SP3 i5-128 versus i5-256

[Bahamen]

I'm getting the SP3 i5-128, which seems to me to be the sweet spot. Price for the next upgrade to 256 Gb seems rather steep (it will cost 30% more) considering the processor is the same and effectively the only difference is storage (I don't think the RAM is going to make a big difference?). I was thinking to get a microSD card, 64Gb Class 10 for probably less than $50. Or even an 128Gb SD card for around $150 which is still more cost-effective. With my SP3 due for delivery anytime now, I'm getting some second thoughts on whether I should opt for more storage.

What do you guys think? Built-in storage vs removable? Price-wise worth the difference? Either option I'm still going to need storage way more than 500 Gb to store all my media files so external storage device is still going to be necessary.

 

[roberttusing]

I was going through the same delema, I opted for the 256 and just placed the order earlier. I chose to go with the larger SSD just incase, and really no other reason. Sorry I can't give you a better reason

 

[jmshub]

It depends a lot on your use case and environment. I have a home server, so I don't need (or want) a lot of on-board storage on my individual computers, as I want to access my files from the server, where they are backed up and centrally available. Obviously, that solution isn't the best for everyone, also if you plan to use the SP3 a lot away from home, then you will probably need more storage.

In the long run, I'd say the larger SSD will be more reliable than SD cards, but for a little extra storage of whatever files, then the SD card will certainly be sufficient.

 

[Bill Mitchell]

I went with the 128/4 because all that extra memory would be too heavy.

Heh. Seriously though, I barely use half the memory on this 128 and I can run a whole lotta Office stuff and never run short of ram. I suppose if you are into really huge image files, video processing, etc the 8 GB might come in handy, but for me, not an issue. If you are looking to eventual resale, the 128/4 is your best bet to get most of your money back.

 

[anon(4054009)]

When I first set my SP 3 up, the option to move the libraries to the SD card was given. You can go back and set this up but it is easier for me at the setup. Just plug the card in before you turn it on the first time. Also you can buy an external hard drive and use File History for backup. Set up like this you can have 256gb on board and 1Tb external for far less than the 256GB option.

 

[stephen_az]

I'm getting the SP3 i5-128, which seems to me to be the sweet spot. Price for the next upgrade to 256 Gb seems rather steep (it will cost 30% more) considering the processor is the same and effectively the only difference is storage (I don't think the RAM is going to make a big difference?). I was thinking to get a microSD card, 64Gb Class 10 for probably less than $50. Or even an 128Gb SD card for around $150 which is still more cost-effective. With my SP3 due for delivery anytime now, I'm getting some second thoughts on whether I should opt for more storage.

What do you guys think? Built-in storage vs removable? Price-wise worth the difference? Either option I'm still going to need storage way more than 500 Gb to store all my media files so external storage device is still going to be necessary.

It depends upon what you do. From my perspective, the decision is whether you can live inside 128GB or need more space for daily use. Any external drive would be good for storage but comes at the expense of performance. As for MicroSDXC cards, they are still not reliable and (again) come with a performance hit. Since the release of SP1, I tossed out three 64GB cards (all from the big players) after they locked themselves and returned two 128GB cards that would stay visible in SP2. Everything I keep on my current 128GB card in SP3 is also backed up to OneDrive. As it stands, I can't even use Windows Server 2012 to back up the card since it is an external device that the backup utility cannot see. This is not to say MicroSDXC cards are worthless. They are a great thing to have and can provide some extra storage when needed but they should never be relied upon as a genuine extension of the device storage. There are reasons why it took so long to get to 128GB and that there is still only one manufacturer. It is pushing the limits of the technology and the form factor.

 

[onysi]

I'm a 128 power user. This thing has never lagged me once with multiple apps/desktop apps open. PhotoShop, steam game can make the fan turn on, but other things.. nope.

 

[anon(4054009)]

Not the experience of many with USB 3.0 external drives. Sandisk had a problem with exfat formatting on some cards. Most were killed by reformatting.

 

[anon(66956)]

I have the 8GB/256GB. If MS would have offered an 8GB/128GB, I would have bought that.

 

[blehblehbleh]

If it were me, I'd be concerned with the RAM availability in correlation to the long term use of the device. For me, I'd used it for at least a good 5 years if not more and I can totally imagine applications utilizing more and more RAM down the road. If that's not a concern for you (e.g. you'll be upgrading in less that time) go with the performance of the CPU more than the storage. Disk space in its various forms can be pretty affordable

 

[Bill Mitchell]

I'm a 128 power user. This thing has never lagged me once with multiple apps/desktop apps open. PhotoShop, steam game can make the fan turn on, but other things.. nope.

Unless you are running HUGE files that suck up TONS of memory, 4 GB is perfectly fine for most users.

 

[RTGent]

I chose the 256GB option last month, and to save I opted for an SP2 on a day I found a Store free keyboard deal. For my needs/uses, I see SD card storage as a wonderful and essential feature for file management, etc., but not as a substitute.

 

[MBSMD]

The Surface being a full Windows PC, I was more concerned about the 8GB of RAM than the difference in SSD space.