It's too bad you can't just get some money off for it. If you like the machine, as you seem to, it'd be nice to just keep it if it cost less than the SP4. It doesn't make sense to pay SP4 money and get the SP3 though.
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I Got Myself A Surface 3!
- Thread starter Renzatic
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It's too bad you can't just get some money off for it. If you like the machine, as you seem to, it'd be nice to just keep it if it cost less than the SP4. It doesn't make sense to pay SP4 money and get the SP3 though.
I was still within my 15 days, so I got all my money back for it, if that's what you mean.
See, the one thing I liked best about the S3 was the screen size. 10 inches makes for a better as both a goof-off and work machine than the 12 inch SP line. The latter is better for work, but it isn't something I'd want to read a book on while lying in bed. The S3 is a good compromise between those two.
But in the end, I like the quality of the screen, the extra flexibility, and the keyboard of the SP4 better. It's a better fit for me overall, and the extra $200 isn't that steep of a price to pay.
I got a surface pro 3 on Monday and I am I living it. I am using it for work, but the one issue I am having is Outlook. I am using that crap Office 365. I have had this issue on other Windows devices, but am hoping someone has some insight.
So I have a company exchange email that I am trying to login with. I keep getting the server is not available message. The funny thing is it works with Outlook 2016 on my MacBook, and I have it connected on my iPhone email app. What would be causing the issue with the Windows software? I am running Windows 10 BTW.
So I have a company exchange email that I am trying to login with. I keep getting the server is not available message. The funny thing is it works with Outlook 2016 on my MacBook, and I have it connected on my iPhone email app. What would be causing the issue with the Windows software? I am running Windows 10 BTW.
The 12" screen is about as small as I'm willing to go. My 50 year old eyes cannot deal with a 10" tablet. The type of work I do, makes life difficult on smaller displays so 12" is as small as I want. I'd rather a bit larger but they don't have that yet (unless I go with a surface book)
The higher density display on the SP4 and Surface Book will probably end up making the text about as small on them as the 10" S3. I've read a couple of comments where some people have said they felt the need to bump the scaling up to 175% to make for a more comfortable experience while checking them out at the store.
I have a pro and a regular. I loved them both, but my macbook was just better so I returned them. The regular wouldn't always charge depending on what I was doing with it at the time and would randomly turn everything into a right click until I rebooted. The battery life was nowhere near an ipad, and the storage was really slow on the regular, but phenomenal on the pro. I actually liked the pro with windows 8 better than the regular with windows 10. Even with the sleep of death, internet explorer hogging 50% of resources randomly until killed, and disappearing wifi card problems.
They both had incredible keyboards though. I liked them more than my retina macbook pro. In the end though, for my purposes, the separate ipad and macbook pro was a better fit for me. They were just more reliable.
The microsoft store was great though. No questions on the returns. I really wanted to like those things. Even their on screen keyboards were nice.
They both had incredible keyboards though. I liked them more than my retina macbook pro. In the end though, for my purposes, the separate ipad and macbook pro was a better fit for me. They were just more reliable.
The microsoft store was great though. No questions on the returns. I really wanted to like those things. Even their on screen keyboards were nice.
I'll be near Best Buy again today, and I'm thinking about checking out the Book.
It's got me pondering...
It's got me pondering...
Yeah, this is the Achilles heel of the SP line. From what I've read, the prerelease versions of the SP4 people were using for their reviews actually had slightly worse battery life than the SP3. Though I'm think this might be something that's fixed with a future firmware update.
But these were all based on mid-level i5 units. If I were to take a semi-educated guess, the M3 versions will probably get about 8 on average compared to the 6 hours of the iChips, since it's a less power hungry chip, isn't expending any extra energy on a fan, and the battery is (as far as I know) the exact same as the other SP4s.
And the Surface Book? 9-12 hours.
Ultimately, I decided to sit this refresh out. My SP3 is still very serviceable, and the benchmarks don't really show massive improvements for what I use it for. SP4 screen is amazing, but the SP3 screen is no slouch either. But I did order a new SP4 keyboard, for my SP3. Of all the changes between SP3 and SP4 that's the one that will impact my work the most. Really, I actually prefer the new SP4 soft keyboard to my MBA.
Can't wait to see what the SP5 is like? Think I'll squirrel away some funds for that refresh.
Can't wait to see what the SP5 is like? Think I'll squirrel away some funds for that refresh.
If there were one reason why I'd consider the SP4 if I already had an SP3, it'd be the better CPU cooling. Apparently it doesn't throttle down nearly as much, or do so as quickly. You only rarely ever hear the fan spinning.
But other than that, you're right. It's a decent upgrade, but it's not so much faster or so much better that it becomes a MUST HAVE machine if you already have the SP3.
Agreed, its a nice update but if you're a SP3 owner as I am, the SP4 is not a must have.
The only thing I might spring for is the new type cover, I had a chance to play with that yesterday and I'm impressed. That is a big upgrade to the point its with the added 140 expense.
Sorry, but in 2015 I refuse to buy a tablet that has a fan. I've been there back in 1999/2000. I'm NOT going back to the future... no matter how good that film is.
Sorry, but in 2015 I refuse to buy a tablet that has a fan. I've been there back in 1999/2000. I'm NOT going back to the future... no matter how good that film is.
That's why I'm getting the M3.
Though even with the fan, you have to admit that laptabtoplets are in a helluva lot better state than they were back in 2000. Me personally, if I wanted full on portable iCore power, I'd get a MacBook or a Surface Book. But having the option is nice, you gotta admit.
You mean you don't want to be like RMS and eat your toe cheese?? But Free SW!!
In all seriousness let me know how Linux works on the new toy I think lowendlinux Jr. could use a tablet but I really don't want her on Winders or OS X/iOS.
I'm going to guess it works about the same as SP3, which is to say you need a special kernel to get the type cover, good wifi, and so forth to work.
https://github.com/neoreeps/surface-pro-3
That's why I'm getting the M3.
Though even with the fan, you have to admit that laptabtoplets are in a helluva lot better state than they were back in 2000. Me personally, if I wanted full on portable iCore power, I'd get a MacBook or a Surface Book. But having the option is nice, you gotta admit.
Anandtech really dissected the throttling and fans and the SP4 is MUCH much better than the SP3 in this regard. My SP3 fan rarely comes on, really only when streaming video or playing a game, so I would expect the SP4 to never really come on unless it's a very graphic heavy game.
Having a fan doesn't bother me in the least, it comes with the extra power you get from an I-chip. Just the ability to play desktop games and run things like PhotoShop on a tablet completely blow my mind, even after owning windows tablets for the past 2-3 years.
With that said, I'd buy the M3 variant all day long, but MS kind of ripped us off only offering the 4gb/128gb versions. So since I'm moving up to an I chip I would have picked up the i7 as the GPU is supposed to be much nicer and has RAM, but then I have to wait till Nov20, sigh.
Yeah, I wish they provided an 8GB option in the M3. It's not a dealbreaker, consider my intended usage, but it does make the machine a little less future proofed than I'd like.
Oh, and I got to play with the Surface Book today. I was very, very tempted to switch my money over to it. The best way to describe it is that it feels like a MacBook Pro with a little junk in the trunk.
The only issue I had with it is that the tablet portion of the screen doesn't detach nearly as smoothly and effortlessly as the videos made it look. The magnets in the hinge keep it held in place pretty tightly. You have to keep one hand on the base, and pull up on it firmly to get it to disengage.
Tomorrow, I get my SP4. When the time has finally arrived, I'll likely start a new thread. Either that, or get the mods to edit the name of this thread by crossing out the 3 and adding Pro 4.
Whichevs.
Whichevs.
Just picked up my SP4, amazing little machine. i5/256gb, but I'll most likely exchange it for i7/256gb as I want to see how the graphics is on the i7. The new type cover is incredible, it's a good amount stiffer, the keys are much nicer and the trackpad is finally a read trackpad. Windows Hello is awesome, it recognizes my face and unlocks, and it's very fast.
I'm heading out to get mine right now.
Once I get home, I'll benchmark it to see how well the M3 holds up in performance and battery life.
Once I get home, I'll benchmark it to see how well the M3 holds up in performance and battery life.
Awesome, I'm highly curious how the M3 performs. I'm not the most technically inclined on how to do benchmarks, but if you guide me I'll gladly post my i5 benchmarks to compare.
It doesn't really require any technical know-how, other than knowing what you're looking at. Basically, you're using a suite of software, then comparing the end results against other computers. Stuff like Sisoft Sandra, the Futuremark applications, Crystalmark for HDD performance. Things like that.
Oh, and I'm now back with my SP4. Also got into a fender bender on the way back, and had to file a claim with my insurance, so it's...it's been a day.
Okay, first impressions? I haven't played with it much, since the battery came out of the box at 25%. At first glance, it's about as speedy as the S3 as far as general desktop usages goes.
But damn does it charge fast.
edit: wow, already up to 55%. This thing charges like the wind.
But damn does it charge fast.
edit: wow, already up to 55%. This thing charges like the wind.
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