Surface Pro 4 Vs Competitor Products

[WillysJeepMan]

Nearly everything I use my SP4 for (while in tablet mode) is far more advanced than anything the iPad can do. I'm not saying all iPad apps suck, I'm just saying they are far too limited for serious productivity. To me, the iPad is a really cool toy, and I would definitely use it if I had one, but the lack of productivity does not justify the cost to me. So the idea of the iPad Pro is simply ludicrous, for the same reasons you quoted to not have one.

What are some things that you do with the SP4 in tablet mode (i.e. using Modern UI apps) that is far more advanced than anything the iPad can do? I have already pointed out that using desktop apps in touch mode is not a desirable way of using a tablet.

 

[WildKarrde]

What are some things that you do with the SP4 in tablet mode (i.e. using Modern UI apps) that is far more advanced than anything the iPad can do? I have already pointed out that using desktop apps in touch mode is not a desirable way of using a tablet.

Maybe using desktop apps in touch mode is not desirable for you, but I have absolutely no problem with it, so it's not fair to discredit desktop apps just because of your own preference.

 

[twe90kid]

The Surface Pro line is like the Rolls Royce of tablets. It's premium in every way. Sure, some of the alternatives are really nice too, but so is a Cadillac or Mercedes. Some people swear up and down that their Mercedes is the nicest car in the world, as they trade their lease in every 2-4 years, whereas many people who own a Royce tend to keep them a long time.

I can't believe Apple released the iPad Pro still using iOS, what a waste! I'm sure it will still sell, but I really don't know why. Over $1000 after buying the pen, and your hard drive (not expandable with MicroSD) is only 32 GB. And it still only runs phone apps! What a fleece job.

The XPS has always been a nice line of hybrids, but never nice enough to get me to buy one. The hinge doesn't seem that special to me and while a 4k device is an amazing feat on such a small screen, I can't imagine it's necessary. The m5 processor probably gets better battery life, but has a weaker graphics processor. The XPS may be a great alternative for people considering the SP4 m3.

I haven't seen the Spectre X2, but the kickstand seems a bit gimmicky, and I wonder how long it will be until it's worn out. Maybe it gets a better battery life, maybe not... nobody can really trust manufacturer figures. Tablet (and laptop) audio has never been that important to me. If I can hear it well, it passes. If I want high(er) quality audio, I'll use some nice headphones.

Lenovo has always made a good laptop, and it seems the Miix 700 is no exception. It's a simple design, which means it's not going to break as easily. It's cheap, which is great, but it has no i processor options, which means worse graphics ability. Based on price, this is probably the best (or only) alternative on the list, IMHO.

If that's the case, than the new VAIO Z could be considered the Pagani/Bugatti/Mclaren of cars.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

Maybe using desktop apps in touch mode is not desirable for you, but I have absolutely no problem with it, so it's not fair to discredit desktop apps just because of your own preference.

If you prefer a tablet use scenario from 1999/2000 more power to you. rly:

 

[WildKarrde]

If that's the case, than the new VAIO Z could be considered the Pagani/Bugatti/Mclaren of cars.

It seems it's still running on an older processor generation, but other than that, yeah, that looks like a pretty sweet setup!

 

[twe90kid]

It seems it's still running on an older processor generation, but other than that, yeah, that looks like a pretty sweet setup!

Only problem, hard to get in USA.

 

[WildKarrde]

That, and it's even more expensive than a Surface Pro, lol! I'm utterly tapped out just getting the i5/8GB.

 

[Al4video]

WillysJeepMan can you site some examples of the serious work you say can be done on the iPad? I have a iPad Air 2 and I don't find it useful for any serious work.

 

[Geodude074]

WillysJeepMan can you site some examples of the serious work you say can be done on the iPad? I have a iPad Air 2 and I don't find it useful for any serious work.

One of my old clients used Cognos on iOS for generating reports, that's one example of serious work. The Windows Store had no equivalent app. Sure you could run Cognos on a web browser on a Surface, but it isn't optimized for touch and the interface would be way too small.

 

[Al4video]

Thanks for the reply. I would say that's an instance where the work might be serious to the individual user, but I wouldn't classify that as serious work in the context of this discussion. What you are eluding to is an app that can't be found on another platform, that does not constitute serious work.

That's like saying that my Time code slate that I use on my iPad Air2 for video work is serious work because I can't find the same app for Samsung tablet.

Not buying that, but thanks.

 

[WildKarrde]

While Cognos may only be available as an app through iOS, there are many, many, many alternatives on the Surface Pro (or any other PC) in addition to just using Cognos on the web. Web pages can be scaled, if they did a half-decent job of making the website, it would be useable on a Surface Pro. There's only so much optimization really needed to work with touch, and I haven't found a website that doesn't work perfectly fine with my stylus.