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Surface Pro 3 announcement and prices

jamezr

jamezr

macrumors P6
Aug 7, 2011
16,081
19,082
US
maflynn said:
I'm back to leaning not to buy it. I figure I can put my $$ to better uses. It is a lot of money but since it would replace a laptop, that means replacing my rMBP and while only Ivy Bridge, it has a nice dGPU, 16GB of ram and 256GB SSD.

With the rMBP I can easily set it up as dual boot for both windows and OSX so I can use windows when I need to or OSX (I've gotten tired of Vmware and the performance issues)

I think I'd be giving up too much with the SP3, though its a damn sexy device and I can see it replacing my rMBP but since I spent so much moola on the rMBP 2 years ago I hate to replace it.
Click to expand...
See...those are great points. You can dual boot another OS on a MBP and that lends the device to more uses and adds value and versatility. But it also adds to the price. The cost of Windows...then maybe say Office can add hundreds of dollars to the laptop. It can be looked at different ways....either it is costing that much......or saving that money from buying an additional device......

But i don't see the SP3 as a true full function laptop replacement. Maybe a netbook replacement......Then when creating content say on an uneven surface such as the living room sofa. How does the SP3 hold up ergonomically? Does it balance and rest like a laptop does? I work from home a lot....i can balance my work laptop on my lap on the sofa and do emails all day long. I can create Word and Excel docs with relative ease......i can video conference and my work laptop rests and balance on my lap effortlessly. Can the SP3 do that with the snap on keyboard?
 
O

OSMac

macrumors 65816
Jun 14, 2010
1,455
7
maflynn said:
That's the funny thing with technology, the same thing can be said about MBPs or iPads. Given the improvements that the SP3 has, I don't see buyers incurring buyers remorse when the SP4 is out.
Click to expand...

Have to disagree on that , recent Intel CPU updates and even iPad updates really offered little change to non tech buyers.

Broadwell's promised increase in battery life and negating the need for fans are something anyone would see and appreciate.

If Intel indeed said no early Broadwell possible till q4 then given the poor current SP sales , I guess SP3 makes sense to those who want something now, but I'd wait.

An SP4 with Broadwell+ and Windows 9 might just be the device business and consumers could replace a laptop and ipad with.
 
T

Twixt

macrumors 6502
May 30, 2012
471
11
Am i the only one struggling when trying to have some "pro" usage on a tablet ? Basics such as XLS or PPT are pain in the a** without a mouse or proper keybord imo
 
zhenya

zhenya

macrumors 604
Jan 6, 2005
6,931
3,681
Twixt said:
Am i the only one struggling when trying to have some "pro" usage on a tablet ? Basics such as XLS or PPT are pain in the a** without a mouse or proper keybord imo
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Nope, I agree. I'm not convinced that the increase in screen size is going to make up for the additional resolution and actually be usable for most people with Window's desktop scaling. The keyboard and trackpad are nowhere near good enough for primary use.

This is a huge improvement over the first two generations, but it's still a compromise for most people over a good laptop and separate tablet.
 
sracer

sracer

macrumors G4
Apr 9, 2010
10,405
13,290
where hip is spoken
Twixt said:
Am i the only one struggling when trying to have some "pro" usage on a tablet ? Basics such as XLS or PPT are pain in the a** without a mouse or proper keybord imo
Click to expand...
You're not alone. That's why I'm hoping that Apple relents and adds support for bluetooth mice in an iOS update.

For working on xls and ppt files, I use my Surface 2. Although it runs Windows RT, the version of MS Office it comes preinstalled with works great... and because it supports bluetooth and usb devices, it makes a great presentation device. The trackpad on the TypeCover2 is terrible, so I keep a bluetooth mouse with me and use it when feasible.

I use a Targus wireless presentation remote. The receiver plugs directly in the Surface's USB 3.0 port.

When I'm presenting one-on-one, I can use the remote and present directly on the Surface's display. When I'm presenting to an audience, I connect the Surface to a projector or large HDTV via the HDMI port and operate in dual display mode.

The greatest impediment to getting "pro" usage out of the Surface 2 is the lack of quality apps in certain key areas. Other than that, the Surface hardware has been up to the task.
 
M

mclld

macrumors 68030
Nov 6, 2012
2,658
2,127
nz9Cljb.png
 
Vegastouch

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,185
992
Las Vegas, NV
maflynn said:
I'm back to leaning not to buy it. I figure I can put my $$ to better uses. It is a lot of money but since it would replace a laptop, that means replacing my rMBP and while only Ivy Bridge, it has a nice dGPU, 16GB of ram and 256GB SSD.

With the rMBP I can easily set it up as dual boot for both windows and OSX so I can use windows when I need to or OSX (I've gotten tired of Vmware and the performance issues)

I think I'd be giving up too much with the SP3, though its a damn sexy device and I can see it replacing my rMBP but since I spent so much moola on the rMBP 2 years ago I hate to replace it.
Click to expand...

If you are replacing it, just sell it and recoup some of the money.

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OSMac said:
Impressed with the MS event. Liked how they acknowledged the MacBook Air's usefulness many times and the shortcomings of existing Windows tablets.

Releasing the SP3 now with the lack of Broadwell is puzzling. MS made great effort to promote how much Intel worked worth them on the product, yet Intel's upcoming CPU designed for devices like this, is missing? It's not like Broadwell is just another minor speed bump, it's supposed to be a massive change, designed for tablet devices greatly improving battery life, graphics and not needing a fan at all.

Seems like a early Broadwell CPU would have been the perfect fit for this device. An opportunity for Intel and MS to show they are back in the post PC game.

When Broadwell finally does release could leave SP3 buyers wishing they waited.
Click to expand...

Ha, everybody was waiting for Haswell not too long ago and its battery improvements and it hasnt been that long and now Broadwell is worth waiting for? If the battery life on the SP3 on Haswell is 9 friggin hours on a 12" device...i think that is damn good. Who cares about having a fan or not. At least for me, Ive never had one go bad.
 
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ggibson913

ggibson913

macrumors 65816
Sep 11, 2006
1,119
643
Lloydbm41 said:
The very fact that people are considering the Surface Pro 3 in the same league as the MacBook Air/Pro (and willing to buy such a product, putting their money where their mouth is) speaks volumes about the device.

This is the first time that I would actually hesitate and have to think long and hard whether to buy a MBA or SP3. In the past, given the choice, I would have chosen a MacBook 10 out of 10 times without a second thought.
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While in applaud Microsoft for an outstanding effort, I still much prefer Mavericks over Windows 8. Yes, I have used both :). Besides my mid 2012 Retina MacBook Pro still has plenty of juice in it for my needs.
 
Cnasty

Cnasty

macrumors 68040
Jul 2, 2008
3,336
2,106
Anyone know how much the 4th generation, 16gb retina display is going for on the resale market?

Would love to put this towards a new surface due to work stepping up their office use and sending me more remote.

Man that device looks sweet.
 
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bnmcj1

macrumors 6502
Apr 13, 2014
398
180
I find it funny that people do not know yet, that this is what they really want - and that this is what most of us will buy in a few years. Surface Pro 3 is just brilliant. I have bought mac since 2006 and this is the first time I see something which is clearly a better choice than MacBooks + iPad.
 
sracer

sracer

macrumors G4
Apr 9, 2010
10,405
13,290
where hip is spoken
bnmcj1 said:
I find it funny that people do not know yet, that this is what they really want - and that this is what most of us will buy in a few years. Surface Pro 3 is just brilliant. I have bought mac since 2006 and this is the first time I see something which is clearly a better choice than MacBooks + iPad.
Click to expand...
Where the Surface line (and all Windows tablets) fall short in is the continued lack of Modern UI apps. Support for legacy apps is a stop-gap but not preferred. Those apps are not designed for a touch interface and while it is possible to do so, it is not the best.

This was compounded by the 16:9 aspect ratio of the pre-3rdGen Surfaces. That aspect ratio makes using the onscreen keyboard cumbersome in landscape (3/4 of the screen is covered by the keyboard), and too cramped in portrait.

The 3:2 AR of the Surface Pro 3 will improve things in that area though.
 
maflynn

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
Vegastouch said:
If you are replacing it, just sell it and recoup some of the money.
Click to expand...
That thought crossed my mind, but its such a nice computer and it does work well enough for me. I'm still on the fence but selling it is an option I've been mulling over. The rMBP gives me the ability to run both Windows and OSX vs. the SP3 being windows only.

Liquorpuki said:
Preordered the i7 model and a black type cover
Click to expand...
Swinging for the fences - nice. :)
 
spinedoc77

spinedoc77

macrumors G4
Jun 11, 2009
11,488
5,413
Vegastouch said:
If you are replacing it, just sell it and recoup some of the money.

----------



Ha, everybody was waiting for Haswell not too long ago and its battery improvements and it hasnt been that long and now Broadwell is worth waiting for? If the battery life on the SP3 on Haswell is 9 friggin hours on a 12" device...i think that is damn good. Who cares about having a fan or not. At least for me, Ive never had one go bad.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's the thing, will it really make that much of a difference? 9 hours versus what 12 hours maybe? I don't really use my laptop/tablet away from a power outlet that long anyway, and it gets charged every night. Granted it will be nice if you are running CPU intensive stuff and only getting 4 hours, but would you really do that away from a power cord? The fanless design would be nice, but only if it made the device thinner and/or lighter, otherwise I don't think I would really care.

I can spend all my time waiting for the next big thing and not enjoying what I have now. Or I can enjoy this until the holidays and worry about it then, worst case I sell it and lose a couple hundred and buy my new one.

----------
Liquorpuki said:
Preordered the i7 model and a black type cover
Click to expand...

Nice. I'm going to preorder the 256gb i5/8gb ram on Saturday at my local MS store, the i7 was just too much overkill for me although the 512gb hard drive does sound nice. I figured the difference in price would buy me like 7 of the new 128gb microSD cards.

I do wish they had a silver type cover to match the silver casing.
 
Liquorpuki

Liquorpuki

macrumors 68020
Jun 18, 2009
2,286
8
City of Angels
maflynn said:
Swinging for the fences - nice. :)
Click to expand...

spinedoc77 said:
Nice. I'm going to preorder the 256gb i5/8gb ram on Saturday at my local MS store, the i7 was just too much overkill for me although the 512gb hard drive does sound nice. I figured the difference in price would buy me like 7 of the new 128gb microSD cards.

I do wish they had a silver type cover to match the silver casing.
Click to expand...

Yeah I've been using the Surface Pro as a daily driver since the first one came out so it's a no-brainer to me - I'm one of the few guys that's already sold on the hybrid concept and I can already see how the extra screen estate will make things easier to use.

I also use my Pro for gaming and the i7 comes with HD 5000. Double the execution units
 
B

bnmcj1

macrumors 6502
Apr 13, 2014
398
180
It is so light compared to the MacBook Air. I want this instead of a new air. Especially with the bad screen on the air, not even retina yet. Also, 3:2 is much better for actual work. This is the future. I have MBA plus Thunderbolt display and iPad Mini Retina. Ah, the day when I hook up a Surface to a display for desktop experience. Three in one. Tablet, laptop, desktop. Can't beat that imo. Since 2006 I have went with the best of both worlds experience: laptop for mobility, display at home for work, desktop flow. I am ready for the best of three worlds. Can't beat Office on a surface. Especially with the stylus.

That said, I will keep my Air for another 2 or 3 years, as it is still more than I need. But when I am in the market next time, this is it.
 
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Vegastouch

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,185
992
Las Vegas, NV
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Cnasty

Cnasty

macrumors 68040
Jul 2, 2008
3,336
2,106
Stupid question, i know, but does the Microsoft Store do any trade in type things of other brand devices towards the purchase of their new ones such as a surface?

Ive seen some places do that with their competitor products to boost sales but wasnt sure if Microsoft was one of them.
 
R

Rodster

macrumors 68040
May 15, 2007
3,177
6
Cnasty said:
Stupid question, i know, but does the Microsoft Store do any trade in type things of other brand devices towards the purchase of their new ones such as a surface?

Ive seen some places do that with their competitor products to boost sales but wasnt sure if Microsoft was one of them.
Click to expand...

IIRC they had one for iPad's in the past. It's best to call their store and ask about any trade in program.
 
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