Microsoft Surface Pro to Be Released February 9 with $899 Price Tag

[KdParker]

Good for you. I've used windows 8 for a month and its a piece of junk.

The modern interface has a few good points, but on a desktop is putrid.

The integration between the two interfaces is horribly done.

Perhaps by windows 9 or windows 10 they'll have worked out the kinks and figured out how to make the two interface work together better.

Hey, I am not a MS defender (far from it), but I also know that windows 8 isn't the disaster that some people are screaming about.

As someone who works daily with both operating systems, I do prefer apples OS X, and windows 8 is good step by MS in the right direction.

 

[bearda]

Sure it is the only driver for many people. I run an ipad only anymore, no big deal. Add the pen and keyboard cover, this is 100% a only machine.

The add the pen and keyboard cover is my point. The Pro comes with the pen but $899 doesn't get you a keyboard; you're going to shell out another $120 for that. If the percentage of usable space on the Surface Pro is low I wouldn't be surprised if 64G just doesn't cut it storage wise if this is going to be your daily driver. That's another $100.

I have no doubt the Surface Pro could serve as an only system. I just don't you're going to be able to do it for $900. $1000, maybe. $1100, probably.

 

[wovel]

Does the MBA have cellular?

Does the $899 surface have a keyboard?

 

[LagunaSol]

Yes, an OS thats 90% the same as Windows 7 is "usability hell".

And a turd in a swimming pool will get everyone out of the water.

It doesn't take much to ruin an otherwise good experience.

 

[PeterQVenkman]

If you NEED a stylus, you have failed.

It's a good thing the stylus isn't needed then. It's an option for those who would like to use it. Just like you have the option to use a fork and knife when eating a steak. You are, of course, free to use your fingers when eating a steak. Count on eating alone in restaurants, though.

I think most devices today can work with fingers or with a stylus, including all of Apple's touch-screen products.

Apple's touch screens do work with a stylus, but it's merely passing on a finger touch with a tool. That is primitive and sloppy by comparison. It doesn't know how to intelligently differentiate between stylus use and the user's hand (which is holding the stylus) touching the screen.

The latest wacom screens do this. I am resting my hand on my wacom right now and it isn't registering it as input or screwing with the mouse cursor. I believe the surface does this, too, but have yet to get my hands on a pro model with a stylus friendly app like photoshop.

 

[AppleScruff1]

I've covered this before, because using the tablet on my lap, I either have to prop it up using my legs, bending my knees, which is uncomfortable for a long period, or bend down my neck, which is also uncomfortable for long periods of time.

Nothing is more stable than a laptop with an adjustable hinge btw.

Tablet ergonomics are just flat out horrible.

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I can encode 4K video on my 15 year old P2-333 PC. Why would it be a problem ?

The only difference is the time it will take. Do people really think that because a CPU is slower or has less core, that somehow it'll generate errors in the encoding process ? Of course not. It'll just take longer.

I guess I use a tablet differently. I have no problem resting it in my lap like a laptop. I don't find it awkward at all. I thought it was obvious I was talking about the practicality of encoding. I can encode with my ancient P4 too, but what takes 2 hrs to do on it can be done in a few minutes with a modern machine. I doubt many people would be doing 4K on an 11" C2Duo Air, but nothing should surprise me anymore.

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Does the $899 surface have a keyboard?

No, but the $999 one does. Similar price to the Air.

 

[D.T.]

It seems like trying to create a hybrid device, delivers only a mediocre experience for both "modes" (thought the same of the RT).

The Pro with more limited resources vs. an ultra book, with the peculiar use limitations (because of the display prop, flexible keyboard), seems like a notebook compromise. As a tablet, it's heavy (people already complain about ~1.4lb tablets), lacks cell connectivity, and while the tablet based apps are limited, I suppose the "Pro" is more for vertical apps vs. Angry Birds

I suspect there are some use cases where having both interfaces are actually a perk. Like logistics or medical diagnostics, where you need more portable, simpler input mechanisms while moving around, coupled with creating [on the same device] supporting documents using regular Windows apps (and a "real" keyboard and input devices).

 

[KnightWRX]

I guess I use a tablet differently. I have no problem resting it in my lap like a laptop. I don't find it awkward at all.

Of course, I tend to type a lot rather than read a lot. I don't "casually" browse the web only reading about stuff, so typing comfort plays a big part in the lacking ergonomics of tablets for me.

 

[Darrin Bell]

If you can hold off, Haswell chips will be released this summer. Maybe they'll have a mid cycle refresh. Haswell should be a substantial improvement over the integrated graphics.

That's a good point.

 

[KnightWRX]

It's a good thing the stylus isn't needed then. It's an option for those who would like to use it. Just like you have the option to use a fork and knife when eating a steak. You are, of course, free to use your fingers when eating a steak. Count on eating alone in restaurants, though.

Fingers ? I just shove the whole piece straight into my mouth, using teeth as nature's knife to break up the meat, all the while anxiously anticipating the sweet moment where after swallowing the beast whole, I can proceed to lick up the nice cow juice that dribbled over my chin.

With a nice slice of apple pie for desert.

Great, now you've made me hungry 5 minutes after I'm done eating lunch, how am I supposed to make it to supper now ?

 

[Adidas Addict]

If you can hold off, Haswell chips will be released this summer. Maybe they'll have a mid cycle refresh. Haswell should be a substantial improvement over the integrated graphics.

Incremental, like the last 3 updates from intel. Nothing to get excited about over Ivy.

 

[dvoros]

microsoft tablet

Microsoft products are irrelevant today.

 

[SockRolid]

And as consumers we shouldn't be concerned with good products, only how much profit a company makes?

I'm just saying that Microsoft should be happy that Surface won't cannibalize sales of legacy PCs running legacy Windows + Office. With their much higher legacy pricing.

Oh, and when has Microsoft ever been concerned with "good products"?

 

[PeterQVenkman]

No, but the $999 one does. Similar price to the Air.

Similar in price to Air but without touch/pen tablet functionality. Add a bamboo touch to the purchase price of the Air for feature parity.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Of course, I tend to type a lot rather than read a lot. I don't "casually" browse the web only reading about stuff, so typing comfort plays a big part in the lacking ergonomics of tablets for me.

That makes sense. I wouldn't do much typing on a tablet in my life. Actually I wouldn't do any extensive typing on a tablet at all, at least not with the onscreen keyboard.

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Similar in price to Air but without touch/pen tablet functionality. Add a bamboo touch to the purchase price of the Air for feature parity.

That was my point, he criticized the Surface Pro for lack of keyboard for $899, but for the same price as the Air you get some additional features.

 

[fosking]

Does the $899 surface have a keyboard?

Of course it does, just like your iPad!

 

[KnightWRX]

That was my point, he criticized the Surface Pro for lack of keyboard for $899, but for the same price as the Air you get some additional features.

And some features are missing. So basically, the MBA 11.6" and the Surface Pro are both pretty much equivalents in terms of functionality, give or take some on both sides.

Personally, ergonomics alone make me think the MBA is a superior choice.

 

[DrumApple]

Depends on what you're doing. Like a whole damn crapton of people have mentioned previously in this very thread, art, layout, and CAD programs would shine on a stylus enabled tablet. It's practically THE form factor for that type of work.

Documents work and programming? Not so much. That's not to say it'll absolutely flat out suck at it, but a bog standard laptop would be preferable for people doing tons of typing.

Sorry, I still don't see it. The screen is too small for any serious work. And if it's as sluggish as the RT version, no way. I mean, it CAN be done, but why make yourself suffer?

 

[Renzatic]

Sorry, I still don't see it. The screen is too small for any serious work. And if it's as sluggish as the RT version, no way. I mean, it CAN be done, but why make yourself suffer?

I really need to play with it before I can really say if the screen will be too small or not. There are people out there who use the only slightly larger MBA 11" for PS without any problems, so it might not be that big of a deal. And hey, being able click all the icons and draw on the screen directly with the stylus might make for a great experience.

...might.

Though performance shouldn't be a problem. It's a Core i5 ultrabook with 4GB ram. According to the couple of reviews I've read, the Surface Pro runs Windows 8 just as well as any other machine in its class.

 

[Konrad9]

If they keep throwing things against the wall one of them might even stick.

That's how Apple got to where it is.

 

[mysticbluebmw]

Anandtech chart is flawed....

Why the comparison with the iPad only ? Surely a fairer comparison would be between the surface pro and the MacBook Air 11" stock.


MBA
11-inch : 64GB
1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor
Turbo Boost up to 2.6GHz
4GB memory
64GB flash storage1
Intel HD Graphics 4000
1376x768 Resolution

$999.00


SurfacePro
10.1"
Dual Core i5 processor
4GB memory
64GB flash storage
Intel HD Graphics 4000
1920x1080

Surface Pen accessories included.

$899

Touch Cover additionally $119

Total cost of Surface pro including Touch Cover = $1018

How about because they're comparing TABLETS, and last time I checked, the Air was not a tablet.

 

[Renzatic]

How about because they're comparing TABLETS, and last time I checked, the Air was not a tablet.

Form factor only takes you so far here. The hardware inside the machine is almost exactly what you'd get in the MBA. It's more fair to compare those two together, since they'll perform about the same, are capable of the same tasks, and have similar battery life.

Otherwise you'd have the Pro vs. the iPad 4, which has a quarter of the power, but roughly double the battery life.

 

[racer1441]

The add the pen and keyboard cover is my point. The Pro comes with the pen but $899 doesn't get you a keyboard; you're going to shell out another $120 for that. If the percentage of usable space on the Surface Pro is low I wouldn't be surprised if 64G just doesn't cut it storage wise if this is going to be your daily driver. That's another $100.

I have no doubt the Surface Pro could serve as an only system. I just don't you're going to be able to do it for $900. $1000, maybe. $1100, probably.

How much stuff can you use? I have never had more than 30gb on any one device ever. ipad and phone is only 16gb here with 4 gb left over.

 

[MRU]

How about because they're comparing TABLETS, and last time I checked, the Air was not a tablet.

Form factor only takes you so far here. The hardware inside the machine is almost exactly what you'd get in the MBA. It's more fair to compare those two together, since they'll perform about the same, are capable of the same tasks, and have similar battery life.

Otherwise you'd have the Pro vs. the iPad 4, which has a quarter of the power, but roughly double the battery life.

Exactly Renzatic.

 

[bearda]

How much stuff can you use? I have never had more than 30gb on any one device ever. ipad and phone is only 16gb here with 4 gb left over.

It's hard to compare storage on the Surface to an iPad. The 64G Surface RT used 20G of space before you did anything with it. I expect that full Windows 8 applications are going to take up a LOT more space than their iOS counterparts. Office 2010 took around 3G last time I checked.