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Surface Devices

Do you own a Surface device

  • Yes I own a Surface Pro or Surfacebook - it’s great

    Votes: 165 51.2%

  • Yes I own a Surface laptop - it’s great

    Votes: 36 11.2%

  • No - i’m not a fan

    Votes: 69 21.4%

  • Not anymore I had a bad experience

    Votes: 52 16.1%
  • Total voters
    322
Here is a quote from a PC world article published today:
Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 4 includes two Ryzen chips: the Ryzen 5 4680U Surface Edition, and the Ryzen 7 4980U Surface Edition. These are semi-custom processors, co-developed by AMD and Microsoft, and they required some specialized engineering. They’re not sold by AMD, and can’t be found in any other laptops. Because of the advance development time, they’re built on AMD’s older Zen 2 architecture, rather than the Zen 3 foundations of the new Ryzen 5000 Mobile chips.
 
slitherjef said:
Been in a bit of a hunt for a laptop (mostly for imaging related stuff including telescope control) and thought I'd check out the new offering from microsoft and was a bit disappointed with the offering. Wanted an AMD chip but looks like it's bottom of the rung for storage. Microsoft have some sort of contract with intel or something?

Anyway it looks like just 1 usb port (at least full sized) and either a USB c port or display / thunderbolt / charging port?
Click to expand...
Apple schooled Microsoft all to well on how to cheep out on storage/RAM for the customer, forcing upgrades with far greater margins. I just use external SSD's, rest they can kiss it. In all honestly such companies need to be reigned in however profits & lies, after all that what's really important...

Q-6
 
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Queen6 said:
Apple schooled Microsoft all to well on how to cheep out on storage/RAM for the customer, forcing upgrades with far greater margins. I just use external SSD's, rest they can kiss it. In all honestly such companies need to be reigned in however profits & lies, after all that what's really important...

Q-6
Click to expand...

This actually poses the question: if companies are adopting the "Apple model" why wouldn't I just go that route?

I'm actually surprised Apple hasn't sued everyone for following their business model.

I miss upgradable components instead of this through away recycling stuff which is nothing more the planned obsolescence and a way to milk more cash out of everyone. Basically leasing a computer or just paying an upfront subscription fee 😖

//

You're right, no problem grabbing an external drive (possibly use up your only USB port while one is at it). It's just an extra item but if one is that tethered, might as well go small custom PC build.

Still, so far, the surface line up seems like the most bloatware free of many of the laptop makers. Just wish it had at least an extra USB port or two on it, would make it more usable in my book.
 
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slitherjef said:
Still, so far, the surface line up seems like the most bloatware free of many of the laptop makers. Just wish it had at least an extra USB port or two on it, would make it more usable in my book.
Click to expand...
Just get one of the Dell XPS laptops instead of a Surface for example.
Good value and performance + no bloatware, apart from one Intel and Dell App each (both of which you can uninstall with 2 clicks)
 
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slitherjef said:
Still, so far, the surface line up seems like the most bloatware free of many of the laptop makers. Just wish it had at least an extra USB port or two on it, would make it more usable in my book.
Click to expand...

Surface + Lenovo have the least bloatware I have seen on Windows laptops. Lenovo has Vantage app for upgrades, and that's it. Nothing more.

On the other side Dell XPS had multiple Dell apps that nagged me with notifications ('tell us what you think'), and Asus and HP were a complete disaster when it comes to bloatware.
 
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just for the record, Dell XPS 9830 from 2019 never showed any alerts through windows 10 but sometime while visiting their website. The Dell xps was purchased at a Microcenter which has no bloatware compared to an office max or target even best buys. maybe their ipsilon line has some features that alert their users.
 
slitherjef said:
This actually poses the question: if companies are adopting the "Apple model" why wouldn't I just go that route?

I'm actually surprised Apple hasn't sued everyone for following their business model.

I miss upgradable components instead of this through away recycling stuff which is nothing more the planned obsolescence and a way to milk more cash out of everyone. Basically leasing a computer or just paying an upfront subscription fee 😖

//

You're right, no problem grabbing an external drive (possibly use up your only USB port while one is at it). It's just an extra item but if one is that tethered, might as well go small custom PC build.

Still, so far, the surface line up seems like the most bloatware free of many of the laptop makers. Just wish it had at least an extra USB port or two on it, would make it more usable in my book.
Click to expand...
I use the externals for media which simplifies across multiple systems. I don't mind slim & light notebooks being designed & manufactured in such a manner. That said the blatant scalping of customers on mandatory inhouse upgrades is what it is, with the likes of Apple & Microsoft/their OEM's procuring RAM/SSD components in bulk with significant discount...

With Mac's I always purchase the cheapest model I can get away with, by shopping in the right class a bump up here or there is hardly going to be a night & day differnce in experience. I don't concern myself about bloatware, if the system has I just clean install it with the hardware being more the defining factor. Just simpler that way :)

Q-6
 
c0ppo said:
Surface + Lenovo have the least bloatware I have seen on Windows laptops. Lenovo has Vantage app for upgrades, and that's it. Nothing more.

On the other side Dell XPS had multiple Dell apps that nagged me with notifications ('tell us what you think'), and Asus and HP were a complete disaster when it comes to bloatware.
Click to expand...
if you go to the microsoft store and purchase a computer from an OEM and it says Signature edition, no bloatware installed
 
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slitherjef said:
Been in a bit of a hunt for a laptop (mostly for imaging related stuff including telescope control) and thought I'd check out the new offering from microsoft and was a bit disappointed with the offering. Wanted an AMD chip but looks like it's bottom of the rung for storage. Microsoft have some sort of contract with intel or something?

Anyway it looks like just 1 usb port (at least full sized) and either a USB c port or display / thunderbolt / charging port?
Click to expand...
While the ram is soldered to the board, the ssd is replaceable. You essentially take out a few screws, and the keyboard is then held on with magnets.
 
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I'm done with Microsoft, at least for time being.
My Surface Go2 went belly up today. It was my last Surface device.
I had issues with almost every surface. Very nice devices when they, sadly (at least in my experience) they more often don't.
 
I fired up my gen surface book laptop and I was surprised at how well it is. Granted the battery is mostly bad (been sitting in a closet for over a year) but overall it fired up and seems to be doing well enough.
 
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maflynn said:
I don't think you can sue a company for a business model, plus I'm pretty sure Apple isn't the first, they tend to adopt what works instead of inventing brand new technology/processes
Click to expand...
Would not stop them from trying honestly. As for the person talking about dell apps on their machines. You can uninstall every single one of them right from the start menu. I have it done with all of my dell machines. I moved my ipad yesterday, so my device list has an opening for a new samsung galaxy tab S6 lite 128gb. Can't wait to get it. half the price of a 128gb air, cheaper than even the ipad (whatever it's called now) plus pencil. A great value plus it has expandable storage so I can have 128 OS/Apps drive and 512gb storage drive on my tablet for work related stuff while on the move.
 
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Steve Adams said:
Would not stop them from trying honestly. As for the person talking about dell apps on their machines. You can uninstall every single one of them right from the start menu. I have it done with all of my dell machines. I moved my ipad yesterday, so my device list has an opening for a new samsung galaxy tab S6 lite 128gb. Can't wait to get it. half the price of a 128gb air, cheaper than even the ipad (whatever it's called now) plus pencil. A great value plus it has expandable storage so I can have 128 OS/Apps drive and 512gb storage drive on my tablet for work related stuff while on the move.
Click to expand...
i am really enjoying my S6 lite, especially since Samsung updated EARLIER then they said they would to Android 11 and One UI 3.0. It really has made it a much better tablet. Not saying it wasn't before but it's better now. I really bought it to be used as an XBOX Project xCloud device and works perfectly for that.
 
derekamoss said:
i am really enjoying my S6 lite, especially since Samsung updated EARLIER then they said they would to Android 11 and One UI 3.0. It really has made it a much better tablet. Not saying it wasn't before but it's better now. I really bought it to be used as an XBOX Project xCloud device and works perfectly for that.
Click to expand...
Awesome. I own a group of businesses here and I want a nice tablet running android for showing clients projects, signing documents, and Purchase and sale agreements. As I own a real estate company, a furniture business and a digital marketing and media company, the tablet is useful for many of my day-to-day dealings with clients. I am moving to a Galaxy note 10 lite as well. I was worried about camera quality, but after seeing side by side images all those feelings went away and the Gn10L's camera is 95% as good as iPhone 11's. Really the only camera I am worried about would be the ultra wide, where the samsung is actually better as it has way less barrel distortion in the lens compared to my iPhone.

Best part about samsung is how it interacts with my windows computers. Your Phone and Samsung have way more features I benifit from. Apple is anti anything other than apple, which makes for a crappy experience all around.
 
Steve Adams said:
I am moving to a Galaxy note 10 lite as well. I was worried about camera quality, but after seeing side by side images all those feelings went away and the Gn10L's camera is 95% as good as iPhone 11's.
Click to expand...
I believe the Note 10 Lite’s camera is the same as in the Note 9 so, effectively, its flagship level.
 
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That's great to know. It really seems samsung nailed these two lite products. The S6 is the perfect combination of features to price, and same goes with the Note 10 lite.
 
Steve Adams said:
Awesome. I own a group of businesses here and I want a nice tablet running android for showing clients projects, signing documents, and Purchase and sale agreements. As I own a real estate company, a furniture business and a digital marketing and media company, the tablet is useful for many of my day-to-day dealings with clients. I am moving to a Galaxy note 10 lite as well. I was worried about camera quality, but after seeing side by side images all those feelings went away and the Gn10L's camera is 95% as good as iPhone 11's. Really the only camera I am worried about would be the ultra wide, where the samsung is actually better as it has way less barrel distortion in the lens compared to my iPhone.

Best part about samsung is how it interacts with my windows computers. Your Phone and Samsung have way more features I benifit from. Apple is anti anything other than apple, which makes for a crappy experience all around.
Click to expand...
The S6 actually doesn't accommodate all the features of Your Phone App out of box. You don't get the Screen and app mirroring function since it doesn't come pre installed with the link to windows service that only flagship Samsung phones have. There is an easy work around I found to get it working on any Samsung device running android 10 or 11 so if you need that PM and I will walk you through it. You don't have to root it or anything it's just about making sure you side load the right APK package
 
The s6 does not no, but the note 10 lite does. Which was really what I was talking about mainly. But the s6 lite integrates with windows more than iPad in the fact that I can use the microsoft launcher etc. and it works better than iPad.
 
I have a galaxy tab A 8.0 LTE now for my navigation and media for our jeep. I have MS launcher on it and I love it.
 
Yes. I found the canary a bit wonky on my tablet, so I am just going to wait until it's mainstreamed. But Android is a million times better than iOS for a windows user.
 
Steve Adams said:
Yes. I found the canary a bit wonky on my tablet, so I am just going to wait until it's mainstreamed. But Android is a million times better than iOS for a windows user.
Click to expand...
Yeah Canary has been a little bit of a let down. While it is so much faster than the previous Edge beta it also has some annoying bugs. No AD Block for one, stability isnt as good and it crashes everytime i load up reddit. I cant complain though since it's not public release and is still in the canary channel but a little disappointed because on my Surface Pro Chromium based Edge has been pretty much working without any problems whether its stable release or canary.
 
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