Is the I7 worth it?

onlysublime

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The Surface Pro 4 i5 comes with Intel HD Graphics 520 (GT2) and has 24 Execution Units (EUs) clocked at up to 1050 MHz (depending on the CPU model). Due to its lack of dedicated graphics memory or eDRAM cache, the HD 520 has to access the main memory (2x 64bit DDR3L-1600 / DDR4-2133).

The Surface Pro 4 i7 comes with Intel Iris Graphics 540 (GT3e) which has 64 MB of dedicated eDRAM memory. Furthermore, the so-called GT3e-version features 48 Execution Units (EUs) clocked at up to 1050 MHz (depending on the CPU model). Besides the eDRAM cache, the Iris 540 is able to access the main memory (2x 64bit DDR3L-1600 / DDR4-2133).

So theoretically, the Iris graphics is twice as fast as the graphics in the i5 because it has twice the number of execution units. You don't get true 100% difference between 540 and 520 because the 520 actually has faster texture fill rate. But shader performance is more important and the 540 has over 2X the shader performance.

But the main reason why 540 is not 2x faster is both systems are bottlenecked by the system RAM. The Iris has eDRAM which greatly helps. While eDRAM is faster than dedicated video RAM, it's limited by the fact that you only get 64 MB versus desktop graphics which have 1 GB-8 GB of dedicated video RAM for the midrange to high end cards respectively. While your data is in that 64 MB space, you'll get great framerates. But moving data from system RAM (slow) to eDRAM takes time and that results in a big drop in frame rate. So the goal is to keep all the data within that 64 MB. Which is the reason why you go with a lower resolution because lower resolution consumes less memory.

Now the difference between Core i5's 520 and the Core M3's 515 is closer than the difference between the i7's 540 and the i5's 520. The main difference is the memory controller where the 520 is 5 GB/sec faster than the 515.

But how is that in the real world? This is only a few published tests. And it's with immature drivers. Once Intel gets their act together and fixes the drivers, the i7 Iris graphics should shine even more.

GFXBench Windows OpenGL - 1080p Manhattan 3.1 Offscreen (Top Scores)
Iris™ Graphics 540 (15W Skylake-U GT3e): 63.5 FPS
HD Graphics 520 (15W Skylake-U GT2): 39.6 FPS
Iris™ Pro Graphics 5200 (47W Haswell-H GT3e): 61.2 FPS
HD Graphics 5000 (15W Haswell-U GT3): 36.7 FPS
Geforce GT940M: 52.3 FPS
Surface Book's Geforce dGPU: 61.1 FPS

540 vs 520:

Compubench:
Face Detection
28.8 mPixels/s
18.632 mPixels/s
TV-L1 Optical Flow
4.546 mPixels/s
2.731 mPixels/s
Ocean Surface Simulation
341.639 Frames/s
201.624 Frames/s
Particle Simulation - 64k
224.953 mInteraction/s
172.934 mInteraction/s
T-Rex
2.186 Frames/s
1.425 Frames/s
Video Composition
8.536 Frames/s
9.542 Frames/s
Bitcoin Mining
49.109 mHash/s
26.351 mHash/s

Significant gains between Iris 540 and HD 520.

The guy who started this thread hasn't answered any of the questions I asked. What temps are he getting? Lots of software out there to measure. What resolution is he running his game? How much SSD space does he have available?

That brings up another point. Bigger sized SSD work faster than smaller SSD because of how SSDs are designed. Check the specs between different sized drives and see how that bears out. Free space on an SSD is also important. The more you fill the SSD, the slower it gets. You don't want to touch a 128 GB SSD if you actually want great performance.


And Werewolf's observations for Surface Pro 3 don't apply to Surface Pro 4. The Surface Pro 3 was designed when they thought it would have the thermals of Broadwell. But Broadwell was extremely late and so they reused Haswell. When your cooling system is designed for the cooler running Broadwell and you suddenly have to have the hotter Haswell, you're going to experience throttling. Which is why the i7 SP3 was not much different than i5 SP3 during sustained loads.

Not only does SP4 have a better cooling system, it's 2 generations newer than Haswell. So comparing i5 to i7 (especially factoring in Iris) will make a much greater difference than during the SP3 days.
 

fj_cruiser

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M3 unless you are in the 1% and like to overspend or have "the best"

I signed up just to ask this question (my first post here). I am looking to get an SP4 and researching which model to purchase (first time Surface, or Windows PC buyer for that matter). I typically tend to buy top-of-the-line tech just to future-proof it a little bit because I don't upgrade every time there is a new model out there (still running the late 2009 27" iMac at home; for work my employer/s have always provided the machine). At the same time, I also don't believe in overspending on something if the value isn't there (I could be wrong but I think the i7 might fall in that category because if I cannot push it to its limits then am overpaying - like buying a car that has an engine capable of, and a speedometer marked up to, 200 mph but you can only push it to 85 mph or something on those lines).

I am not a gamer nor do I do any serious graphic intensive stuff on the home computer. But the iMac, my main home computer, is kind of getting slower for my growing photo/video/music library ? I increased the RAM from 8 to 12 GB last year but that didn?t help much. Hence am looking. I love the form factor of the SP4. I plan to replace the iMac as the main home computer with the SP4, hooked up with a large/fast external SSD, and use the iMac as an external monitor (Target Display Mode). However, I also plan to take the SP4 to office and on business trips for work (and the iMac will still be available for others to do light work/browsing if needed).

Towards the end of my work day when am closing down things I have the following windows/applications open/running: at least half a dozen SAP GUI windows, half a dozen huge Excel files, IE and Chrome with more than a dozen tabs each, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Skype, Cisco Jabber, Snagit, and a few other applications/windows.

I am not sure if the M3 would be able to handle my planned home + office usage/workload, or can it? So I am thinking i5 maybe?

Lastly, I know there are other machines than the SP4 i5/i7 out there that may server my intended usage for the same price or lower, but I prefer the SP4 because of its ability to replace my old tablet as well ? so, if am buying a windows machine, it?s going to be the SP4 (not even the SB). Or else it will be an MBP (although OSX is getting boring) and just use the office issued machine for work (although am tired of those boring Dells and Lenovos), and keep my tablet till it dies.

All that said, would it be wrong or foolish if I were to pick the SP4 i5 256GB, and pay a premium according to you, just because I believe I need an i5 and I want it in the SP4s form factor and I like the way its wrapped in magnesium?

Any guidance, from you, and other experts here, is much appreciated.
 

Dueydoodah

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In summary a tablet which is what the SP is should be fan-less at all costs especially when they have an upscale model surface book with fans and extra ports.

Wow, so I should lug around a 3.3 lb. machine just so I don't have a fan on a 1.7 lb. machine? I'm glad you're not my source for technical support. And I've had it with under-powered machines. I hate lag and will pay more to eliminate it. M3 lags too much. Don't tell me what I should like.
 

dirtyvu

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If in doubt get the i5. It's the best bang for the buck. If you have light needs and are on a budget get the M3. If you need the best performance and can afford it get the i7.
 

thatdennis

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I signed up just to ask this question (my first post here). I am looking to get an SP4 and researching which model to purchase (first time Surface, or Windows PC buyer for that matter). I typically tend to buy top-of-the-line tech just to future-proof it a little bit because I don't upgrade every time there is a new model out there (still running the late 2009 27" iMac at home; for work my employer/s have always provided the machine). At the same time, I also don't believe in overspending on something if the value isn't there (I could be wrong but I think the i7 might fall in that category because if I cannot push it to its limits then am overpaying - like buying a car that has an engine capable of, and a speedometer marked up to, 200 mph but you can only push it to 85 mph or something on those lines).

I am not a gamer nor do I do any serious graphic intensive stuff on the home computer. But the iMac, my main home computer, is kind of getting slower for my growing photo/video/music library ? I increased the RAM from 8 to 12 GB last year but that didn?t help much. Hence am looking. I love the form factor of the SP4. I plan to replace the iMac as the main home computer with the SP4, hooked up with a large/fast external SSD, and use the iMac as an external monitor (Target Display Mode). However, I also plan to take the SP4 to office and on business trips for work (and the iMac will still be available for others to do light work/browsing if needed).

Towards the end of my work day when am closing down things I have the following windows/applications open/running: at least half a dozen SAP GUI windows, half a dozen huge Excel files, IE and Chrome with more than a dozen tabs each, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Skype, Cisco Jabber, Snagit, and a few other applications/windows.

I am not sure if the M3 would be able to handle my planned home + office usage/workload, or can it? So I am thinking i5 maybe?

Lastly, I know there are other machines than the SP4 i5/i7 out there that may server my intended usage for the same price or lower, but I prefer the SP4 because of its ability to replace my old tablet as well ? so, if am buying a windows machine, it?s going to be the SP4 (not even the SB). Or else it will be an MBP (although OSX is getting boring) and just use the office issued machine for work (although am tired of those boring Dells and Lenovos), and keep my tablet till it dies.

All that said, would it be wrong or foolish if I were to pick the SP4 i5 256GB, and pay a premium according to you, just because I believe I need an i5 and I want it in the SP4s form factor and I like the way its wrapped in magnesium?

Any guidance, from you, and other experts here, is much appreciated.

First, don't ask from input from boltman. He's really biased towards the SP4 m3 and would always push for it (check out other threads here about the SP4, he always touts the m3 and insults anyone who doesn't think like him).

Now to answer your question, unless you want to close several tabs/programs, go for the 8GB RAM minimum. Opening a lot of programs and tabs takes a toll on the RAM.

For your GPU needs, the m3 will suffice, but with your current usage, the 4 GB RAM will not suffice.

Tl;dr go for anything with 8GB for your numerous programs and tabs, with the i5 being the best (as you won't take full advantage of the i7 processor anyway).
 

boltman2013

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How can you possibly say...

"the 4 GB RAM will not suffice." truthfully you have no clue at all of what you speak of.

Pretty sure Microsoft did not make a "PRO" device that does not suffice after opening a few programs..give me a break. I have many programs, tabs and windows open on my M3 and it keeps up like a champ.

I have never had to close a tab or program yet..give me a break you act like 4GB is trash it isn't. With RAM compression they alleviated the stress on RAM even more..get educated.
 

onlysublime

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II love the form factor of the SP4. I plan to replace the iMac as the main home computer with the SP4, hooked up with a large/fast external SSD, and use the iMac as an external monitor (Target Display Mode). However, I also plan to take the SP4 to office and on business trips for work (and the iMac will still be available for others to do light work/browsing if needed).

Towards the end of my work day when am closing down things I have the following windows/applications open/running: at least half a dozen SAP GUI windows, half a dozen huge Excel files, IE and Chrome with more than a dozen tabs each, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Skype, Cisco Jabber, Snagit, and a few other applications/windows.

If you have bought a computer since 2009 and infrequently upgrade, I'd suggest the i5/8GB/256 GB with your workflow. The M3 version is really meant for NOW, not for a long term situation. 4GB is the biggest issue with the M3 (but lack of SSD space is another problem). Leo Laporte has an adage that 1 year is 15 computer years. A 2009 computer is 90 years old and ready to be retired.

If you have a dozen tabs each for IE and Chrome in addition to all that software, you're definitely going to need more than 4 GB:

Check out IE, Chrome, Edge RAM usage I posted earlier:

http://forums.windowscentral.com/microsoft-surface-pro-4/392153-im-web-developer-model-should-i-get.html#post3345101
 

thatdennis

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How can you possibly say...

"the 4 GB RAM will not suffice." truthfully you have no clue at all of what you speak of.

Pretty sure Microsoft did not make a "PRO" device that does not suffice after opening a few programs..give me a break. I have many programs, tabs and windows open on my M3 and it keeps up like a champ.

I have never had to close a tab or program yet..give me a break you act like 4GB is trash it isn't. With RAM compression they alleviated the stress on RAM even more..get educated.

You just proved my point on how biased you are. FYI I didn't say the m3 is trash, I'm gonna buy it too. Look, he said he opens apps such as:

Towards the end of my work day when am closing down things I have the following windows/applications open/running: at least half a dozen SAP GUI windows, half a dozen huge Excel files, IE and Chrome with more than a dozen tabs each, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Skype, Cisco Jabber, Snagit, and a few other applications/windows.

If that doesn't take up 4GB RAM, then I guess I've been seeing things wrong.. Get over yourself Boltman, the m3 is not for everyone. For example, my university uses a VPN that already takes 1GB of RAM to operate. Pair that with Edge who takes 1GB of RAM somehow (I checked task manager). Then pair that with several apps that's open, easily ramps up to 5GB of RAM. Pair that up more with me watching movies and playing games without closing tabs. boom 8GB max. So you think 4GB is enough, and I don't need to close apps/tabs?

Boltman, if you have nothing positive/helpful to contribute other than "OMG M3 BEST YOU SUCK IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH ME, YOU STUPID." Then please, don't even contribute anything. Look at your posts again, they all smell of bias. "99% of users don't need anything more other than the m3!" Really? Where's the data to back it up? Where's the proof? How can you know what users do what? Are you proclaiming you're omniscient? Suck it up mate, you don't know half the **** you're talking about.

You know why you don't have to close a tab or program yet? Because 1. You're biased. and 2. Your usage is minimal, very minimal. I know how limiting 4GB of RAM is, I had the Surface 3.

"With RAM compression" Did you pull this out of your *** or something? Do you even know how RAM compression works? It essentially takes the power of your CPU to "compress" the RAM, which slows down the machine when switching apps. You read his post right? They guy doesn't close apps or tabs much, and leaves around 10 tabs and several apps running. This already eats a lot of RAM. Get over your bias and yourself Boltman.

And to answer the real thread. No, the i7 is not worth it unless you plan to take advantage of it (which is video editing, file processing, etc). Better get the i5 and save that money.
 

boltman2013

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You just proved my point on how biased you are. FYI I didn't say the m3 is trash, I'm gonna buy it too. Look, he said he opens apps such as:

Towards the end of my work day when am closing down things I have the following windows/applications open/running: at least half a dozen SAP GUI windows, half a dozen huge Excel files, IE and Chrome with more than a dozen tabs each, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Skype, Cisco Jabber, Snagit, and a few other applications/windows.

If that doesn't take up 4GB RAM, then I guess I've been seeing things wrong.. Get over yourself Boltman, the m3 is not for everyone. For example, my university uses a VPN that already takes 1GB of RAM to operate. Pair that with Edge who takes 1GB of RAM somehow (I checked task manager). Then pair that with several apps that's open, easily ramps up to 5GB of RAM. Pair that up more with me watching movies and playing games without closing tabs. boom 8GB max. So you think 4GB is enough, and I don't need to close apps/tabs?

Boltman, if you have nothing positive/helpful to contribute other than "OMG M3 BEST YOU SUCK IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH ME, YOU STUPID." Then please, don't even contribute anything. Look at your posts again, they all smell of bias. "99% of users don't need anything more other than the m3!" Really? Where's the data to back it up? Where's the proof? How can you know what users do what? Are you proclaiming you're omniscient? Suck it up mate, you don't know half the **** you're talking about.

You know why you don't have to close a tab or program yet? Because 1. You're biased. and 2. Your usage is minimal, very minimal. I know how limiting 4GB of RAM is, I had the Surface 3.

"With RAM compression" Did you pull this out of your *** or something? Do you even know how RAM compression works? It essentially takes the power of your CPU to "compress" the RAM, which slows down the machine when switching apps. You read his post right? They guy doesn't close apps or tabs much, and leaves around 10 tabs and several apps running. This already eats a lot of RAM. Get over your bias and yourself Boltman.

And to answer the real thread. No, the i7 is not worth it unless you plan to take advantage of it (which is video editing, file processing, etc). Better get the i5 and save that money.

8GB will only be useful if you run specific memory hungry programs. Thats the truth otherwise 4GB is PLENTY

You seem to think 4GB will break and I push my Surface all the time with multiple apps and tabs so don't say it does not work it does. Again Microsoft would not market a PRO device that could not run in a variety of professional situations everyday. The $899 is all 99% of buyers need.

Now if you are doing Video compression all day long , or running several VMs constantly THEN 8GB makes a difference otherwise it does not especially with RAM compression scheme the built into and added in the November update and the very fast M2 drive each Surface has.

I know I'm a Microsoft and IT Security and Networking professional and push systems every single day. 8GB need is a myth for the tasks the users are doing with surfaces...unless you are a 1% case.

Only 8GB+ systems are those that want to speed video compression or house lots of VMs < 1% will use a surface for those tasks.

Try it and get back to me or waste another $400 its your dime not mine..enjoy the fan noise

The reason 8GB got "popular" its dirt cheap on desktops, somewhat so on laptops, hell I put 32GB in for < $100 im my last build..on Surface its NOT CHEAP its $400 for extra 4GB its way expensive and people do not need it except in very rare use cases. So you get by just fine with 4GB and save fan noise and $400 in the process.
 
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thatdennis

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8GB will only be useful if you run specific memory hungry programs. Thats he truth otherwise 4GB is PLENTY

You seem to think 4GB will break and I push my Surface all the time with multiple apps and tabs so don't say it does not work it does.

Now if you are doing Video compression all day long , or running several VMs constantly THEN 8GB makes a difference otherwise it does not especially with RAM compression a added in the November update and the very fast M2 drive each Surface has.

Try it and get back to me

Did you read his post?

Towards the end of my work day when am closing down things I have the following windows/applications open/running: at least half a dozen SAP GUI windows, half a dozen huge Excel files, IE and Chrome with more than a dozen tabs each, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Skype, Cisco Jabber, Snagit, and a few other applications/windows.

But the iMac, my main home computer, is kind of getting slower for my growing photo/video/music library – I increased the RAM from 8 to 12 GB last year but that didn’t help much

The guys indicates he doesn't close his apps during work, and only closes them at the end of the day. He needs the 8GB of RAM unless he wants to close down several apps and tabs, which then of course 4GB will suffice.
 

boltman2013

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Did you read his post?

Towards the end of my work day when am closing down things I have the following windows/applications open/running: at least half a dozen SAP GUI windows, half a dozen huge Excel files, IE and Chrome with more than a dozen tabs each, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Skype, Cisco Jabber, Snagit, and a few other applications/windows.

But the iMac, my main home computer, is kind of getting slower for my growing photo/video/music library – I increased the RAM from 8 to 12 GB last year but that didn’t help much

The guys indicates he doesn't close his apps during work, and only closes them at the end of the day. He needs the 8GB of RAM unless he wants to close down several apps and tabs, which then of course 4GB will suffice.

He may be the 1% but the other 99% do not need 8GB, if he runs all that he does not need advice here that's for sure.
 

xandros9

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Am 1%'r.

---

Also I think we've gone back and forth enough on the M3 here, please let it go.

-and anyone who starts singing will receive a warning-

(kidding!)
 

fj_cruiser

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For example, my university uses a VPN that already takes 1GB of RAM to operate. Pair that with Edge who takes 1GB of RAM somehow (I checked task manager). [/B]

Thats one important thing I forgot to mention - i often work from home/remote and I VPN into the company network almost 50% of my time.
 

thatdennis

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Thats one important thing I forgot to mention - i often work from home/remote and I VPN into the company network almost 50% of my time.

Yep, then definitely go with the 8GB RAM. Meaning i5.

I would hold out buying until January (I'm doing it too) as Microsoft is probably shipping the faulty/problem units during Christmas. You get a new batch with better usability out of the box, win win for you.

Also if you decided that you don't like the fans and won't use 8 gb of RAM (which I highly doubt), return the unit and opt for the fanless m3-like me.

He may be the 1% but the other 99% do not need 8GB, if he runs all that he does not need advice here that's for sure.

Look I'm tired of this. Where's your proof of the so called "1%"? Are all the gamers, video editors, CG artists, YouTube video makers, renderers, Chrome users, architects, etc. all the 1%. Please enlighten me where you got this statement from?
 
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boltman2013

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Look I'm tired of this. Where's your proof of the so called "1%"? Are all the gamers, video editors, CG artists, YouTube video makers, renderers, Chrome users, architects, etc. all the 1%. Please enlighten me where you got this statement from?

Most of those you list would not buy a surface. Except for chrome users LOL.
.
Hint :There are a lot of people that may own a surface. Do the math don't act like a mindless apple fan

http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Feature/375815,how-to-how-much-ram-do-you-really-need.aspx

"Conclusion
Even during our Real World Multi-apps test – which opens several major applications at once – our test system’s total RAM usage never topped 4GB. This means Windows didn’t need to fall back on virtual memory at any point . As such, installing more RAM would yield only a modest speed boost."

Owned.People never do what you say that's leaves 1%..that may push their surfaces that way everyday, Seriously try a 4GB surface and you will see. Its all about what you think not what you actually need.

Microsoft would not sell a PRO device that could not be used in Professional situations. Yet they will gladly take extra money for more RAM if you give it to them.
 
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fj_cruiser

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Most of those you list would not buy a surface. Except for chrome users LOL.
.
Hint :There are a lot of people that may own a surface. Do the math don't act like a mindless apple fan



"Conclusion
Even during our Real World Multi-apps test ? which opens several major applications at once ? our test system?s total RAM usage never topped 4GB. This means Windows didn?t need to fall back on virtual memory at any point . As such, installing more RAM would yield only a modest speed boost."

Owned.People never do what you say that's leaves 1%..that may push their surfaces that way everyday, Seriously try a 4GB surface and you will see. Its all about what you think not what you actually need.

Microsoft would not sell a PRO device that could not be used in Professional situations. Yet they will gladly take extra money for more RAM if you give it to them.

I am not able to post the link since I dont have 10 posts yet, but if you look up "TechSpot How much Ram? 4GB vs 8GB vs 16GB" the article, based on their testing, recommends that 8GB is the sweet spot. Very interesting results too - and neatly represented graphically.

He may be the 1% but the other 99% do not need 8GB, if he runs all that he does not need advice here that's for sure.

Because I run all that, I dont need advice here? Sorry, but I didnt quite get that, or the reasoning behind that. I work in IT but mostly in SAP (and other ERP/CRM/BI/and other business applications) and I consider myself a newb when it comes to OS and hardware knowledge. I may be a little more familiar with OSX but any windows issue and I immediately call my helpdesk guys to come take a look or swap my SSD into a loaner until they figure things out with my primary. So, when it comes to purchasing a personal windows machine, I think I qualify to seek advice here, no?

Yep, then definitely go with the 8GB RAM. Meaning i5.

I would hold out buying until January (I'm doing it too) as Microsoft is probably shipping the faulty/problem units during Christmas. You get a new batch with better usability out of the box, win win for you.

Also if you decided that you don't like the fans and won't use 8 gb of RAM (which I highly doubt), return the unit and opt for the fanless m3-like me.

Thanks for your advice and guidance. Yes, I did read it somewhere here, there being some early manufacturing issues with the SP4 assembly and that the issues will be addressed in future production batches. Also, I am not in a rush either and have plenty of time to research, learn from expert like yourself, and make an informed decision. I may even wait longer to hear feedback from folks like you who have had a chance to spend some time with the January batch.
 
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brianbrain

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Man, that 1% is awfully crowded with a lot of people.

It would certainly appear that way, wouldn't it.

I think there's some misconceptions regarding how memory compression works in Windows 10. It is not the holy grail of memory space savings, as it is being proclaimed by some.

The memory compression system acts as a tier, sitting in between RAM and disk. The most inactive pages will swap to disk, while more active pages that aren't active enough to remain in RAM will be compressed. This has the benefit of reducing disk swapping by ~50%, which obviously improves system responsiveness during low memory scenarios, as well as reduces the wear on your SSD.

Memory compression does not compress all pages in RAM. The amount of active pages kept in RAM will still be the same (only the less active pages get compressed and there is a proportional limit to the compressed pool's size out of your total RAM).. While memory compression is a great addition to Windows 10, it can *not* be considered when making decisions over how much RAM you need.

Back to "how much memory is enough". The answer is obvious: It depends. Below are some generalizations, but shouldn't be taken as gospel:

If all you do is check your email, web browse, maybe create a word document or two, and watch Netflix, then 4GB should cover your tasks fine...for now.

If you use any Office products extensively (that includes OneNote), then you're likely going to need 8GB of RAM. Same goes for other software like Photoshop, Illustrator, etc and games. Essentially, anyone who plans on using their Surface for professional, graphical, or gaming purposes should probably be looking at 8GB right out of the gate.

Users who tend to leave many things running at once (multi-taskers) should also consider 8GB. You may not use all of it right away, but this leaves you with some room to grow, or as some like to call it "upgrade protection".

16GB is for those of us who are pushing the limits. Running Virtual Machines, doing serious graphical work, or even working with large documents/spreadsheets in Office. This is not your average user, but rest assured, there are more of us out there than you may think :)

Finally, anyone that tells you what you need, is wrong. Period. End of story. Only you can properly assess your usage and needs. These forums should provide guidance, but each situation is unique, so make sure your unique situation is handled by the person who knows you best. Yourself.
 

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