Surface 3 Pro, any one?
- Thread starter 4nh13
- Start date
GhostFist
Member
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2010
- Messages
- 1,551
If all you're planning to use surface for is office programs then your money might be better spent on a laptop. If you want to just occasionally browse the Web or play angry birds get a tablet. If you want less than a cintiq but still want but need full illustration programs in a highly portable package I recommend the surface. I've never had an issue with windows since switching back from mac.
As a user of a 27" iMac and multiple iPads at home, Android Phone, and windows workstation and a Surface Pro 2 for work, I completely agree with GhostFist. Those blindly poo-pooing the Surface Pro 2/3 likely don't understand their capabilities or are Mac kool-aid drinkers (not that anyone on this forum would ever be accused of being a kool-aid drinker 
). I love my Surface Pro for hand-written note taking in OneNote, and its plenty of laptop for my purposes. Not a big fan of Win 8, though.
). I love my Surface Pro for hand-written note taking in OneNote, and its plenty of laptop for my purposes. Not a big fan of Win 8, though.
jimmylittle
Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2013
- Messages
- 114
I've used pen-based computers forever, all the way back to a Gateway notebook with touch screen. The screen flipped to the back of the case, essentially creating a tablet (that was 1-¾" thick and weighed 7 pounds!). It ran Windows 98 with some custom Gateway software to make the touch stuff work. It was awful, but I loved having digitizer-accurate pen input for sketching, taking notes, and marking up pictures I would take on job sites.
If you are going to use one machine in life, the Surface Pro 3 is probably the one to get. It's small enough, fast enough, and light enough for just about any regular task (3D CAD notwithstanding, which is why I can't use one.)
That being said, it's not the smallest, fastest, or lightest. It's also very awkward. I've used a Surface 2 on a plane, and it's darn near impossible to use as a true "lap"top. The keyboard hinge and kickstand do not work unless it's on a flat surface. And with all the guts and battery of the system behind the screen's glass, the whole thing is very top-heavy and tippy. They've apparently fixed the hinge issue in the SP3, but it still seems unsteady and top-heavy on a lap.
I prefer my 3 device setup, but I understand it's not for everyone. I keep very little info on my actual device. Everything is in DropBox or Google Drive. I use an 11" MacBook Air, an iPad mini with pressure-sensitive bluetooth stylus, and my iMac at home. It's admittedly a bit of a chore to keep everything in sync, but it's nice when I'm on the train and want to read an ebook to not pull out a 12" half-a-laptop. It's also nice when I'm at home to draw CAD looking at a 27" screen. Any all-in-one anything seems like a compromise to me.
It's like those tools where you can buy one motor and attach a drill head, a jigsaw head, or a sanding head. Sure, it's convenient to have all those attachments in your bag, but none of them really work as well as the real tool.
If you are going to use one machine in life, the Surface Pro 3 is probably the one to get. It's small enough, fast enough, and light enough for just about any regular task (3D CAD notwithstanding, which is why I can't use one.)
That being said, it's not the smallest, fastest, or lightest. It's also very awkward. I've used a Surface 2 on a plane, and it's darn near impossible to use as a true "lap"top. The keyboard hinge and kickstand do not work unless it's on a flat surface. And with all the guts and battery of the system behind the screen's glass, the whole thing is very top-heavy and tippy. They've apparently fixed the hinge issue in the SP3, but it still seems unsteady and top-heavy on a lap.
I prefer my 3 device setup, but I understand it's not for everyone. I keep very little info on my actual device. Everything is in DropBox or Google Drive. I use an 11" MacBook Air, an iPad mini with pressure-sensitive bluetooth stylus, and my iMac at home. It's admittedly a bit of a chore to keep everything in sync, but it's nice when I'm on the train and want to read an ebook to not pull out a 12" half-a-laptop. It's also nice when I'm at home to draw CAD looking at a 27" screen. Any all-in-one anything seems like a compromise to me.
It's like those tools where you can buy one motor and attach a drill head, a jigsaw head, or a sanding head. Sure, it's convenient to have all those attachments in your bag, but none of them really work as well as the real tool.
