Initial thoughts from my hands-on with the Surface Pro

I played with the Surface Pro today on the way home from work and made a little video of it: Surface Pro in store - YouTube

My initial thought was that I was very impressed. It was a nice weight, very fast and very responsive to touch. I know it's supposed to be a half pound more than the RT but it didn't feel like it. I was worried that the touch screen would be less responsive to fingers given the stylus-focus but I was wrong. It's just as finger-touch sensitive as the RT version. I've already bought a type keyboard but it seems like the touch keyboard on display was a lot more responsive than when it was connected to the RT. It could be the processor or OS difference but it was noticeably more sensitive (better) and accurate on the Pro despite being the exact same keyboard.

I downloaded the trial version of Visio 2013 since it's supposed to be "optimized" for touchscreens but I couldn't get it to install since it was an img file and I was a little nervous about asking the staff to let me install programs other than MS suites. When I get mine on Saturday, I plan on testing it out with all the regular MS apps, Putty, etc so look for my video review then. I'll post it under this thread.

Obviously being in a store, there was a limited amount that I could do with it. I didn't really feel the stylus much. I don't know if I got a dud or what. The employee was writing with her stylus on the Pro and it worked REALLY well but when I tried to use the stylus I had, it was barely registering what I was drawing. I think it was the stylus I had or something. As you can see in the video, holding the stylus over the screen without touching it will produce a mouse icon. To be absolutely honest, I doubt I will use it except for Visio and Photoshop. I doubt I'd need that kind of fine detail for anything else.

As far as heat, it was a little warmer in the back near the fans but not hot. Since it was a display model, the screen was set to never turn off and it was being used all day so it wasn't bad for that hard of use. When I get some time with it, I might stick Steam on there and try kill it with Borderlands. If I can get through a few hours of Borderlands without burning it up, I will be satisfied.

Anyways, those are my initial thoughts for those of you interested in getting the Pro or considering it. I'll post my full review on this thread with a video sometime after Saturday. I've already bought the Touch keyboard, 64GB MicroSD card, 1.5 TB USB 3.0 HD and I have a USB hub somewhere around here. I'll test out all of those things and more

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Comments

shodown

we will be waiting. Thanks for the initial review.

tpatt100

Dumb question but is they stylus supposed to be more effective than using your finger? Reason I ask is my experiences with tablets is Android and iOS but apps for those tablets are designed with tablets and fingers in mind. I am guessing that Microsoft is pushing for their app store to be touch based in design which would mean less menus I guess?

I think I am trying to imagine using legacy applications on Surface would be a pain where as you might need redesigned applications for touch users. I guess if it was me I would be using Surface primarily as a laptop but then in tablet mode legacy applications would be just for looking something up or to show something to somebody and if I needed to get work done then I would dock it with the keyboard.

Roguetadhg

Not really, remember the Pro is supposed to be mouse compatible. You don't need to touch the screen.

There's a time for Touch-screen, and then there's the time to Dock&Mouse. Having a hard time to think of any of my applications I wouldn't want to use the touch-screen for... Oh... Emulators! Dock and Game! At first I was thinking "Photoshop" and then thinking about using the touch screen with it... it would probably be better!

Iristheangel

Yes, the stylus is supposed to be much more accurate than your fingers. It's a Wacom digitizer so it pretty well tuned. The saleslady's pen worked a lot better than mine of I figured I just gone one that someone abused that day. Anything in the metro interface would be really easy to navigate with fingers as well as Office 2013 but for more tuned and detailed needs, you can use the touchpad on the keyboard (both the touch and type keyboard have a small space for this) or you can use the stylus. The stylus is a nice concept but to be honest, I don't see myself using it as much unless I'm drawing a network diagram or photoshopping. I would probably use my fingers or hotkeys for everything else. The swipe motions with fingers are really nice for shortcuts or to navigate webpages

Mrock4

I absolutely LOVE the surface pro- traveling 75% it would allow me to leave my laptop at home on some trips. I just have to get past the fact it can catch all the same viruses as my main laptop. Don't get me wrong though, I'll probably still end up picking one up

wd40

Thanks for the review.

when you get your device can you please check if there is a built in function that will allow you to write notes on pdfs directly "using the stylus", that would be useful.

JoJoCal19

I'm definitely interested in the Surface Pro, or another one of the full Windows 8 tablets. I day trade Forex and it's a pain having to go to my MBP and launch Windows, so for now I've been using my iPad and VNC to do it, but it's not as fast or as smooth as a Windows 8 tablet would be. The only concern I have is that I've read between W8 and all the junk that comes pre-loaded on tabs, you only have like half of the storage left available. When you get your Surface Pro can you check what the available hard drive space is from the factory? And do you know if we are able to do clean OS installs on these tablets?

Iristheangel

If you get it out of box, the 128GB version has 80GB free. This can be easily fixed and free up a ton of memory by creating your own restore USB and deleting the recovery partition

it_consultant

I will get one for my wife. We have an asus ultraportable which I am using to write this post but she wants something that is as cool as all the people in her meetings with iPads without having to actually buy an iPad.

Iristheangel

This is probably the best and most indepth review I've seem so far including benchmark tests. It appears that the Surface stacks up pretty well even against i7 laptops. Thats impressive. The author is pretty honest without bias as well as comparing it to similar ultrabooks instead of whining about how he's confused its not an iPad. I thought he was fair on both pros and cons: Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 Pro - CNET Mobile

tpatt100

I see this as a testing phase but since it is Microsoft they can pretty much just move the market in this direction since it runs Windows. When I was wondering about the touch interface and comparing it to tablets I meant apps designed for tablets are designed for touch where as Surface from what I read legacy apps are not that touch friendly. I assume Microsoft knows they have to move the Windows market in this direction sooner rather than later and just deal with people's bickering about "tablet" abilities until the developers start offering more applications that are touch native.

I know Apple added iOS features to Mac OS X I guess to make adoption easier for Windows users whose first experience with Apple was the iPhone or iPad so Microsoft just had to make the jump and people will adapt eventually.

pumbaa_g

Read that the battery life sucks big time!!!!! Apart from that everything looks good. I am tired of charging my Android ICS every 6 hours, not really sure if this will be any better.

Iristheangel

The battery is typical for most ultrabooks. There are some that do better and some that are a lot worse. Cnet got 4.5 hours out ofthe Pro with decentlu heavy usage. The Mac Air gets as little as 2 hours depending on what you're doing with it or as high as 7 if all other apps are closed and you are using non-flash pages. Overall, I don't mind 4.5 hours since I'm used to less with my laptop and I'm sure there are other people out there like me. MS has a clear path though on what to improve on in the next generation of Surfaces: battery (different x64 processor would help) and more onboard storage (easy fix). If they make it thinner along the way- cool, but the weight and dimensions felt great in my hands so I don't care about that.

veritas_libertas

I'm getting more intrigued with this as time goes by.

Roguetadhg

I got my hands on it at Best Buy. Gotta say it's pretty awesome. I was unable to do any tested besides browsing and Office was disabled. But yeah, it's slick!

SteveLord

Fast, but a little over priced considering it doesn't even come with a type/touch cover....adding ~$120 to the price. Speakers are weak. I think Microsoft has done a great job instilling confusion into the market between the Surface and Surface Pro. And finally....it's also still a Window OS...meaning it will begin to rot/slowdown within a few months right?

tpatt100

Can you install programs to the SD card? Because storing files on SD is fine with me but some program installs can eat up a gig depending on the program.

Then again games are what inhale hard drive space on my desktop and it's not like I will be playing games with this system.

petedude

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

I'm definitely interested in the Surface Pro, or another one of the full Windows 8 tablets.

Dell just came out with some nifty Win8 tablets. I'd be more inclined to look in that direction when/if the time comes, but I can definitely see the use for a more portable Windows device for systems admin types.

chrisone

I wouldn't write this technology off as being a dud yet.

Wait for the next gen Surface!

1. Imagine all the kinks straighten out in a new model.
2. More apps available this time next year. Win8 designed apps.
3. slimmer/lighter
4. more cpu/gpu and mem "Moore's Law"
5. slightly better case design
6. Improved camera
7. Improved screen resolution
8. More intelligent touchpads
9. Cheaper $$$$

I will get the next gen model, should be a year or sooner from now, that is if they want to compete with ipads and other tablets. I would expect a new improved surface by December 2013 or January 2014. I will get one for sure!

tpatt100

Man netbooks and then tablets really messed up consumer expectations for prices. We better start creating human clones who work for free to get prices down to where there is still an actual profit for consumer electronics.....

SteveLord

chrisone wrote: »

I wouldn't write this technology off as being a dud yet.

Wait for the next gen Surface!
!

One problem. When you're late to the game, it's very difficult to catch up. If you want to know more, I'll introduce you to my friend RIM.

/agree with tpatt100 about pricing on latest mobile gadgets over the years. Especially when "experts" and "analysts" originally promised much lower prices than what we have now. And we're a few years into tablets and at least 1 full year into major brands having ultrabooks.

GAngel

For answers on alot of the questions about the pro.

Microsoft Tackles Various Surface Pro Concerns, Hints At Battery-Equipped Cover - Forbes

SteveLord

Those were answers?

Iristheangel

Seemed like answers to me.

I'm still overall excited about it. I've been running Win 7 on my work computer without issues for 6 months and my home computer was running it for 2 years without degrade. Windows 8 has been on my home computer since September and there have been no performance issues. I'm still excited about this product. I'm sure 2.0 will be worlds better and knowing my luck, it'll come out in 2 months but I'm fine with that. It's all a tax write off for me. I'm not a fan of Apple but I'm not going to say everything they produce sucks. To be fair, they make some pretty great products. I won't go to every thread and comment about how everything they do is horrible because it wouldn't be fair or accurate. Same with Microsoft. When Android tablets started coming to the market, the first couple years of products were crap. If this is MS's first offering and they do better with later implementations, I'd say they hit the ground running.

ptilsen

SteveLord wrote: »

And finally....it's also still a Window OS...meaning it will begin to rot/slowdown within a few months right?

Yes, because it is capable of time travel to 2006.

Iristheangel wrote: »

This is probably the best and most indepth review I've seem so far including benchmark tests....

They didn't benchmark Starcraft II, so I'm disappointed.

My problem is still the lack of RAM as well as upgradability thereof. Even 8GB of RAM would be a huge difference. Still, it looks pretty decent for the tasks for which it's intended, rather than my unrealistic desires.

tpatt100

I think I am getting to a "meh" stage with consumer electronics. Smartphones have basically hit a plateau for me, same with desktops and laptops. Tablets have hit that point also with me. It's the ecosystem that will keep me engaged and even that I think there is only so much that can be done in the home environment.

By the time I am ready to purchase a new laptop Surface will probably be more the norm when it comes to laptops so by then I am pretty confident the Windows 8 app store will be pretty active since eventually more people will upgrade or buy new systems.

Iristheangel

ptilsen wrote: »

They didn't benchmark Starcraft II, so I'm disappointed.

I'll settle for Borderlands. Dishonored as well. If I want to go old school, Quest for Glory, Space Quest, and King's Quest

ptilsen

Starcraft II actually makes a very good metric for overall game-ability. It can stress mid-range gaming systems on high graphics, but run playably on all but integrated graphics. As a general rule, if it can't run Starcraft II, you probably won't be using it for any modern games. I think that will hold true for the next few years.

If you want to go old school, any modern laptop will do.

I probably wouldn't play Starcraft on Surface while traveling no matter what, because the screen size would be a serious disadvantage and it takes up a considerable amount of drive space, which is extremely valuable given the low space of both Surface Pro models.

Iristheangel

I've actually never played Starcraft II. I don't even know what it looks like to play. I was just teasing

I won't use the Surface for any gaming anyways. It's going to be my purely "school and work" laptop/tablet.

tpatt100

I am not a fan of gaming on laptops even though I did for a bit. Heat was always an issue, bad enough cooling fan in a desktop that is under my desk but on a laptop? Man "wrrrrrrrr" loud as heck right in front of me.