Get a Surface Pro 3 or wait?

[AaHaa]

So, I could get a Surface Pro 3 in a few weeks. I'm a game artist, so it's the ideal machine for me. It's a lot cheaper than at launch and I hope the thing has matured a bit in terms of software and diver support, but still, in case I missed some news or rumours: should I wait for a Surface Pro 4? Why (not)?

 

[Jazmac]

That's always the million dollar question but what would you be waiting for in a Surface 4? Thinner? Faster? Cheaper? Windows X? Those are usually the reasons to wait but the Surface 3 is fantastic in itself IMHO. Weather a i7 processor is enough for game development I assume is up to the developer. But for sheer processing power, I can't see why you need to wait.

 

[markusbeutel]

That's always the million dollar question but what would you be waiting for in a Surface 4? Thinner? Faster? Cheaper? Windows X? Those are usually the reasons to wait but the Surface 3 is fantastic in itself IMHO. Weather a i7 processor is enough for game development I assume is up to the developer. But for sheer processing power, I can't see why you need to wait.

Better battery life probably the main reason to wait - and fanless is a nice possibility too I suppose. The SP3 can't really compare to the best ultra portables when it comes to battery life without dimming the screen to 50% or less. Also, there's a lot of laptop options out there now with better specs, better battery life, better screen - not quite as portable I suppose, but pretty close, and with far superior keyboards (the new Carbon, XPS 13, Helix 2, Venue 11 Pro, etc). Personally, I'm waiting at this point for the SP4 to regain the lead on these newcomers.

 

[CliveSinclair]

Wait for what? The 'wait for the next model' syndrome could go on forever and you will never own anything. The current SP3 is less than a year old. One advantage is that it has received firmware upgrade AND production line fixes - new fan design, etc.

Remember the complaints when the SP3 was first launched? A lot more than newer models. Do you want to be a '6 month guinea pig'.

Any new model may have 'new features', but it WILL have firmware and production bugs - that is certain. It could be a total disaster - it has been known for newer models not to improve on existing ones.

 

[Pete]

There's no real need to wait unless you want to.

As said above, the SP3 is a perfectly capable device, but do look around at the current competition in terms of features and costs.

 

[CliveSinclair]

Better battery life probably the main reason to wait - and fanless is a nice possibility too I suppose. The SP3 can't really compare to the best ultra portables when it comes to battery life without dimming the screen to 50% or less. Also, there's a lot of laptop options out there now with better specs, better battery life, better screen - not quite as portable I suppose, but pretty close, and with far superior keyboards (the new Carbon, XPS 13, Helix 2, Venue 11 Pro, etc). Personally, I'm waiting at this point for the SP4 to regain the lead on these newcomers.

Better battery life often means heavier/larger. Fanless 'could' mean new issues with heat. Better screen? The SP3 has a great screen.

With many manufacturers launching clones of the SP3 at CES, Microsoft has hit a winner with the form factor. For me the only improvement would be cheaper genuine accessories - charger, pen, etc.

 

[AaHaa]

It's mostly because of the pen that I want a Surface Pro 3. I used to have an old HP laptop that had a screen you could draw on, and I want that experience back. It had the same level of pressure sensitivity as the SP3 has, so I don't really mind it's not a bazillion Wacom-pressure points. Also, I'd like to have a tablet. Never had one before.

 

[Broomcorn]

Wait, it won't be much longer and you can enjoy the announcements without thinking "I should have waited!".

 

[CliveSinclair]

Wait, it won't be much longer and you can enjoy the announcements without thinking "I should have waited!".

The latest rumours are August this year. But it could also be next month, maybe Windows 10/SP4 launch. My personal guess is 1yr after the SP3 was launched.

 

[MoggSquad]

If it were me, I'd wait to see what is on the horizon as long as I have a capable machine now. Intel Skylake chips are due this year and I'd think it will launch simultaneously with Windows 10. It's advertised to be a superior chip to broadwell / haswell. (Skylake laptops can have wireless charging, and also carry display and data signals wirelessly, which could spell the end for HDMI, DisplayPort and even USB cables.). Who knows if SP4 will have this, but imagine if it did.

The new Dell XPS 13's have the Broadwell and is super enticing, but I'm waiting for Windows 10 to launch before I make my next purchase.

 

[lkbig]

I have to say that I bought the i7 512gb model with typecover (had a $479-off coupon through Adobe CC) and I love it. Whether the SP4 comes out in the next 3 months or 9, I don't regret my decision. I love my machine. With technology you have to jump at some point or you'll be paralyzed forever waiting for the next best thing that is always around the corner.