# Help Me Pick a Surface Book (refurbished) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 17, 2017, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844 "2017-08-17T02:01:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/1 "2017-08-17T02:01:26Z")
6th Gen Intel Core i5, 128GB SSD, 8GB RAM - $883 6th Gen Intel Core i5, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM / dGPU – $1,144 6th Gen Intel Core i7, 256GB SSD, 8GB / dGPU – $1,374 6th Gen Intel Core i7, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM / dGPU – $1,766 I really feel like the first one is the sweet spot - $833 for a really good machine is tempting - but do I wand a dedicated GPU? Probably not going to do much gaming on it, do I need 16GB of RAM? I’m just worried that I’ll have buyer remorse and wish I got more machine - thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/2 "2017-08-17T02:33:34Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > 6th Gen Intel Core i5, 128GB SSD, 8GB RAM - $883 > 6th Gen Intel Core i5, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM / dGPU – $1,144 > 6th Gen Intel Core i7, 256GB SSD, 8GB / dGPU – $1,374 > 6th Gen Intel Core i7, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM / dGPU – $1,766 > > I really feel like the first one is the sweet spot - $833 for a really good machine is tempting - but do I wand a dedicated GPU? Probably not going to do much gaming on it, do I need 16GB of RAM? > > I’m just worried that I’ll have buyer remorse and wish I got more machine - thoughts? What are you doing on it? Regular office stuff? Photo editing? CAD? ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/3 "2017-08-17T02:51:03Z")
Are you sure you want that particular model? There’s currently some controversy over whether or not these have extremely poor (like _stunningly poor_) reliability: [Leaked Microsoft memo reveals high Surface Book return rates - The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/14/16142490/microsoft-surface-consumer-reports-memo-return-rates) . The Verge is usually at about Fox News level of trustworthiness, but Consumer Reports appears to agree with them (I can’t find a link directly, they’re all paywalled). ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/4 "2017-08-17T04:07:01Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > Are you sure you want that particular model? There’s currently some controversy over whether or not these have extremely poor (like _stunningly poor_) reliability: [Leaked Microsoft memo reveals high Surface Book return rates - The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/14/16142490/microsoft-surface-consumer-reports-memo-return-rates) . > > The Verge is usually at about Fox News level of trustworthiness, but Consumer Reports appears to agree with them (I can’t find a link directly, they’re all paywalled). Wow - That’s really disappointing because this is exactly the machine I want - large tablet with a detachable keyboard and active stylus ☹ Anyone know of other options? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/5 "2017-08-17T04:25:14Z")
Here’s the thing - the first several months after release were hell. But eventually Microsoft worked out all the bugs via updates and they are very reliable. But they have an overstock of returns from that dreadful period. I watch [Twit.tv](http://Twit.tv) and Paul Thurrott is a weekly panelist on Windows Weekly, and both he and host Leo LaPorte are now quite happy with their Surface Books. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/6 "2017-08-17T04:29:31Z")
I haven’t watched the most recent episode of Windows Weekly yet, but it appears to feature an extensive discussion of the issue: > **[B is for Broadwell | TWiT.TV](https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/531?autostart=false)** > > What did Microsoft know about problems with its Surface devices and when did officials know it? PT has seen a leaked memo and has the scoop - And some follow-up context. Even if Co… ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/7 "2017-08-17T04:33:56Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Here’s the thing - the first several months after release were hell. But eventually Microsoft worked out all the bugs via updates and they are very reliable. But they have an overstock of returns from that dreadful period. > > I watch [Twit.tv](http://Twit.tv) and Paul Thurrott is a weekly panelist on Windows Weekly, and both he and host Leo LaPorte are now quite happy with their Surface Books. That’s very reassuring - so back to the initial question - do I lay out the bucks for a high end version like the i7 w/ dGPU in the hopes I’ll get a few more years of use out of it or do I go cheap? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/8 "2017-08-17T06:34:24Z")
I work for one of the largest contract manufacturer’s in the world. You NEVER want to buy the lowest priced SKU. It’s a loss leader and corners are cut. You also NEVER want to buy a product made in the first few months of production. They are getting the kinks out. I would get the 6th Gen Intel Core i5, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM / dGPU – $1,144 simply because 128GB memory isn’t much and it’s not the entry SKU. I personally don’t see much need for a i7 YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/9 "2017-08-17T06:50:24Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > That’s very reassuring - so back to the initial question - do I lay out the bucks for a high end version like the i7 w/ dGPU in the hopes I’ll get a few more years of use out of it or do I go cheap? What are you going to use it for? If you are doing any video or photo work, you probably want the GPU. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/10 "2017-08-17T13:19:37Z")
Another vote for “what do you use it for?” Plus “What other computers do you have that may be part of your total IT picture?” and “How much local storage do you really need, vs. just being lazy / convenient and saving everything on every device?” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/11 "2017-08-17T13:27:27Z")
Late add/edit: As an example, here’s my equipment and use case: I have a refurb Surface 2 (not Pro) that cost me $125 18 months ago. The 25GB hard drive is 3/4ths free space. The whopping 2GB of RAM is rarely full so it rarely pages. It’s totally adequate for what I use it for: internet terminal and email client. Plus ordinary MS Office tasks and the occasional remote desktop sessions to other machines. Plus an e-reader for library books. I have OneDrive and OneNote and use both heavily. But I manage the volume of stuff that gets downloaded so my long-term archives are in the cloud but not on this device. Work in process and some reference material is. My machine is about 1/10th as potent as what you’re discussing. For about 1/10th the price. In the 3-ish years I’ve been using Surface 2s I’ve seen no tendency for them to become less able to keep up with my workloads. YMMV of course. But this demonstrates that useful work (for some folk’s definition of useful) requires a lot less machine than you’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/12 "2017-08-17T14:01:03Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > That’s very reassuring - so back to the initial question - do I lay out the bucks for a high end version like the i7 w/ dGPU in the hopes I’ll get a few more years of use out of it or do I go cheap? A architect client of mine is using a Surface Pro 3 with an i5 and and 128 megs as her only computer. She primarily uses it as a tablet only when traveling between her home in Kansas City, where she has a dock and a 30" screen and her second home in Prague where she has another doc and a 27" screen. Both locations are equipped with keyboards, mice and nice, fast internet connections. She’s running Autocad, Sketchup and a raytracer/radiosity renderer called SU Podium. She views the tablet mode as a convenient way to move her work from one place to the next, an occasional tool to tweak or present a job and a computer that TSA doesn’t even ask her to take out of her bag. Like LSLGuy said, with a good internet connection, you’d be shocked at how little computer you’ll find yourself actually needing. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/13 "2017-08-17T17:05:23Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > She views the tablet mode as a convenient way to move her work from one place to the next, an occasional tool to tweak or present a job and a computer that TSA doesn’t even ask her to take out of her bag. It’s off topic, but as of a week or so ago, you can’t leave tablets in the bag any more. They need to be put in still another separate container at the TSA checkpoint. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2017, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-a-surface-book-refurbished/793844/14 "2017-08-17T17:08:14Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > It’s off topic, but as of a week or so ago, you can’t leave tablets in the bag any more. They need to be put in still another separate container at the TSA checkpoint. OK, thanks. My knowledge was from her last trip to Prague.