Are you buying the new Surface Pro or what?

[kittengirl]

I'm seriously considering selling my Surface Book and getting the top of the line SP. I jumped from SP3 to the Surface Book when it came out, due to the larger screen and the power. But I find that the way I like to use the Surface just doesn't work so well with the Book as with the Surface Pro form factor. That's because I had developed a habit of switching back and forth between tablet and laptop mode very frequently, which works much better with the keyboard setup of the Pro than the Book. For the way I work, the time it takes to reverse the keyboard is very cumbersome. Also, the size just is not as portable as I would like for travel.

 

[convergent]

I'm excited. I think I'll wait until at least 2-3 months after official release to escape the first adopter hardware/software bugs and issues. I'm sure there will be some.

Three missing features I'm a boy disappointed about:
1. No USB C
2. No extra buttons on the surface own
3. No built in gps module

Wishes:
1. External power bank accessory for offgrid charging
2. Hot swappable removable battery
3. IP68 water/dust proof for the fanless core m3 and i5 models.

1. it will have USB C via a dongle when they release that.
2. What buttons?
3. GPS usually comes along with LTE support, so that may be there in that model.

1. You can charge the old one with a power bank, so not sure why you wouldn't be able to charge the new one that way too. You just need the right cable and right power input, both of which are out there.
2. I think the days of swappable batteries are long gone. I'm not aware of any current tablets that have them. With these packed form factors, its not really doable. I would be happy though if they at least made it serviceable by not gluing it together.
3. That would be nice, for the percentage of customers that might want to go into a harsh environment. But then the whole thing would need to change. The pen and keyboard wouldn't hold up well in those conditions, and often people wear gloves too... so the touch would be hosed up.

 

[convergent]

No thanks on the new Surface Pro. Without Thunderbolt 3, this thing is dead on arrival. Proprietary charging, yuck. Try again in another 2 years Panos Panay, maybe next time you can get it right.

This is a little over the top don't you think? There are a percentage of people that must have Thunderbolt 3 for some device, but its a pretty small group. I was all excited about Thunderbolt when Apple came out with it and I bought a MacBook Air and Thunderbolt display. From there, I never bought anything else because it was very slow on being adopted and every TB device was way over priced vs. USB3 alternatives that were nearly as good.

That said, they are coming out with a USB3 dongle, and for all we know that could be TB3 capable when they do it.

I try not to be single feature driven.

 

[GSOgymrat]

I've owned Surface 1-4 but I am holding off on Surface 2017. The reason is the terrible experience I had with Surface Pro 4 when it was first released: continuous display crashes, screen color issues, wake problems, rear camera didn't work, battery drains, keyboard recognition issues. My Surface Pro 4 works perfectly now but it took months for Microsoft to resolve all the problems. I will upgrade to the new Surface after I hear from forum members that it is working perfectly. Microsoft lost my trust when they released Surface Pro 4.

 

[convergent]

No.
Because Microsoft hiked up the prices. I bought the i5/4GB SP3 almost at launch for 800 euros. The same configuration now costs 1200€. And for 1500€ for the i5/8GB...I'd rather buy the Spectre 360X for that price.
So yeah. Not happening.

I'm also very skeptical about the fanless i5 versions. The SP3 heats up... The SP5 without a fan... Hmm...

The Acer Switch Alpha 12 i5 and i7 are fanless in a near identical form factor and have been fine since last year when they came out. Read the reviews... not throttling and good performance. Not sure why Panay said they were the first to do it, because they aren't.

 

[convergent]

I've owned Surface 1-4 but I am holding off on Surface 2017. The reason is the terrible experience I had with Surface Pro 4 when it was first released: continuous display crashes, screen color issues, wake problems, rear camera didn't work, battery drains, keyboard recognition issues. My Surface Pro 4 works perfectly now but it took months for Microsoft to resolve all the problems. I will upgrade to the new Surface after I hear from forum members that it is working perfectly. Microsoft lost my trust when they released Surface Pro 4.

This is one of the big things I'm concerned about too. I want to get something now, but I don't want to live through horror for 6 months. I guess we have 30 days to try it out to see how it does and can return if it is a hot mess.

 

[convergent]

Hell no. Highly disappointed that they simply couldn't replace that Mini DisplayPort with a Thunderbolt 3 port.

Mini DisplayPort never got anywhere near the adoption of HDMI nor VGA, it's just-as common as USB Type C is at this moment (if not worse). It's not like they have to replace the awesome magnetic Surface connect port in order to gain Thunderbolt 3 support. Yet they chose to keep that Mini DisplayPort and make the Surface Pro not future proof for the growing collection of USB Type C and Thunderbolt 3 accessories.

Screw it, sticking with my Surface Pro 2.

All the Lenovo and Dell laptops I've used at my last two companies have Mini DisplayPort on them, including the ones we are currently rolling out to new employees. All my Macs support it. And the Surface Pro supports it. These are all business grade computers, so maybe that's the difference. HDMI seems to be more common on home grade computers maybe.

I know that if I showed up at one of our global office locations for a meeting and forgot my Mini Displayport dongle, then everyone else at the meeting would be able to help me. If I was lacking a USB-C dongle then I'd be screwed. So sure... would have been nice to also have USB-C but USB-A and Mini DisplayPort are what is needed in the world I work in... a company of xx,xxx tech workers. I've been to our offices all over the world and I've yet to encounter a single device that I could connect via USB-C (without some conversion dongle), other than people's individual smartphones.

 

[abel46]

So, the new Surface Pro is official! What do we think? Disappointed? Or excited? And most importantly, do you plan to buy one? Let’s keep it simple, using this format: Will you buy it (yes/no/maybe) > Why, or why not? I’ll get started:

Yes > That thing is slick looking, and I could really use a new Surface. Pen looks sick too!

Your turn ...

"Are you buying the new Surface Pro or what?"

Probably not. We have the Surface Pro 3, which does what my wife need. I'm in the market for a new laptop that is mostly for video editing (Vegas Pro), but has not make up my mind yet...

 

[hoyty]

30 devices? Wow, this is for a school? Or college?

We are a school, we have bought 30-40 a year since SP3 launch in 2014.

 

[meattray]

There's a chance I might. Been really debating this with myself lately. I definitely don't need it but they have made enough changes that it has peaked my interest.

 

[convergent]

I just pre-ordered one... i5, 8G, 256G variety. I went with the cobalt blue keyboard. The pens aren't available for order yet. I hope they aren't delayed a ridiculous amount of time after its available because pen is one of the main factors I'm buying it for.

 

[blevok]

No, for the same reason i didn't buy a 3 or 4. It's too big for my liking.
I have a SP2/8/256 and it still does everything i need it to do with relative ease, so i don't feel compelled to upgrade anytime soon. I would love to be able to do some more modern gaming, and have generally improved performance, but i just don't want to go any bigger than what i have now.
So if they make a mini, then i'll buy it. But right now, the smaller size of the SP2 is worth more to me than the improved hardware in the newer versions.

 

[ajcletus500]

I thought I was just going to watch today's event just to see what's new. Was NOT thinking of getting new gear at the time. Then I heard ....

New pen with 4096 pen pressure, Tilt-sensitivity, 21ms latency - and I'm like, Wow, that's nice :smile:
acoustically quiet fanless i5 - and I'm, That's crazy good, I'm tempted but fan-noise doesn't really bother me that much :smile:
13.5 battery life - THIRTEEN. AND. A. HALF. - and I'm like HOLY $#@ just take my money already.

I want this far more than the surface laptop. I want that long battery life in this form factor. and now it's here

everything he said just excites me to own one for sure

 

[ajcletus500]

I wonder if there will be a bundle with the pen and keyboard in the future and a sick deal to go with it

 

[Keeptechcoolandsimple]

no - i just love my surface pro 4 too much, it functions how i want it to, and have never issues over the life of my ownership since not too long after it came out (except for one time where i went to the Microsoft store where they gave me coffee while they fixed the issue for free). i may be fortunate that i've never really experienced the issues others have had. sure, battery life could be better but i say that of all my machines. it's like a weird compliment but Microsoft built too quality of a machine to make me want to spend money to upgrade.

if I'm spending money on a new device, it will be on something like a surface laptop or a surface book - ie, something with a different form factor for me to play with.

 

[MSZika]

No > I don't have the money and it isn't available here in Brazil. But this is the most exciting Surface device for me, after the Surface Studio. I'm in love with it since it was announced. Waiting for when I get rich and leave this place, the country of political corruption.

 

[DJCBS]

The Acer Switch Alpha 12 i5 and i7 are fanless in a near identical form factor and have been fine since last year when they came out. Read the reviews... not throttling and good performance. Not sure why Panay said they were the first to do it, because they aren't.

Thanks.
I don't really follow on what Acer does 'cause I don't really like their hardware but I'll check the reviews.
Though, honestly, I just got the core i7 2017 Spectre X360 for 1200€ (almost the price the Pro 5 with 4GB/core i5 would cost) so I don't think I'm going to buy another Surface at all. The Pro 3 will remain as a drawing tablet until it dies....then I'll see what's on the market. But if Microsoft continues to think they're Apple, it'll likely not be a Surface again.

 

[convergent]

Thanks.
I don't really follow on what Acer does 'cause I don't really like their hardware but I'll check the reviews.
Though, honestly, I just got the core i7 2017 Spectre X360 for 1200€ (almost the price the Pro 5 with 4GB/core i5 would cost) so I don't think I'm going to buy another Surface at all. The Pro 3 will remain as a drawing tablet until it dies....then I'll see what's on the market. But if Microsoft continues to think they're Apple, it'll likely not be a Surface again.

I think your are comparing apples to oranges (no pun intended) comparing the SP to X360. But if you are happy with it, that's all that matters.

 

[DJCBS]

I think your are comparing apples to oranges (no pun intended) comparing the SP to X360. But if you are happy with it, that's all that matters.

It's not a question of comparison. I used the SP3 as a secondary, portable computer. I used it to draw and to write. Those are the two uses it has. I never EVER used the SP3 as my main computer and even less as a tablet. But lately the SP3 was driving me insane every time I tried to use it for writing, with the fans constantly kicking off. That's why I started to look at the X360 too.

For my use, the X360 does exactly the same as a Surface Pro. And since the Surface Laptop is a shameless rip-off, it came down to either upgrading the SP3 to an SP5 (I'm not calling it just "Surface Pro") or to something else.
In the end, Microsoft's wish to become Apple ended up making me drop the Surface line. I didn't really want to do it but I hate being taken advantage of.
Besides, the core i7 black & gold X360 looks and feels great to use. So yeah, I'm happy
And who knows...maybe next time I hop on over to Redmond I'll get the SP5 from the Company Store (which has lower prices than we do here in Europe and it's in dollars which means, conversion rate gains lol)

 

[CrippsCorner]

Surface Laptop was estimated 14.5 hours, but The Verge got more like 7-8 hours (on both Windows 10 and Windows 10 S)

Anyway, I've pre-ordered my Surface Pro I'm still on the original model from 4 years ago! Which to be fair is still working perfectly. That one's off to my mum now.

I actually wanted the Surface Laptop, but I can't live without an SD card slot! Luckily noticed at the last moment before ordering.

Gone for the burgundy keyboard just for a change from everything being black. There's going to be no one at home this week to collect it mind you maybe I'll be able to pick it up at the weekend.