proven that Mac devices have overall lower operating costs - when you factor in hardware and software service required over the life of the device. I think that's the thing that many former PC people recognized, that the old adage of you get what you pay for is absolutely true with PC's. Buying a $500 laptop gives you a laptop worth $500 that in all likelihood will need to be replaced several times, where a Mac costing $1500 won't. It's actually being proven out by Microsoft itself, given the fact that their Surface devices are priced almost identically to Apple's devices, yet there isn't the same uproar from PC people screaming that they're having to pay the Microsoft tax.
And as more applications move to the cloud and operate OS-agnostically, buying decisions are going to be made based upon ease of use, price, quality, etc., not whether some device can run legacy software or ancillary plug-in devices. And for businesses, it's already been proven that Mac devices have overall lower operating costs - when you factor in hardware and software service required over the life of the device. I think that's the thing that many former PC people recognized, that the old adage of you get what you pay for is absolutely true with PC's. Buying a $500 laptop gives you a laptop worth $500 that in all likelihood will need to be replaced several times, where a Mac costing $1500 won't. It's actually being proven out by Microsoft itself, given the fact that their Surface devices are priced almost identically to Apple's devices, yet there isn't the same uproar from PC people screaming that they're having to pay the Microsoft tax.
ikr. i hate using steam
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and nothing works with that os
Well you and the other couple dozen people doing "large mesh renderings" can buy the same tired Mac designs with a spec bump every several years, if that. For the rest of us that have more typical work, I'll take a Surface all day long over a Mac. Now if Apple decides to start innovating something into the Macbook line other than a touch bar, taking away functions, and animated poop emojis, I'm willing to take another look. I'm not wedded to any company. I go with what makes me productive. As a consulting professional, I need tools that work and make me productive. Apple has stopped doing that best for me.