Surface Laptop Discussion

[Zachary Boddy]

I've heard a lot of controversy surrounding the newly announced Surface Laptop, and I'd like an opportunity to discuss these controversies and opinions with the Windows Central community.

I'm of the opinion that the Surface Laptop marks a departure for Microsoft from what the Surface line was made for: category creation and boundary setting. But I don't necessarily believe that this marks the end of those category defining products. People have been clamoring for years for Microsoft to create a true traditional clamshell laptop that can compete against the likes of Apple and their Macbooks. Yet now that it's come, and now that it's absolutely beautiful, well-designed, and powerful, all we can seem to talk about is the flaws and the drawbacks. The price, the lack of USB Type-C, or the 4GB of RAM in the starter model, these are all I've heard talk about around here.

And I have to wonder why that is. Why are people so hesitant to accept the Surface Laptop, which bridges an obvious gap between the Pro 4 and the Book almost perfectly? Why are people so reluctant to admit that the Surface Laptop isn't going to revolutionize the PC market any time soon, but it's still an incredibly designed laptop that can help set some standards for other PC OEM's to go above and beyond? I mean, if we're being honest with ourselves, the Book is the first "true" Surface since the original Surface Pro, considering the Pro 2, 3, and 4 all feature the same 2-in-1 design. Yet no one complains that Microsoft keeps updating the Pro line without reinventing the wheel once again.

I own a Pro 4 and I believe it's an incredible device. It's beautiful and perfect for my needs. And given the chance. I would happily use the Surface Laptop as well. I can see a place for both in my life. I can understand why Microsoft would design and release such a device. And I can also understand why those of us here, at Windows Central, would be amongst the few so hesitant to accept it. I want to discuss exactly why that is.

 

[JaimitoFrog]

There are those that seem to mistaken this as a replacement for their SP or SB. It clearly is not. Some said it is a step backwards, but like Panos said, it completes their line of products. There is something for everyone. They only make premium quality products, so they don't compete with OEM. In this case, they are showcasing W10S on a premium laptop, and if they succeed, will encourage OEMs to make similar stuff for less price or better spec.

 

[Art Gerald Ranque]

For me, the thing that makes this device worthy of being called a 'Surface' is not just because of its hardware, but also of its software, that is Windows 10 S. The Surface line has always introduced hardware that best represent Windows, and I think now, they're introducing an OS that will hopefully be the new and improved (and secured, so they say) Windows. Also, I think they introduced this new product so that it wouldn't tamper with other Surface products. Like for example, if they introduced Windows 10 S to the Surface Pro 5 (instead of this new Surface Laptop), people would just go bonkers. So I guess they're also timing it with a new product so if (and hopefully doesn't happen) this Surface Laptop line flops, it wouldn't mess with the other Surfaces (Surface Pros, Surface Studios, Surface Books).

 

[Drewidian]

What I find interesting is that with Windows on ARM being a thing, shouldn't there be a Windows 10S for ARM? If Microsoft is going to reach for that Chromebook level of pricing and functionality, this would seem to be a better way to do so.

 

[AndreAC_920]

I dont think this product its a replacement for a product.
For some people the SFBook wasnt Laptop enough.
And the SFLaptop its JUST this a laptop who just IS a laptop, not something that tries to be it...

 

[overboard08]

I'm right in the same boat with you man. My Pro 4 has been a stalwart companion for the last 16 months. I have the i5/4GB RAM model and it's been about serving my needs thus far. I'm married, on active duty and just started my masters online a little over a month ago.

While the Pro 4 has been pretty decent up to that point, surfing the web with 2-3 tabs of Edge open, some Office use and light games...I'm now at the point with my masters adding to the workload where I'm consistently running 10-12 tabs open in Edge, plus OneNote, Word and PowerPoint 2016, Drawboard PDF, etc. I can watch my RAM and CPU usage spike and the fans really start to go crazy.

But I agree, I'm pretty indifferent with regards to USB-C. The Laptop really does complete the Surface family. Look at the Studio -- everybody's got an all-in-one these days, but it's what Microsoft did with it that's really redefined desktop PCs and how they still have a place in the home (especially, also, when you consider Window's future ambitions with home hub integration). The Pro 4 and the Book were industry and creators oriented. Being able to take the screen off your "laptop" while you're working an engineering project, make notes in a blueprint, take pictures of a project and upload to OneDrive or OneNote, then go back to your workstation and continue to draft.

With the laptop targeting education (coupled with Windows 10 S) and you've got exactly what a student will need for 4 years. A premium, pure Windows device that has the Surface quality one has come to expect. Me personally, I'm almost willing to ditch my Pro 4 for an i5/8GB configuration laptop. My note taking isn't quite what I thought it would be. Meaning, I'll take notes with the keyboard off, and then I find myself reattaching the keyboard anyway to go back, copy paste websites or other notes into Word or whatever. If I have a pen to go along with the Laptop, great.

Bottom line, Laptop is a premium product that, if I were to pick one up, I'd just bump 10 S up to Pro so I can still have the flexibility to install Win32 programs as needed. (Unless Microsoft brings Steam to the Store -- game changer!).

Thanks for reading!

v/r
BMK
From Surface Pro 4

 

[kashgohel]

From the artist's side, surface has always meant 'touch' for us, which meant that any device from that line could be used as a artist's tool for digital art or photoediting etc. So I think it just caught us by surprise that a device named touch could be slightly uncomfortable to use as a touch screen due to the clamshell form factor. But that being said, I would still use it for day to day activities as painting on a screen isnt an everyday thing right now.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

What I find interesting is that with Windows on ARM being a thing, shouldn't there be a Windows 10S for ARM? If Microsoft is going to reach for that Chromebook level of pricing and functionality, this would seem to be a better way to do so.

Well, the thing is, they're all the same. Windows 10 S just locks you down to the Store. Other than that one difference, it's basically Windows 10 Pro. Windows on ARM is just Windows 10 Pro that can run on an ARM based processor with an emulation layer.
My thinking is Microsoft will eventually get rid of the Home Edition and just run Pro and Enterprise editions. Then it won't matter what hardware you're running, you're getting the same Windows.