Joanna Stern's SP3 Review

[mozman68]

Do you not have the internet? I tend to think that the sp3 isn't competitively priced if you can't provide a link. It's too expensive for not having a keyboard. Keyboard it's ok no keyboard it's an overpriced tablet. There's your link now admit it's overpriced. $799 comes with a keyboard and you can go buy a pen for $9.99.

Sony - VAIO 11.6" 2-in-1 Touch-Screen Laptop - Intel Pentium - 4GB Memory - 128GB Solid State Drive - Black - SVT11213CXB

Lenovo Yoga Ultrabook 2in1 13.3" TouchScreen Laptop 4GB Memory 128GB Solid State Drive Yoga 13 - 59359567 - Best Buy

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-split-2-in-1-13-3-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i3-4gb-memory-128gb-solid-state-drive-modern-silver/1799161.p?id=1219064720472&skuId=1799161&st=pcmcat309300050015_categoryid$abcat0502000&cp=1&lp=10

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-2-in-1-13-3-touch-screen-laptop-amd-a6-series-4gb-memory-64gb-solid-state-drive-black/2824478.p?id=1219079207291&skuId=2824478&st=pcmcat309300050015_categoryid$abcat0502000&cp=1&lp=13

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-split-2-in-1-13-3-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i5-4gb-memory-128gb-solid-state-drive-black-silver/1902357.p?id=1219066875875&skuId=1902357&st=pcmcat309300050015_categoryid$abcat0502000&cp=1&lp=15

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-ideapad-2-in-1-11-6-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i5-4gb-memory-128gb-solid-state-drive-clementine-orange/1838544.p?id=1219065989744&skuId=1838544&st=pcmcat309300050015_categoryid$abcat0502000&cp=2&lp=13

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-ideapad-2-in-1-11-6-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i5-4gb-memory-128gb-solid-state-drive-silver-gray/1835037.p?id=1219065985762&skuId=1835037&st=pcmcat309300050015_categoryid$abcat0502000&cp=2&lp=11

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-2-in-1-15-6-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i5-8gb-memory-1tb-hdd-16gb-solid-state-drive-black/5399064.p?id=1219122741340&skuId=5399064&st=pcmcat309300050015_categoryid$abcat0502000&cp=2&lp=9

Thanks for proving my point.....2 to 3 times the weight of the surface, the yoga doesn't have a pen, the sony page was full of complaints of 4 hour battery life and a useless bluetooth keyboard that doesn't work. Half the storage of the one you said you needed, worse CPU, graphics, screen....seriously.

Surface 3 is obviously not for you as you must be happy saving a few hundred bucks to buy a piece of crap.

 

[falconeight]

Thanks for proving my point.....2 to 3 times the weight of the surface, the yoga doesn't have a pen, the sony page was full of complaints of 4 hour battery life and a useless bluetooth keyboard that doesn't work. Half the storage of the one you said you needed, worse CPU, graphics, screen....seriously.

Surface 3 is obviously not for you as you must be happy saving a few hundred bucks to buy a piece of crap.

The yoga doesn't have a pen, seriously? It has a KEYBOARD. The surface doesn't have weight because its a tablet not what they are marketing it as. Look lets settle it this way since you have no idea what good marketing is. The moment Microsoft compared it to laptops and macs they lost. The moment they went after macbook air they lost. The SP3 is an amazing piece of hardware with many benefits. It should have been marketed against no one, as a new piece of tech that doesn't exist. When the MBA came out it was marketed as a game changer, something new. The SP3 is the same type of device but was introduced and marketed by a company that wants to be Apple. If you really want this product to succeed then you'll get off this childish argument about a pen and its weight. Joanna Stern is spot on with her review. She is spot on because its marketing language. If Microsoft said we something new that has never been done before then she would have had to give a different review. And before you complain about battery life of the sony you might want to google SP3 battery issues.

 

[mozman68]

All I asked for was a comparable product that was cheaper since you claimed that the SP# was "too expensive." And you gave me two examples of laptops that based simply on specs are only half as good as the SP3 you said you would want to buy based on specs. What would her review be like if she had to hold either of those in bed, or deal with the folded keyboard or one that doesn't work? There is a reason the SP3 costs what it does...the only issue is that some people do not appreciate the design, weight, power, etc. that was thrown into it. The fact that the keyboard is a separate purchase is irrelevent...the cost is known and should simply be added to the price of the SP3. Even with it, it still beats other products hands down from form and function standpoints.

I'm forced to use the keyboard on my Dell laptop...why? Because it is permanently a part of it. You have a choice with the SP3. Companies like Logitech succeed because of all the pos mice and keyboards that are included with computers and laptops.

 

[DalekSnare]

Once I got my Surface Pro 2 the Ipad pretty much stayed at home and the SP2 went everywhere. Can't wait for this one.

Same here. I only got the iPad for an app called SmartGo books (it's for studying the game called go), which is made by one dude who only supports iOS. I use it for a few other apps too, but it's basically just a toy I use at home every other day or so when I want to study go. The Surface I use for everything else.

 

[falconeight]

All I asked for was a comparable product that was cheaper since you claimed that the SP# was "too expensive." And you gave me two examples of laptops that based simply on specs are only half as good as the SP3 you said you would want to buy based on specs. What would her review be like if she had to hold either of those in bed, or deal with the folded keyboard or one that doesn't work? There is a reason the SP3 costs what it does...the only issue is that some people do not appreciate the design, weight, power, etc. that was thrown into it. The fact that the keyboard is a separate purchase is irrelevent...the cost is known and should simply be added to the price of the SP3. Even with it, it still beats other products hands down from form and function standpoints.

I'm forced to use the keyboard on my Dell laptop...why? Because it is permanently a part of it. You have a choice with the SP3. Companies like Logitech succeed because of all the pos mice and keyboards that are included with computers and laptops.

They are still cheaper and do the same thing. The SP3 doesn't beat a single product. It is an entirely different product that doesn't fair well against competition. In the next month you are going to continue to see bad reviews of it. Next to a tablet its too big, heavy and battery life is short. Next to a laptop its top heavy, doesn't have enough ports, needs a separate keyboard, docking station, cables stick out of it's head while using it. Now if it was released as something new without competition, then it would have received amazing reviews, garnered praise, and sold millions. That wasn't done and your arguments don't help. This Joanna woman has the power to sink it and she probably already has. Unless real techies argue it's merits correctly.

 

[mozman68]

The power to sink it? She's the third tech writer at WSJ in less than a year. The fact that almost all writers at the launch were on MacBooks is only idicitive of the uphill struggle Microsoft will have convincing THEM that the device is as good as it is.

Think about this...Windows 8 (not including XP, Vista, 7, etc.)...just Windows 8 is installed on more devices than all versions of Apple's OS everywhere.

Microsoft only needs to slowly convince the casual user to adopt its platform on phones and tablets while maintaining its overwhelming dominance in laptop and pc systems. It really doesn't matter if she doesn't like the SP3...I thought the review was rather positive and it is pretty easy to poke holes in some (not all) of her complaints (most on here already have).

 

[ytrewq]

If you really believe these are comparable products, then I'm glad you don't do my shopping.

Let's tick through the first five devices you list as you try to prove that there are devices with comparable specs for less money.

Try # 1: A swing and a miss. This device is a pentium. Seriously? You think that's comparable to an i3? Come on, at least put some effort into this.

Try # 2. (Better effort, but another strike.) This device's specs are comparable to the i5/4GB/128GB SP3. However, no pen, it's 3.3 pounds, and it's still $899. So, with the SP3, you get a very nice digital pen, you knock the weight in half, and pay only $100 more. Do you really believe this proves your point that there are comparable devices available for much cheaper? Sorry, another fail.

Try # 3. (Wild and crazy swing, not even close to the ball.) This one is 4.9 pounds. Do you even know what the word "comparable" means?

Try # 4. (Now we're just feeling sorry for you.) This device has a 1.0GHz AMD A6. So, for $150 less than the entry level SP3, you get 2/3 the processor speed, an extra 1/2 pound of weight, and no pen. I'm sensing a trend here . . .

Try # 5. (Your best effort so far, but still a major fail.) This device has a regular price of $849 and comes with an i5, 4GB RAM, and a 128GB hard drive. As far as the guts go, it's comparable to the i5/4GB/128GB SP3 I pre-ordered the other day, but the regular price on my SP3 is $150 more than this device. So at first blush, maybe you've got something here. But then there are a few key differences. First, your device has a 1.6 GHz processor, while the SP3 has a 1.9 GHz. And then there's the weight. With keyboards on both devices, the SP3 is 2 pounds lighter. Without keyboards on either device, the SP3 is .5 pounds lighter. And then there's the pen. I would normally expect to pay an extra $150 or so for a device that is significantly lighter, has a faster processor, and has a nice digital pen. Again, I don't think this device is comparable, and it certainly doesn't prove the point that you can get a comparable device for significantly cheaper. Now, I know what you're going to say: This device doesn't cost $849; it's on clearance for $649. That is true. But consider these two points:
(1) It is hardly fair to criticize the SP3 or any other device as "overpriced" simply by comparing to stuff on the clearance rack. If that's your standard, then any new device is overpriced.
(2) If we're going to take discounts into account, I got a $200 discount when I bought my i5 SP3 too by taking advantage of the educational promotions at the Microsoft store. So your device is $200 cheaper on the clearance rack, but then my SP3 is also $200 cheaper through the Microsoft educational discounts. So the discounts are equal.

Overall, the fact that you had to post blunderbuss links to lots of non-comparable devices does nothing but reinforce one simple fact: You cannot point to one single device that has comparable specs at a significantly lower price.

 

[chocka]

They are still cheaper and do the same thing. The SP3 doesn't beat a single product. It is an entirely different product that doesn't fair well against competition. In the next month you are going to continue to see bad reviews of it. Next to a tablet its too big, heavy and battery life is short. Next to a laptop its top heavy, doesn't have enough ports, needs a separate keyboard, docking station, cables stick out of it's head while using it. Now if it was released as something new without competition, then it would have received amazing reviews, garnered praise, and sold millions. That wasn't done and your arguments don't help. This Joanna woman has the power to sink it and she probably already has. Unless real techies argue it's merits correctly.

It beats MacBook air. If I am going do serious work then I would be connecting a keyboard, mouse and a monitor for both MacBook and surface. If not, I would love to have touch capable device than plain MacBook air. Pen is another plus. Apple should be afraid of the sp3.

 

[falconeight]

If you really believe these are comparable products, then I'm glad you don't do my shopping.

Let's tick through the first five devices you list as you try to prove that there are devices with comparable specs for less money.

Try # 1: A swing and a miss. This device is a pentium. Seriously? You think that's comparable to an i3? Come on, at least put some effort into this.

Try # 2. (Better effort, but another strike.) This device's specs are comparable to the i5/4GB/128GB SP3. However, no pen, it's 3.3 pounds, and it's still $899. So, with the SP3, you get a very nice digital pen, you knock the weight in half, and pay only $100 more. Do you really believe this proves your point that there are comparable devices available for much cheaper? Sorry, another fail.

Try # 3. (Wild and crazy swing, not even close to the ball.) This one is 4.9 pounds. Do you even know what the word "comparable" means?

Try # 4. (Now we're just feeling sorry for you.) This device has a 1.0GHz AMD A6. So, for $150 less than the entry level SP3, you get 2/3 the processor speed, an extra 1/2 pound of weight, and no pen. I'm sensing a trend here . . .

Try # 5. (Your best effort so far, but still a major fail.) This device has a regular price of $849 and comes with an i5, 4GB RAM, and a 128GB hard drive. As far as the guts go, it's comparable to the i5/4GB/128GB SP3 I pre-ordered the other day, but the regular price on my SP3 is $150 more than this device. So at first blush, maybe you've got something here. But then there are a few key differences. First, your device has a 1.6 GHz processor, while the SP3 has a 1.9 GHz. And then there's the weight. With keyboards on both devices, the SP3 is 2 pounds lighter. Without keyboards on either device, the SP3 is .5 pounds lighter. And then there's the pen. I would normally expect to pay an extra $150 or so for a device that is significantly lighter, has a faster processor, and has a nice digital pen. Again, I don't think this device is comparable, and it certainly doesn't prove the point that you can get a comparable device for significantly cheaper. Now, I know what you're going to say: This device doesn't cost $849; it's on clearance for $649. That is true. But consider these two points:
(1) It is hardly fair to criticize the SP3 or any other device as "overpriced" simply by comparing to stuff on the clearance rack. If that's your standard, then any new device is overpriced.
(2) If we're going to take discounts into account, I got a $200 discount when I bought my i5 SP3 too by taking advantage of the educational promotions at the Microsoft store. So your device is $200 cheaper on the clearance rack, but then my SP3 is also $200 cheaper through the Microsoft educational discounts. So the discounts are equal.

Overall, the fact that you had to post blunderbuss links to lots of non-comparable devices does nothing but reinforce one simple fact: You cannot point to one single device that has comparable specs at a significantly lower price.

Still with the pen argument. This thing is going to fail and its because of people like you. Its going to sit on the pretty microsoft shelf just like the others.

 

[falconeight]

It beats MacBook air. If I am going do serious work then I would be connecting a keyboard, mouse and a monitor for both MacBook and surface. If not, I would love to have touch capable device than plain MacBook air. Pen is another plus. Apple should be afraid of the sp3.

Apple isn't afraid and yes the MBA is plain but it works. Best keyboard and trackpad in the market paired to a OS that destroys W8. I don't know anyone who uses a mouse with a macbook air. Stop trying to compare it to other pieces of tech that are better at that function and start selling it as something new and different.

 

[ytrewq]

Still with the pen argument. This thing is going to fail and its because of people like you. Its going to sit on the pretty microsoft shelf just like the others.

How exactly are people like me going to make it fail? "People like me" already ordered one. If the SP3 fails, it will be in spite of "people like me."

Another falconeight logic fail.

 

[chocka]

Apple isn't afraid and yes the MBA is plain but it works. Best keyboard and trackpad in the market paired to a OS that destroys W8. I don't know anyone who uses a mouse with a macbook air. Stop trying to compare it to other pieces of tech that are better at that function and start selling it as something new and different.

MacBook air resolution is too low to do anything other than browsing. Pro 3 is way better to browse and do some real work. I am sorry, your MacBook air cannot stand a chance against pro 3. Apple will be forced to make touch friendly OSX. MS is in the driving seat this time. I have MacBook air given to me by my office and I always connect external monitor and mouse. I was told by my ergonomic evaluator to use a real mouse since I was getting wrist pain. With touch screen, I won't have to use the mouse much.

 

[badMojo69]

You don't like the track pad...then use the damn touch screen!

Hell I'd give up my work lap top in a heart beat for a SP3. Also, no human being reads on tablets with 1 hand (I'm sorry they don't) that's all marketing. Everyone props their tablet on something, Arm, legs, pillow, etc... And to all of those who have such a hard time with Win8 after 5 minutes there is no hope for you.

 

[SeeVuPlay]

Apple isn't afraid and yes the MBA is plain but it works. Best keyboard and trackpad in the market paired to a OS that destroys W8. I don't know anyone who uses a mouse with a macbook air. Stop trying to compare it to other pieces of tech that are better at that function and start selling it as something new and different.

I agree...Apple isn't afraid, but the question begs...why are you afraid? It's like youre on this mission to convince people on this forum to not even consider. I don't think you'll succeed but I do wonder why you are so afraid of the SP3?

 

[badMojo69]

I tried a MBA and hated it. I can't really say why I just didn't like it. Guess I've been using Windows for too long and everything just works for me.