Is the I7 worth it?

boltman2013

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You know that the m3 is not enough to handle what i want to use it for.
So its better if you give me an correct answer as you know how i will use it.

Another computer choice like Surface Book or another OEM option then..face it you are trying to put a square peg in round hole.
 

Grimmric

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Another computer choice like Surface Book or another OEM option then..face it you are trying to put a square peg in round hole.

So i guess i only had 2 options.
Bying a SP4 with a i5 that fits my needs or buy a laptop, a tablet and a wacom.
I might be an ***** going for option one, but it saves space when traveling. And it saved me alot of money in the end.
I guess you would pick option two instead.
 

boltman2013

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So i guess i only had 2 options.
Bying a SP4 with a i5 that fits my needs or buy a laptop, a tablet and a wacom.
I might be an ***** going for option one, but it saves space when traveling. And it saved me alot of money in the end.
I guess you would pick option two instead.

Probably would buy a Surface Book in that situation..why would you go to three devices? Not understanding the rational there.

Listen I am just giving advice for those who read this thread to focus on the M3 in SP4...IF you need more luckily there is the Surface Book this year and and absolutely great OEM Windows 10 solutions.

Note last year my choice was SP3i5 4GB similar deal. Bang for buck.

The issue I have with SP4 i5/i7 is the cost factor for basically a tablet (No type keyboard included) . Your entry point with 8GB is $1500...

Now let me ask you do you want Microsoft to emulate fully Apple's abusive margin model?

IF you think logically spending $1300-3000 in a SP4 is insane as it does not even have a type keyboard at another $140.

I get the "I have money" "I'll do what I want" "If I'm going to spend get the max out spec" fine..but most people who say that skimp on other parts of their life they should be financing..unless ultra rich. Do most of you actually know what is needed to retire today and be in good shape? Millions in the bank. How many have that....???

How do you get there? By not overspending on everything (especially tech) and getting what you need not what you want all the time just because the spec sheet says so. My M3 is $809 (with 10% discount) that is at least $600 less than the cheapest demo i5 that has a fan... worse 3d graphics... uses more energy and weighs more.... for maybe 15% once in a blue moon oomph. You get EVERYTHING else for $809.

So again I will call out both overpricing and not making the correct component choices for this form factor.
Last thing I or most of you want is Microsoft to become Apple , how do we get that by not spending like Apple fools who buy Apple products like $1000 iPhone6sPlus and $649-$17000 watch or $1300 One-port Core M Mac(net)book or $1000 ipad "pro" or $25000 Haswell Mac with 5400rmp hdd

Its a slippery slope.

Think for once about what you need and what the correct purchase is. Lets not fall into the Apple trap ok? Spread the love around to the OEMs they are trying too. Send a message to Microsoft loud and clear. Love the surface and expand M# options and RAM... keep prices non-apple.
 
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ioaniro

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Well technically the difference between M3 and the i5 most people are getting is 400 not 600. And all you are saying is buy something lower price to send a message even if you can't use it for what you would like to use it. How is that smart? Besides, the profit margin on the m3 is probably in line with the profit margin on the i5, all these devices are overpriced. In fact, in my opinion, the M3 should find its way into the Surface line (not the pro) and then it will be an amazing device.

In this particular thread the OP was asking about gaming and I do not recall any of your answers sticking to that topic. And I also think you are naive to think that all the components of the M3 are made specifically made for the M3 and thus the M3 has less problems. If anything the M3 has less reported problems because very few people bought it and very few people push it to its limits.

Other than that I was one of the first to say that a fan-less M3 with 8Gb of ram and 256 SSD would probably be my ideal device. But most people that bought the i5 bought it because it makes sense for their work, you are not the only one that has seen the light. If I read this correctly you are retired so you could probably accept the fact that for your light use the M3 is good enough while for us is not.
Lastly, I don't think we signed up for an apple-hater forum, while everyone knows they are overpriced they used to be also very reliable devices. The only macbook I had from work was with me for 6 years and was working beautifully even after all that time. Overpriced, probably (I didn't pay for it so no idea how much it was) but at the time buying the same quality in a PC would have required a lot of research. Compared to that the SP4 doesn't fair that well as it launches with problems from the start and has (even for the M3) a similar price point.
 

MikeJer

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I love the idea of the m3 and it was my first choice for the SP4. So I picked one up. Right away I LOVED that it was fanless -- definitely its best feature. I loathe noisy fans on computers.

Unfortunately, for my use case, it simply wasn't quite there yet. Here are the primary limitations of the m3 that led me to instead go with the Core i7:
- No 8GB or 16GB RAM option. I'm simply baffled as to why Microsoft won't offer these configuration options. I think this is easily the biggest reason why the m3 option doesn't work for me.
- No 256GB or 512GB SSD options. I could probably make do with 128GB + mSD storage if I had to, but 256GB is a lot roomier space-wise for my needs.

One common use case of mine, to which the m3 in its only configuration cannot handle, is being docked to a 3440x1440 ultrawide monitor while doing the following at the same time:
- Skyping on the Surface screen
- Having Google Maps (or, say Zillow) loaded on the ultrawide monitor

This will slow the m3 down to a crawl. Just having more than a few Chrome tabs open on the docked monitor while Skyping is an unbearably stuttery and slow experience. Switching between tabs takes 2-3 seconds each -- it's awful. I think 8GB of RAM would really help this device in these kinds of situations, but alas it's not to be this generation. :(

A Surface Pro 5 with a next gen Core M chip, 8+GB RAM, and 256+GB SSD will likely be my ideal device. Until that comes out though, the Core i7 will fit my needs the best -- I'm using it as my desktop (with dock), couch tablet, and my primary note-taking device for reviews. The Surface Book was never an option for me: I hate the laptop form factor and the tablet portion doesn't have a kickstand, so SP4 is it. The i7 fan kicks in more often than I'd like (always when Skyping), but when it's not being taxed much (i.e. no Skype, no gaming, little-to-no multi-tasking) it stays completely silent. Being able to browse the web -- what I spend most of my time doing anyway -- silently is still a huge improvement over my prior desktop.
 

boltman2013

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Well technically the difference between M3 and the i5 most people are getting is 400 not 600. And all you are saying is buy something lower price to send a message even if you can't use it for what you would like to use it. How is that smart? Besides, the profit margin on the m3 is probably in line with the profit margin on the i5, all these devices are overpriced. In fact, in my opinion, the M3 should find its way into the Surface line (not the pro) and then it will be an amazing device.

In this particular thread the OP was asking about gaming and I do not recall any of your answers sticking to that topic. And I also think you are naive to think that all the components of the M3 are made specifically made for the M3 and thus the M3 has less problems. If anything the M3 has less reported problems because very few people bought it and very few people push it to its limits.

Other than that I was one of the first to say that a fan-less M3 with 8Gb of ram and 256 SSD would probably be my ideal device. But most people that bought the i5 bought it because it makes sense for their work, you are not the only one that has seen the light. If I read this correctly you are retired so you could probably accept the fact that for your light use the M3 is good enough while for us is not.
Lastly, I don't think we signed up for an apple-hater forum, while everyone knows they are overpriced they used to be also very reliable devices. The only macbook I had from work was with me for 6 years and was working beautifully even after all that time. Overpriced, probably (I didn't pay for it so no idea how much it was) but at the time buying the same quality in a PC would have required a lot of research. Compared to that the SP4 doesn't fair that well as it launches with problems from the start and has (even for the M3) a similar price point.

The Surface Pro i7 is not the ideal gaming device. I suggested look elsewhere primarily and if its a choice of ONLY SP4 then go i7.

Thanks for the correction its is $400 difference to upgrade to i5 and add 4GB of RAM and a fan..still $1300
I an not naive to think that each surface pro model goes through its own design changes, may use the same components but each also has unique components and design choices.

You can slice it any way you want but it really does boil down to what is the correct choice.

There are very few situations where I can see the SP4 at $1399 beats a Surface Book at $1699 seeing as you must add a type keyboard to equal a fair comparison and match all other specs.

So now we are talking roughly $150* to go from SP4 to SB with same specs i5/8GB/256 "apples to apples"

* Better battery 12 vs 9 25% improvement
* Bigger screen
* Better Keyboard
* Extra USB3 port
* 3000 x 2000 w/ upgraded onboard gpu

Also dGPU options for heavier gaming.

Now you tell me why people would choose the SP4 at that price range over the Surface Book when you get "all that" for $150 ?

So I am not derailing the conversation...just pointing out what matters in the grand scheme of things and not choosing a SP4 is a valid option. Should the OP go for the i7 and is it "worth it" ? A: SP4..probably not even though the i7 SP4 is way better than the i7 SP3 which was gimped.
 
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boltman2013

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I love the idea of the m3 and it was my first choice for the SP4. So I picked one up. Right away I LOVED that it was fanless -- definitely its best feature. I loathe noisy fans on computers.

Unfortunately, for my use case, it simply wasn't quite there yet. Here are the primary limitations of the m3 that led me to instead go with the Core i7:
- No 8GB or 16GB RAM option. I'm simply baffled as to why Microsoft won't offer these configuration options. I think this is easily the biggest reason why the m3 option doesn't work for me.
- No 256GB or 512GB SSD options. I could probably make do with 128GB + mSD storage if I had to, but 256GB is a lot roomier space-wise for my needs.

One common use case of mine, to which the m3 in its only configuration cannot handle, is being docked to a 3440x1440 ultrawide monitor while doing the following at the same time:
- Skyping on the Surface screen
- Having Google Maps (or, say Zillow) loaded on the ultrawide monitor

This will slow the m3 down to a crawl. Just having more than a few Chrome tabs open on the docked monitor while Skyping is an unbearably stuttery and slow experience. Switching between tabs takes 2-3 seconds each -- it's awful. I think 8GB of RAM would really help this device in these kinds of situations, but alas it's not to be this generation. :(

A Surface Pro 5 with a next gen Core M chip, 8+GB RAM, and 256+GB SSD will likely be my ideal device. Until that comes out though, the Core i7 will fit my needs the best -- I'm using it as my desktop (with dock), couch tablet, and my primary note-taking device for reviews. The Surface Book was never an option for me: I hate the laptop form factor and the tablet portion doesn't have a kickstand, so SP4 is it. The i7 fan kicks in more often than I'd like (always when Skyping), but when it's not being taxed much (i.e. no Skype, no gaming, little-to-no multi-tasking) it stays completely silent. Being able to browse the web -- what I spend most of my time doing anyway -- silently is still a huge improvement over my prior desktop.

A reasoned response..thank you
A specific case like I said he's in the 1% docked to a 3440x1440 ultrawide monitor

Cost for i7 and dock... way more
 

MikeJer

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"Cost for i7 and dock... way more"

My company bought me a SP4 Core i5 (8GB/512GB), type cover, and dock for telecommuting work (I'm a Software Engineer), so I actually didn't have to pay for the dock/type cover, only my personal Core i7 device.

During the work day I have my work SP4 docked to the big monitor with a mechanical keyboard/mouse while my personal SP4 is off to the side with the type cover attached. At the end of my work day I swap the SP4s: the work one gets the type cover and the personal one gets the dock with the ultrawide monitor and full keyboard/mouse.

It's a pretty awesome setup that maximizes the use of the "free" type cover and dock for both work and play. :)
 

boltman2013

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"Cost for i7 and dock... way more"

My company bought me a SP4 Core i5 (8GB/512GB), type cover, and dock for telecommuting work (I'm a Software Engineer), so I actually didn't have to pay for the dock/type cover, only my personal Core i7 device.

During the work day I have my work SP4 docked to the big monitor with a mechanical keyboard/mouse while my personal SP4 is off to the side with the type cover attached. At the end of my work day I swap the SP4s: the work one gets the type cover and the personal one gets the dock with the ultrawide monitor and full keyboard/mouse.

It's a pretty awesome setup that maximizes the use of the "free" type cover and dock for both work and play. :)

Nice, again this points out that IF the SP is your primary computer AND you use the dock THEN the i7 makes sense as at that point it really does not matter unless you need dGPU.

But again there are other options that would be much cheaper if all you are doing is using like a tower bare bones system of old mainly. Can see where a laptop and tower might make more sense.
 

MikeJer

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"Can see where a laptop and tower might make more sense."

Yeah, perhaps for most people, I agree.

The reason why I love the SP4 so much is how it is uniquely suited to handle multiple different use cases. It can replace a low-to-mid range desktop via the dock. When docked I have it right in front of/underneath my big monitor and behind my mechanical keyboard, which I couldn't do with a standard laptop because of the space the keyboard takes up. I actually rarely even need the type cover because I use it far more as a desktop/tablet than I do as a laptop. Using it as a media tablet while lying in bed is much easier to prop up than a wobbly laptop with its generally non-removable keyboard. And I can use it propped up on the edge of the coffee table rather than further back because of, again, a non-removable keyboard, all while taking notes on the couch with a bluetooth keyboard and close screen that doesn't have to be on my lap. Plus, again, most of the time I use it it's silent and only spins up the fan when docked with more intensive tasks.

For the way I use it it's literally 3 devices in 1, which makes it unique and totally worth the cost. Throw in the quality hardware and materials and it's quite a device, even in the more expensive configurations.

With all that said, if MS offered a Core M version with more RAM and Storage I'd be all over it at the cheaper price with no fan. Until then, though, the Core i7 is getting the job done pretty well. :)
 
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jtzako

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i5 is worth it over the m3 for many things. (especially games/graphics) However, i7 is only a marginal upgrade, if any at all, for the majority of things people might do on a surface computer.
 

slysy

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i5 is worth it over the m3 for many things. (especially games/graphics) However, i7 is only a marginal upgrade, if any at all, for the majority of things people might do on a surface computer.

What about for gaming? I haven't tried the i7 but I would have thought the iris graphics would give a decent performance boost in gaming
 

ioaniro

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Depends what kind of gaming, I used my SP2 (i5) successfully a few times to make an impromptu gaming session in Left for Dead 2 (using a controller) when visiting my nephews and it behaved decently. I'm guessing for some scenarios and with no high expectations both the i5 and i7 should play some games. You can check some of the official reviews, they discuss some games and the settings used. But expect the fan to kick in even with light gaming.
 

The Werewolf

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I originally bought the i5/8GB/256GB model of the Surface Pro 3 and then got upsold by a friend of mine to the i7/8GB/512GB model. Ignoring the money I lost selling the i5 which made the i7 even more expensive, in the end the advantages were less than hoped and the disadvantages moreso.

The short version: if you're playing games on the Surface Pro, even at the top of the line, it's not a gaming system. A Surface Book might handle it. Ironically, I'm not a gamer so that wasn't actually a factor for me. My friend convinced me that I needed the extra horsepower, GPU and storage. In fact, I've never gone over 200GB and I've been pretty sloppy with my files. Turns out he uses a lot of VMs and of course, those eat a lot of memory and disk - and it turns out he never quits an app, so again, more CPU helps. And he's a gamer (well, relative to me) and so he needs the GPU boost.

I, on the other hand, tend to be methodical in my use. I tend to close apps when I'm done with them. I move files off my system to external storage when I'm done (and yes, I actually organise things so I can find them). I rarely have more than 2-3 apps running at the same time. Memory is useful for me because I tend to write programs that manipulate large amounts of data in memory (by which I mean 1-2GB).

I'm also not a twitch-junkie. I don't need screeching fast speed. Just good speed. My main uses for the Surface are actually more drawing, sketching, 3D modelling and printing and some music composition. None of those need brutal fast speed or tons of memory (well, ok - Photoshop can be kind of scary).

I think for the vast majority of people the i5/8GB/256GB model is more than enough. I'm skipping the SP4 (it's just not that much better than my SP3) but when the SP5 comes out, I may well upgrade to the i5 model rather than the i7 one.
 

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