If my 2012 rMBP dies or stolen and I don't have $2000 cash then I probably will get a Surface 3 and get new Windows Phone 10 and cancel MacRumors account. Go back to AnandTech forum.
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Has anyone got the surface 3 yet?
- Thread starter Jacoblee23
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Where do you live?
I am not the person, who you were asking it, but I was definitely facing the same decision.
Here are my 2 cents about disliking iPad Air 2 (if you care):
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=20539565#post20539565
Seems to me you are using a tablet versus an Apple product more suited towards your needs. An iPad versus a SP3 or rMBP is not realistic.
Yes, thank you for that. The issues with certain stylus and the Air 2 made a sad situation (lack of active digitizer) worse. I've always seen those bluetooth/proprietary attempts at simulating an active stylus to be workarounds.
But based on your previous comments in this thread, it doesn't seem like you made much use of the iPad as a tablet anyways and so the SP3 is definitely a better fit for you.
That seems to be the consistent message... Windows 2-in-1 hybrid devices (The Surface line in particular) do far better as notebooks than tablets.
Not quite. I have been using the iPad alongside with MBP. The real transition was not iPad vs "SP3 or rMBP", but SP3 vs. iPad and MBP.
Well, you know: moving to Surface after using
products for the last 10 years exclusively, was not particularly an easy decision. As for the iPad, - I really wanted to love the iPad, but it could never completely satisfy my needs from that kind of device (iOS in general).In fact, I always dreamed of a tablet device running OSX, like those Modbooks, but with full touch capabilities and so on... Suddenly SP3 came along and I couldn't resist anymore, even if it ran Windows on it.
To make the story short, I consider a tablet being tablet because of its general form factor and not because of some specifics apps or their general availability. Obviously, tablets running a "full" OS are preferable choice for me.
Nevertheless, I would probably buy an iPad pro running OSX in a heartbeat, even if I think, that it unlikely ever going to happen...
I heard that the charging on the new Surface 3 is extremely slow (~5% per hour) and also that if you are using the tablet and charging it at the same time, the battery goes down because the charger can't keep up. Can somebody confirm this? If this in fact true, it could be a deal breaker. I wonder if it is because the S3 uses the micro USB port for charging, and maybe they'd have been better off using USB-C instead.
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I picked up a Surface 3 a couple days ago to use around my office. I have an iPad mini I normally carry around but I've never been happy with it's ability to do good notes (even with a Bamboo active stylus) and I can't use an iOS or Android device to connect to our corporate VPN (which is a huge deal, our wireless network is isolated from internal company resources). I toyed with picking up an SP3, but the price was too hard to justify as a second system (I use an MBP as my main development system) and I found it a little too large to use as an effective tablet.
It's worked out pretty well so far. No real problems with the device speed aside from the occasional rendering lag of some very script-heavy sites. OneNote really is THE note-taking platform to beat right now. I'm looking forward to the touch-based office suite available alongside Windows 10 (particularly Outlook). Using Office 2013 desktop programs is a little painful on a touch screen compared to their iOS variants. I'd use the built-in Mail/Calendar apps in Windows 8.1 but they're pretty limited (and proper S/MIME support is an absolute requirement, so Outlook is is).
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5% an hour doesn't seem right to me, unless maybe you're at the end of the charging cycle (I could see the last 10% maybe taking 2 hours). In my limited experience 2 or 3 hours could get me from 40% to 80% or so. I haven't been paying attention to the charge cycle very much (haven't been fully draining the battery and I've ben plugging it in at night for the most part) but it hasn't been anything that has come up on my radar as being a problem, either. I'll try to pay better attention in the next few days. I've never tried using it while charging so I can't speak to that point at all.
It's worked out pretty well so far. No real problems with the device speed aside from the occasional rendering lag of some very script-heavy sites. OneNote really is THE note-taking platform to beat right now. I'm looking forward to the touch-based office suite available alongside Windows 10 (particularly Outlook). Using Office 2013 desktop programs is a little painful on a touch screen compared to their iOS variants. I'd use the built-in Mail/Calendar apps in Windows 8.1 but they're pretty limited (and proper S/MIME support is an absolute requirement, so Outlook is is).
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5% an hour doesn't seem right to me, unless maybe you're at the end of the charging cycle (I could see the last 10% maybe taking 2 hours). In my limited experience 2 or 3 hours could get me from 40% to 80% or so. I haven't been paying attention to the charge cycle very much (haven't been fully draining the battery and I've ben plugging it in at night for the most part) but it hasn't been anything that has come up on my radar as being a problem, either. I'll try to pay better attention in the next few days. I've never tried using it while charging so I can't speak to that point at all.
I've always thought the SP3 was a better tablet than a laptop, certainly a better tablet than an ipad but that's just my opinion. The kickstand and keyboard catapult it far past the ipad, and there is no reason to think of those features as exclusively a laptop advantage. Using an ipad when I need to prop it up, or need a keyboard and don't have either is a major disadvantage to me.
I haven't heard any real argument why the SP3 isn't a good tablet. The main argument I hear is the app market which is a fairly weak argument depending on which app you need but I can't deny it isn't a valid argument. The app argument works against iOS as well though. The next one I hear is the weight, but you are getting a larger screen, I also never understood are people really holding these tablets up for hours at a time? I think the weight of my arms would limit that way more than the weight of the tablet when they are so close in weight.
I think when Modern Office is finally released that will close the gap a lot, assuming MS packs more functionality into it than the iOS version. Having a fully touch version of Office, photoshop, etc are pretty huge pluses for a tablet. Once again YMMV depending on how you use it.
I'm a bit confused. You said that you haven't heard any "real argument". The app market is a "weak argument" but you can't deny that it isn't a "valid argument".
In summary, the app argument = "valid argument"/"weak argument"/"not a real argument"
As for weight, that would be the definition of a weak argument.
gap, what gap? The app argument is not a real argument.
Just having a bit of fun. But...
Honestly, the general consensus, even among those of us who are fans of the Surface, is that the lack in quantity of quality Modern UI apps hurts the Surface as a tablet.
Modern Office will help. I really like the iOS and Android versions that give a bit of a preview as to what it'll be like on a Windows tab.
Correct. My opinion was not opposite to yours: I was just trying to explain, that Surface is a tablet by definition, given its form factor.
I think, that whether it is a better "tablet" or a better "laptop" for some people is defined solely by the concrete usage pattern.
For me it is best of both worlds, even if I still tend to use some desktop apps in tablet mode (esp. Outlook & OneNote).
Surface sits in the dock during heavy lifting or office work. Otherwise it is almost always detached from TypeCover and is being used exclusively as a tablet (with pen).
Actually--its both. Address modern with touch and desktop with keyboard.
Drawing programs i use the pen. why does this confuse people??
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How productve do you think you'll be in touch office apps? compared to a mouse?
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If you love "apps"--this is not the path for you. If you suspect you'd be better off with one note, sketchbook pro and an excellent touch browser--consider it
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That your comp was an ipad mini tells me you didnt really understand the product before buying it
I'm a bit confused. You said that you haven't heard any "real argument". The app market is a "weak argument" but you can't deny that it isn't a "valid argument".
In summary, the app argument = "valid argument"/"weak argument"/"not a real argument"
As for weight, that would be the definition of a weak argument.
gap, what gap? The app argument is not a real argument.
Just having a bit of fun. But...
Honestly, the general consensus, even among those of us who are fans of the Surface, is that the lack in quantity of quality Modern UI apps hurts the Surface as a tablet.
Modern Office will help. I really like the iOS and Android versions that give a bit of a preview as to what it'll be like on a Windows tab.
You're right, I should have said I haven't heard a substantial argument. Kudos for nitpicking semantics.
Hehe I'm just having fun.The whole app discussion though is so dependent on the individuals uses of his tablet though so it's very difficult to get into a debate. When referring to this I mainly speak about how I personally use my devices. I have little love for watered down "apps", preferring the desktop version most of the time. We've gone backwards, not forward IMO with the release of "apps", over simplifying things and making them primitive.
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I didn't take it as a disagreement, just trying to expand what you were saying. Certainly it all depends on the user, there are so many different consumers with different needs. I agree, the SP3 is the best of both worlds. It truly is a device where you can throw everything else (except the smartphone) away, throw away the iPad, laptop, heck even the desktop. Microsoft gets it, that's why they are making Windows 10 mobile and smartphones which can function as a desktop when docked. That's incredible stuff right there IMO.
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I never understood the confusion of when and where to use Modern versus the desktop. I suspect it is a "dumbification" of consumers after using iOS and iPads, some of them genuinely couldn't figure out something which essentially is quite simple.
I also agree about productivity using apps. Why everyone thinks they will write their masters thesis on a tablet while standing up on the subway I'll never understand. Sure there are some cool apps on iOS, but really in most if not all fields, graphics, music, document editing, etc you are going to hunker down with a mouse to get some work done long term.
I understand the resistance to this product based on specs--its fairly pricey yet its benchmarks are lackluster. at this point its more of an "experience" product--a very small mobility device with full windows and a good digitizer. This likely wont replace you laptop, but its a good 2nd option for a designer like myself, who is looking for a light sketch book experience
No, I do not. Actually this is exactly what I did (I already explained it in previous posts).
Otherwise I am with you, but instead of the Skechbook pro it is ClipStudio+Mischief+Painter15
.In my opinion Desktop mode is great when you have a mouse and a keyboard, not that great when trying to use it as a tablet, yes it works and yes you can probably get used to it, but it's not the best experience. So then we have the tablet mode on the S3, most apps work but are not as polished as they are on an ipad. Also, some apps are simply not there...
Surfaces are great, they are perfect for some people and that is awesome... I will probably get one again in the future, but it will certainly be to replace my laptop (which i connect to an external monitor) not my ipad. Im looking forward to get the dock and use it that way, tablet use on it will be limited to when i need to do light/medium work when i'm in school or work.
Couch surfing, youtube, reading books, etc will still be used on my Ipad.