Hands-on Experiences with the Surface Book

[Muessig]

This was a surprise device that Microsoft are hoping will reinvent a category. Do you have a Microsoft store near you? If you do, go and take a look at the new devices - especially the Surface Book - and then report back here and let us know what your experiences and impressions are. Is it a winner? Too expensive? Sound off below!

 

[ytrewq]

Hands on with the Surface Book

I went to my local Microsoft Store today and spent an hour or so playing with the new Surface Book. I went there expecting that I would order the Surface Pro 4. As cool as the Surface Book looked in the video, I felt that the advantages of the Surface Book's nicer keyboard and trackpad were outweighed by the extra weight and thickness. I came away convinced that buying the Surface Book is a no-brainer. It is awesome.

First, the keyboard is every bit as nice as a MacBook. The feel and travel of the keys is perfect. This is a best-in-class keyboard.

Second, the trackpad is equally awesome. The glass trackpad feels so smooth and graceful that it may even best the MacBook. I tried my son's MacBook Air for comparison when I got home, and I think the Surface Book's trackpad was a tad better. But there was a couple hours delay between the time I spent playing with each, so I don't want to say that too strongly until I can compare them side-by-side.

I think it's fair to compare the trackpad and keyboard to the MacBook because, until now, I think those are the areas in which all other laptop makers have completely dropped the ball, and MacBook has been in a class of its own. No more.

Third, the new pen is incredible. (Equally true for the Surface Pro 4, which uses the same pen.). I like the pen on my SP3 a lot, but the new pen is in a different league. With the pens on the SP2 and SP3, I always felt that they were very functional, but they felt nothing like writing on paper. Everything was just too slick and slid too easily. They lacked the drag that you feel with real paper. As a result, my penmanship was never quite as good as I could achieve on real paper. But with the new pen, the nibs has more "squish" to it, and it has just a bit of friction that gives it the same kind of drag you would feel with a pen or pencil writing on paper.

The eraser on the back is soft and squishy like a real eraser, and it also has just the right amount of friction. MS has managed to create a feeling that is very similar to using a real eraser on paper. You can tell they put a lot of effort into turning the new pen and Surface line into a real paper-like experience. I like it a lot.

Fourth, the overall design of the device is different and interesting in a very good way. I was concerned that the curve at the hinge, and the oft-discussed "gap," would cause the device to be too thick at the back half. But when I saw and held the device in person, I was very happy with the size and the weight. It is extremely elegant. Everything about it screams class, elegance, and quality. I was also concerned that it would be heavy compared to the SP4, but when the keyboard is attached to the SP4, the weight difference was not enough to matter to me. The Surface Book is slightly heavier, but not enough to make a real difference.

Fifth, the display/tablet/whatever you want to call it is really nice. The display gives a stunningly beautiful image. And when you remove the display from the base, I was shocked at how much I liked it. It looks very large next to the SP4, but it's surprisingly comfortable to hold, and the extra image size is really nice. The display actually weighs less than the SP4 without the keyboard, even though it is larger. The weight difference is small, but it is noticeable. That small difference actually matters when you are using a device as a tablet -- holding it with one hand for a while makes an extra .1 pound stand out. So, even though it is larger, the smaller weight makes it feel equally comfortable to hold. As a tablet, I preferred the Surface Book's detached display to the SP4.

As far as performance, etc., you can learn all about that online. But what I wanted to convey in this post was more about the feel of the device. There's no way to get that from looking at specs and pictures online. It's kind of like the difference between sitting in a luxury car and a Honda. You experience differences that you can't discern from pictures. The sound and feel of the door closing, the texture of the leather and brushed metal surfaces, and other things that you have to experience in person. The Surface Pro line has always had a lot of that sort of in-person luxury feel, but the Surface Book takes it to a completely different level. When you use it in person, you understand exactly why Panos kept describing it as "the ultimate laptop." It's not just the specs or the features. As I left the store, I couldn't help but keep repeating (out loud, I'm embarrassed to say), "that's exactly how laptops should have been built all along.".

 

[Gken]

Re: Hands on with the Surface Book

after reading this (in class), I really want to go down to the San Diego store and check this out. Haha you really sold that.

 

[CygnusOrion]

Hearing that the keyboard & trackpad are the real deal is very gratifying! Apple should be worried!

 

[CygnusOrion]

My report from the MS Store in Bellevue, WA:

The store was packed on a Saturday afternoon like I'd never seen it before. I couldn't even see the Surface Book right away because there were a cluster of people surrounding it. Ooohing and Aahing. The MS person was demo-ing it, but it doesn't look like he was letting anyone actually put there hands on it and type or anything while I was there. Def HUGE excitement for that device.

I was able to try out the SP4. The new Type Cover is a vastly improved typing experience from what I remember the original Type Cover. The new glass trackpad is the real deal, although I wish it were full size. If I were in the market for this type of device right now it would be an instant buy.

Also lots of people around the other 3rd party laptop tables and lots of kids in the XBox area.

Was able to see 2 demo units of Lumia 950XL, but no 950s for some reason. No Continuum demo on display, that was disappointing.

Just for comparison sake, I went to check the Apple Store and it had the normal size crowd for a Saturday around 4PM. There were sections of the store that didn't have people at all. Is the tide turning? Time will tell.

 

[kittengirl]

I went to the U-Village store after work (work in Seattle, live on the East Side) to try it, and was able to get my hands on it without waiting too long, but yah, when I stopped at the Bellevue store on Thursday around 5 p.m., I couldn't get near it.

I'm thrilled with the new typecover, and have one on preorder for my SP3. It's a HUGE improvement.

 

[EMINENT 1]

I have an SP3. Saw the Book and SP4 today. I'm mostly a tablet user and had my mind set on SP4. The Book is amazing too despite the downsides of no stand and lower battery life. The tablet portion felt lighter than my SP3 even though they're about the same. I can't come to need Book as much as I want one. It's such a compromise.

If you need a laptop first, Book is it. But, SP4 for me!

 

[kittengirl]

I thought I would feel the same way, but there are enough times that I've been disappointed with the laptop experience on my SP3 that I decided to "book it" after trying that thing out. I'm really anxious for the larger screen space for embroidery digitizing and for photo manipulation too, so that tainted my decision a bit. And since I'm usually using the tablet in places I can plug in, I will be fine with the shorter battery life, I think.

I toyed with keeping my SP3 too though, but decided today that I will sell it. I've got an HP Stream 8 for those times when I really want to go portable with a full Windows experience, so I'll be fine.

 

[xboxonthego3]

Tried it today in KC. Crazy cool! The clipboard is so light. The keyboard adds some heft but the battery would be worth it. I originally thought the hinge folded all the way around as well as the screen detaching. But the screen just detaches then you can fold it back. Anyway no big deal really not sure why I thought that. Screen size was great and the writing experience is so much better with the new pen. Almost like paper. Really. Only thing was with the clipboard detaching.. I felt scared to pull it apart. Which is a good thing means it wont fall of easily because it has a strong connection. But we actually got it stuck and the clipboard would not come off. And yes I pressed the button and waited for it to turn green.. I even had the store employee show me at first and also try to get it detached. They had to get a technician to look at it. I felt bad... It was such a cool device. The employee came back and said the book thought it was already detached when it wasn't. My brother and I think I might of hesitated to pull it off completely and didn't pull it off in time.. Hopefully this isn't an issue for others. Also interesting tidbit I didn't know about the gap people are complaining about. The employee said it was for cooling. Which after looking that makes a bit of sense. At least it is a fairly good argument for the gap.

 

[kittengirl]

Also interesting tidbit I didn't know about the gap people are complaining about. The employee said it was for cooling. Which after looking that makes a bit of sense. At least it is a fairly good argument for the gap.

That would certainly make sense when using it in tablet mode with the keyboard unit attached and flipped backwards.

 

[xapache]

Ok so 1 full day down and I have to say that I do not regret the $3000+ I spent for the Surface Book and Surface Dock. Thank goodness right?

The keyboard is a stand out for me as well as the ability to use Windows Hello to login. I have some limited use with the pen (not an artist) but I like using it after detaching the screen for text entry rather than the OSK. The keyboard is a joy to type on compared to my outgoing Acer S7.

One and only one minor ding would be the feet. Yes, the feet, they aren't all that gripping on my desk. So when I close the SB and then come back to open it with one hand it slides a bit. Need two hands to open it. However, sitting on my lap it sits nicely and doesn't move at all. Other than that very minor gripe it is well worth the money if you have it to spend.

The buying experience, for me, did not go well. I preordered on October 7th. Only to have my order cancelled due to payment errors (on MS's end). After a very lengthy chat with MS Store online, it was reordered with the assurance that it would arrive on the 26th. Two days later that order was cancelled. This time MS was on it and they actually called me and all was set right once again. When the order confirmation came - on Friday - it said 6-7 weeks for delivery. Ugh! But then on Saturday I received a shipping notification and my Surface Book and Dock arrived Monday morning at 9:30. Amazing! In the end it worked out but it was hit or miss there for a bit.

Enjoy.

 

[JaimitoFrog]

Ok so 1 full day down and I have to say that I do not regret the $3000+ I spent for the Surface Book and Surface Dock. Thank goodness right?

The keyboard is a stand out for me as well as the ability to use Windows Hello to login. I have some limited use with the pen (not an artist) but I like using it after detaching the screen for text entry rather than the OSK. The keyboard is a joy to type on compared to my outgoing Acer S7.

One and only one minor ding would be the feet. Yes, the feet, they aren't all that gripping on my desk. So when I close the SB and then come back to open it with one hand it slides a bit. Need two hands to open it. However, sitting on my lap it sits nicely and doesn't move at all. Other than that very minor gripe it is well worth the money if you have it to spend.

The buying experience, for me, did not go well. I preordered on October 7th. Only to have my order cancelled due to payment errors (on MS's end). After a very lengthy chat with MS Store online, it was reordered with the assurance that it would arrive on the 26th. Two days later that order was cancelled. This time MS was on it and they actually called me and all was set right once again. When the order confirmation came - on Friday - it said 6-7 weeks for delivery. Ugh! But then on Saturday I received a shipping notification and my Surface Book and Dock arrived Monday morning at 9:30. Amazing! In the end it worked out but it was hit or miss there for a bit.

Enjoy.

Maybe do a little mod on those "feet" to add a bit more grip. Maybe those furniture leg protectors/
Cushions.

Chair Table Leg Self Adhesive Anti Scratch Cushion Floor Noise Protector Pad R4 | eBay

 

[Ian Sliney]

've had my $2,200 Surface Book for three days. I thought it would replace my MacBook Pro and iPad 3. Seems I was mistaken, and I'm very, very disappointed. The Surface Book is utterly unreliable, crashing every ten minutes with a blue screen that seeks to reassure me that it has identified a problem and is fixing it. Repetitively. It's an ill omen. Like a stillborn child.

The cursor vanishes frequently, and when it does, the touchscreen becomes unresponsive, requiring I power it down and restart it. The screen frequently fails to detach. The connection with the internet slows down to a crawl. What sort of product is this? I can't get any work done. Nothing. It's only use to me right now is as a very expensive paperweight...............

All the while my MacBook Pro and iPad 3 chug along very happily, connecting to the same internet connection at lightening speed, never crashing, never failing.

Instead of replacing my trusty MacBook and iPad with what I hoped was (and was promised) the best, fastest, coolest laptop ever built, I'm taking this almost useless lump of magnesium it back to the vendor, asking for a refund and replacing it with an iPad Pro.

With the $1,200 I will save, I can buy myself a ticket to somewhere warm and tropical where I can do my writing and photography, and drink caipirinha's on the beach knowing that my Apple products simply will not fail me.

Is anyone else considering heading for Rio?

Microsoft, what are you going to do about this?

 

[Hoekie]

Microsoft, what are you going to do about this?

So, did you give the Surface Book a second chance? Most issues seem to be solved now by the November update.

 

[digitalbikertv]

Just got my surface book i7, 16gb, 512gb !!!!

 

[Dennis E]

In short, after about a month of daily use, I'm underwhelmed and frustrated.

Before you buy, contact Microsoft first and make sure your monitor(s) are supported hardware for the Surfacebook and/or docking station.

I feel like I've paid a premium to beta test a product. I expect some level of complications when it comes to new hardware but this has become a daily struggle of troubleshooting my work setup. Support has been good when I'm able to get in touch with them, but no one has any solution.

As a work computer where you're going to have multiple monitors hooked up, I cannot recommend the Surfacebook. The last thing I anticipated with my purchase of the SB was an incompatibility with new monitors that I purchased back in May. Every day, regardless of whether I have the monitors daisy chained (displayport MST configuration) or whether they're connected through the docking station or direct to the SB, the monitors will at random, disconnect. Work that requires concentration and focus then becomes interrupted with a litany of troubleshooting steps in order to get the displays to come back.

I check and apply updates daily, and no update I've received so far has fixed this issue. Support has given me a list of monitors that are unsupported (actually a list of monitors that Microsoft cannot guarantee performance with). It's not a long list but the Dell U2715H and others in the U family are in that list as well as some other manufacturers. I suspect this list only exists as a result of customers complaining about the same issue the no fix has been able to address, so it's probably not an exhaustive list.

I've yet to receive a reply on if there is a list of monitors that Microsoft does guarantee performance with Surface products.

The performance of the SB is outstanding, but TBH, it's not much of a performance difference than my previous laptop that also had an i7 w/ 16GB or RAM and a SSD. I wanted to get the SB because it was a little more versatile in its form factor and about 20 pounds lighter.

In summary, great product that's not quite ready for prime time right now.

 

[JaimitoFrog]

In short, after about a month of daily use, I'm underwhelmed and frustrated.

Before you buy, contact Microsoft first and make sure your monitor(s) are supported hardware for the Surfacebook and/or docking station.

I feel like I've paid a premium to beta test a product. I expect some level of complications when it comes to new hardware but this has become a daily struggle of troubleshooting my work setup. Support has been good when I'm able to get in touch with them, but no one has any solution.

As a work computer where you're going to have multiple monitors hooked up, I cannot recommend the Surfacebook. The last thing I anticipated with my purchase of the SB was an incompatibility with new monitors that I purchased back in May. Every day, regardless of whether I have the monitors daisy chained (displayport MST configuration) or whether they're connected through the docking station or direct to the SB, the monitors will at random, disconnect. Work that requires concentration and focus then becomes interrupted with a litany of troubleshooting steps in order to get the displays to come back.

I check and apply updates daily, and no update I've received so far has fixed this issue. Support has given me a list of monitors that are unsupported (actually a list of monitors that Microsoft cannot guarantee performance with). It's not a long list but the Dell U2715H and others in the U family are in that list as well as some other manufacturers. I suspect this list only exists as a result of customers complaining about the same issue the no fix has been able to address, so it's probably not an exhaustive list.

I've yet to receive a reply on if there is a list of monitors that Microsoft does guarantee performance with Surface products.

The performance of the SB is outstanding, but TBH, it's not much of a performance difference than my previous laptop that also had an i7 w/ 16GB or RAM and a SSD. I wanted to get the SB because it was a little more versatile in its form factor and about 20 pounds lighter.

In summary, great product that's not quite ready for prime time right now.

That's too bad. Hope surface dock 2 will come out soon.

As for the list of non compatible monitors, can you post them here for us?

 

[bbolding75]

Are you kidding?! Hardly.

Battery drain issues still persist, even with today's 12/2 Hardware Update that patched the Intel HD Driver error. For a full 25 point list, visit the MS SurfaceBook forums..

 

[SDP123]

This is not a quality device.
The stylus stopped writing after 4 days. Microsoft told me I should pay them 20 dollars for a replacement. Never going to happen. I just spent over $1,600 on this Book, and I'm not going to pay 20 dollars more to get a functioning stylus.
The touch pad just stopped working last night. Totally non-responsive. I had to stop working and go buy a mouse just so I could use my new $1,600 Book. My only other option is to call Microsoft again, waste 45 minutes on hold, and have them tell me my touch pad is not working. And then what? Stop working for a month while they try to fix it? No. I have 30 days to return it to the store for a refund, and that's what I'll be doing. I do not and will not recommend the Surface Book to anyone. But I will go out of my way to tell people it is extremely poor quality, an to just buy the Mac.

 

[littlebib]

Ultimately, this machine is not ready for prime time. Screen is great, I like Windows Hello, but between issues with sleep, random issues when detaching/attaching the screen, and high processor utilization for things like "system and compressed memory" processes really make this device rather lacking at this time. I'm sure MS will get these fixed in 2-3 months, but it's going to be a long wait until then. I would not recommend anyone get this laptop at this time.