I’m thinking of getting my husband a Microsoft Surface Pro for Christmas. It’s the one big thing he’s mentioned wanting. But they’re really spendy and before I do, I’d like to hear from anyone who has one.
Do you like it? Which version do you have? Plusses? Drawbacks? Any regrets? Any deals you know of?
Yes, I know I’m leaving this to the last minute. I don’t get my annual bonus until this week, so my shopping mostly happens late.
I’ve got a Pro 3, and it’s perfect for my uses as a grad student. It’s biggest virtue is a high-quality stylus, which I use for note taking. The big screen is also great for reading and annotating paper-formatted PDFs. It’s replaced more paper than any other computer I’ve used.
How would your husband use it? Does he have any use for the stylus?
If you think he’s only going to use it as a basic tablet, or a laptop, the compromises in the design might not make it the best choice. As a general purpose tablet, it’s way too big and the apps are lacking. As a laptop, I find it uncomfortable to actually use on my lap – the kickstand pushes everything way too close.
I don’t have one of the new Surface machines - I have one of the very first ones. And I like it and will use it until it can’t be used anymore. I take it when I travel and find it very useful in those conditions. The display is beautiful.
That said, I work in IT for a very large organization, and my fellow IT professionals who have the new Surface Pro 4 LOVE theirs.
One advantage is that it uses the regular Windows 10 OS (which my old Surface doesn’t), so it’s compatible across the board with regular laptop and desktop apps.
They are heavier than other tablets (which I actually like - it feels well-made to me) and battery life is still an issue.
I like CNET’s review:
Personally, I am salivating over the Surface Studio - as a former graphic artist, I think that’s an amazing machine (and probably the first time ever that Microsoft has stolen Apple’s thunder in that niche). But, pricey it is.
I’m like romansperson. I have a Surface 2. Not the Pro, the regular kind which are no longer made.
For me it’s the ideal size for portability and as an internet and email terminal. I have no use for drawing or writing with a stylus. Which mine doesn’t have.
I can use Outlook, Word, Excel, etc., but for serious work I use a conventional laptop. Mostly for the larger screens on my desk. OTOH I’m typing this on my Surface which is sitting in my lap while I’m sitting on the couch watching NFL. It’s unbeatable for that.
So I’d ask the OP: What PC(s) and tablet(s) does your husband have now and what does he want to use the Surface for?
I actually worry about when this one dies; the Pro 3 and Pro 4 are far larger and more capable than mine. But not at all what I want: light, slim, small as possible but still big enough for a real keyboard.
For the OP: Units just like mine are still available as used refurbs. For about $125-150. But you do need the aux keyboard called a “touch cover.” Those run another $35-40 at amazon.
Thanks for both of your replies. He works in IT and is a gadget guy, so I think that he knows what he likes. He does do a lot of photography and design, so maybe it is the Studio he would prefer. Hmmm. I’ll have to see if I can ask more subtle yet probing questions, or at least save my receipts.
** lazybratsche**, he does have a photo editing program that he uses with a stylus. I think he’d dig all of the capability.
I think I’ll probably pick one up and just make sure it can be returned or exchanged if it’s not the version he was after.
Ninja post by LSL Guy. Thanks for your input as well. He built our PC and uses a Think Pad for work. I was looking at a refurbed Pro 4.
I have one and my main regret is that it is not a laptop and I don’t like that. Aside from that, it works well enough, although is quite pricey. It is what I travel with since it is relatively light.
The keyboard is missing some keys (no insert toggle, for example, a real drawback for me). All in all, I would gladly trade it for a lightweight laptop.
On the other hand, my full-size laptop lacks a print-screen key so I cannot figure out how to do a screen capture.
Lorene: If he’s doing photo editing and such he definitely needs the Pro 4 and no earlier model. The performance and graphics feature increments from generation to generation are real big.
Thanks. This is really helpful.
Amazon has certified refurbished Pro 4s for $599. That’s about half what a new one is, and of course the keyboard is extra.
Heh, this is practically everything I was going to write (down to the grad student thing).
I don’t really use the stylus for writing notes, but I do use it for grading, notating PDFs, etc.
I absolutely adore mine, although I might want the Surface Book because, like the quoted person says, it can kinda get annoying while on the lap. I’m ok with the PRO because I’m at a desk 99% of my life, but if I wasn’t I’d be a little annoyed.
Buy it at the Microsoft store. They have a 30 day no questions return policy.
…I’m salivating over the Surface Studio as well: I’m a photographer. My jaw dropped when I watched the launch video: I’m now more keen to update my computer than I am my camera!
If you’re running Windows, there is the Snipping Tool that will let you take a screenshot of all or part of the screen. You have to open the program (Start>All Programs>Accessories>Snipping Tool) and click and drag to select part–or all–of the screen.
I have a Surface Pro 4, and I really like it. It’s not my “main” computer, but it could be. (I got the Core i7, with 16 GB of RAM and 500GB drive, which was pricey, but worth it, for me. In fact, I use it for video editing, and it’s great for that.) I use it about 75% of the time as a laptop, and 25% as a tablet.
To touch on some of the drawbacks mentioned above:
[ul]
[li]I don’t find it too big as a tablet, but then I never had a tablet before. I don’t understand the comment about “apps lacking”–it’s the full Win 10 OS: you can put anything you want on it. Yeah, you can’t put android apps on it but why would you want to do that when you can put any Win 10 app on that does the same thing.[/li]
[li]The common complaint about it not sitting on your lap like a lap top is easily solved by getting a folding case for it ($10 on Ebay), which has a stand configuration. I did five hours of video editing like this on an airplane flight and it was fine.[/li]
[li]One advantage I didn’t expect: Microsoft considers the Surface Pro a tablet–and therefore, a mobile device–even though (with Win 10) it really is a laptop. So when I subscribed for a year of Office 2016 for my “regular” laptop, I was able to install the full, regular Office Suite on the Surface Pro, also, for free, because MS counts it as a mobile device accompanying the other computer.[/li]
[li]Battery life is something like 3-4 hours when I’m video editing, (it is a full computer, after all). So for long flights I got an external battery pack (not cheap) which can charge the Surface Pro 4 twice over, (you have to get a separate cable to attach it to the Surface Pro, but that’s only a few bucks).[/li][/ul]
I have no creative ability whatsoever and I still want that thing.
To clarify, I mean “apps from the Windows Store designed for touch input” are sorely lacking. There are a few good examples, but most are terrible. That massive 20-year set of windows software will run just fine, but will be awkward to use without a keyboard and mouse.
Your finger is too fat to select things on software not specifically designed for touch input. The stylus makes an adequate mouse substitute sometimes, but not in other cases (I think the problem has to do with older mouse APIs). For instance, I’ve tried playing old strategy games which just can’t handle a pointer suddenly jumping from one place to another when you lift the stylus off the screen. Big hierarchical drop-down menus also suffer the same problem.
That’s no problem when you have a keyboard and mouse attached. I use my SP3 about half the time as a desktop, plugged in to a second monitor, keyboard, and mouse. In that usage, it’s no different from any other pretty-good desktop.
That’s the long-winded version of what I meant when I said that a Surface makes an awkward general-purpose tablet. If I have both my SP3 and my Android phone next to me when I’m vegging on the couch, I’ll use my phone for browsing the internet, messaging, or playing games.
I have a Surface Pro 3 with Windows 10. I like it, but it’s a bit bulky and heavy for holding in one hand (= reading in the bathroom 
). I have a smaller Android tablet that’s better for that.
The included stylus works well, has a nice heft and is often necessary for traditional Windows applications. There’s no convenient / secure way to attach it to the tablet itself.
The on-screen keyboard works but is not that great, IMO. I bought the Surface Pro 4 Type Cover (keyboard + track pad) to attach to my Pro 3. It’s compatible and much better than the Surface Pro 3 Type Cover (which was sold separately anyway).
I bought a cheap neoprene case on Amazon for carrying the tablet, the stylus and the charging brick.
Windows is Windows, so occasionally you end up with the CPU at 50% use for several minutes with no easy way to identify / stop the offending service. The top right corner becomes rather warm when it happens, and the micro-fan runs audibly. At least, surfing performance is not affected.
Thanks again for all the advice. I pulled the trigger on a refurbished Pro 4 and a cover/keyboard. My general approach to this is that he may well decide it doesn’t tick all his boxes, in which case he can return or exchange and put the money towards what will tick all his boxes. But I think if nothing else, I’ve come close.
The lack of apps pertains particularly to the ones that aren’t traditional Windows programs. e.g. My bank has an app for iOS and Android that I can use to deposit checks by taking a picture of the check. They don’t offer a corresponding app for Windows phone, WinRT, nor Win10. They just don’t have enough customers with Win-based tablets / phones to bother building a version of their app for that platform. Nor does their ordinary website + browser support that feature. If you’re Win-based you’re SOL for this. This situation applies to almost all special purpose app as glorified website UI apps.
It also applies to a bunch of social apps. As an example (not that I need this particular one), Tindr’s app is not available for Win devices.
I’m typing on my WinRT Surface 2 and up until recently carried a WinPhone 8. It was the lack of these kinds of dedicated interface apps for my phone that finally drove me kicking and screaming to an Android phone. With all the frustrations and deliberate *Google hates Microsoft *incompatibilities appurtenant thereunto. But they’ll get my Surface away from me only after I’m dead. Great invention.
These things are pricey so call your whoever you have your renters insurance (or homeowners) and see if you can add an amendment to your policy. For only a couple of bucks a month I have, with USAA, something that covers drops, coffee spills, etc, on all of my computers.
My brother has a Surface Pro. I forget which version but it was the top of the range when he bought it. He loves it.