Surface Pro 3 - longevity/true laptop?

[hopmedic]

You mentioned that you want a machine that doesn't get sluggish after a couple years. As with any computer, that is entirely a function of you. How you surf. What kinds of sites you use, what you download and install. Do you install toolbars? Little "helper" programs? Those are more often what I would consider spyware than actual helps. I manage the computers at my church, and I have a very strict "no toolbars" policy, and whenever someone else installs Chrome, Firefox, or a toolbar, I uninstall it as soon as I discover it. Nothing against Chrome or Firefox themselves, as I have Firefox on my PCs for sites that don't work correctly in IE, but that's just two more places I have to look for junk to delete when I'm trying to find what made the computer slow down. The PC in our sound booth is the big problem, as there are a half a dozen or more of us using it, but it's not there for surfing the net. It's there for projecting for the congregation. The only reason it is connected to the net is that we do search for song lyrics and images from time to time.

Do you use illegal media (whether you agree with the legal definition or not)? Often those sites require a downloader (why? IE/Firefox/Chrome are all perfectly capable of downloading a file...), and often those downloaders are just a way of spying on you, slowing your PC down.

The Ask toolbar is probably the biggest/most common cause I come across. There are lots of "free" downloads that you can install, and lots of those fund themselves by sticking the Ask toolbar in their installers. But it's malware from start to finish. Do not install it. I don't even click links to ask.com.

I hope you see how it's up to you whether your computer will become sluggish or not. If you use wise surfing habits, you will eliminate probably 90% or more of the causes of computer sluggishness.

 

[m0rf3us]

Rafael,

I'm a mathematics graduate student and teacher, I've been using the 1st generation Surface Pro since a week after it was released. I use it every day as a media consumer, student, teacher, and desktop PC. I can tell you that you will not be disappointed. Prior to getting the SP1, I had always wanted to use my laptops more efficiently when taking notes, but it just couldn't happen in mathematics (I assume the case will be parallel to your experience in bioengineering, as I had many bio/chem major friends who rarely used their laptops for notetaking). Whether it's notetaking, heavy duty software, or just media consumption, I have only three complaints about the SP line in general; screen size, battery life, and kickstand. All three are infinitely better on the SP3 (I spent a good 40 minutes yesterday with one at a Microsoft Store). I am still working on my degree and plan on buying the i5 SP3 on June 20th, I highly recommend you do as well. having my SP1 for over 15 months now, I can tell you that there has been no durability worries (yes, I have dropped it many times, kickstand open and close).

All in all, the SP3 should suit you just fine. Good luck with your decision and starting college, such an exciting time!

 

[m0rf3us]

Yes, the trackpad is SO much better on Type Cover 3. I spent 40 minutes with it yesterday and compared to the Type Cover 1 (my own that I use daily) and the Type Cover 2 (my mother and aunt have and I HATE USING IT), the trackpad on Type Cover 3 is amazing.

 

[Rafael Rodrigues]

That was important information, though i don't use toolbars anyway, actually for the exact reasons you stated above.
Furthermore, regarding downloads, I think it's perfectly easy to control what to keep and you don't, aside from clearing cache and temporary files

My intention when using the word "sluggish" was to represent what my PC is now: a browser with office capabilities.
I want to buy something reliable that will keep up over the years and not become slow or unusable in 2/3 years

Most users with a SP1 speak highly of it and proclaim it works "just as day one"
That's what I look forward in a product of any kind
That's what I look forward in surface

 

[Rafael Rodrigues]

That's so good to hear regarding the trackpad!
I do have my eye on a Microsoft Sculpt Comfort mouse, with the side home button

I think once you get used to it, it will make a fine addition to any Windows 8 machine

 

[ytrewq]

Just a few things to add:

1) I've tried out the SP3. You can't compare the SP2 trackpad to the SP3. Just focusing on the trackpads, you would not know they are from the same family. They have nothing in common. The SP3's slickness is comparable to, and arguably better than, my Acer Aspire. Very nice. IMHO, if we're at the point that we're looking at the difference between Aspire-level smoothness and MBP-level smoothness, it's time to worry about something else. (The SP3 trackpad also has a nice feature that, while clicking on the lower right is a "right click," clicking ANYWHERE ELSE on the trackpad gives you a left click. I don't mean tapping, like a normal trackpad; I mean clicking. The whole trackpad is clickable. It seems like a small thing, but it's really pleasant once you start doing it.)

2) If you are a college student, buy a docking station regardless of which direction you go. Typing papers on a SP3/SP2/laptop in class or in the library is workable. But when you get back to the dorm/apartment, you will want a 22"+ monitor with a desktop-style ergonomic keyboard and a full-on mouse or trackball. No laptop or Surface keyboard/trackpad/display compares. And if you take that advice, then the only time the MacBook or SP2/SP3 trackpad/keyboard/screen makes a difference is in class and at the library. In those situations, IMHO, you'll find that the differences are not a big enough deal to worry about. You may, however, find that the pen on the SP2/SP3 is a significant advantage. You should try to get your hands on one and see whether the ability to draw diagrams, etc. with the pen is going to be helpful to you.

3) I agree that you should not rule out the SP2 just because the SP3 is newer. The SP2 is a great device, and it's only 1/4 lb heavier. That can matter in some situations, but I don't think it's much of a difference for student purposes. If you can, get to an MS store and check both of them out. I would expect the key differences that might matter to you would be: (1) How much cheaper can you get the SP2? You might wait a couple months and see how the pricing sorts out once the SP3 is released. The SP2 could get significantly cheaper. (2) Aspect ratio. I really like the 3:2 screen on the SP3. But the smaller screen on the SP2 has its advantages, too. (3) Battery life. The SP3 is supposed to have an extra couple hours of battery life under normal use. I can't attest to that, but that's what they say. Depending on how you use it at school, and how many outlets are in your classrooms, the extra battery life may or may not be important to you.

4) How much time do you spend typing with your device on your lap? Not just web-browsing or watching videos, because I don't think it matters for those purposes. But if you really spend hours a day typing on your lap, then by all means get a clamshell device. The SP2/SP3 keyboard is great, but it's not a clamshell. But frankly, I rarely see students typing on their lap. My kids put their laptops/surfaces on a table, desk, etc., but I only have one kid who likes to do his homework on the couch with the TV on and the laptop on his legs. He needs a clamshell. For most people, all this "lapability" talk is a non-issue.

4) In college, you are probably taking your laptop/surface everywhere you go. There is a good chance that, at some point during your 4 year education (or however many years it lasts), you will drop your device, sit on it, run over it, or whatever. For a college student, the accidental damage is a bigger risk than failure due to a product defect because you are hauling it around so much and because, frankly, college students are still learning to be careful. To my knowledge, Apple does not offer anything that would cover accidental damage, although you could get third party insurance. Microsoft's two-year plan (for which you pay extra) is really outstanding. I've used it. In fact, when one of my kids sat on laptop and broke the screen, we used the Microsoft Complete warranty to replace it about ten days ago. Since the laptop was no longer manufactured, they gave us a credit for the full purchase price, which we used to buy a Surface Pro 2. And on the 20th, we will return that SP2 (within the 30 day window) and use the credit to pay for an SP3. Bottom line, while it took them a few days to process everything (which was annoying), the Microsoft Complete plan worked out very well for us. I wouldn't think of buying an expensive device without it.

Overall, there are no wrong answers. You are looking at some great technology no matter which way you go. IMHO, I think the SP3 is probably the best device available for a student, but you could certainly argue otherwise.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

Just a few things to add:

1) I've tried out the SP3. You can't compare the SP2 trackpad to the SP3. Just focusing on the trackpads, you would not know they are from the same family. They have nothing in common. The SP3's slickness is comparable to, and arguably better than, my Acer Aspire. Very nice. IMHO, if we're at the point that we're looking at the difference between Aspire-level smoothness and MBP-level smoothness, it's time to worry about something else. (The SP3 trackpad also has a nice feature that, while clicking on the lower right is a "right click," clicking ANYWHERE ELSE on the trackpad gives you a left click. I don't mean tapping, like a normal trackpad; I mean clicking. The whole trackpad is clickable. It seems like a small thing, but it's really pleasant once you start doing it.)

That is outstanding news! Thanks. I look forward to test driving one myself.

 

[mozman68]

That is outstanding news! Thanks. I look forward to test driving one myself.

X2...when I tried it out, I couldn't understand the complaints. It worked perfectly in the store. Was certainly big enough for me to do everything I needed to do. Love the "clickability" instead of separate buttons.

 

[Rafael Rodrigues]

First of all, thank you very much for that detailed answer! It helped quite a lot

1) I've heard great things about the new trackpad, so it wouldn't be the reasons to chose rMBP over the SP3. You're post left me much more relived and creating I'm making the right choice

2) I like the docking station, though I think it's too expensive. The whole surface package,if you add everything, is extremely expensive.
I could just buy the rMBP for the same price (with student discount), with similar (somewhat better) specs regarding CPU and SSD storage, and yet have free updates, free native apps and be certain that it would work fine for the next few years
But the surface is something different... It's a gamble, cause we can't really predict it's future since it's so new. But if it pays out, it's a huge reward!
I honestly think that if I go SP3, I will never go back. I'm used to the idea of having a big laptop sitting on the desk. Having something like the surface really makes me skeptical haha, cause it just sounds too good to be true

3) As I've stated before, right now there aren't any real advantages for going with the older generation. Besides, I was really considering the i7 (even if it's a year old), and I can't get that with the SP2 (besides the reasons I stated in other posts)

4) Lapability didn't concern me from the beginning, cause I usually work on a flat surface.
I also use the iPad quite a lot to type, and I find myself preferring a digital keyboard over a real one
Am I crazy?

5) I also intend in getting the Microsoft two-year plan, though I don't know how much it costs. I gotta look into that, though I tend to be extremely careful with my devices. My 2-year-old Note 2 looks new on ten outside. There are no scratches or sines of use (mainly because of the huge case I put on it. I highly recommend the Samsung Protective Case+! The phone, not so much...)

 

[JamesPTao]

Hey everyone! It's my first post, so I hope you reply

My 4-year-old Vaio laptop is in serious need of a retirement, so I'm planning on buying something new and improved!
I'm going to college in a couple of moths to study Bioengineering, so I need something portable, but most of all, that can last and won't brake or become sluggish after a couple of years.
I was thinking about a MacBook Pro for that reason, but I really like the Surface Pro 3
My only concern is that it won't last me too long, or that some disaster will eventually happen and leave it "incapacitated"

Do you think a tablet can really withstand the years? Or the i7 CPU for that matter?
I just don't wanna regret my decision later on

Thanks a lot!

The surface is great but not your only option. The fujitsu q or 7 series is touch and pen enabled wacom. The q screen can rotate flat facing up on the keyboard or remove completely. They are built really tough. The 7 series has a second bay that can be used for a 2nd battery, disc drive, bluray/DVD drive, or even pico projector. For someone who wants a wacom rouch enabled device both are the best it gets.

 

[Rafael Rodrigues]

I think Fujitsu has great devices, but they're so expensive...
Unfortunately, it's out of my budget

But thanks for the suggestion!

 

[JamesPTao]

I think Fujitsu has great devices, but they're so expensive...
Unfortunately, it's out of my budget

But thanks for the suggestion!

No problem at all. Yes they are expensive. I've always bought them 1-1.5 years old off business lease. Great condition by instead of 2000-2900 get it for 500-600.

 

[Rafael Rodrigues]

How? Where? Haha

 

[vlad0]

The price is the only issue.. really.. other than that this is an amazing device and it works really well for a student, or a professional, or in fact.. anybody besides theverge staff.

If this thing was ~$700 with included keyboard+dock people will start to pay attention, but as it stands.. how many students will be able to afford one ?

 

[Cleavitt76]

...

2) I like the docking station, though I think it's too expensive. The whole surface package,if you add everything, is extremely expensive.
...

You don't have to get the MS docking station to use the Surface Pro as a desktop. A couple of options are...

1) Just get a single monitor, USB or Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and a USB 3.0 hub. You probably already have most of those items anyway. You will have to plug in 3 cables (charger, USB hub, display), but you will have a desktop environment. Later, you can add a docking station to the mix for convenience.

2) Get a USB3.0 docking station. I use the one below. It supports two external monitors, gigabit Ethernet, and several USB 2/3 ports.

Amazon.com: Toshiba Dynadock Docking Station (PA3927U1PRP): Computers & Accessories

...

If this thing was ~$700 with included keyboard+dock people will start to pay attention, but as it stands.. how many students will be able to afford one ?

I would say about the same number of students that can afford MacBooks and iPads which seems to be a lot. Lets face it, in many cases the parents are buying this stuff. Also, there are a lot of college students that have a job, but almost no expenses (still live at home, etc.) so they may very well have more disposable income than many non-student adults.

Anyway, for what you get with a Surface Pro it's really very competitively priced in my opinion. It's certainly not cheap, but it is fairly priced for what it offers. The only problem is that many people don't need everything it offers. To those people, it may seem overpriced.

 

[Rafael Rodrigues]

I agree with what you said regarding price, but Microsoft was rather stupid to not include the keyboard with the tablet... Even if they had to raise the prices a little bit, they should have included it.
It's part of the experience and it would probably bring a lot more people to the surface family!

When you compare prices, a MacBook Pro becomes cheaper... (The i7 has similar performance to the i5 on the mac)
Still, I'm no average consumer and I will probably get the SP3

 

[hopmedic]

I can hook my SP2 to two monitors for a the screen experience for cheap. Paid I think $8 for a mini dv port to HDMI adapter for one, and a $60 or $70 USB video adapter for the other. Been using the USB solution with my laptop for a couple years, so just added gg the dv port adapter so I could stick the surface in place of the laptop.

 

[Rafael Rodrigues]

Cool setup, though I think one monitor will be enough for my needs

 

[vertigoOne]

With CAD programs running with other stuff, it can be as low as 4 hours on high performance mode.

It seems all but certain that a power cover is in the works for the SP3. That would add 2+ hours to that figure, and having the power cover for my SP1 the weight added to the keyboard gives the keyboard a much better typing experience.

Also considering the added width and height of the SP3, it would give room to either flatten out the battery a little more in a new power cover to make it thinner than the current iteration, or increase capacity and add backlighting and keep the same thickness.

 

[california86]

It seems all but certain that a power cover is in the works for the SP3.

Any source for this or is that just speculation? I wouldn't mind picking up myself a power cover if it comes out.