After much debate I ordered a Surface Pro 4. After heavily using it I returned it.
I was apprehensive about it based on the problems I read people having with the device. I am happy to report that I did not experience any of the issues. Though the battery life was not great I was expecting much worse.
I actually liked this device but before I get into why I did i'll list my impressions.
- Keyboard/Trackpad - Both were good. I really like the soft material used to make the type cover. It was easy to type on and while the trackpad is smaller than what is on my MBP it did not make me want to go back to the MBP.
- Apps - The most common knock on Windows 10 is the lack of apps. I'm pretty simple and only used the web browser, office, FB/Twitter, Amazon, and ESPN...very basic. Some apps like FB/Twitter were not great but others like Amazon and ESPN felt natural on that form factor.
- Windows 10 - When in desktop mode I have nothing major to complain about. I'm use to Windows 7, OS X, iOS, and Android.
Here is the worst thing about the Surface Pro 4, imo.
- Using it as a tablet
You will notice the weight of the Surface when holding it and using it like a traditional tablet. The iPad and Android tablets are much better to use being a little smaller and lighter. I noticed a weight difference much more than I anticipated.
I also feel that the overall tablet experience just isn't that good on Windows 10 yet. It is really made with the mouse/keyboard in mind first and then given some touch capabilities on top. I'm sure this gets a lot better over time with updates but if you are looking to use this for things tablets have been optimized for (Netflix, e-Books, Social Media, etc) I think you would enjoy the iPad or an Android tablet much more.
The tablet mode isn't even the reason I returned it. I returned it because I just don't need it right now. $1,500 is a lot of money for something I would like to have but don't need. I haven't even had my MBP 2 years and (so far) nothing really wrong with it.
If you are comfortable spending the money or are in need of a new device then I would certainly consider the SP4. I'm just too much of a tightwad right now to spend the money.
I was apprehensive about it based on the problems I read people having with the device. I am happy to report that I did not experience any of the issues. Though the battery life was not great I was expecting much worse.
I actually liked this device but before I get into why I did i'll list my impressions.
- Keyboard/Trackpad - Both were good. I really like the soft material used to make the type cover. It was easy to type on and while the trackpad is smaller than what is on my MBP it did not make me want to go back to the MBP.
- Apps - The most common knock on Windows 10 is the lack of apps. I'm pretty simple and only used the web browser, office, FB/Twitter, Amazon, and ESPN...very basic. Some apps like FB/Twitter were not great but others like Amazon and ESPN felt natural on that form factor.
- Windows 10 - When in desktop mode I have nothing major to complain about. I'm use to Windows 7, OS X, iOS, and Android.
Here is the worst thing about the Surface Pro 4, imo.
- Using it as a tablet
You will notice the weight of the Surface when holding it and using it like a traditional tablet. The iPad and Android tablets are much better to use being a little smaller and lighter. I noticed a weight difference much more than I anticipated.
I also feel that the overall tablet experience just isn't that good on Windows 10 yet. It is really made with the mouse/keyboard in mind first and then given some touch capabilities on top. I'm sure this gets a lot better over time with updates but if you are looking to use this for things tablets have been optimized for (Netflix, e-Books, Social Media, etc) I think you would enjoy the iPad or an Android tablet much more.
The tablet mode isn't even the reason I returned it. I returned it because I just don't need it right now. $1,500 is a lot of money for something I would like to have but don't need. I haven't even had my MBP 2 years and (so far) nothing really wrong with it.
If you are comfortable spending the money or are in need of a new device then I would certainly consider the SP4. I'm just too much of a tightwad right now to spend the money.