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Microsoft Touts Surface Pro 7 as 'The Better Choice' Over MacBook Pro in New Ad

greenmeanie said:
The two batteries blowing out in my Surface Book says different.
One push the bottom off and the other push the screen out.
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My experiences with MS continually screwing up Power Management software, updates to the system, driver updates, and thereby screwing up batteries with no compensation to their victims (especially on the Surface Pro 3 and initially the Surfacebook) easily backs up your experience.

I actually had to pop for a used Macbook Pro when my Surfacebook suffered through 'teething troubles' with 6 months of BSOD and any number of driver and Power Management issues.

I will never waste money on another Surface Pro, but a new Surfacebook that is a mere serial upgrade of the previous model is still possible.
 
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Techwatcher said:
I agree Microsoft makes very interesting hardware. They only really need to catch up to the M1 chip itself now.
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Ain't gonna happen. Every time MS has tried to "catch up" to Apple they fail. They couldn't even keep their copycat stores open. They couldn't even make the Zune popular. Apple put years into innovating the M1 chipset. If Intel hasn't done it yet what makes you think MS will catch up? MS would have to know how Apple designed the M1 and built it be optimized for MacOS. You can't do that overnight.
 
Apple Freak said:
At least the Mac vs PC ads didn’t feature a 10 year old.
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Neither did Apple compare any actual hardware, nor did the disparage any competing products by physically mistreating them like this kid did to the MacBook Pro. After this ad I have zero respect for Microsoft and whomever came up with this ad needs to be horsewhipped.
 
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Does the surface still send massive amounts of "telemetry" back to Redmond, remotely install "apps" that are really paid ads forced down my throat, display ads, and force "updates" on me?

I'll stick with my Macbook Pro, thanks.
 
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Alan Wynn said:
Here is where you are mostly wrong. Most people who pick Windows PCs over macOS systems have price as a major factor. Even when they are actually wrong and could have gotten along quite well with a less expensive Macintosh, they see the list price of the “starting at...” pricing and do not really compare like to like.
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i disagree that price drives the decision between a Mac vs. Windows PC. Windows has the largest market share and thus what people are most likely to use or have recommended for purchase. They’re more likely to see Windows machines in a store than a Mac so the Mac isn’t really on the mind, unless they know someone with one. Within the Windows PC market, price becomes a consideration when deciding what Windows PC to buy.
Alan Wynn said:
Yes, there are those who get Windows systems despite the fact that their configuration is more expensive, but they are a small part of the market (and certainly not the target of this ad).
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There are plenty of perfectly usable Windows machines that are significantly less than a Mac, especially since they often are discounted. Chances are if the configuration is more expensive the buyer wants a lot more machine in order to meet their needs.
 
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Just picked up a Macbook Air M1 16GB/256GB so I can compare with Surface Pro X. Now I can be an obnoxious new generation Apple fanboy. Still OG Apple II fanboy at heart though.

Here goes Big Sur 11.0.1 to 11.1 update. Hope it doesn't brick like with USB-C hubs.

That was the slowest 3GB OS update ever. I thought these things were fast?

No uBlock Origin and intrusive login required to get adblocker. Safari you're fired. Replaced with Chrome.
 
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Thinking more about this ad I now actually hate Microsoft. They are desparaging the very product they create software for and charge a subscription fee.
 
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One small bump and my Surface 3's screen shattered a few years ago... My numerous Ipads, Iphones and Macs (at least 10) have undergone frequent impacts/drops (my bad) and never once did any one of my Apple devices shatter. Sure, this is an N=1 problem, but I have lost my faith in Microsoft. Sure, it is nice to have the pen, but I am happy with Ipad+Macbook Air M1 -- together they do wonders.
 
I have not seen much innovation in PC and Microsoft products. If they could turn Surface 8 into an e-ink color screen with 60Hz refresh rate, then maybe I will buy from them. Other than that, the surface pen techn has not improved at all and is not comparable to the comfort of an Apple Pencil 2. Pen App support is also very limited on Surface.
 
lol the M1 is really scaring the S(*& out of everyone. My Surface Pro literally died on the weekend when I needed it on a trip, its the second time its died and only about 4 years old. Meanwhile I have a 12 and 9 year old Macbook Pro at home that still works to this day. Let say I'm going back to Apple as I got the Surface when the Macbooks started to lose magsafe and have crappy keyboards.
 
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I have a Surface Pro 5. It is a great device but 4GB of RAM is barely cutting it. The problem is that MSFT tries to spec it like a tablet but Win10 is not as optimized. Even browsing the web it can feel a bit slow at times. I mostly use mine for Zoom calls nowadays. Inexcusable to still sell this with 4GB.
 
falainber said:
Why would anyone want to compare the computers from completely different classes? SG2 pricing starts at $550 and MBA pricing starts at $900.
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Price has nothing to do with my post.

My point was, if Microsoft wants to appeal to the ‘regular’ person, as this ad attempted and failed to do, showing a young kid with a Surface Pro, comparing his device to a MacBook Pro, is tone deaf.
It makes him seemed privileged, and it cheapens the Surface Pro.


falainber said:
Did you try to hint that SG2 is less of a computer? Based on the price, should not this be expected?
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I’m trying to hint that the SG2 could be a better device for a clever middle schooler than a MacBook Air.
 
Alan Wynn said:
Yup.

Curious if that actually works? It would be a more interesting application of the tech.

When you have it in that mode, where is the keyboard? (It is a good image, even if it is not really much better.)

Another good image. The Apple version of the ad would show the kids using AirDrop between one kid’s iPhone and the other’s MacBook, while the other kid tried to figure out how to transfer files from an Android device.

Good Image. I think the Apple approach would show the seamless tethering in the Apple ecosystem while the Widows kid tries to set up tethering with an Android phone.

Also nice. I think if I were doing the Apple ad I might show the one kid with the little MS convertible while the Apple kid was using Sidecar with a big iMac. Apple’s approach would be all about showcasing the ecosystem. It also might be comparing the Surface to an iPad and show how much better touch and the Pencil are on the iPad.

One could show the same with with the PlayStation 5, or one could just show some of the best Arcade games and show them being played on the iPhone, paused, then picked up on the iPad and later moved to the AppleTV.

You certainly defined a better ad then they did. :)
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Yeah, I agree fully with your assessment on how Apple could respond, but right now, Microsoft is lucky that Apple won’t and doesn’t need to respond.

I just have a pet peeve about poor advertising.
 
___joshuaturner said:
When you compare your car to a Mercedes just remember everyone knows you secretly just want a Mercedes
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Like the Hyundai Genesis, the car for people who want others to think they're driving a Mercedes at first, until they realize it's not. They were also playing ads saying their car has "the same kind of paint" as a Mercedes. What does that even mean?

(btw, I replaced my Mercedes with a Crown Vic cause the piece of junk kept falling apart)
 
If you understand how Marketting works, this ad is good for both Apple and Microsoft. Now, in the minds of the consumer, they think they have 2 choices: Apple’s and Microsoft’s. The rest gets ignored. Just like how people think they have 2 choices in smartphones: Apple or Samsung.
 
GeoStructural said:
What? Apple's marketing does this all the time in both the computer and smartphone businesses.

I remember last year when they compared their overpriced monitor to a professional monitor only to be later trashed in side by side comparisons... some defended the price difference ($6000 vs $44000) but it was Apple itself who made the comparison during the keynote.

By the way, there are many reasons why a PC is a better purchase, especially for professional Engineers and gamers. Macs have a edge on content creation.
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The whole "content creation" argument is so old, sorry. I've been a "professional engineer" for 20 years now, and 100% Mac the entire time.

This was a poor and desperate attempt at being a "Mac vs. PC" type advertisement. For that don't recall, PC bashed *himself* in those ads. They were amusing, yet truthful anecdotes of how life was back then.
 
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rgeneral said:
Please stop wasting shareholder money on hardware. Concentrate on more cloud services. How much you wasted on Microsoft stores. Now it is closed.
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I disagree. Microsoft does some GREAT hardware! Their keyboards and mice are some of the best available, and the Surface lineup is really well done. Where their hardware falls apart is the software. Windows.
 
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