Microsoft Surface Pro 4 announced: "better in nearly every way" (The Verge)
- Thread starter Anton Sugar
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Damon Bennet
Member
I wonder how the m3 compares to my current sp1. I'm happy with the power it offers (using it for some indie games and browsing internet/watching movies), but id like new hardware. The s3 is cool, but I wont downgrade technologically, so sp4 is my choice.
They Microsoft'd it:
Why only US?? Do us Europeans have different fingertips?
You live with your limited freedoms, we'll stay free.
Probably some random privacy law reason.
it's kinda wonky though and is really just picking up the magnet from the keyboard right?
Charging port, I believe. It works fine, but not while walking around. It's perfectly good when you're stationary though.
AwayFromInfinityx
Member
Managed to get some hands on time with it today. Both the surface book and surface pro 4 are beautiful machines.
I couldn't do much because they were demo units though. Made me want one.
I couldn't do much because they were demo units though. Made me want one.
EnVy_CaLiBeR
Member
Microsoft (at least in the USA) offers free returns for 30 days via an online process, so it's been quite easy in my experience. Though it's rare, Amazon has been known to close customers' accounts due to returns of large purchases like this. I've personally seen this happen, and it's not pretty. It's especially terrible if you have Amazon digital content.
I've "changed" my SP4 order from 8GB RAM to 16GB. Unfortunately MS couldn't modify the order, so I made a new order and went to the end of the line. The new order is shipping by the 26th, rather than arriving by the 26th so maybe I cost myself a week. Regardless, it's better than an iOS launch where preorders are a month out if you don't hit it the second it becomes available.
Out of curiosity why the change? What sort of stuff are you planning on using it for?
I had some reservations about 8GB for using something like Lightroom on and off and am not entirely convinced I need 16, but it's something I'm considering since it can't be changed.
I'm not entirely convinced that I absolutely needed the change either, but it will help to keep my workflow consistent between desktop and mobile sessions. Currently my work involves using virtual machines for interacting with a number of different client environments. At my main workstation, I can easily run several of these at the same time so if I have something going at one site that's taking hours.. I can bounce over to something else. On my existing 8GB mobile device, if I try to run 2 VM's simultaneously then everything grinds to a halt (as much as is possible with SSD as scratch device).
It's nothing CPU intensive, but it's just a matter of having 2+ OS running at the same time without compromise. I also don't know how Win10 is with memory usage, as I'm generally familiar with OSX. It's worth being on the safe side rather than end up swapping devices after I get it setup and am possibly disappointed.
I ordered thinking.. hmm I hope the boss is cool paying for this. A day later I got the "make sure to get what you need" speech so the order is now changed.
Lightroom seems totally fine on my SP3 w/ 8 GB.
I'm a semi-pro photographer BUT I only loaded like 20 photos on my SP3 and played around. I still use my rMBP.
Identical situation for me. I use my rMBP for all my heavy lifting in regards to photo workflow but I've gotten tired of my iPad in terms of utility so considering getting a SP4 for occasional re-touching and minor editing. Sounds like 8 may be fine.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
I'm not entirely convinced that I absolutely needed the change either, but it will help to keep my workflow consistent between desktop and mobile sessions. Currently my work involves using virtual machines for interacting with a number of different client environments. At my main workstation, I can easily run several of these at the same time so if I have something going at one site that's taking hours.. I can bounce over to something else. On my existing 8GB mobile device, if I try to run 2 VM's simultaneously then everything grinds to a halt (as much as is possible with SSD as scratch device).
It's nothing CPU intensive, but it's just a matter of having 2+ OS running at the same time without compromise. I also don't know how Win10 is with memory usage, as I'm generally familiar with OSX. It's worth being on the safe side rather than end up swapping devices after I get it setup and am possibly disappointed.
I ordered thinking.. hmm I hope the boss is cool paying for this. A day later I got the "make sure to get what you need" speech so the order is now changed.
Multiple VMs? Yeah, more memory the better for those cases.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
What's the consensus, will a 16GB Pro 4 handle high volume Premiere Pro files like a champ or will I have to shell out for the book?
Anton Sugar
Member
I guess if you're doing heavy editing, maybe it's not enough, but Lightroom CC runs just fine on my i5/4GB SP3. All RAW files--got a few hundred on my OneDrive that I work from.
16GB sounds like overkill, for Lightroom, at least.
16GB sounds like overkill, for Lightroom, at least.
HP Spectre X2 in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjy6u6l5IBQ
The price is much lower than the SP4, let's see what compromises they've made other than the screen resolution. The trackpad is reportedly crappy but I could live with that, I'd like to learn more about the pen and stuff related to that (palm rejection etc.), but none of the early reports cover it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjy6u6l5IBQ
The price is much lower than the SP4, let's see what compromises they've made other than the screen resolution. The trackpad is reportedly crappy but I could live with that, I'd like to learn more about the pen and stuff related to that (palm rejection etc.), but none of the early reports cover it.
To be honest the SP3 seemed a little snappier than the late 2013 15" MBP. But the library size in the MBP is thousands of photos and the El Capitan update seems to have given me some performance improvements.
Nevertheless, 8 GB SP4 should give you great performance.
The answer is - it depends. There were benchmarks showing the old broadwell low end core m5Y10 I the zenbook ux305 outperforming an i5 (dual core U) in some tasks because the metal chassis of the zenbook combined with the lower TDP of the core m meant it hardly ever throttled, whereas the i5 in an ultrabook often did. But then the faster core m in a yoga wasn't as fast because Lenovo had set the thermal limit lower.
Intel have said the new skylake core m should be 10-20% faster in CPU and 40% faster with the GPU vs broadwell core m. That bodes well for the potential of the entry SP4 keeping up with the i5 model in general use, and with the benefit of being fanless and therefore silent. I'd expect the i5 to do better in more strenuous tasks though, and the GPU will be better (I think HD520 has 24EUs and the HD515 in the core m has 18?)
I too would have liked an option for i5/8GB/128GB. I can expand storage with a micro SD card for media etc, so I can certainly live with a 128GB SSD. I'd rather not live with 4GB but I think I'll have to.
Curious about this too. How do you handle running Lightroom on two machines and syncing things up? I have my main desktop machine and a SP4 would be a secondary use machine but would be great for Lightroom use and initial importing and selection etc.
My desktop with an i5 and 8 gigs of ram works well for what I do with premiere. I still use a 560ti too.
Pagusas
Elden Member
It has a fan. Look at the image. He says it runs the fan LESS not that it's fanless. Unless you mean something different...
hes talking only about the m3 model, which should run way cooler.
edit: super late.
BigWeather
Member
Looking forward to a Surface 4 announcement -- hopefully with the nice new pen. I guess I could go SP4 m3 but hate that it only has 4gb. Just not a big fan of the fan. =/
if you want to sync library settings you'll want to sync the library file to a shared location between the two machines.
EnVy_CaLiBeR
Member
Too bad it's HP.
Pretty much this -- I use my NAS for this purpose.
The catalog? Wouldn't that be too slow? Or is that a different file. Sorry for going OT, but it'd help me understand which model might be better for me.
I don't have any experience with HP hardware whatsoever (other than their printers), what are they infamous for?
Dell XPS12 doesn't seem really well thought out. It wants to be a laptop more than a tablet, yet you can't adjust the angle of the screen - a cardinal sin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK22ncJMUlc
Apple invented copying the iPad Pro.
EnVy_CaLiBeR
Member
Maybe they've come up recently, but I could of sworn HP at one point didn't have a good reputation for their computers? I may be wrong. Also it could be the fact my mother spent a great deal on one only for it to break down a couple of years later.
I've only had experience with HP's cheaper laptops. Bought one and the build quality was really janky from the start, quickly developed cracks along the sides, display cable came loose (had to fix it myself), can't even use it anymore because the built in keyboard and touchpad stop working after 20-30 minutes (hardware issue).
Heard there are similar problems even with their more expensive laptops as well. But in comparison my 2 cheap ASUS laptops have been completely rock solid, no issues at all.
What kills me is how shit OEMs are at branding things. The XPS 12 already exists and looks like this:
And the HP Spectre x2? At the moment they sell a HP Spectre 13 x2:
Both are massively different from the more Surface-like forms of their successors.
I mean, it's no surprise that very few of them have any prestige whatsoever. Compare how much of a splash new Surface and Macbook/iPad announcements make vs. any HP/Dell/Lenovo/etc announcement. It's not even close.
Fallout-NL
Member
Damn, €1800 for the i7 / 8gb model here in the Netherlands. Would pick that one mainly because of iris integrated gfx, the i5 models don't have that, right?
Are surface pros able to act as external displays for another PC? I'm looking to get the 8gb or 16gb sp4 as a work PC. Most likely I'll actually be getting a dell precision (preferably the ultralight 15in) but being able to use this as an additional display at a customer site would be a good pitch to have them let me get both.
EroticSushi
Member
I just want a i5, 8/16GB RAM, 128 storage version.
Microsoft pls
Microsoft pls
Correct.
Please do.
EroticSushi
Member
Do all Microsoft stores have the SP4 on display?
not sure. I called (855) 270-6581 and asked. The lady put me on hold and checked and told me yes it's on display at my store (Pittsburgh Ross Park Mall).
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