Tablets Microsoft Surface Pro - WTF?

[2298754]

You do know it's a tablet right?

A tablet that is overpriced, doesn't last a day, and has the same OS as an touchscreen ultrabook that you can get for much cheaper.

If I was buying a Windows 8 device, I think I would replace my rMBP/riPad combo with a Lenovo Thinkpad Twist or Ideapad Yoga. Best of both worlds.'


Would be interesting to see if the iPad will evolve into something

 

[Xikum]

A tablet that is overpriced, doesn't last a day, and has the same OS as an touchscreen ultrabook that you can get for much cheaper.

If I was buying a Windows 8 device, I think I would replace my rMBP/riPad combo with a Lenovo Thinkpad Twist or Ideapad Yoga. Best of both worlds.'


Would be interesting to see if the iPad will evolve into something

Both of these are more expensive than the Surface. Also, the Yoga has an ARM and an Intel variant. The ARM version suffers from the same problems as the Surface RT, and the Intel is more expensive. The Twist is pretty much like the entire ThinkPad XyyT range, that has been around for ages; I have no idea why suddenly people think its something new.

 

[gotzero]

I do not think the Surface Pro will sell in extremely high volumes, but I for one am interested in trying it.

Right now I have a 15" rmbp as a laptop, but I would rather not take it everywhere. For a quick lecture or an overnight trip would be fine with an iPad SIZED device. However, the iPad and Android tablets fall so short of my productivity goals that I am left begging for something else. For me, the surface pro and a type cover might be it.

Several have pointed out that this competes with the Macbook Air 11" and I think that is true, however for the same price range, the Surface would allow me to ditch the keyboard if I wanted, have more than 768 vertical pixels, and run the full PC version of office.

When I add the cost of a Windows license and Office license to the 11" MBA costs start adding up very high, all to get a tool AS GOOD as the Surface Pro for what I want to do.

 

[spinedoc77]

A tablet that is overpriced, doesn't last a day, and has the same OS as an touchscreen ultrabook that you can get for much cheaper.

If I was buying a Windows 8 device, I think I would replace my rMBP/riPad combo with a Lenovo Thinkpad Twist or Ideapad Yoga. Best of both worlds.'


Would be interesting to see if the iPad will evolve into something

Overpriced is in the eye of the beholder. The ipad is overpriced IMO, but that's just my opinion. The surface Pro is not overpriced, it is a computer that can function as both an ultrabook and a tablet. I mean you can say the 11" macbook air is overpriced, it's actually the same price $999 if you factor in a keyboard for the surface Pro and even has a similar 5 hour battery life but no touchscreen, yet the macbook air cannot detach and become a tablet.

But even then I won't argue too hard in favor of the surface Pro, it is just an enthusiast tablet and will most likely end up as a niche product. The cloverfield tablets on the other hand with 10 hour battery life and ipad like prices are much more interesting. Funny that you mention Lenovo, I'm waiting until the Thinkpad Tablet 2 comes out in a couple of weeks, looks like a pretty amazing machine. It all comes down to use as well, if you have no use for a tablet of course you would opt for an ultrabook, but some of us do desire and need a tablet and not an ultrabook.

 

[TheMacBookPro]

It's not a matter of blaming Intel or any entity other than Microsoft. It's a technology that no one has asked for that's being released too soon. The current generation of Ultrabooks and tablet PCs all have better battery life in packages that aren't appreciably bigger. Who's this being marketed to? Someone who's on the go for brief periods during the day?

'no one has asked for' = 'poloponies did not ask for it'

Tell me, how many people have you surveyed to know so confidently that nobody wants one?

Let see. 64gb storage half the space is taking up by the OS, 4 hrs battery life (stated by M$) which in real world means 2-3 hrs... For 900 bucks shut up and take my money.......

You must have a prototype Surface Pro if you know so much about the battery life a month before it's released. I think we'd all like to see some pictures!

Well i know i was comparing apple to orange! However, when I see the price there is no doubt I will go for a MBA! Come on $899 cereal microsoft? Look at how the RT is doing?! Aint going for $499! So this thing is DOA.

You can see into the future? Awesome! What are you going to do with your Powerball jackpot?

A tablet that is overpriced, doesn't last a day, and has the same OS as an touchscreen ultrabook that you can get for much cheaper.

If I was buying a Windows 8 device, I think I would replace my rMBP/riPad combo with a Lenovo Thinkpad Twist or Ideapad Yoga. Best of both worlds.'

Much cheaper? The Core i5 Twist (which lacks an SSD) is just $100 less than the 64GB Surface Pro w. kb while the Core i5/128GB Yoga costs the same as the 128GB Surface Pro w. kb. And this is before considering the fact that both the Twist and Yoga are significantly heavier/larger and feature much lower resolution displays.

The Surface Pro is not meant to be an Ultrabook. It's meant to be a tablet with laptop hardware, while the Ultrabooks are merely ultralight laptops (except now with touchscreens).

 

[Night Spring]

Several have pointed out that this competes with the Macbook Air 11" and I think that is true, however for the same price range, the Surface would allow me to ditch the keyboard if I wanted, have more than 768 vertical pixels, and run the full PC version of office.

When I add the cost of a Windows license and Office license to the 11" MBA costs start adding up very high, all to get a tool AS GOOD as the Surface Pro for what I want to do.

I think you bring up some good points. However, personally, I believe if I had to go on frequent business trips where I needed to do a lot of typing on the road, I would go for a MacBook Air + iPad combination. Yes, the total cost of two items of hardware plus Windows plus Office would be a lot more than a single Surface Pro. But I'm not convinced that the Surface keyboard covers provide a good typing experience. They are somewhat smaller than regular keyboards, while the Air has regular sized keys. And when you take off the keyboard cover and use the Surface as a tablet, you end up with a heavier and bulkier tablet than the iPad. Especially if you go for the iPad mini, there's just no comparison.

The Surface Pro, IMO, provides a compromised tablet and laptop experience, but you only have to carry a single device. I prefer having a good tablet and a good laptop, even if it means I have to carry two devices. Of course, that's my personal preference, and I can understand how other people might prefer having only a single device to carry.

 

[Dmunjal]

I think you bring up some good points. However, personally, I believe if I had to go on frequent business trips where I needed to do a lot of typing on the road, I would go for a MacBook Air + iPad combination. Yes, the total cost of two items of hardware plus Windows plus Office would be a lot more than a single Surface Pro. But I'm not convinced that the Surface keyboard covers provide a good typing experience. They are somewhat smaller than regular keyboards, while the Air has regular sized keys. And when you take off the keyboard cover and use the Surface as a tablet, you end up with a heavier and bulkier tablet than the iPad. Especially if you go for the iPad mini, there's just no comparison.

The Surface Pro, IMO, provides a compromised tablet and laptop experience, but you only have to carry a single device. I prefer having a good tablet and a good laptop, even if it means I have to carry two devices. Of course, that's my personal preference, and I can understand how other people might prefer having only a single device to carry.

Don't forget your smartphone. That's 3 devices. I see many people at airports "multitasking" between the three of them. I see device consolidation in the future. Either with phablets or hybrid laptop/tablets. I don't think 3 devices with 3 power adapters is the model of efficency.

 

[Night Spring]

Don't forget your smartphone. That's 3 devices. I see many people at airports "multitasking" between the three of them. I see device consolidation in the future. Either with phablets or hybrid laptop/tablets. I don't think 3 devices with 3 power adapters is the model of efficency.

Ha! I tend to forget about my phone because it is my least used device -- but then I'm a special case because I'm hard of hearing. I can't really hear anyone over a cellphone, so for me, my iPhone is basically an "iPad nano." I do like walking out of the house with just the phone sometimes, but now that the mini is out, I'm seriously considering getting rid of my iPhone.

 

[coldmack]

Both of these are more expensive than the Surface. Also, the Yoga has an ARM and an Intel variant. The ARM version suffers from the same problems as the Surface RT, and the Intel is more expensive. The Twist is pretty much like the entire ThinkPad XyyT range, that has been around for ages; I have no idea why suddenly people think its something new.

The Thinkpad X Tablet has a great wacom pen system, bloated down by Windows and Intel cpu. The Twist on the other hand lacks the great Wacom pen system, and even slower intel cpu.

 

[zhenya]

Don't forget your smartphone. That's 3 devices. I see many people at airports "multitasking" between the three of them. I see device consolidation in the future. Either with phablets or hybrid laptop/tablets. I don't think 3 devices with 3 power adapters is the model of efficency.

I just don't see it happening. Yes, tablets will get more powerful, and take over more and more tasks, but no matter how you slice it, anything bigger than 10" is too big for a comfortable tablet, and even a 10" screen is way to small for complex work. A 13-15" laptop and a 7-10" tablet just provide so much more than any combined device can.

 

[2298754]

Both of these are more expensive than the Surface. Also, the Yoga has an ARM and an Intel variant. The ARM version suffers from the same problems as the Surface RT, and the Intel is more expensive. The Twist is pretty much like the entire ThinkPad XyyT range, that has been around for ages; I have no idea why suddenly people think its something new.

Ideapad Yoga (intel version) was on sale for under $899 last week at Best Buy. Not anymore though. It will be discounted soon enough, like any Windows laptop. Cheaper than Surface RT

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Overpriced is in the eye of the beholder. The ipad is overpriced IMO, but that's just my opinion. The surface Pro is not overpriced, it is a computer that can function as both an ultrabook and a tablet. I mean you can say the 11" macbook air is overpriced, it's actually the same price $999 if you factor in a keyboard for the surface Pro and even has a similar 5 hour battery life but no touchscreen, yet the macbook air cannot detach and become a tablet.

Are you saying that the MBA 11 has a 5 hour battery life? What are you talking about?

 

[Night Spring]

Are you saying that the MBA 11 has a 5 hour battery life? What are you talking about?

MBA 11 does have about 5 hour battery when running Windows.

 

[Switchback666]

I find pretty funny that some people still refer to Microsoft as "M$"

 

[MuffCabbage]

Ideapad Yoga (intel version) was on sale for under $899 last week at Best Buy. Not anymore though. It will be discounted soon enough, like any Windows laptop. Cheaper than Surface RT

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Are you saying that the MBA 11 has a 5 hour battery life? What are you talking about?

 

[skaertus]

I just don't see it happening. Yes, tablets will get more powerful, and take over more and more tasks, but no matter how you slice it, anything bigger than 10" is too big for a comfortable tablet, and even a 10" screen is way to small for complex work. A 13-15" laptop and a 7-10" tablet just provide so much more than any combined device can.

That's the Apple approach. I just find it too much to have three devices. I hardly use my iPad due to the limited experience it offers. I see it as an oversized iPhone, which I can't carry around in my pocket. When I have to carry something with me, it's always my laptop, because I just can't rely on the limited capabilities of the iPad.

I think that the Microsoft Surface Pro is absolutely one of the most exciting products of the year. The only thing against it seems to be battery life. For the rest of it, it seems to be a much more useful machine than any iPad (I just wish it had a retina resolution too).

 

[spinedoc77]

Are you saying that the MBA 11 has a 5 hour battery life? What are you talking about?

That's exactly what I'm saying, and that's being quite generous.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6063/macbook-air-13inch-mid-2012-review/8

Under medium load the 11 did 3.95, under heavy load it did 2.43 (wow). This is true, my wife has a macbook air 11" and if she just looks at it wrong the battery dies.

 

[Switchback666]

That's exactly what I'm saying, and that's being quite generous.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6063/macbook-air-13inch-mid-2012-review/8

Under medium load the 11 did 3.95, under heavy load it did 2.43 (wow). This is true, my wife has a macbook air 11" and if she just looks at it wrong the battery dies.

Yeap the 11 mba have 100% 3hrs of work battery life, more than that its up to you.

 

[jmgregory1]

Lets all agree to come back to this thread in 6 months and see just who is right. And no saying at that point that 6 months wasn't enough time and just wait until the NEXT round of surface models with the latest chip and add-on battery pack and USB mouse and USB pen comes out.

My bet isn't on Apple per se, but MS is not going in the right direction with their hardware or os at this point.

 

[Dmunjal]

I think Apple made a mistake by gimping iOS so much that they'll be playing catch up to Microsoft and Google. Especially in the business world.

 

[LOLZpersonok]

I think that the Surface Pro is pretty cool. Think about it - it's got a desktop processor in it (Intel Core i5) and 4GB of RAM. Of course the battery isn't going to be as good as what it is in the iPad. They probably sacrificed battery life in favor of performance.

But oddly, the MacBook Air has similar hardware and it's battery lasts longer...Idk...

 

[MuffCabbage]

I think that the Surface Pro is pretty cool. Think about it - it's got a desktop processor in it (Intel Core i5) and 4GB of RAM. Of course the battery isn't going to be as good as what it is in the iPad. They probably sacrificed battery life in favor of performance.

But oddly, the MacBook Air has similar hardware and it's battery lasts longer...Idk...

MacBook Air 11" compared to Surface:

Its 27% fatter (17 vs 13.5 mm)

19% heavier (2.38 v 2 lb)

Gets less battery life (~4 (Anandtech) vs ~4.5 hr (Speculation))

Doesnt have a touch screen

Doesnt have an active digitizer/stylus

Doesnt have a detachable keyboard (Pro or con...)

Doesnt have 1080p display (1366 x 768)

1 vs 2 cameras

 

[SlCKB0Y]

...and run the full PC version of office.

When I add the cost of a Windows license and Office license to the 11" MBA costs start adding up very high, all to get a tool AS GOOD as the Surface Pro for what I want to do.

Yea, or you could just run Mac Office

 

[Switchback666]

Yea, or you could just run Mac Office

Some people dont life mac office, personally the work the same for my basic needs.

 

[lordofthereef]

Well i know i was comparing apple to orange! However, when I see the price there is no doubt I will go for a MBA! Come on $899 cereal microsoft? Look at how the RT is doing?! Aint going for $499! So this thing is DOA.

We don't have official numbers for RT surface sales, other than they were sold out for a while nearer to release. I honestly have no idea how it's doing. I know our local MS store is selling a lot of them, but that is all anecdotal.

 

[LOLZpersonok]

MacBook Air 11" compared to Surface:

Its 27% fatter (17 vs 13.5 mm)

19% heavier (2.38 v 2 lb)

Gets less battery life (~4 (Anandtech) vs ~4.5 hr (Speculation))

Doesnt have a touch screen

Doesnt have an active digitizer/stylus

Doesnt have a detachable keyboard (Pro or con...)

Doesnt have 1080p display (1366 x 768)

1 vs 2 cameras

I know, just too scared I'm gonna get my head shot off lol. To be honest, I think the Surface Pro is amazing. It also has a kickstand too.