Surface Pro i7 worth it?

[jaylink]

The Surface Pro 4 has piqued my interest. My mac is on it's last legs and at first I figured I would just get a new imac 5k and be done with it. However, I am on the road for 2-3 months of the year and need a machine that is powerful and portable. As attractive as the imac 5k is I would still have to purchase a second computer.

I know a surface pro will not have the same power as the new imac but the imac would probably just be overkill.

My uses are:
- Editing Raw in light room
- Editing some HD video, no 4k (yet)
- Lesson planning/Teaching
- Research/Writing for Grad School (Only downside to SP4 is the the screen size. Can't have multiple documents or sources opened side by side)
- Everyday use web browsing, e-mail, streaming, etc.

To get i7 16 gb ram 256 gb is about $2200 with education discount or $2600 for the 512 hd.

On the other hand I could buy a full loaded macbook pro 15 inch for about $2500 or the Imac 5k for a bit less.

Thoughts?

 

[boltman2013]

No ....Get a larger screen SurfaceBook or Ultrabook instead NO SP4 is worth >$2K if you are spending that bank you can do better. Its a 12.3" tablet that "can" be a laptop replacement

I would go so far as to claim the only SP4 worth the money is the M3 due to fanless design and weight savings (and cost)

You should look at Vaio Z Canvas at that price range

 

[onlysublime]

I'm getting the SP4 i7/8GB/256GB. It's the most affordable one. I'm getting it primarily for the Iris graphics which is a significant step up from the regular Intel graphics. If it wasn't for the Iris graphics, I probably would've gone for the SP4 i5/8GB/256GB.

You can easily max out the HD 520 graphics.

Don't listen to Boltman. He's still trying to convince people the Core M3 processor is a good processor.

 

[mtalinm]

I had the i7 sp3 and found that the battery life was considerablyworse than what had been reported for the i5 version.

anandtech found substantial disparities between i5 and i7 for the Surface Book. sI'm sure the same is true for SP4.

for the SP4 I got the i5 instead of i7. happy witthis choic

 

[boltman2013]

I'm getting the SP4 i7/8GB/256GB. It's the most affordable one. I'm getting it primarily for the Iris graphics which is a significant step up from the regular Intel graphics. If it wasn't for the Iris graphics, I probably would've gone for the SP4 i5/8GB/256GB.

You can easily max out the HD 520 graphics.

Don't listen to Boltman. He's still trying to convince people the Core M3 processor is a good processor.

Its not just good its PERFECT for a 12.3" tablet that sometimes is a laptop...wake up. An i5 and even worse the i7 in the SP4 are ludicrous when the $900 M3 is the SP sweet spot..the SP 4 is not a workhorse whether you want to believe that or not..there are MUCH better choices once you hit around the $1.5K mark.

Frankly people spending more than the i5/8GB (around $1.35K) are wasting money on this device . As there are better choices above that price point that offer true workhorse capability if you need it.

 

[polbit]

Its not just good its PERFECT for a 12.3" tablet that sometimes is a laptop...wake up. An i5 and even worse the i7 in the SP4 are ludicrous when the $900 M3 is the SP sweet spot..the SP 4 is not a workhorse whether you want to believe that or not..there are MUCH better choices once you hit around the $1.5K mark.

Frankly people spending more than the i5/8GB (around $1.35K) are wasting money on this device . As there are better choices above that price point that offer true workhorse capability if you need it.

Thank goodness you know what's good for us, how else would we know to get m3 instead of something that can actually run more than 2 programs at a time, not to mention 4Gb RAM. World is a much better place with people like you.

 

[boltman2013]

Thank goodness you know what's good for us, how else would we know to get m3 instead of something that can actually run more than 2 programs at a time, not to mention 4Gb RAM. World is a much better place with people like you.

The m3 can most certainly run "more than 2 programs at a time" have fun wasting $500 in an i5/8GB face it I'm correct on the cpu this device needs and it is not something with an "i" and fan in front of it.

 

[bo_woods]

Its not just good its PERFECT for a 12.3" tablet that sometimes is a laptop...wake up. An i5 and even worse the i7 in the SP4 are ludicrous when the $900 M3 is the SP sweet spot..the SP 4 is not a workhorse whether you want to believe that or not..there are MUCH better choices once you hit around the $1.5K mark.

Frankly people spending more than the i5/8GB (around $1.35K) are wasting money on this device . As there are better choices above that price point that offer true workhorse capability if you need it.

Of course there are probably W10 devices more powerful than the SP4 at that price, but do those devices also include the form factor, design/build quality, display quality, pen experience, flexibility of use, Windows Hello, etc.

I'm curious. You seem to only be pointing out that for that price you can get a more powerful device, but are not mentioning the other aspects of the situation that may lead to a persons choosing of the Surface such as the things I listed above.

 

[bo_woods]

The Surface Pro 4 has piqued my interest. My mac is on it's last legs and at first I figured I would just get a new imac 5k and be done with it. However, I am on the road for 2-3 months of the year and need a machine that is powerful and portable. As attractive as the imac 5k is I would still have to purchase a second computer.

I know a surface pro will not have the same power as the new imac but the imac would probably just be overkill.

My uses are:
- Editing Raw in light room
- Editing some HD video, no 4k (yet)
- Lesson planning/Teaching
- Research/Writing for Grad School (Only downside to SP4 is the the screen size. Can't have multiple documents or sources opened side by side)
- Everyday use web browsing, e-mail, streaming, etc.

To get i7 16 gb ram 256 gb is about $2200 with education discount or $2600 for the 512 hd.

On the other hand I could buy a full loaded macbook pro 15 inch for about $2500 or the Imac 5k for a bit less.

Thoughts?

Have you looked at the Surface Book? Front eh things you've mentioned it seems to be very suitable. It's essentially a larger Surface Pro 4 but with a solid and more sturdy metal detachable keyboard that has ports.

And the higher end models of it have a dedicated Nvidia Chip in the keyboard

 

[brianbrain]

The m3 can most certainly run "more than 2 programs at a time" have fun wasting $500 in an i5/8GB face it I'm correct on the cpu this device needs and it is not something with an "i" and fan in front of it.

While I agree that the M3 is an impressive Performance/TDP package, it is most certainly not the only configuration worth investigating - Microsoft made sure of that by limiting it to only 4GB of RAM. Had there been an 8GB option, then I think we'd have more to discuss, but let's be frank about this - 4GB of RAM just doesn't cut it these days for a lot of people. Heck, I use 6GB on my rMBP with only OneNote and a dozen tabs open in Chrome. I don't think anyone would argue with you that the M3 is a powerful CPU, but its achilles heel is the limit on RAM and storage. One size does not fit all.

For *some* people, the M3 may be exactly what they need/want. I would classify anyone who intends on using the Surface primarily as a high-end tablet as a good candidate for this. Anyone looking to replace their tablet *and* their ultrabook with the SP4, should be looking at the i5 for the 8GB of RAM alone. You're going to need it to maintain the capabilities you were likely used to with your ultrabook. After that, comes the admittedly abnormal group like myself - I have a desktop, a 13" rMBP, and a Shield Tablet I am looking to replace with a single device, the SP4 (and it's dock). I work in IT, and my desire is to run virtual environment demonstrations from my SP4, both at home and while on the road, while at the same time acting as my primary media consumption and productivity device. For me, I only had two choices - the i5/16GB or the i7/16GB. I chose the i7 for Crystalwell, and we'll just have to see how that plays out in the coming days/weeks.

Point being - there is no single Surface that is best for everyone. Each one acts as a sweet spot for a certain consumer, and it's up to each person to pick the device that suits them best.

 

[boltman2013]

Of course there are probably W10 devices more powerful than the SP4 at that price, but do those devices also include the form factor, design/build quality, display quality, pen experience, flexibility of use, Windows Hello, etc.

I'm curious. You seem to only be pointing out that for that price you can get a more powerful device, but are not mentioning the other aspects of the situation that may lead to a persons choosing of the Surface such as the things I listed above.

Hint: Surface Book

 

[boltman2013]

While I agree that the M3 is an impressive Performance/TDP package, it is most certainly not the only configuration worth investigating - Microsoft made sure of that by limiting it to only 4GB of RAM. Had there been an 8GB option, then I think we'd have more to discuss, but let's be frank about this - 4GB of RAM just doesn't cut it these days for a lot of people. Heck, I use 6GB on my rMBP with only OneNote and a dozen tabs open in Chrome. I don't think anyone would argue with you that the M3 is a powerful CPU, but its achilles heel is the limit on RAM and storage. One size does not fit all.

For *some* people, the M3 may be exactly what they need/want. I would classify anyone who intends on using the Surface primarily as a high-end tablet as a good candidate for this. Anyone looking to replace their tablet *and* their ultrabook with the SP4, should be looking at the i5 for the 8GB of RAM alone. You're going to need it to maintain the capabilities you were likely used to with your ultrabook. After that, comes the admittedly abnormal group like myself - I have a desktop, a 13" rMBP, and a Shield Tablet I am looking to replace with a single device, the SP4 (and it's dock). I work in IT, and my desire is to run virtual environment demonstrations from my SP4, both at home and while on the road, while at the same time acting as my primary media consumption and productivity device. For me, I only had two choices - the i5/16GB or the i7/16GB. I chose the i7 for Crystalwell, and we'll just have to see how that plays out in the coming days/weeks.

Point being - there is no single Surface that is best for everyone. Each one acts as a sweet spot for a certain consumer, and it's up the each person to pick the device that suits them best.

Completely disagree... 8GB is rarely used I had it on my i3 5yr old Vaio and the fact you have to spend 50% more to get that and a hummingbird whirly fan make it a definite ..no . The smart decision is at those prices ($1350+type cover) going Surface Book or an older SP3i7 again for 99% of SP4 buyers the M3 ($899+ type cover) is the no brainer pick.

You may be the 1%, I am the 99%

 

[brianbrain]

Completely disagree... 8GB is rarely used I had it on my i3 5yr old Vaio and the fact you have to spend 50% more to get that and a hummingbird whirly fan make it a definite ..no . The smart decision is at those prices ($1350+type cover) going Surface Book or an older SP3i7 again for 99% of SP4 buyers the M3 ($899+ type cover) is the no brainer pick.

You may be the 1%, I am the 99%

Man, I feel like I'm arguing with Donald Trump over here..Simply stating that you disagree and decisively claiming your opinion is "smart" and a "no brainer" without any coherent argument isn't a helpful response to anyone. Just because your use-case fits within 4GB of RAM doesn't mean everyone's does. Remember, this is a "Pro" device (it's in the name, and the price tag). You may find that in this device class that you are in fact not among the "99%" of consumers you so claim.

Regarding the SurfaceBook: I almost got one, but I was turned off by the 3 hour (rated) tablet battery life that is not recharged by the keyboard base, the poor center of gravity & fulcrum hinge, and the malfunctioning detach mechanism. The SB is a first generation product, and it shows. Perhaps the SB2 or SB3 will be a better buy, but in the interim the only benefit I would receive from an SB is the dGPU, which I don't need (and may not be much more capable than the HD540 in the end either).

 

[boltman2013]

Man, I feel like I'm arguing with Donald Trump over here..Simply stating that you disagree and decisively claiming your opinion is "smart" and a "no brainer" without any coherent argument isn't a helpful response to anyone. Just because your use-case fits within 4GB of RAM doesn't mean everyone's does. Remember, this is a "Pro" device (it's in the name, and the price tag). You may find that in this device class that you are in fact not among the "99%" of consumers you so claim.

Regarding the SurfaceBook: I almost got one, but I was turned off by the 3 hour (rated) tablet battery life that is not recharged by the keyboard base, the poor center of gravity & fulcrum hinge, and the malfunctioning detach mechanism. The SB is a first generation product, and it shows. Perhaps the SB2 or SB3 will be a better buy, but in the interim the only benefit I would receive from an SB is the dGPU, which I don't need (and may not be much more capable than the HD540 in the end either).

Perhaps you should not have wasted money on the SP4? If you think you could not get by with the M3 then there is nothing here for you and waiting is a choice. Do not sleep on fanless people! the M3 is the choice in a 12.3" tablet.

i5/17 or 8/16Gb go Surface Book or some cheaper laptop or more expensive ultrabook NOT the SP4 as that is basically pounding money down a rat hole for a badly designed tablet when it should always be fanless in a 12.3" form factor..at least the SB has more ports too..the M3 is Pro, that there is no doubt. Its not like its some whimpy cpu as the makes up over 25% of the total cost

 

[onlysublime]

There's no point in trying to have a logical discussion with Bolt. Just leave him be... The M3 processor is the perfect processor to rule them all.

 

[jaylink]

I was able to take a look at both the Pro and Book in store last week. Not to discount the Book but I was not a fan of the screen wobble. No doubt it is a fine machine but wasn't sold on it. The pro on the other hand really caught my eye.

I am kind of in limbo waiting to see if the macbook pro will be updated soon. If not I will probably jump at the SP4. I am convinced that the i5 or i7 will be able to handle lightroom or capture one to edit RAW photos. I am not sure which setup would be most ideal for longevity, thinking 2-4 years, i5 8gb/16gb or i7 8gb/16gb.

Although I won't always need the power of the i7, its nice to have when you need it. I'm sure battery life will be better than what I have now so that is not a major concern. I really wish the i7 was already out to read some review on it.

When is the next update expected for w10, I'm curious if it will solve many of the problems I've been reading online.

Thanks again everyone for your input!

 

[Jack Smith18]

Waiting to see if the Iris graphics is good enough for my needs and does not throttle like the SP3 i7.
If heard rumors that you see a improvement of 40%-60% in some cases over the 520 HD found in the i5.
If it comes close to anything like that and the new cooling system gets the job done without overheating then I'd say yes it is worth it.
Sorry Boltman but the M3 does not cut it for a some owners, I want to replace all my devices for work, entertainment and gaming ( yes gaming! The SP4 i5 has shown is it can game at a pretty good level with some sacrifes ) into 1 and the i7 is the only choice ( maybe the i5 if the i7 throttles but I'm hoping for the best ).

 

[pectin232]

I am sure the i7 is good but problem is the price and the availability of reviews showing the price/ performance/ differential ratios like anandtech... hopefully more light into this.

 

[boltman2013]

Waiting to see if the Iris graphics is good enough for my needs and does not throttle like the SP3 i7.
If heard rumors that you see a improvement of 40%-60% in some cases over the 520 HD found in the i5.
If it comes close to anything like that and the new cooling system gets the job done without overheating then I'd say yes it is worth it.
Sorry Boltman but the M3 does not cut it for a some owners, I want to replace all my devices for work, entertainment and gaming ( yes gaming! The SP4 i5 has shown is it can game at a pretty good level with some sacrifes ) into 1 and the i7 is the only choice ( maybe the i5 if the i7 throttles but I'm hoping for the best ).

My premise is that the SP4 is not a good choice if you need i5/i7 and gaming..you could do better. M# is the perfect cpu for the SP4 due to its fanless nature ans SP4's are never sold nor ever intended as gaming machines.

Sounds like trying to fit a round peg in a square hole if you intend to use a SP4 anything for gaming

Again my premise is only 1% need anything other than the M3..and most don't try to force the SP into a gaming role.

North of $1000 is not a region SP4 compares well under $1000 its best of class

 

[bo_woods]

Again my premise is only 1% need anything other than the M3...

Wow... the i5 surface pro 4 plus a type cover 3 comes in at around $1,130...

You cant possibly be correct with your statement that only 1% need anything other than the m3... Think of how many people want all the quality, features, and flexibility the Surface Pro 4 has for that price with an i5 packed inside. If 99% of people only need the m3, then why are there so many people who... ughh im done with this thread lol bye