Anyone using their Surface just as a tablet with no keyboard?

[tboy2000]

So obviously the type cover is meant for the Surface to act as a cover to protect the screen and make it more like a laptop. However have you decided not to buy the keyboard cover and just use it in tablet form only? I assume you will have a case to protect it.

 

[slysy]

I did buy a keyboard, however I often use it without the keyboard attached. It's find for surfing and touchscreen gaming etc where you are not going to be doing any significant typing (and also it's a lot more "lappable" without the keyboard).

 

[photobriangray]

The wife never uses the keyboard cover. Sleeve, maybe, but she leaves it sitting around like you would any other tablet.

 

[haykol]

I have surface 2 and i use it in my university presentations alot so i use it as a tablet

 

[Grimmric]

I use the SP4 as a tablet without the type cover when i paint or check some movies or just sitting in my sofa surfing.
But i use the type cover when i use the SP4 as laptop playing WoW and such.
Thats the beauty of the SP4.

 

[tboy2000]

Ok great but has anyone purposely not bought the type cover and just use it as a tablet?

 

[Eric J F]

Almost- I was not going to buy the Type Cover, but got the m3 on Target's 15% off Cyber Monday sale. They didn't have the covers in stock, but what I saved at Target almost exactly covered getting one from the Microsoft Store.

That said, I use the Type Cover more as a screen protector than anything. This is my first tablet and I'm quickly abandoning a physical keyboard.

It's an expensive enough item so it's worth trying it without. You could always get one later and maybe they'll be on sale.

 

[rocketboy]

Maybe someone will get lucky, but I don't recall ever seeing a type cover on sale.
Really, I would find it difficult to justify getting a Surface Pro 4 just as a pure consumption device. Those Other Brands do that better and at a lower price point. The SP4 Type Cover is not cheap but it works as well as many full laptop keyboards I've used.

 

[etphoto]

I only have the Surface 3 and even though I do use it without the type cover I couldn't imagine using it all the time without one. Just simply typing emails its needed (for me anyway).

 

[TheCudder]

I use it without the keyboard 80+% of the time. I honestly only got the keyboard just to have more of a complete mobile package when I'm traveling (plus it was free with my Amazon gift cards from Bing Rewards). When I'm at home, I only use the keyboard when I'm doing class work for grad. school, but I'll admit I could have just as easily bought a wireless / Bluetooth mouse-keyboard for those purposes.

 

[fpena911]

When surfing the web I use it without the keyboard as there really isn't a lot of need for it.

But if I'm going to type emails or work on my websites then the keyboard is necessary. I like having the option but I keep it attached when it is stored to act as a protective cover since I take it with me wherever I go.

 

[ausidog]

This is not just a surface argument, it's any windows tablet. I own an Asus Vivotab Smart. It's a few generations old, but it does everything a Surface does (and more), just a little bit more slowly. It has a surface-like smart cover with keyboard and touchpad that uses bluetooth instead of a physical connection. I don't use it often, but it is nice to have it around for the few times you need to use the tablet for more intensive tasks.

I bought a Surface 3 for my mother, and I plan to get one eventually when my other tablet finally slows down too much (or used Surface 3 tablets become uber cheap). I'll probably get a type cover, because it would be foolish not to at least have it around. But, I probably won't use it much just like I do now with my Vivotab.

 

[runamuck83]

My wife never has a keyboard on hers. We only bought 1 so we share it when she needs it, but it's been attached to mine for months now,

 

[Misterb]

You're missing out if you don't have the cover. It's a very functional work of art

 

[reerdo]

I won't be getting my Pro 4 till Christmas but I rarely have the keyboard on my Pro 3. I have it set up as my media consumption and surfing machine when I am 'in game' on my PC.

I will be the same with the Pro 4 but this time I am not even going to buy the new keyboard like I have in the past due to my described user habit.

 

[WildKarrde]

Personally, I can't imagine having a Surface Pro without having the keyboard, but I do use it quite often without. The majority of the time I'm using my SP4 (and previously PS2) I'm in class using OneNote... so if my keyboard is attached it's just to protect the back of the SP4 while it's lying on the desk. When doing homework from said classes though, usually in Excel, the keyboard is priceless.

 

[hughjazz44]

Once in a blue moon, I'll use my Type Cover. I really only got it because I like the idea of it. I've got a Surface 2. I'll occasionally use it for Word, but knowing that I can use a full-size keyboard w/10 key via USB and a full size monitor via HDMI makes the Type Cover much less attractive. I wouldn't use it for productivity at all, but Office is free on my Surface.

It's nice knowing my Surface can work as hard as it plays, but really, I use it for iPad-esque tasks.

 

[m4600]

Ok great but has anyone purposely not bought the type cover and just use it as a tablet?

What exactly are you going to use it for? If you just need a tablet, there are better tablets out there (lighter, cheaper with better battery life). It all depends on what kind of tasks and what kind of apps you are interested in. You should start there and then decide what device fits best.

Where SP4 really excels, what it is primarily intended for, is a 2-in-1 device: a tablet and a laptop in one. Without the Type Cover you are essentially missing 1 of the 2. To me, buying SP4 without the Type Cover doesn't make much sense. It defeats the main purpose of the 2-in-1.