Microsoft Surface Tablets and Surface Books

Pacu · **on:** August 19, 2018, 06:18:42 AM

I've been a user of Microsoft Surface tablets for as long as they came out in in 2012. Right now I use a Surface Pro 3 i5 , 4 gb ram model. It has 6-8 hours per charge, sometimes less if i'm slinging video to my TV. I was working at Best Buy doing remodels back then and the Surface took up a huge amount of our retail floor space as it was a premium vendor like Apple. Setting them up for customer display I got immediately enthralled with their product line. Once Windows 10 rolled out these tablets were red hot sales. 8 and 8.1 were a bit buggy on the tablets. People had a hard time overcoming the jump from Win 7 to 8.1 as it was foreign to them.

I've been eyeballing the Surface Books , they are up to version 2 with their laptop design with maybe a 3 coming out in October. I love the SSD , the premium materials , i7 but that price tag...

Anyone else using a Surface tablet or book out there?

Chako · **Reply #1 on:** August 21, 2018, 07:33:08 AM

I can't.say that I have. My crappy Acer $80 something 7" tablet gave up the ghost the other day. I replaced it with a Samsung Tab A 10" tablet. I know this is not exactly related but I just wanted to respond to your thread.

Pacu · **Reply #2 on:** August 22, 2018, 03:52:41 AM

I like Samsung tablets too. I'm on a s2 right now. It's my light travel companion for out of town trips,

Yadda · **Reply #3 on:** August 22, 2018, 04:13:23 AM

I used a Surface Pro 1 at work for about a year. I wasn't impressed. Required multiple reboots at odd times, doesn't run multiple screens well for me and it really isn't very serviceable.

We had one completely brick on us. The tech "fixed" it by punching it! It came back on and worked.

chrono · **Reply #4 on:** August 22, 2018, 01:21:34 PM

Using one right now, standard Surface 3 bought in 2016. I got it in a very good deal, and have been quite happy with it. I just cannot stand Apple iPads. My machine has a few issues:
- Occasionally loses its audio, which requires a few turning off and on to (hopefully) fix
- Occasionally freezes when turning on after being left and getting fully charged. This requires a full restart as the touch screen is no long responsive
- Often the machine gets "plugged in, not charging" when plugging in the charger while using

These above issues are more or less inconvenience for me, but not to the point I consider switching brand/ system. I like the form of the Surface with its Type cover.

microbe · **Reply #5 on:** August 22, 2018, 06:47:19 PM

I really dig the surface book, but like you state: Ouch that price...
Last time I bought a new laptop, I went for a fully decked out HP Envy X360, and came in at a grand less then a similarly speckced Surface book.
Ok, the pen is not as good as a SB, and it is a little heavy in tablet mode, but for the money I got a great machine with great looks.

Pacu · **Reply #6 on:** August 23, 2018, 11:27:11 PM

I've always been a sucker for Microsoft products. Working at Best Buy I promoted the Zune when it launched. I still have my 30g Zune media player. It took any media thrown at it and played flawlessly. Movies, ebooks, and all the range of music files.
Best Buy gave us all 16g Ipod Touches. Itunes makes me want to throw my laptop in a ditch. I quickly got rid of the Ipod.

I think the Surface is a lot more popular than the Zune, Kin, and their phones running Windows so hopefully we will keep seeing more of them. You can get a decked out gaming laptop by Asus or Alienware i7 for way cheaper than a Surface running an i7.

Chako · **Reply #7 on:** August 23, 2018, 11:59:38 PM

Here is the Samsung Tab A (2016) along with my 4th Gen Ipad. I know this is off topic but I just wanted to say the Samsung is worlds superior to my little crappy 7" 80 dollar tablet. I was getting very frustrated at how laggy the cheap tablet was. The Samsung is very similar to the Ipad in responsiveness. Very happy with it so far.

I found a very nice case for it off of Amazon as no local shops carried a model specific case for it. I found this Unicorn Beetle case that reminds me a little of the lifeproof case I have for my cell phone. It is not water proof, but does come in with a build in screen protector. Got it to my door in 2 days which amazes me.

Millhouse · **Reply #8 on:** August 30, 2018, 11:26:51 PM

I use a Surface Pro 4 for work. i7, 8GB ram. It packs plenty of power for what I need to do.

When I am at my desk, I have the Surface dock and 2 monitors connected. When I am out and about, it is a lightweight highly portable bit of kit.

Whilst fine for work, I wouldn't have one as a personal device, too limited with only 1 USB port.

Whoey · **Reply #9 on:** September 06, 2018, 11:04:46 AM

I've always felt like the surface devices were trying to milk some of the ipad demand which seems to have run away with the regular PC sales market.

Years back we bought a Lenovo Yoga 2 pro, which is more ultrabook but still has that hint of tablet functionality. I always felt the surface devices while well equipped with decent hardware suffered from being over priced.

In spite having a very flexible ultrabook, I tend to migrate to my desktop for the majority of tasks and for the minor sofa surfing I stick to a Samsung Tab S (8.4)

Grant Lamontagne · **Reply #10 on:** November 07, 2018, 01:40:00 PM

I am really liking the specs, size and form factor of the new Surface Pro myself. I think i will look closer when it is time to replace my laptop. I recently replaced my tablet as it was starting to have serious issues, and I got a new Samsung to replace the old Tab S I had. The new one (I can't recall the model off the top of my head) seems like a cheap tablet. I know that Samsung makes some good ones, but this is one the phone company offered me for a really good deal, and now I know why. It's functional enough, but far from their flagship.

I think that when my laptop needs replacing (which hopefully will be a while yet as it is fairly new, purchased May 2017), I will look at the Surface Pro... but the price is a little off putting, especially when you then have to spend a pile more on a keyboard and pen to use it properly.

Def