Ditching notebook/ultrabook for Surface Pro 2?

[WG Rowland]

I'm just the opposite. I bought a Yoga 13 last year, and it is an excellent laptop. As a tablet, 13" was just too big. While I use a laptop for work, if I'm doing THAT much work I'd rather be on a PC (or docked). I doubt I'd be doing major PC work on the Surface I just ordered. The idea of being able to tether it to a camera and shoot photos straight into Lightroom or do Photoshop in my lap, along with something that'll let me browse, email, smartglass (i.e. the stuff I'd want to do from the couch), but have the power to do more when needed without the bulk to get in the way... That I found compelling. And now the battery life is no longer a killer.

Yoga is being donated to my kid. I'm looking forward to my Surface 2 Pro. (And I'd never buy a MacBook anything. Nothing against those who do, but Windows is my world and I have no interest in starting over.)

 

[Doctor Pork]

Personally, having now seen the prices, the Surface Pro 2 is simply not worth it. You are looking at a cost, including keyboard, that is more than an Apple MBA, second generation Dell XPS 12, and the projected prices for the new Yogas and Dell XPS 11. Specifically, you are between $1400 and $1500 for the 256GB model and nearly $2000 for the 512GB model. They are even jumping past Sony pricing on some fronts which is something I did not think possible.

I don't know if you have access to some better prices for ultrabooks than the rest of us, the Surface 2 Pro is not more expensive than the competition. Sure, the 11 inch Macbook air with a similar configuration costs about 50USD less than the 256 Gb Surface pro with type cover 2 here in Sweden but last I checked it didn't include a digitizer, a 1080 display, an IPS display for that matter, bundled office, Windows 8 *Pro*, skydrive storage and skype. Oh and a tablet form factor, most tablets pcs are more expensive.

I tried to find a cheaper deal but I can't, the only cheaper alternatives are some Ivy bridge ultrabooks on sale to clear out the inventory.

 

[rdubmu]

I have a Surface Pro, it is my daily driver. I love how portable it is, I use my other laptop for one program at work because I need a larger screen. My iMac I use at home. The surface pro can replace of them

 

[coolqf]

I don't know if you have access to some better prices for ultrabooks than the rest of us, the Surface 2 Pro is not more expensive than the competition. Sure, the 11 inch Macbook air with a similar configuration costs about 50USD less than the 256 Gb Surface pro with type cover 2 here in Sweden but last I checked it didn't include a digitizer, a 1080 display, an IPS display for that matter, bundled office, Windows 8 *Pro*, skydrive storage and skype. Oh and a tablet form factor, most tablets pcs are more expensive.

I tried to find a cheaper deal but I can't, the only cheaper alternatives are some Ivy bridge ultrabooks on sale to clear out the inventory.

Office doesn't come bundled. You still have to purchase it separately.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

 

[Great deal]

Reading through the post reminded me of the days when I was the envy of my friends..spent 2k on a 486DX266 - 4MB RAM and 250MB HDD - the days of floppy disks, great programming and fantastic gameplay, how technology moves on!

 

[Polychrome]

Since I just got the original surface just over a week ago (and love it) and a touch screen laptop I had to buy for my course back in May, I won't get one. Interested in the new touch keyboard, not sure if it will be compatible though.

Didn't they already say the new touch/type keyboards were compatible?

It's weird. I'm happy enough with the pro I have. It's the accessories that I really want.

Reading through the post reminded me of the days when I was the envy of my friends..spent 2k on a 486DX266 - 4MB RAM and 250MB HDD - the days of floppy disks, great programming and fantastic gameplay, how technology moves on!

I had that moment the other day when I was picking up a cheap hard drive for my Wii-U. Good grief! $50 for a half-Terabyte? Where did the years go?

 

[Daylife]

So yeah, new Pro, just wow, looks fantastic. My question is - could it replace a notebook/ultrabook, when 100% of my usage is web browsing and writing? How does the touch cover in a previous model works? Is it comfortable?

The Surface Pro 2 is a laptop/Ultrabook on steroids. It can definitely replace your laptop without a single issue, and that docking station is super Sexy! With the USB 3.0 you can hook up ANYTHING. I will be hooking up my 4TB HDD to the Dock.

 

[Daylife]

Since I just got the original surface just over a week ago (and love it) and a touch screen laptop I had to buy for my course back in May, I won't get one. Interested in the new touch keyboard, not sure if it will be compatible though.

You might be able to return it and wait 25 days or so to get the 2 but you seem happy with the 1. Don't forget that you'll be able to get the power cover for the extra battery

 

[SwimSwim]

Sorry ahead of time for not reading anything but the first post, so my apologies for redundancy by means of repeating something already said.

I personally plan on buying a 128GB Pro model to replace my aging 2 and half year old laptop. It runs just like the day I got it, looks like it too. Problem is, it's being saddled by a crappy processor, so performance is meh. I've monitored my PC's performance countless times, and everything seems to be fine, except the processor. Honestly, even the simplest of tasks get the Task Manager to report it working at 96% capacity. I've been meaning to upgrade, but kept shrugging it off.

Anyways, with the Pro in sight, I'm not going to even bother. I'll just deal with it for one last month, and then I'll buy a Pro and my troubles will wash away. I personally plan on buying an external monitor for home use, preferably with a built in USB hub. That way, when I come home every day, I need only plug in three cords (the Display Port, power cord and the USB hub). The Docking Station would perhaps be a better solution, but that won't come until early 2014. Anyways, I'll be able to come home, plug in a few things an immediatly have a fantastic Windows 8 experience. Via USB, I can have a full sized wireless keyboard and mouse plugged in, and use my Surface with ease in "desktop mode." Then when it's time to go out, I just unplug everything, make sure I have my Touch Cover, and I'll be ready to roll.

I look forward to my hybrid tablet/laptop replacement, it should be glorious. I don't know about you and you needs, but it sounds like a Pro will be an excellent full replacement for you. If you're worried about using a Touch/Type cover, or later on figure out you don't like it, you can effortlessly grab a wireless USB keyboard and use that. Thanks to Windows 8, you get full peripheral support.

I'm eager to get my hands on a Surface Pro, it should definitely help with high school and (later) college. Plus, I can't wait to see the looks of envy on all my peers faces. It shall be glorious! I'm also fortunate enough that my local Microsoft Store is one of the select few Panos Panay is visiting, so I'll be killing two birds with one stone by having my Q&A session with him there, and then trading in my old first gen iPad and using that credit towards pre-ordering a Pro promptly there after. Then my birthday on Oct 28th, followed by Halloween? The second half of October certainly won't be a disappointment.

 

[Cleavitt76]

You'd seriously spend that amount of money for a machine you'd only use for Word and the web?

I'm confused. Are you saying that "Word and the web" are the only x86 programs people use? There are x86 versions of every application imaginable. If "there is an app for that", you can bet there is a x86 app for that too and it probably does a lot more.

 

[Kebero]

I'm confused. Are you saying that "Word and the web" are the only x86 programs people use? There are x86 versions of every application imaginable. If "there is an app for that", you can bet there is a x86 app for that too and it probably does a lot more.

The OP said his usage is 100% web and writing. A Surface Pro 2 is overkill for that.

 

[Psyk00]

Really? People buy MacBooks for Facebook and iPhones for Instagram. I could buy a less then 1000$ Samsung TV, I went for 2000$ Sony. They both do they same right? Not quite. I don't see the reason why someone shouldn't get Surface Pro 2 for web, writing if he valuses design, mobility and quality. And of course just loves new toys.

 

[Kebero]

Really? People buy MacBooks for Facebook and iPhones for Instagram. I could buy a less then 1000$ Samsung TV, I went for 2000$ Sony. They both do they same right? Not quite. I don't see the reason why someone shouldn't get Surface Pro 2 for web, writing if he valuses design, mobility and quality. And of course just loves new toys.

It's still overkill. But as an American, I've also started to grow a bit tired of the excessive consumerism, so chalk up my comments to a general grouchiness.

 

[Psyk00]

Too much Fight Club :wink:

 

[Kebero]

Too much Fight Club :wink:

Not at all. I also can't stand that Cable and ATT make me pay for services I don't use just so I don't have to spend an arm and a leg on services I do use. We recently switched from mainline ATT to Aio for similar reasons. I'm pretty much done with contracts.

 

[csiguy1]

Just ordered my Pro 2 128 gig and can't wait to get it. Woot!

 

[rdubmu]

I have a 128gig surface 1. it is a great device!