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[j-wood]

Man, Chrome seems to murder my SP3 fans on windows 10. With a couple of fans open, the fan kicks into high gear and the back feels pretty hot.

It doesn't happen when I use edge, and I would use edge full time because it's actually pretty good, but a ton of the google services don't work on it (google music, inbox, etc)

 

[Futureman]

well that's a pretty nice deal (i5 @ $799).... Best Buy has that price as well.

I should just wait though... I pledge to ban the Verge from my sites I visit if Tom Warren is wrong on the 4 being worth waiting for and a substantial upgrade.

 

[Ape]

well that's a pretty nice deal (i5 @ $799).... Best Buy has that price as well.

I should just wait though... I pledge to ban the Verge from my sites I visit if Tom Warren is wrong on the 4 being worth waiting for and a substantial upgrade.

I'll probably sell my sp3 and get the 4 if it really is that great. otherwise, this thing has been doing the job. this kb is taking some getting used to and the trackpad is disgusting... otherwise very happy.

 

[brotkasten]

well that's a pretty nice deal (i5 @ $799).... Best Buy has that price as well.

I should just wait though... I pledge to ban the Verge from my sites I visit if Tom Warren is wrong on the 4 being worth waiting for and a substantial upgrade.

Huh. Everything I've read on the SP4 so far indicates that it's a refresh of the SP3. Same chassis, new CPU (possibly Skylake), Windows Hello support.

Think of it as SP1 -> SP2.

Got this dropped in my e-mail this morning, good pickup for anyone on the fence!
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Surface-Pro-3/productID.300190600?WT.mc_id=PromoEmail_en_US_Save200onSP3_8-18-15_Hero_ShopNow_HV

Clearing stock for the SP4!

 

[SerTapTap]

Huh. Everything I've read on the SP4 so far indicates that it's a refresh of the SP3. Same chassis, new CPU (possibly Skylake), Windows Hello support.

Think of it as SP1 -> SP2.

This is most likely (though if what you wanted was power, the SP2 was a huge jump). I just wish they'd announce already so I know if they're annual or not. I'm currently leaning towards skipping the SP4, since I have my desktop a perf boost is kinda meh and I can't see the general UX improvements being worth another buy quite yet.

They really need to clarify their release schedule though because people seem to be in a perpetual "wait for the next one" loop. Sales seem to be pretty decent though, was impressed by their financial report. Good stuff, glad to see Surface rewarded. It's all I've ever wanted out of laptops and tablets.

 

[LaserBuddha]

Anyone try the new MTG game on a SP3 yet?

 

[Futureman]

Huh. Everything I've read on the SP4 so far indicates that it's a refresh of the SP3. Same chassis, new CPU (possibly Skylake), Windows Hello support.

well I probably shouldn't take such interest in some guy from the Verge who is more than likely just trying to get more Twitter followers, but Warren says it is NOT an incremental upgrade.

as far as I can tell, he is the one who started the October rumor that everyone seems to be taking as confirmed at this point.

but w/ MS putting the i5 model at $200 off now, it seems very likely the 4 is near.

 

[harSon]

I bought Surface Pro 3 at launch, and the SP3 + Steam In-Home Streaming + PS4/XB1 controller has been a god send.

 

[mrklaw]

well I probably shouldn't take such interest in some guy from the Verge who is more than likely just trying to get more Twitter followers, but Warren says it is NOT an incremental upgrade.

as far as I can tell, he is the one who started the October rumor that everyone seems to be taking as confirmed at this point.

but w/ MS putting the i5 model at $200 off now, it seems very likely the 4 is near.

it won't be a lot faster, simply because intel CPUs aren't massively faster than previous generations these days. It should have much better battery life and run cooler though. The upside is that it might be quicker for longer term use as it won't throttle as quickly for CPU intensive tasks though.

 

[SerTapTap]

I bought Surface Pro 3 at launch, and the SP3 + Steam In-Home Streaming + PS4/XB1 controller has been a god send.

Thanks to win 10 I'm scared to try my DS4 controller and needing an adapter for 360/xbone controller is a no no. Haven't gamed on it since win 10, hoping DS4Windows gets that all sorted out.

But controller + SP3 + miniDP -> HDMI is amazing, it's a portable 360 almost. Shame I'm rarely portable enough to take advantage, but still.

 

[Futureman]

it won't be a lot faster, simply because intel CPUs aren't massively faster than previous generations these days. It should have much better battery life and run cooler though. The upside is that it might be quicker for longer term use as it won't throttle as quickly for CPU intensive tasks though.

I know after the 3 Pro came out, there was some backlash from digital artists, specifically the guy from Penny Arcade.

I don't care so much for performance boost, but I think I'd be disappointed if I got the 3 Pro now and the 4 Pro had much better battery and cooling, more RAM on the base and upgrades for the digital pen.

really digital illustration is just a hobby for me, so I think I'll just wait for the Pro 4 announcement. If it's not huge, I'll just grab the cheapest Pro 3 then which will probably see some great deals.

 

[harSon]

Thanks to win 10 I'm scared to try my DS4 controller and needing an adapter for 360/xbone controller is a no no. Haven't gamed on it since win 10, hoping DS4Windows gets that all sorted out.

But controller + SP3 + miniDP -> HDMI is amazing, it's a portable 360 almost. Shame I'm rarely portable enough to take advantage, but still.

How does Windows 10 work on the Surface Pro 3? I've updated my main computer, but haven't updated my SP3 or Dell XPS 13.

 

[brotkasten]

well I probably shouldn't take such interest in some guy from the Verge who is more than likely just trying to get more Twitter followers, but Warren says it is NOT an incremental upgrade.

as far as I can tell, he is the one who started the October rumor that everyone seems to be taking as confirmed at this point.

but w/ MS putting the i5 model at $200 off now, it seems very likely the 4 is near.

I think it was Brad Sams from Neowin who mentioned October first few weeks ago. I don't know if he did it on Twitter or wrote a post, but he definitely mentioned it on his podcast. Then Warren simply stated it as a fact on Twitter and Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley were able to confirm it later on (funny, because they're usually the ones complaining that they don't get credited).

Anyway, what did he say that indicates a new big thing?

 

[Drifters]

Huh. Everything I've read on the SP4 so far indicates that it's a refresh of the SP3. Same chassis, new CPU (possibly Skylake), Windows Hello support.

Think of it as SP1 -> SP2.



Clearing stock for the SP4!

Probably, don't blame them.

 

[Futureman]

Anyway, what did he say that indicates a new big thing?

someone responded to one of his twitter posts and said "it's just a chip rev" and Warrne replied "ha nah, it's so much more "

Someone else asked if they would be disappointed if they bought a Pro 3 now and saw the Pro 4, he said "yeah you will, it's not just incremental."

 

[brotkasten]

someone responded to one of his twitter posts and said "it's just a chip rev" and Warrne replied "ha nah, it's so much more "

Someone else asked if they would be disappointed if they bought a Pro 3 now and saw the Pro 4, he said "yeah you will, it's not just incremental."

Interesting. I guess he's referring to Windows Hello, which is kind of neat. But I'm curious to see what else he could mean. Either way, I'm glad that I was able to old off, even if it was due to the lack of good deals.

 

[Septimus Prime]

Would it be possible to do Windows Hello by just attaching a Kinect to an SP3? What, exactly, is so amazing about it?

 

[brotkasten]

Would it be possible to do Windows Hello by just attaching a Kinect to an SP3? What, exactly, is so amazing about it?

I don't think it supports Kinect (yet). And there's nothing outright amazing about it. It's just very neat being able to log in with a face scan. I don't think it's really different from the Xbox log in.

Now I don't know if it can replace your passwords system wide. That would be really great.

 

[brotkasten]

Tom Warren is writing about the rumored October event and here's what he mentions about the Surface.

"Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 won't be a drastic change from the Pro 3 as the company has promised to keep the charging mechanism and overall form factor similar for businesses that have invested in accessories like the docking station. That doesn't mean Microsoft won't make big changes, though. The software giant can increase display size and resolution, while making the Surface Pro 4 thinner and lighter. Rumors have suggested Microsoft is planning Windows Hello support for the Surface Pro 4, but it's unlikely the company will fit an Intel RealSense camera into the thin device. Instead, a fingerprint scanner on an updated and refined Surface keyboard sounds more likely."

I can't say I'd be happy about increasing the screen size again. A fingerprint reader on the Type Cover would be fine with me. Windows Hello works very well with the fingerprint reader on my Thinkpad, but a face scan would definitely be cooler.

 

[Drifters]

Tom Warren is writing about the rumored October event and here's what he mentions about the Surface.

"Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 won't be a drastic change from the Pro 3 as the company has promised to keep the charging mechanism and overall form factor similar for businesses that have invested in accessories like the docking station. That doesn't mean Microsoft won't make big changes, though. The software giant can increase display size and resolution, while making the Surface Pro 4 thinner and lighter. Rumors have suggested Microsoft is planning Windows Hello support for the Surface Pro 4, but it's unlikely the company will fit an Intel RealSense camera into the thin device. Instead, a fingerprint scanner on an updated and refined Surface keyboard sounds more likely."

I can't say I'd be happy about increasing the screen size again. A fingerprint reader on the Type Cover would be fine with me. Windows Hello works very well with the fingerprint reader on my Thinkpad, but a face scan would definitely be cooler.

I don't get the need for an increased size. 12" is the perfect fit whereas if they go with a 12.5-13.1 form factor, it just becomes odd to hold.

I think I'm biased tho since I think the SP3 is the best thing every created computing wise.

 

[Futureman]

I can't say I'd be happy about increasing the screen size again.

Tom says in the Verge comments "You can make the screen size larger without increasing the size of the device. Bezels"

right now the Surface is 12"... I wonder how big the screen could get with the same form factor?

I haven't been this excited about a tech reveal in a long while!

 

[brotkasten]

Tom says in the Verge comments "You can make the screen size larger without increasing the size of the device. Bezels"

right now the Surface is 12"... I wonder how big the screen could get with the same form factor?

I haven't been this excited about a tech reveal in a long while!

That's right, I thought about that later. The bezels on the Pro 3 aren't big for a tablet, but they could still increase the screen slightly while maintaining the 3:2 aspect ratio.

And yes, I'm excited for their hardware event. I'm curious about the Band 2 and the phones as well, even if can't see myself switching back to Windows Phone right now.

 

[SerTapTap]

Sometimes people forget that bezels are not always either cosmetic or an unfortunate result of technology limitations. Most tablets have a thumb-wide bezel so you can...put your thumb on it. I don't see the bezel getting significantly smaller, it's there for a reason. Plus they'd have to move/remove the Windows button.

It'd be weird to have a fingerprint reader again, I hope it's hidden well.

 

[LukasTaves]

The windows button will probably be replaced by on screen buttons, so removing it isn't going to be too much of an issue.

 

[Futureman]

Also don't many cell phones have basically zero bezel? If the software is good enough to ignore certain touches on the edge of the device, I don't see the problem.

 

[dLMN8R]

I'm excited that the Surface Pro 4 is something that I know literally zero actual details about :-D

My Surface Pro 3 has been the best computer I've ever used. Been my primary computer all day every day since I got it right on release day, and I'm eager to sell it to get a SP4.

 

[Futureman]

what do you use it for dLMN8R? Do you do any drawing, video editing, photo editing?

 

[dLMN8R]

Nah, just stuff like email, Excel, web browsing, a little gaming, long-form technical spec writing, and a little Visual Studio.

 

[brotkasten]

Sometimes people forget that bezels are not always either cosmetic or an unfortunate result of technology limitations. Most tablets have a thumb-wide bezel so you can...put your thumb on it. I don't see the bezel getting significantly smaller, it's there for a reason. Plus they'd have to move/remove the Windows button.

It'd be weird to have a fingerprint reader again, I hope it's hidden well.

Oh, I get that. That's why I wasn't too happy about Apple slimming down the bezels on the iPad line. I feel like the bezel on my iPad 4 makes it great to hold, regardless of the orientation. Increasing the screen would also mean a lower pixel density, since I don't think that they're going to increase the resolution again.

About the fingerprint reader. Well, Synaptics are working with Microsoft to embed the sensor inside their touchpads.

"SAN JOSE, Calif. – August 5, 2015 – Synaptics Inc. (NASDAQ: SYNA), the leading developer of human interface solutions, today announced collaboration with Microsoft on biometric fingerprint authentication and touchpad technologies on Windows 10. Microsoft leveraged Synaptics’ deep expertise in human interface which is fundamental to the operating system.

Through stringent testing, Synaptics’ advanced image sensing technology and drivers are fully certified with Microsoft’s Precision Touchpad (PTP) specification empowering OEMs with Windows 10-ready Synaptics products. Windows 10 users will benefit from Synaptics’ industry-leading precision TouchPad™ technology, and SecurePad™, the industry’s only solution to integrate secure biometric fingerprint ID technology directly into the TouchPad."

http://www.synaptics.com/en/press-releases/windows10.php

The question is if they were able to bring it to market fast enough for the Pro 4. The press release kind of makes it sound like they have. It's been released earlier this month. It also wouldn't surprise me if the Type Cover with the fingerprint reader was a separate model with a $50 markup.

 

[WhirlwindMonk]

Glad I clicked on this thread, I've been considering picking up an SP3 to have a light, modern computer to take on my trip to Japan in November. If the 4 comes out with better battery life in October, that'd be perfect. Looking forward to hearing more news!

 

[mrklaw]

Tom Warren is writing about the rumored October event and here's what he mentions about the Surface.

"Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 won't be a drastic change from the Pro 3 as the company has promised to keep the charging mechanism and overall form factor similar for businesses that have invested in accessories like the docking station. That doesn't mean Microsoft won't make big changes, though. The software giant can increase display size and resolution, while making the Surface Pro 4 thinner and lighter. Rumors have suggested Microsoft is planning Windows Hello support for the Surface Pro 4, but it's unlikely the company will fit an Intel RealSense camera into the thin device. Instead, a fingerprint scanner on an updated and refined Surface keyboard sounds more likely."

I can't say I'd be happy about increasing the screen size again. A fingerprint reader on the Type Cover would be fine with me. Windows Hello works very well with the fingerprint reader on my Thinkpad, but a face scan would definitely be cooler.

fingerprint scanner on a keyboard is pointless - you need something on the device itself for when it is used without a keyboard. Also I don't see how they can make it thinner without screwing over dock owners, as the edges of the dock are designed based on the size of the current SP3. Also if they use the same Skylake-U chips as they did Haswell-U, they will still be the same 15W TDP so they'll need similar cooling

 

[mrklaw]

One thing I'd like when in tablet mode would be to move the screen up when the board appears. Often when you're typing the keyboard can obscure what you're writing. Detaching and moving the keyboard around isn't a great solution.

 

[Futureman]

I don't even have a Surface right now, but how do you do modifier keys with the pen? Like in Photoshop if you want to select multiple layers at the same time, you hold ctrl+click each layer.

One time I had the "shift" modifier key somehow activated and I don't know how I did it or how to get rid of it so I had to reboot.

 

[derFeef]

Any real fix for the WiFi issues? I can't get more than 1.5MB/s I can switch the wifi standard on my router and that helps, but then other devices would not connect. I tried a few older drivers but none of them seemed to make a difference.

 

[Lucius86]

That's right, I thought about that later. The bezels on the Pro 3 aren't big for a tablet, but they could still increase the screen slightly while maintaining the 3:2 aspect ratio.

And yes, I'm excited for their hardware event. I'm curious about the Band 2 and the phones as well, even if can't see myself switching back to Windows Phone right now.

I just handled a client's SP3 and I would like a smaller bezel.

 

[Rehynn]

Any real fix for the WiFi issues? I can't get more than 1.5MB/s I can switch the wifi standard on my router and that helps, but then other devices would not connect. I tried a few older drivers but none of them seemed to make a difference.

Well, you've already found the only solution.

 

[brotkasten]

Any real fix for the WiFi issues? I can't get more than 1.5MB/s I can switch the wifi standard on my router and that helps, but then other devices would not connect. I tried a few older drivers but none of them seemed to make a difference.

I really hope that Microsoft can fix the WiFi issues with the new Pro 4. All models had problems with WiFi so far. The Pro 3 is probably not as bad as the Pro 2, but it's definitely not great.

Two months, guys!

I just handled a client's SP3 and I would like a smaller bezel.

Like I said, I don't mind the current bezel, but wouldn't be against making it slightly smaller.

 

[Futureman]

anyone having major touch issues with Windows 10 on their SP3?

I just bought a brand new SP3 (i5, 256 GB) last night that came preinstalled with Windows 10.

Everything seems great but the touch screen is totally wonky. It will seem to work OK for a bit but then become totally unresponsive. If I navigate with the pen only, everything works great.

Someone on Reddit suggested running this Sony calibration tool for touch screens. I guess I'll give it a shot on my lunch.

http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/swu-download.pl?mdl=SVF15N190X&upd_id=9338&os_group_id=27

as a note... I had a new SP3 w/ 8.1 installed earlier this month and did not encounter any touch issues.

 

[Mufc1427]

So I bought an i5 Surface Pro 3 a few days ago and it gets hot when I'm doing simple tasks like watching videos and browsing. Is this normal?

 

[Ape]

So I bought an i5 Surface Pro 3 a few days ago and it gets hot when I'm doing simple tasks like watching videos and browsing. Is this normal?

Mine doesn't, not that I've noticed at least. CAnt you install an app that displays the cpu temps?

 

[SenshiManny]

So I bought an i5 Surface Pro 3 a few days ago and it gets hot when I'm doing simple tasks like watching videos and browsing. Is this normal?

When using Chrome, yes. At least it has been for me. Most of the time it just gets warm but it does get hot enough some times where the fans will get a bit loud. That is, it gets warm and hot when watching vids on Chrome or if i have about 5+ tabs open. It depends on what pages it is I have open though. Like if it was a page that had lots of animated gifs, it'd totally get hot for me.

To avoid the heat issue at least with vids anyways, I used to use Metro IE. I mean I still did most of my normal browsing with Chrome but I did enjoy using Metro IE. Glad I didn't get too attached to it though since it doesn't exist in Win 10

 

[Mufc1427]

Mine doesn't, not that I've noticed at least. CAnt you install an app that displays the cpu temps?

I will do that.

When using Chrome, yes. At least it has been for me. Most of the time it just gets warm but it does get hot enough some times where the fans will get a bit loud. That is, it gets warm and hot when watching vids on Chrome or if i have about 5+ tabs open. It depends on what pages it is I have open though. Like if it was a page that had lots of animated gifs, it'd totally get hot for me.

Yeah, when I have multiple tabs open, my Surface can get really hot to the point that the fans need to run at full power to reduce the heat.

 

[Mufc1427]

After doing some reading on my CPU temperature, these are my results:

- Minimum value = 42 C

- Average = 57 C

- Maximum = 73 C (At this point the fans start to run at full power to reduced heat)


This is just by running Spotify and Edge with more than six tabs open.

 

[everthustodeadbeats]

Does Edge have an adblock tool? I'm using Firefox when in tablet mode and the Edge interface will probably work better, but I don't want to see ads.

 

[publicpwnerer]

Out of curiosity, *if* the Surface Pro 4 announcement is in October, how long before it hits shelves? I imagine in Australia it'd be slightly longer than the U.S.

It's already a month and a bit until the potential announcement, and I really can't wait another 2-3+ months after the announcement to purchase an SP4 as I'm desperately in need of a device now.

I'm currently eyeing the 8GM RAM / 256GB / i5 model SP3.

 

[metareferential]

Out of curiosity, *if* the Surface Pro 4 announcement is in October, how long before it hits shelves? I imagine in Australia it'd be slightly longer than the U.S.

It's already a month and a bit until the potential announcement, and I really can't wait another 2-3+ months after the announcement to purchase an SP4 as I'm desperately in need of a device now.

I'm currently eyeing the 8GM RAM / 256GB / i5 model SP3.

I'm in the same place, basically. I'm going back to university for a one-year post-grad while working almost full time, and I need a device I can rely on so I can work during breaks.

If this is announced in october and released in other markets in november/december it will be too late for me.

How's the resell value? Pretty good I guess?

 

[brotkasten]

In a weird and unexpected twist, Lenovo just announced the Surface Pro 4.

12" display
Windows Hello support
adjustable kickstand
Skylake CPU, with configurations up to m7 and 8GB RAM
keyboard cover
pen (optional?)
LTE (optional)
RealSense 3D back camera (optional)

Release in November, starting at $699.

 

[LukasTaves]

Lte?

Damn. Your move, Ms.

 

[RayStorm]

In a weird and unexpected twist, Lenovo just announced the Surface Pro 4.

Interestingly enough they managed to put a second USB port on it... I hope MS takes notice for the eventual SP4. What they ought to ignore is HDMI instead of display port.

At least the Core M means it's going to be fanless.

 

[LukasTaves]

Argh, m7? I read it as up to i7

Does the core m line now offers decent performance, or it's still barely better than the atom due the heavy throttling?