Surface Pro Availability and Pricing

[NickA]

Next Up for the Surface Family: Surface with Windows 8 Pro

 

[Reflexx]

Good pricing.

I already have a Surface RT and I find that I haven't turned on my real PC for quite a while. I'd love to get the Surface Pro, but if I'm honest with myself, I don't really need it.

 

[anon(5370748)]

So excited about this... Finally, a tablet that I can use Photoshop and Lightroom on! My only concern is the (presumably) fixed 4GB of RAM. I'd love to get 8GB at least, if not 16. Otherwise the specs are great and the price is right for something of that caliber.

 

[Gken]

Yeah this is one of those products I would like but I can't bring myself to buy another thousand dollar piece of tech.

For what I am doing, just creating legal documents, the RT is more than enough for me. But I would love to have all the features of the Surface Pro.

 

[tissotti]

I was expecting Microsoft to be more aggressive on pricing and knowing how hopeless MS is with their hardware releases anywhere outside USA, it's definite pass for me.

Should have TF810 Vivo tab next month or Transformer Book with thinner body than Surface pro and proper keyboard.

 

[anon(5370748)]

I was expecting Microsoft to be more aggressive on pricing and knowing how hopeless MS is with their hardware releases anywhere outside USA, it's definite pass for me.

Should have TF810 Vivo tab next month or Transformer Book with thinner body than Surface pro and proper keyboard.

$1K is very aggressive for something with those specs. The TF810 competes with the Surface RT, and (to the best of my research) the Transformer Book is going to be 1.5x the price of the Surface Pro (i7 version, probably). It's also a 13" device, where the Surface Pro is a 10.6", so while it might be (marginally) thinner, it's going to have a larger footprint.

 

[Dos101]

$1K is very aggressive for something with those specs. The TF810 competes with the Surface RT, and (to the best of my research) the Transformer Book is going to be 1.5x the price of the Surface Pro (i7 version, probably). It's also a 13" device, where the Surface Pro is a 10.6", so while it might be (marginally) thinner, it's going to have a larger footprint.

Finally, someone on this forum with some sense! People expect Microsoft to be giving these things (and Surface RT) away for free for some reason.

 

[tissotti]

TF810 doesn't really compete with Surface RT as it's X86 device (atom). Transformer Book strength is the design and that it's available in a lot of different configurations. There's 11" version where you can go from i3 to i5, then there's the 13" version where you can get i7 and even discrete gpu with big HDD on the keyboard.

 

[crystal_planet]

Pass. I'm happy with my RT (shocking, I know). Everyone will know all the specs, archetecture etc but i can't wait for the first "Surface Pro is laggy and/or underpowered" post from someone who was expecting a Cray C2 super computer in tablet form.

 

[Archhaddock]

I just wish MS could release it Before 21th of December. I gone be in US until 22 and would gladly bring back 3 of them :-(

 

[anon(5370748)]

TF810 doesn't really compete with Surface RT as it's X86 device (atom). Transformer Book strength is the design and that it's available in a lot of different configurations. There's 11" version where you can go from i3 to i5, then there's the 13" version where you can get i7 and even discrete gpu with big HDD on the keyboard.

True, my Atom netbook with 2GB of RAM and a crappy screen is also less useful than Surface RT because nothing of any worth runs fast on that. At least apps written for RT run quickly on the lower-powered hardware.

I didn't know about the 11" version of the Transformer Book, though really, if a keyboard is the most important thing about a device, it seems an Ultrabook would be a better investment than a tablet. Time will tell

 

[tissotti]

True, my Atom netbook with 2GB of RAM and a crappy screen is also less useful than Surface RT because nothing of any worth runs fast on that. At least apps written for RT run quickly on the lower-powered hardware.

I really hope you are not comparing old Atom netbooks to the newer gen atom on Windows 8. Thing is you get faster Windows 8 modern UI experience and the ability to run X86 software as well. Also things like wacom stylus support that's simply not possible because of lack of power on ARM as the moment.

 

[Rich White]

Like many I'm better off adding a 480 GB SSD to my present Ultrabook and adding a touchscreen monitor and waiting for a 7" Surface.

 

[anon(5370748)]

I really hope you are not comparing old Atom netbooks to the newer gen atom on Windows 8. Thing is you get faster Windows 8 modern UI experience and the ability to run X86 software as well. Also things like wacom stylus support that's simply not possible because of lack of power on ARM as the moment.

Yeah, I realize it's probably good enough for the bulk of people doing email and Facebook and maybe even running Farmville at a decent framerate, but if you've ever tried running Photoshop, Illustrator or Lightroom with 2GB of RAM or on a 1366x768 screen, you'll understand why I don't consider it a viable option or competition for the Surface Pro.

 

[anon(5370748)]

Have to say, though, I am intrigued by the 11" Transformer Book idea, and would consider it over a Surface Pro if the RAM is expandable to 8 (or even 16!)

 

[tissotti]

Yeah, I realize it's probably good enough for the bulk of people doing email and Facebook and maybe even running Farmville at a decent framerate, but if you've ever tried running Photoshop, Illustrator or Lightroom with 2GB of RAM or on a 1366x768 screen, you'll understand why I don't consider it a viable option or competition for the Surface Pro.

There's actually some videos in youtube of photoshop running on ATIV smoothly. It's so more than quoting amount of RAM these days, my current ~1000 euros PC rig got less RAM than my last one (DDR2 vs DDR3). All that said Photoshop in the very basic level seems to be what you get from the Z2760.

I have started thinking of going for Surface Pro as well, if it's available in Germany by January. I mean i'm paying 899 euros for the Vivo tab keyboard combo anyways and while i did pre-order it, i still probably need to wait for week or two. Transformer Book was my first choice back in summer, but damn Asus is crappy when it comes informing customers anything about the Transformer Book, especially the 11" version.

 

[anon(5370748)]

There's actually some videos in youtube of photoshop running on ATIV smoothly. It's so more than quoting amount of RAM these days, my current ~1000 euros PC rig got less RAM than my last one (DDR2 vs DDR3). All that said Photoshop in the very basic level seems to be what you get from the Z2760.

I have started thinking of going for Surface Pro as well, if it's available in Germany by January. I mean i'm paying 899 euros for the Vivo tab keyboard combo anyways and while i did pre-order it, i still probably need to wait for week or two. Transformer Book was my first choice back in summer, but damn Asus is crappy when it comes informing customers anything about the Transformer Book, especially the 11" version.

*Edited down to be less abrasive*

2GB is not enough RAM to effectively use Photoshop, no matter what the rest of your hardware looks like. Yes, it will run it, and even do some basic filters (which redraw slowly), but it's not good for anything more advanced than that. If you're not going to do anything more advanced than that, then why use $900 Photoshop when you can use $0 Instagram or Picasa? I'm actually concerned that 4GB may not be quite enough on the Surface Pro, but we'll see.

 

[tissotti]

*Edited down to be less abrasive*

2GB is not enough RAM to effectively use Photoshop, no matter what the rest of your hardware looks like. Yes, it will run it, and even do some basic filters (which redraw slowly), but it's not good for anything more advanced than that. If you're not going to do anything more advanced than that, then why use $900 Photoshop when you can use $0 Instagram or Picasa? I'm actually concerned that 4GB may not be quite enough on the Surface Pro, but we'll see.

I already own Photoshop and naturally buying Photoshop for any current Windows 8 tablet really makes no sense, SketchBook Pro maybe for slightly different use, but no Photoshop.
But like already said, the whole point of the Z2760 tablets are the stylus, smooth modern UI and compatibility with legacy programs.

 

[inteller]

i've not seen proof the new Atoms are as performant as the Surface RT without sacrificing battery life. They -should- perform better, but not if battery life is taking a hit. I get 2+ days of use out of my Surface RT with moderate use.