Surface 3 advantage over other low price baytrail?

[al404]

i don't really like 16:9 aspect ratio

 

[WillysJeepMan]

Acer Aspire Switch 11 might be the best all-around value I've seen in the last 18 months (among PCs, at least); incredibly competent and versatile device.

That said, I'm tempted by the Surface 3's aspect ratio, slightly higher PPI, slightly lower weight, slightly better pen performance and integrated kickstand. Are those slight gains "worth" the performance hit and higher price? For me they would be, but YMMV. Then again I have no money for more devices now so it's very easy to pontificate

LOL I hear ya. That is one of the reasons why I started looking at the Acer... I couldn't justify committing the extra dollars to a full Surface 3 configuration. $450 vs $750

I wanted to have an immersive and prolonged testdrive to decide how well a Windows-based hybrid device would fit with my workflow. I want a single device that can replace my 11" MBA and iPad 4. From a notebook perspective, the Acer is surprisingly good. From a tablet perspective, not so much.

Due to the lack of quality and quantity of touch-optimized Modern UI apps, a Windows tablet cannot replace my iPad 4.

i don't really like 16:9 aspect ratio

I agree. It works very well in notebook mode, but feels a bit goofy in tablet mode.

 

[webkrawler]

But, I am sure the Acer Aspire can't compete with the Surface 3 when it comes to battery life. And, an 11.6" device is bigger than the Surface 3. Not as portable.

 

[Tsang Fai]

The kickstand is a nice feature but it isn't a leading feature that would bring someone to choose a Surface over the competition. I have owned Surface devices in the past. I know the benefits of the kickstand...and its limitations.

I have an Acer Aspire Switch 11. A very well made device with 11.6" Gorilla glass, Core i3 processor, 4GB RAM / 128GB SSD (not eMMC) storage, full-sized USB 3.0 port, microHDMI, microSD, charging port, USB 2.0 in the keyboard (that's included), active digitizer... all for $449.

I'm sure someone is going to stop reading at the "Acer" and claim that it is "a very low end tablet".

No one is going to say your Acer tablet is low-end of course.

Let me tell you why I would not choose Acer Aspire Switch 11:

1. It's too heavy (3.4 lb compared with < 2 lb for Surface 3) - a big disadvantage for using it as a portable device
2. 16 : 9 ratio is not good for working
3. No kickstand - when you are using the tablet alone on the desk, you will appreciate why kickstand is so useful
4. Design - many people love the Surface product lines for a very simple reason: cool design, sexy. It just looks great. Sorry, Acer looks nice, but not great.

All these things above make a significant difference. I think many users would agree that Microsoft is so serious in every design aspect of Surface. If one only cares the spec, s/he can never discover the good things of Surface.

You should realize that people are not just looking at price. Usage experience is also an important factor. People are willing to spend more in return of more comfortable working experience.

I respect your personal choice. But you should know there are reasons why Surface has hit the market with relatively positive reviews.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

This isn't about my particular choice of 2-in-1 tablet but about your statement:

"Before we say Surface is overpriced, we should consider the unique features of Surface: pen-support, kickstand, full-sized USB port, and build quality. There isn't many devices with similar features now."

THAT was what I responding to. I believe that the Surface 3 is overpriced based on other options out there. You claim that pen-support is a unique feature of the Surface... it is not. You said full-sized USB port is a unique feature of the Surface... it is not. Build quality...outstanding, though not everything else is junk. Kickstand... yes, unique.

Your statement implies that people who believe the Surface is overpriced didn't consider those things that you listed... but we did.

 

[kklemn]

Come on people.. buy what you like and what you can afford. look at all the different cars in the parking lot near you. do you see people arguing there about which car is better?

Surface line of course has that premium feel to it. i'd never buy an asus/acer product, because i was fixing quite a few laptops from those firms for my friends, and they disappointed me. also none of laptop survived for more than 3 years without having to replace at least one component.

Therefore, i'd go for a surface, and i like the looks of it. it makes people tun their heads.

That's my experience, but there's no right and wrong.

Have a great day

 

[Tsang Fai]

This isn't about my particular choice of 2-in-1 tablet but about your statement:

"Before we say Surface is overpriced, we should consider the unique features of Surface: pen-support, kickstand, full-sized USB port, and build quality. There isn't many devices with similar features now."

THAT was what I responding to. I believe that the Surface 3 is overpriced based on other options out there. You claim that pen-support is a unique feature of the Surface... it is not. You said full-sized USB port is a unique feature of the Surface... it is not. Build quality...outstanding, though not everything else is junk. Kickstand... yes, unique.

Your statement implies that people who believe the Surface is overpriced didn't consider those things that you listed... but we did.

Don't forget the Surface-pen is unique in the sense that there is a button for invoking OneNote. It is very well integrated with OneNote. If you don't need that button, it's fine. And the appearance of the pen looks premium. I think many would agree to this.

Okay, full-sized USB is not unique.

Build quality - people recognize the device is a Surface device. All design details (kickstand + type cover + Surface pen) makes it appearance so attractive and iconic.

I am not going to have a debate with you on using the words "unique". There does not exist absolute uniqueness. You can always find similar products with similar features.

Every little difference makes a great difference. You know? That's why Surface has hit the market and came to the attention of many users. That's the truth.

OEMs have been making Windows laptops for over 20 years but very few of them really shine. Many people would agree that the Surface product lines have excellent build quality and wonderful design. Some people (including me) even feel like using Apple products.

Taking aspect ratio as an example - why Msft insists on 3 : 2 while other manufacturers (e.g. Acer) are still making 16 : 9 tablets? The sales of Surface Pro 3 has proved that 3 : 2 is a wiser choice than the 16 : 9 trend. Even the 2015 MacBook is using 16 : 10 (which is very close to 3 : 2).

That is design. That is not a match of fighting with spec. Every design details are key to success. You are suggesting a device "very close" to Surface 3 (because you think, in terms of spec, it is the same as / even better than Surface 3). But let me remind you, the usage experience is different. I used many Windows tablets before. Some are low-end and some are mid-end but none of them is as great as Surface in terms of usability.

People thinking that Surface is over-priced because they have not really used the device, they have not really enjoyed the usage experiences.

Good design deserves a higher price. For people not appreciating the design, Surface is not the right choice for them.

I still think that Acer Aspire Switch 11 is not a device "close" to Surface 3. At least in terms of weight and thickness, it is far less portable as Surface 3. In terms of appearance, it does not look so cool. For the other specs (pen, CPU, etc), it is comparable to Surface 3 or even better.

Perhaps you are fine with "satisfactory usability" + "satisfactory build quality". But many people are not. That's why they are considering Surface.

Given Surface is target for the more premium market, what's the problem of it being more expensive? Even the charger, pen loop, the packaging boxes, docking station are all well designed. All these need money right?

 

[illegaloperation]

There are many thinks that make up cost of the devices. The cost more than the sum of its parts.

There are the cost of the parts, of cause.

Then there's the cost of development: Microsoft's engineers wages' are very expensive. Thinks about all the hours Microsoft engineers spent developing Magnesium injection molding, kickstand, etc.

After that, there's cost of manufacturing, etc.

And then of cause, you have to think about the marketing Microsoft has done for the Surface.