Should I upgrade my Surface Pro 3 i7 to Surface Pro 4???

[mmar1974]

I'm very happy with my surface pro 3... if there are significant benefits... what do you guys think? should I upgrade? why?

 

[ttsoldier]

If you're happy. Why are you upgrading??

 

[m4600]

Just get the new Type Cover!

 

[bo_woods]

Going from i7 SP3 to i7 SP4, these are essentially the new things you'll be getting...

-slimmer and lighter body
-larger and sharper display
-faster next gen cloud ocean processor
-improved pen (more pressure sensitivity levels, tips that make it feel like a real writing utensil, reduced latency)
-Windows Hello Iris Scanner
-Side Magnet to Hold Pen
-Sharper front and back camera (now with autofocus)
-Shiny Microsoft Square Logo on the back


And... That's about it. If that all intrigues you and you don't mind spending the money, then why not go for a device that'll level up your texhe happiness some points? If the price hurts your eyes and these things don't intrigue you, then wait for the Pro 5 I guess...

 

[mtalinm]

I did this exact upgrade today. So far

+ windows hello is awesomeness. Magical
+ not having the fan blow all the time is a revelation

It's a little lighter/thinner and the screen is a little bigger. A little faster too.

 

[mmar1974]

cause that is what one does? jokes aside, the fan is one thing I don't like.

 

[onlysublime]

probably the biggest differentiators for you are 1) the Iris graphics and 2) whether you used your SP3 under sustained heavy CPU usage (such as rendering a video).

The big issue with the SP3 was throttling under sustained CPU load because of overheating. The SP3 was designed for Broadwell and its promises of less heat/more power. But Broadwell was late so the SP3 was fitted with Haswell (same as SP2). So the cooling design which was intended for Broadwell wasn't good enough for Haswell processors.

Also, you could easily max out the GPU in the SP3. So if you were a gamer and wanted to use the SP3, you really had to dial back the resolution, detail, etc.

If you're not either of those categories and were perfectly happy with SP3, just get the keyboard!

 

[ryland Johnson]

Possibly. No. Maybe. Yes? Some excellent answers above. I have only recently, like a few months, purchased the Surface 3 yet have ordered the Surface pro 4 today. I need help though, I just can't stop the techno vice! Agaaaaaaaaaaa. Is there a shrink in the house!

Life is to short, enjoy it! Best wishes, Ryland

BTW you already knew you are going to buy one.......:winktongue:

 

[GSOgymrat]

I struggled with upgrading from Surface Pro 3 to Surface Pro 4. I had both devices for over a week, played with them side-by-side, and went back and forth several times on which to keep. I just sold the Surface Pro 3. I didn't notice a difference in daily performance but what sold me on Surface Pro 4 was the screen, which is visibly better particularly for magazines and comics. I recently started using the pen every day at work, so having a better writing experience was important. Which ever you choose I highly recommend the new type cover.

 

[ryland Johnson]

I struggled with upgrading from Surface Pro 3 to Surface Pro 4. I had both devices for over a week, played with them side-by-side, and went back and forth several times on which to keep. I just sold the Surface Pro 3. I didn't notice a difference in daily performance but what sold me on Surface Pro 4 was the screen, which is visibly better particularly for magazines and comics. I recently started using the pen every day at work, so having a better writing experience was important. Which ever you choose I highly recommend the new type cover.

I like your post. I would also write that upgrades can be incremental at best these days on an awful lot of tech' we purchase. Always the occasional exception like the Samsung Galaxy S5 V the Galaxy S6 range, now that was a complete 100% change in devices across the board.
Generally it appears that all or most manufacturers today release an 'upgrade' every 12 months. I understand from on line reviews the screen is a great improvement between the SP3 and the SP4. I am a tad disappointed you didn't notice any difference in overall speed between the two?

Thanks for the post, it is informative. Ryland.

PS did you notice any difference in battery life? Thanks.

 

[GSOgymrat]

I am a tad disappointed you didn't notice any difference in overall speed between the two?

Thanks for the post, it is informative. Ryland.

PS did you notice any difference in battery life? Thanks.

In terms of speed, I didn't do any challenging tasks. I was interested in comparing was how fast apps opened, photos and videos loaded... things I do regularly. There may be difference when really pushed but for common tasks I saw no difference.

As far as battery life, when I got the Surface Pro 4 at release the battery life was inconsistent and considerably worse than SP3. There were all kinds of bugs going on though: screen flickers, display driver constantly restarting, fan running all the time, etc. After the latest updates most of the bugs have resolved and the battery life has improved. At this point I would say the battery life of SP4 is about on par with SP3.

 

[ryland Johnson]

In terms of speed, I didn't do any challenging tasks. I was interested in comparing was how fast apps opened, photos and videos loaded... things I do regularly. There may be difference when really pushed but for common tasks I saw no difference.

As far as battery life, when I got the Surface Pro 4 at release the battery life was inconsistent and considerably worse than SP3. There were all kinds of bugs going on though: screen flickers, display driver constantly restarting, fan running all the time, etc. After the latest updates most of the bugs have resolved and the battery life has improved. At this point I would say the battery life of SP4 is about on par with SP3.

I took the plunge today and bought one. i5 nothing more. Nice key board and the screen is very pleasing. I have also found a few bugs BUT that could be me making mistakes!
I did notice the rather loud noise the fan made when it worked just the once. Heck I have got an Asus top line ROG lap top and I have NEVER heard the fans run they are so silent.
Have yet to try the pen but am typing this post on the very device! All very nice. Importing my Chrome Favorites from the bar was a heck of a task. Managed it but it took me some doing. It kept downloading the old Internet Explorer that I haven't used in years.

I not long ago purchased the Surface 3 and that is a very capable little hybrid. I hope I am not to to suffer buyers remorse. Lets see.

Thanks for the reply, Ryland