Surface pro 4 expectations

[Rockstar760]

I'm undedcided whether I should buy the sp3 or wait for the sp4. I currently have the surface rt. I'm expecting the sp4 to be a minor upgrade much like sp1 to sp2. Im guessing they'll be fixing the issues with the sp3. What do u guys think the sp4 will be like and should I wait for it?

 

[infinitelurker]

I think it might serve you better to look at it from a standpoint of do you need it now? For any technology item you could always wait a bit longer and get something newer/better/faster/shinier, and if you play that game you'll never get anything, or if you do, you'll never be happy for very long with what you do have.

With that said, I think with the Surface Pro 3, it would be a great time to jump into the Surface Pro lineup. It's the new design, and likely the SP4 will be a refinement of that same design.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

I'm undedcided whether I should buy the sp3 or wait for the sp4. I currently have the surface rt. I'm expecting the sp4 to be a minor upgrade much like sp1 to sp2. Im guessing they'll be fixing the issues with the sp3. What do u guys think the sp4 will be like and should I wait for it?

Obviously there is no guarantee of an SP4. But assuming that there WILL be one, I'd advise waiting for it if you can. The SP3 isn't even generally available yet and we have yet to see how manufacturing quality will be, how well the trackpad works, and whether or not Microsoft will do something mid-stream to update the SP3 like improved processors.

​With technology there is always the "waiting game", but by looking at a company's track record (or lack of one) you can generally get a feel for when the right time to take that step is.

 

[maflynn]

No device is perfect, and the SP3 has a lot going for it. I have no idea what MS can do to improve the surface pro. I guess at this stage, you need to ask yourself if the SP3 satisfies your needs or are the short comings a show stopper. If it doesn't and/or they are show stoppers then wait, if not, then buy it

 

[Cleavitt76]

I'm undedcided whether I should buy the sp3 or wait for the sp4. I currently have the surface rt. I'm expecting the sp4 to be a minor upgrade much like sp1 to sp2. Im guessing they'll be fixing the issues with the sp3. What do u guys think the sp4 will be like and should I wait for it?

It's a guessing game, but I tend to agree with you. If there is a SP4 released for Broadwell I would guess that it will probably just bring increased battery life and not much more. I wouldn't expect much in the way of major design changes or performance boosts. I'm basing my guess on the fact that Broadwell is just Intel's die shrink of its Haswell microarchitecture. There are no architectural changes, just a smaller manufacturing process. As such, it will be a drop in replacement for current Haswell CPUs. I doubt MS or other hardware makers are going to go through a major redesign when they can just use the exact same motherboards, components, and cases that have already been proven (by then) while taking advantage of Broadwell's better battery life and a little less heat.

 

[tweedie]

oh for god sake! sp3 just come out (actually, its not yet out isn't it?) and already you thinking about sp4! When the sp4 does finally arrive....well I wonder whether I should wait for sp5?

Anyway, seriously, I think sp4 will be a minor upgrade from sp3. probably a new processor with an extra hour battery save (apparently), might have the new 3d touch tech gimmick, but really can't see much of a big jump from sp3 to sp4. Heck, it might be a 15 incher or even a 7inch laptop/tablet!

 

[mikeakanice]

I don't know about you guys but I'm waiting to see about surface pro XXV. I heard it will have intergrated occulus support with little sensors that enter your ear and attach to your brain so you can actually feel what's going on in the vr world.

 

[MikeInOhio]

I don't know about you guys but I'm waiting to see about surface pro XXV. I heard it will have intergrated occulus support with little sensors that enter your ear and attach to your brain so you can actually feel what's going on in the vr world.

I heard it will actually be octopus support with the tentacles attaching to "where they can"

 

[WillysJeepMan]

I don't know about you guys but I'm waiting to see about surface pro XXV. I heard it will have intergrated occulus support with little sensors that enter your ear and attach to your brain so you can actually feel what's going on in the vr world.

If that works for you, go for it. :shrug:

 

[mFos]

I am going to wait another year or so before I make my decision. Hopefully we will see some more peripherals before the end of the year, preferably with a more vocal approach to the hinted thunderbolt functionality and functional support of external graphic cards and maybe even proprietary external hard drives that are attached or located within the dock. I waiting for "the tablet that will replace your desktop".

edit: hopefully they intend to hold on to this form factor for many years, it would be an expensive set up to get everything running. Your surface tablet, dock accessory, external display setup, and hard drives and graphics cards. But assuming the form factor stays the same, you could update your tablet without any issues (with files saved to hard drive and the dock the same, most upgrades would be either the tablet or the graphics card and could be totally seamless going from old to new)

 

[blehblehbleh]

oh for god sake! sp3 just come out (actually, its not yet out isn't it?) and already you thinking about sp4! When the sp4 does finally arrive....well I wonder whether I should wait for sp5?

Anyway, seriously, I think sp4 will be a minor upgrade from sp3. probably a new processor with an extra hour battery save (apparently), might have the new 3d touch tech gimmick, but really can't see much of a big jump from sp3 to sp4. Heck, it might be a 15 incher or even a 7inch laptop/tablet!

Depends, we'll have to see how Skylake performs--that's an architecture change. I'm assuming MS would be targeting that with the SP4; provided of course Intel keeps their road map in order

 

[badMojo69]

Wait until November for the SP3 you should start to see them on Ebay for about 1/2 price. Not being mean, but that's about all I can get for my Sp2 now and I've only had it since December.

 

[Beijendorf]

I fully expect them to finally include the levitation in the Surface Pro 4.

Cheap bastards...

Surface Pro 3 - Levitation not included !!! - YouTube

 

[Michael Muscat]

I fully expect them to finally include the levitation in the Surface Pro 4.
Cheap bastards...

You never know...

Surface Pro 4 expectations?

• Broadwell CPU
• NVidia Tegra K1
• 650 grams
• More usb ports
• External GPU support
• New power cover with friction hinge that turns the tablet into a clamshell laptop. It can be thicker and heavier to offset the weight of the tablet and accommodate a larger keyboard. Could also add additional ports.
• Windows 9
• LTE version
• Pen with tilt sensitivity. 1024 pressure levels to silence the haters.
• Include keyboard in price to silence the haters

 

[infinitelurker]

Wait until November for the SP3 you should start to see them on Ebay for about 1/2 price. Not being mean, but that's about all I can get for my Sp2 now and I've only had it since December.

That couldn't have anything to do with the SP3 announcement, could it?

 

[badMojo69]

That couldn't have anything to do with the SP3 announcement, could it?

I don't think so. They don't have a very good resale value as the most I've seen them go for has been about $750 for the version I have. So about 1/2 price of new..well less if you count the keyboard.

 

[Kacey Green]

I don't think so. They don't have a very good resale value as the most I've seen them go for has been about $750 for the version I have. So about 1/2 price of new..well less if you count the keyboard.

yeah mine went for $800 pro 2 256 with touch cover and more

 

[onysi]

youll wait until next year? Surface Pro 4 is not gonna be announced this holiday. Id enjoy the benefit of surf3 and then sell it for surf4

 

[jedge]

Surface Pro 4 expectations?

• Broadwell CPU
• NVidia Tegra K1
• 650 grams
• More usb ports
• External GPU support
• New power cover with friction hinge that turns the tablet into a clamshell laptop. It can be thicker and heavier to offset the weight of the tablet and accommodate a larger keyboard. Could also add additional ports.
• Windows 9
• LTE version
• Pen with tilt sensitivity. 1024 pressure levels to silence the haters.
• Include keyboard in price to silence the haters

I know the SP3 isn't even out yet, but speculation is still fun.

I'd agree with most on this list, especially LTE support and Broadwell CPU. Those are both gimmes. Included keyboard should have been done with SP3, but i understand they want people to be able to choose their color. Still, they didn't have to fleece us for another $130. I think it'll be a bundle next time.

Going along with posted above, I too think the next SP will focus on the one thing the Macbook Air has over it, stability. I think they'll integrate the keyboard into a base+kickstand or make it lock in somehow. Or release a keyboard+dock combo? Who knows, they may even release a different SP3 type cover with an integrated extended battery and locking mechanism so that it's weighted more like a laptop and doesn't need the kickstand at all. Lots of possibilities to keep this a productivity machine.

Price cut is inevitable if they want mass adoption, which they should.

I would also love it if the type cover or the tablet itself had some way to secure/lock the pen in. The current loop on the top just looks weak.

And if i may get a little radical here, i truly think pen input can (and should) replace keyboards for the majority of what people use computers for daily. In fact, i think Microsoft should be pushing pen input and OneNote far more than it's pushing its tablet+laptop replacement mantra. Why compete when you can reinvent! I'm reminded of the scene in Saving Private Ryan when the Cpl. is struggling to get his typewriter and the Capt. (played by Tom Hanks) just stares at him and holds up a pencil. The next SP should aggressively push the pen and touch integration even further than the SP3. Stay the best.

The idea of external gpus (a modular laptop) is a great one, but it's been kicking around the industry for 8 or 10 years with little headway. For the average user, hardware has been way ahead of software for a while now, and the thermal issues that arose from the "MORE POWER" motto of the 2000's aren't as big an issue. I think the battle cry of the 2010's is MORE BANDWIDTH, because the more that can be streamed the less the computer has to do for itself. VMs are gonna hit huge soon, probably by the end of the decade.