is Microsoft Surface 3 truly amazing?

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colore

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
393
hello!

I am interested in the new Microsoft Surface 3, which seems very tempting for a laptop replace.

Can you tell me please how does it compare with my Lenovo Yoga 13" 6GB laptop?

what should I expect from the Surface in terms of power and limitless productivity?

also, are there any other alternatives? should I wait for something to come?

thanks!
 
I got the i5 with 8GB/256GB. It all depends on your level of expectation. If you'll never use the tablet or writing aspects, you might as well get something else.

I like mine, it's my desktop replacement (went from a higher-powered 2500k-based system, which I hardly used for anything other than web browsing, documents, and watching media). But I am surprised at how hard the cpu seems to work with fairly mundane tasks like watching Netflix or Amazon video; browser+plugin routinely consume 20% cpu with Chrome or FF, and the fan turns on a lot (and it's very noticeable, though i never used SP2, it's about on-par with an ultrabook fan IMHO). I expected quieter, but it's not super loud. Though I've mostly only used it plugged in, perhaps on battery it is more conservative. I have noticed, however, that streaming videos on Internet Explorer, the system doesn't seem to use as much CPU--probably because IE is part of the OS, and certain things are already being handled in the background? Watching the equivalent amount of time of streaming media with IE, the fan doesn't turn on at all, whereas it does with chrome or FF.

Microsoft still has some hammering out to do with power profile handling. One annoying quirk is that the tablet does not allow for the display to be turned off (if a second external monitor is connected); using only the tablet screen, if you have set a time to turn the display off, this causes the tablet to go to sleep instead. I think this was something MS did in support of the 'connected standby' that the metro apps can support, in a way to squeeze more battery life. But it's annoying; even if the computer is plugged in, you can either have the computer never go to sleep, but never turn the display off, or have the display turn off after xx minutes, which actually puts it to sleep. If you need it to continue running and have the display off, you'll have to connect an external monitor, output only to the external, and turn off the external monitor. It's an asinine way to handle power profiles IMHO.

I'm impressed with what this thing does in such a small and light package. The display is good, I actually like the 3:2 aspect ratio vs. the ultra widescreen 16:9 or 10. The keyboard is...fine. Again, I didn't use the SP2--it seems that the praise the new keyboard gets on the SP3 is in the context of how bad the SP2 keyboard was. But having paid $130 for the keyboard, I expected a lot better. The key travel is very small, and it's tactile-y difficult to discern between keys by where your fingers rest--so I end up with a lot of mistyped letters. The touchpad--again, I think on the SP3 it gets praise because of how bad the one on the SP2 was--I also don't think the new touchpad works well--but it works. The touch registration isn't good, in that the cursor moves on the screen if all you wanted to do was click. It works, but again, for an added $130 item, I expected a bit better. Absolutely usable, and it's quality-built and the magnetic lock is very secure, and the keyboard doesn't flex around much.

But if all you want is a laptop, then get a laptop. If you use both tablet and laptop, then this is the best device.
 
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teh_chem said:
I got the i5 with 8GB/256GB. It all depends on your level of expectation. If you'll never use the tablet or writing aspects, you might as well get something else.

I like mine, it's my desktop replacement (went from a higher-powered 2500k-based system, which I hardly used for anything other than web browsing, documents, and watching media). But I am surprised at how hard the cpu seems to work with fairly mundane tasks like watching Netflix or Amazon video; browser+plugin routinely consume 20% cpu with Chrome or FF, and the fan turns on a lot (and it's very noticeable, though i never used SP2, it's about on-par with an ultrabook fan IMHO). I expected quieter, but it's not super loud. Though I've mostly only used it plugged in, perhaps on battery it is more conservative. I have noticed, however, that streaming videos on Internet Explorer, the system doesn't seem to use as much CPU--probably because IE is part of the OS, and certain things are already being handled in the background? Watching the equivalent amount of time of streaming media with IE, the fan doesn't turn on at all, whereas it does with chrome or FF.

Microsoft still has some hammering out to do with power profile handling. One annoying quirk is that the tablet does not allow for the display to be turned off (if a second external monitor is connected); using only the tablet screen, if you have set a time to turn the display off, this causes the tablet to go to sleep instead. I think this was something MS did in support of the 'connected standby' that the metro apps can support, in a way to squeeze more battery life. But it's annoying; even if the computer is plugged in, you can either have the computer never go to sleep, but never turn the display off, or have the display turn off after xx minutes, which actually puts it to sleep. If you need it to continue running and have the display off, you'll have to connect an external monitor, output only to the external, and turn off the external monitor. It's an asinine way to handle power profiles IMHO.

I'm impressed with what this thing does in such a small and light package. The display is good, I actually like the 3:2 aspect ratio vs. the ultra widescreen 16:9 or 10. The keyboard is...fine. Again, I didn't use the SP2--it seems that the praise the new keyboard gets on the SP3 is in the context of how bad the SP2 keyboard was. But having paid $130 for the keyboard, I expected a lot better. The key travel is very small, and it's tactile-y difficult to discern between keys by where your fingers rest--so I end up with a lot of mistyped letters. The touchpad--again, I think on the SP3 it gets praise because of how bad the one on the SP2 was--I also don't think the new touchpad works well--but it works. The touch registration isn't good, in that the cursor moves on the screen if all you wanted to do was click. It works, but again, for an added $130 item, I expected a bit better. Absolutely usable, and it's quality-built and the magnetic lock is very secure, and the keyboard doesn't flex around much.

But if all you want is a laptop, then get a laptop. If you use both tablet and laptop, then this is the best device.
Click to expand...
Good post. The Surface Pro 3 is mainly a tablet that can work as an ultra book style laptop when accessories are added. The caveat is that as an ultra book it's not at the top of it's class versus the competition. Acer, ASUS, Sony and Apple have very compelling products that match or exceed the Surface Pro 3's performance and usability when it's used as an ultra book. I'm personally not a fan of Windows 8.1 in pure tablet form so the Surface Pro is not something I'm interested in at the moment but things might change in the future. Microsoft is making a lot of good moves with this OS so I'll keep an open mind.
 
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I find the SP3 hard to justify given that for about the same price one can get a full-blown laptop, such as an X1 Carbon, 8GB/256GB, with a HiDPI touch screen, and it's already got the keyboard and trackpad. If they threw in the keyboard on the i7 models that might give them a little value.

I'm on an X1 right now and aside from the keyboard clearly being designed by someone with ADHD it is pretty slick. I played with an SP3 at the MS store and I really didn't come away feeling it did anything better than my X1.
 
I own a Thinkpad and SP3. X1 lacks the precision pen and the keyboard isn't detachable for use as a tablet so that means for reading on the sofa on your back with it on your chest the keyboard is sticking in your neck and about twice as heavy. Also, the X1 Touch i5-4300U/8GB/256GB that's currently on sale is ~$300 more than SP3 i5-4300U/8GB/256GB + Type Cover keyboard with edu 10% off. They're different devices for different uses.
 
Best question is what do you use your laptop for? Business? Productivity? Gaming? Media consumption? All these questions should play a role in your decision to purchase a tablet.
 
WTF? Why would you, OP, not post the damn question in the SP3 thread................SMDH.......
 
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