Surface Pro 3

[maflynn]

The bigger the better for me as I only use my SP3 either sitting down or in bed, I don't really carry it much or use it outside. A 14" for work/home and a 8" mini for on the go would be perfect.

Don't get me wrong, the 14" SP would be very tempting. I love my SP3, but a larger display would be helpful. Its just that as I use it travel with, the advantages of the mobility of it decrease while the user enjoyment increases thanks to the larger display.

 

[Even Longer]

It is kind of off-topic, but I have to confess, hat I really miss my SP3 after returning it... I think, it was not my best decision to bring it back.

Even some productivity features from Windows (like instant window snapping on win+arrow keys) are highly missed here on OS X side again, not to mention the pen and touch input... Just how many times I touched the monitor on OSX after getting used to it on Windows.

 

[balamw]

So it could be a 10" Surface tablet running on an Atom or Core M class processor running full blown Windows..

That it is. http://www.microsoftstore.com coming 5/5.

EDIT: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1861025/

B

 

[apolloa]

That it is. http://www.microsoftstore.com coming 5/5.

EDIT: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1861025/

B

hahaha... I'm all over it matey will get the 4GB 128GB model, it's cracking value plus I can get a discount, it will be my laptop replacement, just need to get my Mac Pro now to complete my setup, one day... oh and the new iPhone.

hmm need more money...

 

[ravenvii]

It is kind of off-topic, but I have to confess, hat I really miss my SP3 after returning it... I think, it was not my best decision to bring it back.

Even some productivity features from Windows (like instant window snapping on win+arrow keys) are highly missed here on OS X side again, not to mention the pen and touch input... Just how many times I touched the monitor on OSX after getting used to it on Windows.

I'm actually considering reselling my SP3 even though I love it. My gut tells me that the SP4 will come out relatively soon (in 3-5 months) and that it'll be a substantial upgrade spec-wise.

 

[Michael Goff]

I'm actually considering reselling my SP3 even though I love it. My gut tells me that the SP4 will come out relatively soon (in 3-5 months) and that it'll be a substantial upgrade spec-wise.

It's just going to be Haswell to Broadwell, most likely.

 

[Even Longer]

It's just going to be Haswell to Broadwell, most likely.

Or, if MS really cares to use their heads for thinking this time, - it is going to be Skylake.

 

[maflynn]

I'm actually considering reselling my SP3 even though I love it. My gut tells me that the SP4 will come out relatively soon (in 3-5 months) and that it'll be a substantial upgrade spec-wise.

The only thing that may tempt me for an SP4 is the if it goes 14". Even then, that may be too big. The portability of the current form factor is great. My old eyes would love a larger display but that may decrease the sheer portability.

The bottom line for me, is that I'll not sell anything until I see the actual product and determine which one best fits my needs.

 

[Michael Goff]

Or, if MS really cares to use their heads for thinking this time, - it is going to be Skylake.

If Skylake isn't out, they can't do anything.

 

[Charliebird]

Or, if MS really cares to use their heads for thinking this time, - it is going to be Skylake.

Plus Windows 10 should be out around the same time Skylake is launched. It almost makes too much sense to actually happen.

 

[Liquorpuki]

2 things that would make me upgrade to the SP4:

1 - Skylake

2 - Thunderbolt port so I could use an external GPU. With an eGPU, this computer would be able to do everything.

 

[ravenvii]

2 - Thunderbolt port so I could use an external GPU. With an eGPU, this computer would be able to do everything.

I wonder if USB-C can handle an external GPU?

 

[maflynn]

Or, if MS really cares to use their heads for thinking this time, - it is going to be Skylake.

The same can and has been said with Apple and the MBP line. I think in both cases we'll see Broadwell refreshes as opposed to waiting until Skylake.

 

[maflynn]

It took a good part of the morning, but I upgraded my SP3 to the latest build of Windows 10. So far its working pretty well. The difference now, is that I did an upgrade of my win8.1 volume instead of partitioning the drive in two and having a separate win10 volume.

 

[ct2k7]

It took a good part of the morning, but I upgraded my SP3 to the latest build of Windows 10. So far its working pretty well. The difference now, is that I did an upgrade of my win8.1 volume instead of partitioning the drive in two and having a separate win10 volume.

How is using it as a tablet?

 

[spinedoc77]

It took a good part of the morning, but I upgraded my SP3 to the latest build of Windows 10. So far its working pretty well. The difference now, is that I did an upgrade of my win8.1 volume instead of partitioning the drive in two and having a separate win10 volume.

Did they add back the tablet stuff yet? Charms bar, swiping from left to cycle through programs, full screen apps, etc.? I found Win10 to be absolutely horrendous on my SP3, it truly felt like a desktop OS shoehorned into a tablet similar to how maybe Win7 would feel on a SP3.

 

[Michael Goff]

Did they add back the tablet stuff yet? Charms bar, swiping from left to cycle through programs, full screen apps, etc.? I found Win10 to be absolutely horrendous on my SP3, it truly felt like a desktop OS shoehorned into a tablet similar to how maybe Win7 would feel on a SP3.

Charms bar s gone for good, the switching brings up the same as desktop, and full screen still isn't there. That being said, only the last bugs me. Using the program switcher they have in 10 is easy enough.

I don't understand how people are having issues.

 

[maflynn]

Charms are gone, I'm rocking with Start10 which gives me the windows 7 start menu. Running it tablet is ok, I use the pen and everything seems to be working well.

I'm not liking the new icons, seem to cartoonish to me. The system tray area seems a little poorly organized. Things don't line up the way I expect them too - I think the new notification system is partly to blame. I don't see any way to set my preferences to hide certain icons and unhide others in the systray either. I sound like I'm nit-picking and in a sense I am, but I think that also shows how well built everything else is, i.e., this is my only complaint so far.

 

[ct2k7]

Charms are gone, I'm rocking with Start10 which gives me the windows 7 start menu. Running it tablet is ok, I use the pen and everything seems to be working well.

I'm not liking the new icons, seem to cartoonish to me. The system tray area seems a little poorly organized. Things don't line up the way I expect them too - I think the new notification system is partly to blame. I don't see any way to set my preferences to hide certain icons and unhide others in the systray either. I sound like I'm nit-picking and in a sense I am, but I think that also shows how well built everything else is, i.e., this is my only complaint so far.

I think Microsoft are working with several icon sets, people were asked to review a completely different icon set a few weeks ago.

 

[maflynn]

I think Microsoft are working with several icon sets, people were asked to review a completely different icon set a few weeks ago.

Good, I'm not a fan of these. They're no worse then Yosemite's but that's not saying much (I hate some of Yosemite's).

 

[spinedoc77]

Charms bar s gone for good, the switching brings up the same as desktop, and full screen still isn't there. That being said, only the last bugs me. Using the program switcher they have in 10 is easy enough.

I don't understand how people are having issues.

Those are huge issues for me in tablet mode. The charms bar mainly because it was a very quick and intuitive way to adjust brightness and volume. From my last use of Win10 a couple of months ago adjusting brightness was insanely hard, there was no toggle/slider and you had to dig into the brightness settings. Flicking through open apps and the desktop was also incredibly intuitive, it's actually such a nice feature I wish it was on phones as well. Full screen, well that speaks for itself, why would I want to go back to a desktop environment when I'm in an app? I think if they made the full screen toggle stick I would be fine with it, but as soon as you switch apps and switch back it's back to maximized view.

I just think MS is unable to think to both sides of the coin for some odd reason. 8.0/8.1 catered to tablet users, and they did a superb job of that. While I'm one of the few who sees virtually no issue with the desktop on 8.1 I guess many consumers did. Microsoft want MUCH too far with appeasing desktop users with features they didn't even want IMO.

Anyway this is all said with the caveat that it's a tech preview and we don't know what else MS will add back in. But with a "summer" release I can't see them really adding much in. I'm a huge MS fanboy, but I'm pretty sure I will stay on 8.1 on my touch tablets, what's sad about that is Win10 is free but I still probably won't upgrade to it.

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Good, I'm not a fan of these. They're no worse then Yosemite's but that's not saying much (I hate some of Yosemite's).

The icons are horrid, hopefully they are not final. I'm not necessarily a fan of skeuomorphism but I like nice detailed icons, not those cartoonish icons MS has.

 

[Michael Goff]

Those are huge issues for me in tablet mode. The charms bar mainly because it was a very quick and intuitive way to adjust brightness and volume. From my last use of Win10 a couple of months ago adjusting brightness was insanely hard, there was no toggle/slider and you had to dig into the brightness settings. Flicking through open apps and the desktop was also incredibly intuitive, it's actually such a nice feature I wish it was on phones as well. Full screen, well that speaks for itself, why would I want to go back to a desktop environment when I'm in an app? I think if they made the full screen toggle stick I would be fine with it, but as soon as you switch apps and switch back it's back to maximized view.

I just think MS is unable to think to both sides of the coin for some odd reason. 8.0/8.1 catered to tablet users, and they did a superb job of that. While I'm one of the few who sees virtually no issue with the desktop on 8.1 I guess many consumers did. Microsoft want MUCH too far with appeasing desktop users with features they didn't even want IMO.

Anyway this is all said with the caveat that it's a tech preview and we don't know what else MS will add back in. But with a "summer" release I can't see them really adding much in. I'm a huge MS fanboy, but I'm pretty sure I will stay on 8.1 on my touch tablets, what's sad about that is Win10 is free but I still probably won't upgrade to it.

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The icons are horrid, hopefully they are not final. I'm not necessarily a fan of skeuomorphism but I like nice detailed icons, not those cartoonish icons MS has.

I'm moving to 10 just for DirectX 12, really.

Edit: and Spartan.

 

[spinedoc77]

I'm moving to 10 just for DirectX 12, really.

Yeah that will be nice on my desktop, which I'll most definitely move to win10 on. I'm just waiting until my 1tb SSD arrives before I go crazy changing my OS. Spartan also sounds VERY nice, although I'm quite happy with modern IE.

 

[diamond.g]

Does the system auto detect the type cover and offer desktop mode now? When I last played with Win10 that wasn't an option yet. Curious to see if the folks having issues with the touch stuff is due to the keyboard being attached.

 

[spinedoc77]

Does the system auto detect the type cover and offer desktop mode now? When I last played with Win10 that wasn't an option yet. Curious to see if the folks having issues with the touch stuff is due to the keyboard being attached.

You can set it up that way, or you can change automatically. But the issues I have persist as they basically got rid of some very useful tablet features.