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Surface Pro 4 vs iPad Pro and the future of pro tablets
- Thread starter Wiesenlooser
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Lol, THIS THIS THIS !!! I can do whatever I want to my hearts content on my windows tablet. No nonsense with root, jailbreak, or whatever hoops I have to jump though to customized MY device, the device I spent my cash on and has my name on the receipt. If I want to install Linux, or OSx (yes you can) on it, I don't have to ask for anyone's permission.
Another HUGE plus for me that many overlook is the high contrast mode windows enjoys, it's absolutely incredible. For example it truly changes the UI to be darkened, but doesn't invert pictures, which makes it awesome for web browsing at night, or for doing anything at night. I think Apple/Android engineers should be taken out back and shot for their PISS POOR implementation of dark modes, which is really just inverting the colors. I can even customize the high contrast mode in windows, change colors, etc. It's little nuggets of controllability which make windows stand out and let me customize my tablet to my needs (and keeps my wife happy at night).
I really love my MacBook, but I really want to do more artwork, so my next machine is going to be one with a built-in pen.
The Surface line is extremely tempting because it's a full computer with a desktop OS and a high-res display and a pen.
There's just nothing on the Apple side that has that combination of features. I can use my Cintiq with my MacBook, but I need to organise the cables, and the Cintiq's display is only 1080p. I could buy an iPad Pro, but I can't run Photoshop or Illustrator or Blender on iOS. And the Pencil doesn't have an eraser.
A Surface is extremely tempting. The Surface Book has even managed to fit an Nvidia GPU in a 13". The price, and especially the reports of power problems are very offputting, though...
If Apple made a full MacBook with Pencil support (and added an eraser) that would be the perfect next step for me.
The Surface line is extremely tempting because it's a full computer with a desktop OS and a high-res display and a pen.
There's just nothing on the Apple side that has that combination of features. I can use my Cintiq with my MacBook, but I need to organise the cables, and the Cintiq's display is only 1080p. I could buy an iPad Pro, but I can't run Photoshop or Illustrator or Blender on iOS. And the Pencil doesn't have an eraser.
A Surface is extremely tempting. The Surface Book has even managed to fit an Nvidia GPU in a 13". The price, and especially the reports of power problems are very offputting, though...
If Apple made a full MacBook with Pencil support (and added an eraser) that would be the perfect next step for me.
You mean a MacBook that had Pencil support, but not touch support? Hm, that could work... but wait, how are you going to angle the screen to draw on it? Would the screen have to flip or swivel somehow?
It would probably have to be a convertible of some kind, yeah. Maybe like a Yoga or like the VAIO Z flip?
I haven't thought about it, but you're right - I don't care about touch on a laptop. The last thing I want to be doing is smearing my fingers all over my laptop screen. Much rather be using a decent trackpad.
But I do want a pen.
I haven't thought about it, but you're right - I don't care about touch on a laptop. The last thing I want to be doing is smearing my fingers all over my laptop screen. Much rather be using a decent trackpad.
But I do want a pen.
The IPP has an eraser from the menu just not as nifty as the Surface
The surface power/battery problem is only in sleep mode not hibernate FYI the rMB has the same issue in bootcamp as do some others, just use hibernate till the fix comes.
Do you know how to change the theme of the onscreen keyboard on the sp4? I was playing around in settings on my friends' but found nothing.
I don't believe you can change the theme of the keyboard at all other than the pre-determined types. But you can't change colors or things like that, maybe with registry hack who knows. There are a couple of software keyboards out there that I used with Win8 but never liked any of them. The only one I remember was TouchPal, it was buggy but maybe they improved it since then.
Anyone looking to pick up a Surface Pro 4 with fanless Core M3 in the US it's currently $699 from Micro Center.
I obviously can't read MRU's mind but as he's in art/graphic design (IIRC), he uses the Apple Pencil to draw. Every review of the Create I've read/watched/listened to says it's quite difficult to remove the iPP from the Create so if you want to use it solely as a tablet with any regularity, the Create is less than ideal.
I ultimately went with a Zagg Slimbook for use with my iPP for this very reason (among others but don't want to hijack MRU's posting).
I was tempted with the logi create (the red & gold version). Indeed the backlit keyboard and extra function keys + €30 cheaper ...
But ultimately the reason I went with Apple's was simply because every review of the logi Create states it makes the device extremely bulky and heavy. Apparently as heavy as the 15 Retina MBP.
And indeed as @tbyargs says, that bulkiness especially when I did want to just draw would mean the logi could be more trouble either leaving it on / or removing the cover.
It was still a close call though, but ultimately I felt the Apple Smart Keyboard made more sense to me.
I was concerned the Apple Smart Keyboard couldn't be used as just a stand - but thankfully found a video showing how it folds and tucks behind it just like the regular Smart Cover when you want just a stand.
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"Long story short: You will sacrifice a noticeable amount of performance and you won't gain any additional battery life choosing the Core m3 model, but you will save a few hundred dollars."
http://www.zdnet.com/article/performance-peek-living-with-the-base-surface-pro-4-with-core-m3/
For most of us on these message boards. The m3 is not a good long term choice. If you plan on keeping it 3 plus years. Better to pay extra for core i5 and more ram.
Other models are on sale, too, but I assumed people would be able to figure it out. Had the i5/8/256 SP3 and now the M3/4/128 SP4 and it's perfectly fine with the benefit of fanless silence for audio production. For anyone budgeting for the $699 iPad Air 2 128GB it's a no brainer to get the SP4 M3/4/128 instead or the $1050 i5/8/256 SP4 for the same price as iPod Pro 128GB+pencil.
Honestly the fan is a non issue. When you first set it up the fans will go nuts for a few days as the OS indexes and everything gets set up. After that the fans rarely come on.
I'm wondering fan vs no fan for someone that is going to keep the device for 5 years though. Can you clean the fan and enclosure on the sp4?
havent bought a surface yet but I have to admit Im leaning fanless because I would be keeping it quite awhile. Heat is really the main reason computers break
idealy I want a 8gb ram fanless model
nice zdnet article post
havent bought a surface yet but I have to admit Im leaning fanless because I would be keeping it quite awhile. Heat is really the main reason computers break
idealy I want a 8gb ram fanless model
nice zdnet article post
I'm wondering fan vs no fan for someone that is going to keep the device for 5 years though. Can you clean the fan and enclosure on the sp4?
havent bought a surface yet but I have to admit Im leaning fanless because I would be keeping it quite awhile. Heat is really the main reason computers break
idealy I want a 8gb ram fanless model
nice zdnet article post
No you can't clean it, ifixit say it's very tough to get into the Surface Pro, lots of glue is used, lots of it. I guess you could blast some compressed air through the vents but then you run the risk of spinning the fan at a fast rate which can kill it's bearings, they aren't designed to run without power.
If you want to know how the fanless model is I highly recommend looking at this chaps You Tube channel for lots of videos:
I hate when people say that the iPad pro is just a larger iPad. Well, it's more than that in my honest opinion. The first thing that I like most about my iPad pro is of course the large screen. I have seen many screens on the surface pro 4, MacBook pros etc. but their is something so dominant and magnificent about the iPad pro screen. The 4:3 aspect ratio just makes everything look better and the resolution is spot on with an almost 13 inch display. It's a joy to watch movies on and the four speakers are very loud and dynamic, best speakers on a portable laptop replacement device. And yes I said laptop replacement because for some of us we only browse the Internet, use Microsoft word, PowerPoint, or excel and use our documents app as a file manager. For me, it's a total laptop replacement. One thing I hate about my windows 10 laptop which I never touch since having the iPad pro is that it has last years i7 processor but Windows 10 always has some stupid update occurring and the operating system still lags at times; the sleep/wake issues of Windows 10 are annoying. What I love about the iPad pro is that everything is instantaneous. As soon as I have to launch something, I launch it and it just works. I can't say the same for Windows because just taking my device out of sleep may take a little time. With the right applications and a keyboard, you can make the iPad pro work as a full laptop replacement but if you are into computer coding or really intense graphic design, you of course need a Windows 10 laptop with a crazy powerful graphics card. I on otherhand am enjoying my amazing device. At grad school, my peers are amazed at the capabilities of the iPad pro especially the pencil support. You cannot do everything you do on the iPad pro on a iPhone because that devices screen is just too small and it doesn't feel like a device that can truly handle productivity; remember it's just a smart phone with minimum screen real estate. I was just typing out a word document and going through safari in split screen view. This screen makes it easier and at times I feel the iPad pro has some type of superiority factor that I don't get from my Windows 10 laptop. Once Apple perfects iOS as a true laptop replacement, everyone whoever doubted the iPad pro will act like its the best device in the world. But for me now, it's the best device I ever had. Yeah, I would love some things like mouse support, but I am doing just fine with it as of now.
iOS is a walled garden, which for some, depending on the idevice is perfect. I'm not going to get into iOS vs Windows because it depends on your requirements. Suffice it to say my sp4 does not have the issues you allude to and can find fault with any device. I do like the ipp though.
Have an iPad Air but have been thinking of getting a Surface to use at work for writing, taking notes, planning etc. Plus maybe some photo editing. Think I'm gonna wait and see what the Surface Pro 5/Surface Book 2 has to offer and if they bring down prices for the 4/book.
Just not a fan of having to buy my own keyboard for the Pro 4. With how expensive they are you would think the keyboard would be included.
Just not a fan of having to buy my own keyboard for the Pro 4. With how expensive they are you would think the keyboard would be included.
I also thought the SP4 was too expensive and that the IPP didn't have enough functionality. I ended up getting an HP Spectre x2 with M3/4GB/128GB with LTE for $599 and it includes a very nice keyboard.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-spec...b-solid-state-drive-natural-silver/4563803.p?