Microsoft Surface Pro 3 vs 11

[RhoXS]

I currently have a MS Surface Pro 3. It still works mostly acceptably as my away from home laptop but it is on the annoyingly slow side (it never was 'snappy") and its Wi-Fi cannot do better than inconsequentially above 200 Gb/s, probably due to the Marvell modem. I have been thinking about replacing it for some time but now MS has made the decision for me by preventing installation of W11. Sure, I can force the issue, but that is widely reported as meaning probably limited or no MS support and it is still a slow 11 year old machine. Therefore I decided to replace it.

I am considering two new machines; The latest Surface Pro 11 or the Apple iMac Air. Both are very thin, very light weight, have 13" screens, and cost more or less the same for the configuration I would buy. I actually want to go with the Apple but lack of some Windows only software I regularly use (esp. Paperport) is making me lean toward the Surface Pro 11. Although I have no experience with Apple other than my phone/iPad, I seem to have more overall confidence with respect to reliability and overall lack of BS with an Apple laptop. I do no video or audio editing but I do want a machine where there is no perceptible delay between a mouse click and a response (something that is very noticeably annoying with the Surface Pro 3).

So, my primary question: Will the Surface Pro 11 be noticeably faster (snappier) than the Surface Pro 3? I have seen some search results that imply it is only a marginal improvement in performance over my 11 year old model and that does not at all justify ~$1,500 for me.

Any thought relative to the Apple iMac Air would also be welcome.

 

[gdansk]

It should be snappier based on the benchmarks available. However, if it's the Qualcomm version you may encounter poor application support and require emulation. The business version of the Surface Pro 11 would be preferable, because it has a Intel processor and doesn't need emulation, but I think it is pricier. Microsoft really doesn't want to sell these.

Overall the iPad Air may be better hardware but if it doesn't have software you use then it is hard to recommend.

 

[Sgraffite]

I have a Surface Pro 2 and always felt it was sluggish. Not sure if that is attributed to the packaging, as it doesn't have the best cooling/airflow.

If running a Windows VM on the Mac for Paperport is an option, that might be a good way to go. From what I have seen the M4 chip runs Windows quite fast. I expect the M4 to be a lot more power efficient than the Intel Surface Book version, if heat/battery life is a concern. I think overall the Mac offers nicer hardware.

 

[RhoXS]

So, I made a decision and ordered an MacBook Air M4. I received it yesterday. This machine is awesome. It feels like a transition from an old VW Beetle to a Porsche. It is instantly responsive and snappy to every mouse click, etc. Using the same WiFi access point, I could not get better than somewhat more than 200 Gb/s with the Surface on an advertised 400 Gb/s service, the Apple gets just under 500 Gb/s. The Apple just exudes quality in all respects. I have no applications that require lots of horsepower, but I want a machine that feels instantly responsive and the MacBook Air M4 certainly does.

I am finding getting comfortable with the weird Apple operating system is an unpleasant challenge. Actually a major challenge and the lack of a right mouse click is supremely frustrating, and annoying the crap out of me. However, I am sure this is just a matter of getting used to it (I hope).

For whatever it's worth, my main reason for choosing the Apple was lack of confidence in the performance of the new Surface Pro machines. I was concerned they would only be marginally less sluggish than my existing Surface Pro 3s.

 

[bba-tcg]

... Actually a major challenge and the lack of a right mouse click is supremely frustrating, and annoying the crap out of me. However, I am sure this is just a matter of getting used to it (I hope).

CTRL + left mouse click.

 

[RhoXS]

CTRL + left mouse click.

Thanks. But after 30 years of right mouse clicks it is not at all comfortable or welcome to need a second hand (to press CTRL) plus get used to pressing the left button instead of the very well established permanently muscle memorized right click. I did, however, enable "click right side" for secondary clicks and that helps a lot.

 

[bba-tcg]

Thanks. But after 30 years of right mouse clicks it is not at all comfortable or welcome to need a second hand (to press CTRL) plus get used to pressing the left button instead of the very well established permanently muscle memorized right click. I did, however, enable "click right side" for secondary clicks and that helps a lot.

Well, I certainly wasn't mandating it. Just giving one example of a workaround. Personally, switching to macOS would be the thing I would avoid.

 

[Sgraffite]

It looks like right click may be built into the OS?

Right-click on Mac

On your Mac, Control-click the desktop, icons, or files to open shortcut menus.

support.apple.com

 

[RhoXS]

Personally, switching to macOS would be the thing I would avoid.

Although that exactly reflects my long time thoughts about the Mac, I always still had a strong curiosity about it. That curiosity was certainly one of multiple components of my decision to buy the MacBook Air M4. I think I just decided I wanted to try it out and, for a secondary computer that is not always regularly used, this would be a perfect opportunity. It is still uncomfortable to use and frustrating, but at this point I have no regrets at all and, in a perverse way, I am actually enjoying learning the annoying anti-productivity quirks of this seeming very weird system.