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What I want from a Surface 4

By Frogboy on September 12, 2015 11:37:54 AM from Little Tiny Frogs Forums Little Tiny Frogs Forums

Frogboy

Join Date 03/2001
+1478

I love my Surface Pro 3.  Windows 10 has transformed it from something I occasionally fiddled with to my primary mobile device (replacing my iPad and MacBook Pro combo for trips).

But it is, by no means, perfect.

The weaknesses of the Surface Pro 3 include:

  1. It is almost 1.8 pounds.  That's really too heavy to use as a tablet for an extended period of time.
  2. While Windows 10 has greatly improved the issue of it getting hot and the fan blariung, the fact it has a fan means extra weight and noise.
  3. No LTE.  I always found that astounding.  I keep my iPhone with me at all times anyway but it's kludgy to have to connect to it from my Surface while traveling.
  4. The power connector is obnoxious and expensive. 

So what would my dream Surface 4 be like?

  1. Less than 1.4 pounds
  2. 13 inch screen
  3. No fan
  4. LTE integration
  5. USB-C based power.

Note I made no mention of the CPU speed.  That's because the Surface Pro 3, with its 3 year old Core I5 in it, is fast enough for all my computing needs.

 

 

12 Replies
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Reply #1
WheelerMan
Join Date 08/2015
+3
September 12, 2015 4:55:53 PM from Ashes of the Singularity Forums Ashes of the Singularity Forums
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Reply #2
Daiwa
Join Date 07/2001
+238
September 12, 2015 7:46:56 PM from JoeUser Forums JoeUser Forums

Looks like you can look forward to at least (most?) 1 out of 5, Brad.

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Reply #3
starkers
Join Date 05/2004
+983
September 13, 2015 1:11:56 AM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

While I Like my HP Envy 2-in-one, a Surface Pro 4 is very much on the cards as a a more capable workhorse if I want to do more than surf the net, write letters, check my emails.  Given its larger, faster Skylake processor with integrated graphics and DDR4 RAM, the Surface Pro 4 would allow me to edit and convert photos, music and video faster and more easily.  Don't get me wrong, the HP Envy does all that and more, but sometimes it can get a little sluggish after a prolonged use and I need to reboot to freshen things up.

I almost got the Surface Pro 3 because of its additional power, but the HP Envy was on special [over $200 off and came with the pen] and it pretty near hopped in my cart and said 'wheel me out of here'.  It has served me well thus far, but the more I learn about Surface Pro 4 the more I lean toward getting one.

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Reply #4
Uvah
Join Date 05/2006
+785
September 14, 2015 4:53:42 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

What do I want? Nothing......one toy is enough thank you.

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Reply #5
harpo99999
Join Date 02/2008
+405
September 15, 2015 6:21:52 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

a UNBREAKABLE touch screen, I have seen TOOOOOOOOOOO many broken 'touch' screen computers where my customer broke te screen from 'touching' it too hard, and with the cost of the replacement touch screens with the fitting costs, it is cheaper for them to replace the computer than repair it, and I get blamed for being unable to repair the broken screen (not not for breaking it, just not being able to repair it affordably)

Harpo the GhOSt NON-subscribing TECH

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Reply #6
starkers
Join Date 05/2004
+983
September 17, 2015 2:41:57 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Something I want from the Surface Pro 4 is like a hand grip so that when used as a tablet it can rest on the palm of the hand and not slip off.  Yeah, I like to use my tablets that way, flat on my hand rather than having to hold on with my fingers.  Even a Velcro-type grip would do to help secure it...

As for being lighter, hehe, I have to worry about a bloke who'd complain about having to tote a couple of lbs here and there.  I mean, it'd be okay for sheilas I guess, but a bloke 'd probably need to do a bit of gym work to build some muscle tone and stamina.

 

Oh, and Brad, I'm not having a dig - well I am - but at myself as much as anyone.  I suffer with arthritic fingers [hence the grip idea] and would welcome a tablet that's lighter than my current one @ just under 1.9lbs... that at times feels 5 times heavier.

Still not convinced re Win 10, though.

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Reply #7
killswitch469
Join Date 04/2003
+6
October 6, 2015 4:22:17 PM from Galactic Civilizations III Forums Galactic Civilizations III Forums

http://www.anandtech.com/show/9693/microsoft-announces-the-surface-pro-4-from-900

 

So I guess the Surface 4 is a disappointment to Frogboy unfortunately.  

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Reply #8
starkers
Join Date 05/2004
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October 7, 2015 1:43:39 AM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Quoting killswitch469,
reply 7

http://www.anandtech.com/show/9693/microsoft-announces-the-surface-pro-4-from-900

 

So I guess the Surface 4 is a disappointment to Frogboy unfortunately.  

While there are some nice/good features in SP4, I feel MS took a backwards step with USB3.0 instead of going with USB 3.1... given the speed increases elsewhere, CPU; M.2 SSD, etc.  Also, why not the faster DDR4 RAM?

I noted in the comment section that quite a few people are dirty about the pricing and suggest MS is profiteering with each memory/storage increase by applying retail price increases to hardware it purchase wholesale and in bulk. 

In any event, the USD$899.00 starting model will likely cost upwards of AUD$1300 here in Oz, meaning the top end model would likely retail around AUD$3500.  Sadly, that's too rich for me, with my left over funds [after bills & expenses] to take a hit in the next week or so.

Oh well, it's nice to dream sometimes.

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Reply #9
psychoak
Join Date 07/2007
+204
October 7, 2015 2:21:39 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Computer upgrades almost always hose you for as much or more than retail, if they're actually charging retail, they're on the low end of things.

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Reply #10
Ogun
Join Date 03/2008
+1
October 7, 2015 10:22:09 PM from Ashes of the Singularity Forums Ashes of the Singularity Forums

The Surface Book might be something to look into, Frogboy.  It's a decent (read: fast) laptop with a dedicated GPU, quite a lot of battery life, and similar, where the screen detaches to a 1.6 lb tablet with your requested feature set, more or less.  The deficated GPU is in the base, so you can use it as a gaming laptop with the base attached, or when it's a tablet it will run off the CPU.  It's fairly impressive, and comes out on the 26th- something to keep an eye on, anyway.

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Reply #11
killswitch469
Join Date 04/2003
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October 12, 2015 9:12:40 AM from Galactic Civilizations III Forums Galactic Civilizations III Forums

Quoting ,
quoting post

I love my Surface Pro 3.  Windows 10 has transformed it from something I occasionally fiddled with to my primary mobile device (replacing my iPad and MacBook Pro combo for trips).

But it is, by no means, perfect.

The weaknesses of the Surface Pro 3 include:

 

    1. It is almost 1.8 pounds.  That's really too heavy to use as a tablet for an extended period of time.

 

    1. While Windows 10 has greatly improved the issue of it getting hot and the fan blariung, the fact it has a fan means extra weight and noise.

 

    1. No LTE.  I always found that astounding.  I keep my iPhone with me at all times anyway but it's kludgy to have to connect to it from my Surface while traveling.

 

    1. The power connector is obnoxious and expensive. 

 


So what would my dream Surface 4 be like?

 

    1. Less than 1.4 pounds

 

    1. 13 inch screen

 

    1. No fan

 

    1. LTE integration

 

    1. USB-C based power.

 


Note I made no mention of the CPU speed.  That's because the Surface Pro 3, with its 3 year old Core I5 in it, is fast enough for all my computing needs.

 

 

 

I just read that the Surface Pro 4 with the Core M processor IS fanless, while the i5 and i7 are not. The Core M also weighs less than the other two.

 

So out of Frogboy's wish list here's what he would get with a Surface Pro 4 with a Core M processor

 

1. He wants a 630 gram or less tablet. The SP4CM weights 766 (compared to 798 for the SP3), so it still needs to drop 133 grams.

2. It now has a 12.3 inch screen. It is still .7 inches away.

3. It's fanless. So finally we have one item to check off.

4. Still no LTE

5. No USB-C in this year's design.

 

I haven't been able to find specs for just the tablet portion of the surface book. If it does have a fanless model, the screen size would be right, although it also lacks LTE, USB-C and due to it's size it should be heavier than the SP4.

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Reply #12
Ogun
Join Date 03/2008
+1
October 12, 2015 10:39:41 AM from Ashes of the Singularity Forums Ashes of the Singularity Forums

From http://www.anandtech.com/show/9694/microsoft-reveals-the-surface-book (and some other websites) re: Surface Book

 

1) The tablet portion is 1.6 lbs (726 grams), so lighter than the surface pro, but still a bit heavier than he's looking for.

2) Screen size is good

3) I have a friend who said it's fanless who got to play with one, but I can't find documentation either way, and there do seem to be vents on the side of the  tablet.  It's possible it's just spitting in air from the base where there definately is a fan (for the GPU, if nothing else).

4) Yeah, no LTE that I can see.

5) No USB-C, unfortunately.

 

Edit:

I was curious, so talked to the microsoft store online chat people (take it with a grain of salt, this is the stuff I got from them though)-

3) the fan is powered down in tablet mode, and powers up when it's in laptop mode.

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