Surface Pro 6

[0989382]

I'm using a MacBook Pro 2017 nTB and I absolutely love it. But I got the 128GB model and it's just not good enough for work anymore. I'm being asked to come down and do a presentation and some of these 2GB PowerPoints are needing to be downloaded from iCloud, which sometimes just flatlines for ages... Trying to explain this is making me look incompetent. I use my Mac from 8.30am until 10pm at night most nights. The answer is logical.... Buy a MacBook Pro with bigger SSD.

Well, if I'm going to buy a new one... better not get the same 2017 model. Go for the 2018.
That's now £1,750.
If I'm going to really solve this problem, at least 512GB SSD (to run W10 virtually and store things locally)
That's now £1,900+
And if I'm going to spend that much, might as well get 16GB RAM to future proof it.
That's now £2,200+
Better get Apple Care (got it at the minute on this one, two years left) too...
£2,400 ish all in.

That's serious money. I'd like the Touch Bar and the dual fans, don't get me wrong. I bet it's a much better beast. But I'm saving for a car and dropping that sort of money seems... well, I'd rather have a car first... you know.

I'm considering the Surface Pro 6.
Why? Similar metal build quality. Near 500 nits brightness screen. Also, I trialed using an iPad as an only PC and I liked the tablet form for being able to throw it into the car door bin etc. Just didn't like the small screen straining my neck and lack of free windows on the screen. So the form factor seems good. Type Cover seems good , and as it fixes onto the SP6 it'll not be like carrying that Logitech bluetooth keyboard with my old iPad. I also now plug my Mac into a 24" monitor, keyboard and mouse at work for 'serious work' so as long as the SP6 can hack that, the form factor won't be an issue. It might be more preferable as when as home I hate spending more time at a desk, but a desk is ideal for a laptop after all. The pen would be handy too for note taking. I'm increasingly using W10 at work and it wouldn't harm to move all my stuff from iCloud to OneDrive. Though Apple Music, continuity and perfect sync with my iPhone would be annoying ,and I'd miss macOS. But having seen some decent software like Affinity being on Windows I wasn't so scared about switching.


Can the i7 / 512GB / 16GB SP6, - with Microsoft Care Package - Surface Pen - Type Cover with Touch ID - make me as happy?

How much could I expect to get for my MBP? It's 1 year old, two years of Apple Care remaining. A tiny dent (but it's due a new screen anyway, as the keyboard is marking the glass again and Apple fixed it last time under Apple Care so it'll have a new screen on it). I'm in the UK and will likely use eBay so any prices in GBP are appreciated

 

[SDColorado]

I have a Surface Pro 2017 (Gen.5), can we finally call it the SP5 now? I love that thing and would really love a SP6, but since I just purchased my SP5 last August, it isn't going to happen for a while.

But I do have the i7/512GB/16GB version of that model. It is a dual core, unlike the current SP6 quat core, but even so still has no problem with presentations, some photo editing, light video editing, etc.

The display is great. Bright with good contrast. I am personally a fan of the 3:2 ratio. The pen works well. I like the feel of the keyboard on the type cover better than the MBP butterfly keyboards. The trackpad is small but nice. Sound is good for its size. Not as good as the MBP, but better than the air.

I use it with the dock or sometimes for presentations the wireless display adapter.

Battery life is fairly good and it can be recharged using a 12V car adapter, so it makes it great for use on the road.

It fits nicely in a door side compartment in a car or the magazine pouch on a plane. The space it takes up is perfect for seat back tables.

If you have a business or your business is willing to be set up with the Microsoft Store, you can purchase up to 4 years Microsoft Complete for Business, that included 2 incidents of Accidental Damage, advanced exchange or in-store exchange.

The little micro-SD card slot behind the kickstand works well for storing a presentation, without taking up SSD space. I have a 256GB card in mine, but I believe it will support up to a 512GB card.

As far as the market for your machine used in the UK. I honestly don't have a clue.

 

[apolloa]

I'm using a MacBook Pro 2017 nTB and I absolutely love it. But I got the 128GB model and it's just not good enough for work anymore. I'm being asked to come down and do a presentation and some of these 2GB PowerPoints are needing to be downloaded from iCloud, which sometimes just flatlines for ages... Trying to explain this is making me look incompetent. I use my Mac from 8.30am until 10pm at night most nights. The answer is logical.... Buy a MacBook Pro with bigger SSD.

Well, if I'm going to buy a new one... better not get the same 2017 model. Go for the 2018.
That's now £1,750.
If I'm going to really solve this problem, at least 512GB SSD (to run W10 virtually and store things locally)
That's now £1,900+
And if I'm going to spend that much, might as well get 16GB RAM to future proof it.
That's now £2,200+
Better get Apple Care (got it at the minute on this one, two years left) too...
£2,400 ish all in.

That's serious money. I'd like the Touch Bar and the dual fans, don't get me wrong. I bet it's a much better beast. But I'm saving for a car and dropping that sort of money seems... well, I'd rather have a car first... you know.

I'm considering the Surface Pro 6.
Why? Similar metal build quality. Near 500 nits brightness screen. Also, I trialed using an iPad as an only PC and I liked the tablet form for being able to throw it into the car door bin etc. Just didn't like the small screen straining my neck and lack of free windows on the screen. So the form factor seems good. Type Cover seems good , and as it fixes onto the SP6 it'll not be like carrying that Logitech bluetooth keyboard with my old iPad. I also now plug my Mac into a 24" monitor, keyboard and mouse at work for 'serious work' so as long as the SP6 can hack that, the form factor won't be an issue. It might be more preferable as when as home I hate spending more time at a desk, but a desk is ideal for a laptop after all. The pen would be handy too for note taking. I'm increasingly using W10 at work and it wouldn't harm to move all my stuff from iCloud to OneDrive. Though Apple Music, continuity and perfect sync with my iPhone would be annoying ,and I'd miss macOS. But having seen some decent software like Affinity being on Windows I wasn't so scared about switching.


Can the i7 / 512GB / 16GB SP6, - with Microsoft Care Package - Surface Pen - Type Cover with Touch ID - make me as happy?

How much could I expect to get for my MBP? It's 1 year old, two years of Apple Care remaining. A tiny dent (but it's due a new screen anyway, as the keyboard is marking the glass again and Apple fixed it last time under Apple Care so it'll have a new screen on it). I'm in the UK and will likely use eBay so any prices in GBP are appreciated

If you picked up a Surface Pro 6, which if you haven’t and still want one then do it NOW because they are in Black Friday sale on Microsoft’s site, then the second hand market for Macs in the UK is pretty good. Take a look at eBay to get an idea of what you can get.

 

[The_Interloper]

Great prices here for base model with Type Cover the remainder of Black Friday: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/p/s...o1-CP1-Pro6Bundle&activetab=pivot:overviewtab

Add a microSD card, done.

 

[rbrian]

I have the base model m3 128 Surface Pro 4, and it copes just fine with PowerPoint presentations, paired with the official Microsoft Office remote app on my Kindle Fire HD8, which previews the next slide, shows presenter notes, has back and forward buttons, and a virtual laser pointer - only on Android though; it was last updated in 2013, when Windows phone was still on the go and Microsoft and Apple were feuding. Mine are only about 40mb, the Bluetooth connection probably wouldn't work very well with 2gb files though.

I have a suggestion which could save you thousands of pounds - buy a USB stick! You can get them with USB C, even with both A and C, for well under £100.

 

[0989382]

I was SO CLOSE to buying one yesterday but decided to forfeit the offers to think it through. It’d be a big move back to Windows and would take more thought

 

[ndb85]

I was SO CLOSE to buying one yesterday but decided to forfeit the offers to think it through. It’d be a big move back to Windows and would take more thought

Quick insight on my experience:

I bought a MacBook Pro 2017 ntb model for an early Black Friday deal they were running, got the 256gb model for 1,299 US. Always was interested in the surface pro (I am a student and was tempted by the touch screen/stylus for note taking) but ultimately held off and stuck to what I knew, having previously come from a MacBook Air.

Fast forward to cyber Monday. Came across a deal, 256gb matte black model was on sale for 999, with the keyboard included. Add in a surface pen and it was 1,161 US. I couldn’t resist. Also, the store I bought BOTH models from has a great return policy (have until January, no questions asked) so I pulled the trigger.

Initial thoughts? The surface pro has a sort of magical quality about it. Could be the weight. Could be the form factor. Can’t put my finger on it. But coming from years of Mac use, maybe it’s also just something “new” which I find enticing. No typical windows issues thus far to mention. Although I have set my Pro aside for now to fully dive into Windows 10, I’m still skeptical. Almost feel like I’m waiting for something to go wrong so I can come crawling back to my MacBook Pro, but so far so good. If this keeps up, I may be returning the pro near Christmas time...

Cheers!