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- Aug 20, 2006
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Paul Thurrott has received an internal Microsoft memo indicating that the software giant is readying a broad campaign to defend its Surface line after Consumer Reports recommended against their purchase. The poor reputation may have stemmed from the quality of initial Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 units, which were supposedly plagued with issues: interestingly, Microsoft had placed blame on Intel and their Skylake chipsets, when in reality, it was poorly designed Surface-specific custom drivers and settings that were creating problems.
…here are the key takeaways. One, that the Consumer Reports findings are largely skewed by Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 devices, which Microsoft’s internal data proves suffered from massive reliability issues over a long period of time. Two, that Microsoft’s internal data shows that it essentially fixed those products. Three, that subsequent Surface devices launched in far more reliable states. (This may explain why the firm has ignored USB-C/Thunderbolt 3, by the way.) Four, that Surface customers—whatever the reason—are very happy with their purchases. (With the understanding that there is less correlation, I believe, between product reliability and customer satisfaction with premium products.)
…here are the key takeaways. One, that the Consumer Reports findings are largely skewed by Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 devices, which Microsoft’s internal data proves suffered from massive reliability issues over a long period of time. Two, that Microsoft’s internal data shows that it essentially fixed those products. Three, that subsequent Surface devices launched in far more reliable states. (This may explain why the firm has ignored USB-C/Thunderbolt 3, by the way.) Four, that Surface customers—whatever the reason—are very happy with their purchases. (With the understanding that there is less correlation, I believe, between product reliability and customer satisfaction with premium products.)