Should i buy the surface pro
- Thread starter haiderkhokhar18
- Start date
xandros9
Active member
Do you need a new PC?
Is less-expensive repairs important to you? If Yes, look elsewhere.
What is the Toshiba tablet model exactly? Might be a better idea if we know exactly what you're coming from.
Is the Surface Pro in-budget? Even including the 8 GB RAM model I'd recommend and Type Cover?
Is less-expensive repairs important to you? If Yes, look elsewhere.
What is the Toshiba tablet model exactly? Might be a better idea if we know exactly what you're coming from.
Is the Surface Pro in-budget? Even including the 8 GB RAM model I'd recommend and Type Cover?
rdubmu
Active member
Get an iPad. Don't use a windows computer as a tablet. The ipad pro is your best bet. If you are looking for a solid PC, the surface pro makes a great laptop
ChrisP1
New member
Don't listen to those simple answers of yes or no. It really depends on your needs/wants. If you want want to do a little video watching but also get work done, it's perfect. If you want to use certain apps like snap chat then no.
It's really a hybrid pc, kinda like a tablet but kinda like a laptop. It's a special kind of 2in1.
So, what do you want to use a tablet for?
Exactly. I have had three Surface Pros over the years. The Original Surface Pro, the Surface Pro 3, and now the Surface Pro (2017). Just like @ChrisP1 says. It depends on what you need.
I have the i7 8GB RAM 256GB SSD version. I use it for work, travel, school, and home. It pretty much does everything I need it to do. It works well as a tablet, however, it is NOT a tablet.
Like what was previously said, by another person and myself. If you get one, get the Type Cover and Pen at the least. I also recommend the Surface Mouse too, although that is less of a need than the other two. The Type Cover turns it into a laptop, and the pen allows you to use it as a writing pad. If you don't want to pay for a Type Cover or Surface Mouse, then any Bluetooth keyboard and mouse will work perfectly fine. Bamboo also makes a pen that is compatible that is cheaper than the Surface Pen.
Microsoft OneNote or Evernote works really well on it. It is also pretty good as a sketch pad for drawings and illustrations.
Adobe Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC work well on it too. Even on the i5 4GB SP3 I had.
I have even run VMs on it using VMWare, with very little lag. That was on the i5 4GB SP3.
I do have a Galaxy Tab S2, however, I don't use that for anything more than reading, emails, and other basic stuff.
If you are a student, Microsoft has some pretty good student discounts. Like 20% off on pretty much everything.
aengmar
New member
As a tablet, it's OK. I bought one to use for drawing and as a laptop. The main problems I have are that tablet mode kind of sucks and programs like Clip Studio don't behave well without a keyboard and they have too much going on on the screen. Photoshop too. And the tablet-style apps just aren't good enough. I do like it as a laptop replacement. Except for the lack of I/O.
An ipad over a Surface Pro??? Oh god no. Surface Pro is the way to go hands down. There is areason Microsoft was able to build the Surface line into a billion dollar business. I am no Satya fan but Surface devices are the way to go if you want to get things done. Ipad is still a toy in comparison.
Sin Ogaris
New member
If you only intend to do basic entertainment functions; movies, internet, tablet quality gaming, etc then 100% no. It simply is not worth the ridiculous asking price for that functionality.
If, however you want to use dedicated Windows software on the go in addition to the aforementioned entertainment then if you can afford one, get one.
Sparro
New member
Yes! I use my Surface Pro in tablet mode about 95% of the time sitting on my couch in front of the tv with my SP sitting on my lap. And the best part is, when I need a serious computer I slap on my type cover and Surface mouse and couldn't be happier. I have the i5, 8GB, 256GB.
I can only compare it to an iPad (1st gen). Simply put, a Surface Pro is a 2 in 1. It's not meant to be the best laptop or tablet. It's both with compromises on each side. Tablet mode on Windows 10 is pretty bad in comparison to the iPad, blame the OS for that. Typing on screen feels slow and laggy when compared to the iPad. Using a pen and writing as a 'keyboard' is actually great and I prefer it over the onscreen keyboard but you can't rely on just writing with the pen as it can get confused from time to time. I pretty much have the type cover connected all the time just in case.
So why I chose a SP(2017) over a newer iPad? I needed something that I could do proper work on and that required one with an awesome keyboard, usb support, bigger but not too big screen, and flash support on the browser, while being portable and having decent battery life. I love the iPad, and user experience is leagues ahead of Windows 10, but having Windows 10 and its support for so many programs, not requiring iTunes or being in a locked down environment kind of makes up for it.
If your needs are like mine, you'll be happy with a Surface Pro.
Content consumption with abit of work here and there, and ok with the iOS locked down nature, then iPad hands down in stability and usability.
So why I chose a SP(2017) over a newer iPad? I needed something that I could do proper work on and that required one with an awesome keyboard, usb support, bigger but not too big screen, and flash support on the browser, while being portable and having decent battery life. I love the iPad, and user experience is leagues ahead of Windows 10, but having Windows 10 and its support for so many programs, not requiring iTunes or being in a locked down environment kind of makes up for it.
If your needs are like mine, you'll be happy with a Surface Pro.
Content consumption with abit of work here and there, and ok with the iOS locked down nature, then iPad hands down in stability and usability.
Drael646464
New member
Depends on what you want to do with it.
Windows devices have the advantage of more powerful software, more peripherals and better multi-tasking. Even in something as simple as watching movies or listening to music, this gives you more power and flexibility.
But _some_ windows software is better with a keyboard and mouse. Especially games (although there are enough touch friendly games unless you are a heavy causal gamer). In terms of full desktop software, touch support is not always a primary consideration - exceptions in things like adobe illustrator, fruity loops and some others including some desktop games. But generally if you scale the screen, and use some UWP apps, it's a good experience touch wise.
There is occasionally however an app that scales badly to a touch experience. But if you are using your tablet for general purposes, you won't really encounter this. I find some legacy software like my backup program scales wrong. I wouldn't want to use photoshop touch only either.
iOS has only touch friendly software. It's not as powerful, but it's generally more suited to tablets, and higher quality than android software. It's almost a middle ground - although you won't get the feature rich software even for basic uses, like you do with windows - full browser, full media players etc.
Android has only touch friendly software. It's not as powerful, the software isn't high quality, but it has a large catalogue of apps and a high degree of compatibility with Bluetooth smart devices.
So I'd say windows if you want power/flexibility in the software, iOS if you want to mainly play touch games or have low needs, and android if you want lots of smart device intergration. Windows does have touch games, and some great ones (trine 2, witcher 3, sims 3, icewind dale enhanced, torment enhanced, and many more) - but not quite as many as ios - if you want that volume, because you are a heavy casual gamer, then ios wins out (despite the fact that some of the windows touch games are better/higher quality). Of course plug in the keyboard or a mouse, or use a stylus, and that number goes up enough that IMO, windows wins out on number too.
Ultimately the surface as a two in one, can do more. It can be a laptop, or a tablet. With the stylus you can use that rarer mouse requiring software without needing a mouse, and there's a great deal of stylus intergration these days in windows (more than anything else). It's a high quality device, but it's expensive.
Me, I am on the side of windows. I've used everything, and I find the others limiting. Even browsing is inferior.
But I do get that using some full desktop software, without the keyboard is painful. How much that matters, really depends I think on how much of a power user you are. But if you do happen to encounter some software that doesn't work well with touch (which shouldn't be that often), just flip the keyboard on, no big deal.
For me, the big question about the surface range is price. I think you can probably get similar devices for cheaper. You get the surface, or the new dell or similar, if you want the top end.
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Drael646464
New member
Well it's not like you can get photoshop on iOS or android. But adobe should really make a stylus/touch mode for that, like they have with illustrator.
rchapman80
New member
This is a difficult question and everyone will have a different answer based on use case and what you like to use. iPads, Kindle Fires and Android tablets are very nice and very useful for most people.
For me, I sold off my MacBook Pro and my iPad, replacing them with a Surface Pro 2017 (i5, 256GB). I wanted only one device. I personally will never go back. I enjoy having total control over my device with a full OS. I wanted something with a micro SD slot for the photos I take, file access and full desktop apps.
Can you get by using it as just a tablet... yes and no. Windows 10 isn't totally touch friendly. If you can get by with the limitations then I think it's worth it. Mobile apps still don't do it for most people.
Andrew G1
New member
The prompt from Windows Central was, "should you buy a Surface Pro to replace a tablet?" I think that until Windows on ARM is a living, breathing thing, the answer is no. I love my Surface Pro but I supplement it with an Android tablet as my main book and document reader because of the battery life. The Surface Pro is still basically a laptop. It can get me through a day very easily but I am a 10-12 hours of work a day kind of guy (I'm in grad school) and it won't cut it. I suspect that isn't much different for people who are, say, 8-10 hours a day people.
Just my two cents. Really, I would like to have a powerful Surface-like laptop/detachable that can work as a reader with a batter life of days. But that's not how that works.
As a side note, I am unfortunately tethered to the Google Play Books ecosystem, which basically requires me to use Android as a reader (the web reader is terrible, especially on a touchscreen device). So that's another thing.
Just my two cents. Really, I would like to have a powerful Surface-like laptop/detachable that can work as a reader with a batter life of days. But that's not how that works.
As a side note, I am unfortunately tethered to the Google Play Books ecosystem, which basically requires me to use Android as a reader (the web reader is terrible, especially on a touchscreen device). So that's another thing.
Jcmg62
Member
I use my pro4 only in tablet mode.
I have the keyboard but rarely use it as I own a regular laptop.
My user case is that I do a lot of note taking, so during work hours the device is principally being used in one note.
But after work I use it for Netflix, checking emails, playing games (currently very heavily....possibly unhealthy.... addicted to farmville ??????), browsing the web, online shopping, etc
It fills every tablet requirement I could have.
It is literally the best windows tablet experience available.
I own 2 iPads. Haven't picked either up in over a year.
However, one thing I don't do in tablet mode is anything office related. My personal observation, but trying to produce anything worthwhile in word, excel or PowerPoint on ANY touchscreen device, without keyboard and mouse input, is a goddam nightmare.
Doesn't matter whether it's office for Windows, iPad or Android, it just doesn't work well
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