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MacBook Air Vs Surface Pro 3
- Thread starter omniatlas
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I don't see how it has anything on the MBA 13" honestly (especially after the price drop).
EDIT: Looking at the specs and costs, the MBA comes out cheaper. I bought a brand new 2014 13" MBA with 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD for about ~$1,015 (with a promo code from MacMall and Discover $50 cashback). They're both totally different systems so I guess it's not apples to apples.
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Well, the surface pro is a 'hybrid' computer/laptop/tablet with the ability to adapt to different situations (it also has a dock peripheral where you can plug in all your computer accessories).
Not too sure right now what the battery life runs at.
I thought the surface pro 3 was $799 ?
Not too sure right now what the battery life runs at.
I thought the surface pro 3 was $799 ?
It can go up to $2,000 depending on if you fully load up the specs. You can customize it here to compare the costs.
It says it has a 9 hour battery life which is on par with the 11" MBA. The screen is probably a lot better on the SP3 if I had to guess though.
Surface Pro 3 looks to be a very good product.
Microsoft is working in an one-for-all approach: It wants to integrate laptop, desktop and tablet. Apple is taking the two-device approach.
That said, for one and for now I will stick to my Macbook Air and iPad Mini retina.
Microsoft is working in an one-for-all approach: It wants to integrate laptop, desktop and tablet. Apple is taking the two-device approach.
That said, for one and for now I will stick to my Macbook Air and iPad Mini retina.
Huh? The surface 3 runs regular windows 8, not windows RT. It can run any windows software.
Comparing an Apple ultrabook to a tablet that can try and pretend to be a computer from microsoft makes no sense.
They are for totally different markets, of different people, doing different things, with different workflows.
My PERSONAL opinion - if it doesn't fit in my pocket, I'm not using it as a portable device. I can have a laptop, or a tablet/phone that fits in my pocket. 10-11" tablets are useless to me. If it doesn't fit in my pocket, it goes in my bag, and if it goes in my bag, I will use it the same way I use a laptop. If I will use it the same way I use a laptop, it might as well BE a laptop, and not a frustrating tablet.
Not that tablets are frustrating, just when you NEED a PC or a Mac to do something and have to do that same thing on a nexus 7, or surface, or iPad.. it can sometimes be a pain in the ass.
They are for totally different markets, of different people, doing different things, with different workflows.
My PERSONAL opinion - if it doesn't fit in my pocket, I'm not using it as a portable device. I can have a laptop, or a tablet/phone that fits in my pocket. 10-11" tablets are useless to me. If it doesn't fit in my pocket, it goes in my bag, and if it goes in my bag, I will use it the same way I use a laptop. If I will use it the same way I use a laptop, it might as well BE a laptop, and not a frustrating tablet.
Not that tablets are frustrating, just when you NEED a PC or a Mac to do something and have to do that same thing on a nexus 7, or surface, or iPad.. it can sometimes be a pain in the ass.
I'm in the same quandary (though with a rMBP that really doesn't need replacing).
I think if you compare apples to apples, so to speak. The 128GB SP3 model matches up against the base 13" MBA.
The advantages of SP3 - lighter, more apps are available, more power thanks to the GPU. It can replace your iPad and MBA. Touchscreen - use it as a tablet or as a "laptop" with the smart cover.
The advantages of MBA - traditional laptop is probably easier to use on the lap. You can configure it to 8gb of ram, its running OSX which imo is a better OS.
I think if you compare apples to apples, so to speak. The 128GB SP3 model matches up against the base 13" MBA.
The advantages of SP3 - lighter, more apps are available, more power thanks to the GPU. It can replace your iPad and MBA. Touchscreen - use it as a tablet or as a "laptop" with the smart cover.
The advantages of MBA - traditional laptop is probably easier to use on the lap. You can configure it to 8gb of ram, its running OSX which imo is a better OS.
Microsoft i think they want to combine the 2 very ideas of Apple products. I mean the idea of Macbook Air(ultrabook) and the idea of ipad(tablets).
So thanks to Apple, microsoft has a new product BUT not so easy to use like a tablet and not so easy to use like a laptop.
So thanks to Apple, microsoft has a new product BUT not so easy to use like a tablet and not so easy to use like a laptop.
Really???
I thought I read somewhere its the more powerful flavor - that's disappointing.
Great write up. It does look like that the SP3 matches very closely with the MBA (except the GPU).
I guess they're so close spec and price wise it boils down to form factor - tablet style vs. laptop, and Platform - windows vs. OSX.
You forget the pen with 256 levels of pressure sensitivity though. For anyone who wants to illustrate on the go, the SP3 could be an amazing machine, especially with Adobe developing a Ps skin just for the SP3.
I'm really intrigued by the SP3, but I hope in a few years time Apple will have their own hybrid tablet in the market. If not, I'm probably gonna get a non-Apple hybrid replacement for my MBA and Kindle Fire.
After seeing the Pro3 I'm glad I didn't wait and bought the 11in Air.
The pro 3 is bigger than 2, and is no longer uses a Wacom digitizer.
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The WACOM digitizer had over 1000 levels, and a few other features.
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Tablets and Ultrabooks were out before Apple had them. Neither of them were Apples ideas.
Sony had thin laptops before Apple did, chicklet keyboards too, and tablets were out before Apples. Making an item popular does not make it their idea.
The pro 3 is bigger than 2, and is no longer uses a Wacom digitizer.
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The WACOM digitizer had over 1000 levels, and a few other features.
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Tablets and Ultrabooks were out before Apple had them. Neither of them were Apples ideas.
Sony had thin laptops before Apple did, chicklet keyboards too, and tablets were out before Apples. Making an item popular does not make it their idea.
Sony had thinner laptops? and tablets were before Apple?
Yes the products existed but no near of the idea of tablets and ultra books are today.
The tablets market was below 0% and ultrabooks as wel
Sony had thinners laptops ...hahha nice try, even Steve laugh about it
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Without Apple...we had no tablet , no thinners laptops...god i think in 2014 we still would have floppy disks and optical drive and nokia 1100, and no sharper displays
Yes the products existed but no near of the idea of tablets and ultra books are today.
The tablets market was below 0% and ultrabooks as wel
Sony had thinners laptops ...hahha nice try, even Steve laugh about it
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Without Apple...we had no tablet , no thinners laptops...god i think in 2014 we still would have floppy disks and optical drive and nokia 1100, and no sharper displays
Sony did so well with their PC business its also now dead and being sold off/discontinued!
I was on the receiving end of some of their crap customer service when I had a 3 month old $2,100.00 laptop from Sony so this development didn't surprise me at all with the exception that it took a few more years to develop than I thought it would
I don't think I can prefer any Windows machine to one running OSX. That's just me and my work. So even if the Air doesn't have the form factor and the screen tech of the Surface, it's still a no brainer. Air all the way.
But if I have deep pockets, this can replace my iPad. One of my favorite treats in device shopping is the biggest capacity I can get. So instead of hanging on to my iPad Air's 128gb, I can have a slightly heavier and thicker tablet with 512gb. Now that price is even more expensive than the max'd out MBA but like I said, deep pockets to replace my iPad. USB slot for external drives and full windows games. I may not buy this generation's but I'm eyes wide open to what a Broadwell/Skylake Surface is going to dish out especially in terms of GPU power. iOS move aside.
But if I have deep pockets, this can replace my iPad. One of my favorite treats in device shopping is the biggest capacity I can get. So instead of hanging on to my iPad Air's 128gb, I can have a slightly heavier and thicker tablet with
512gb. Now that price is even more expensive than the max'd out MBA but like I said, deep pockets to replace my iPad. USB slot for external drives and full windows games. I may not buy this generation's but I'm eyes wide open to what a Broadwell/Skylake Surface is going to dish out especially in terms of GPU power. iOS move aside.
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