Surface Pro

[olds]

Updated
YES, Haswell coming?

Microsoft's next Surface Pro tablet will feature at least a few considerable upgrades when it launches, possibly this fall around the release of Windows 8.1. According to NeoWin and WinSuperSite, the alleged Surface Pro 2 will be equipped with an improved processor, double the RAM, and a better battery than what is found in the current Surface Pro.

The Surface Pro 2 will reportedly utilize a 4th generation Intel Core i5 Haswell processor, 8GB of RAM, and is expected to last up to 7 hours on battery. In a separate report, NeoWin also suggests that a new Power Cover keyboard attachment will also be introduced, which includes a built-in battery to extend the life of the device even further. In our review of the original Surface Pro, battery life was particularly poor, so any improvements in that department are welcome.

The Surface Pro 2 is also said to use a "refined," two-position kickstand.

Pricing for the yet-to-be-announced Surface Pro 2 is still unknown, although it is expected to be in the same price range as the current model, which originally sold for $899.
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09...-2-may-use-intel-haswell-processor-8gb-of-ram


Original Post

Will the Surface Pro flawlessly run PowerPoint with embedded videos? (No, the pp isn't "death by pp", the students rave about it)

I am an instructor. I travel all over the state of California to deliver training. My employer provides me with an HP, dual core laptop with 2 GB RAM and Windows 7. They put Novell Zenworks and so much other crap on it it is barely usable. It's locked down so tight that I can't even delete shortcuts from my desktop. While running PowerPoint, it will lock up because Zenworks is looking for updates.

I need relief. I am thinking of buying my own machine (at my expense) that I can run my training from. Problem is, for email and some other apps, I have to have their laptop. So I don't want to carry two laptops when I travel.

Or should I do like other State employees and say fuck it and do the minimum?

 

[notposting]

Core i5 with 4GB memory and SSD? I hope it runs PP acceptably...

Find someplace with a decent return policy. You should be able to test it out pretty quick and decide if it's a keeper.

edit: do less than the minimum, but maximize your pay, benefits, and retirement.

 

[IamDavid]

It runs it flawless. Great tablet.

Spend a bit more and get the new Helix. Amazing device.

 

[podspi]

It runs it flawless. Great tablet.

Spend a bit more and get the new Helix. Amazing device.

Do you have one? How is the keyboard/dock? I have the Samsung ATIV 500t and I'm a bit disappointed with the docking mechanism. The table wobbles when you type!

Also, OP should definitely test out the Surface first before buying. They might even get away with the RT version (which includes PPT) -- then you get the long battery life too! :biggrin:

 

[IamDavid]

Do you have one? How is the keyboard/dock? I have the Samsung ATIV 500t and I'm a bit disappointed with the docking mechanism. The table wobbles when you type!

Also, OP should definitely test out the Surface first before buying. They might even get away with the RT version (which includes PPT) -- then you get the long battery life too! :biggrin:

I played with one and now have one on pre order. Very solid device, blows everything else away. I too am running the ativ 500. I really like it as a tablet but never went for the keyboard. It looked bad from the start.

 

[pantsaregood]

Be aware of what the different models of the Surface actually are.

The Surface RT is a tablet with some nice laptop-like features.
The Surface Pro is an UltraBook with a touch screen and detachable keyboard.

 

[blurredvision]

Will the Surface Pro flawlessly run PowerPoint with embedded videos? (No, the pp isn't "death by pp", the students rave about it)

Yes it will.

 

[Crono]

Make sure you get the Type Cover and not the Touch Cover. My Touch Cover had some scuffing issues on the keys when I had a Surface RT. Light contact with different, uh, surfaces would wear the keys. Not enough to damage them, but enough to make them look worn. They may have fixed that issue since then, I don't know, but the Type Cover is better for typing, anyway, and only adds a small amount of cost and thickness to the tablet versus the Touch Cover.

The good thing about the Pro is that it will do anything any other Windows laptop or ultrabook will do. You do have to install your own copy of Office on the device, though, only RT comes with Office.

 

[olds]

Meh, decided I needed the Pro for wacom but I am going to wait on Haswell and how it does. 4-5 hours on the battery for the current version won't cut it.

 

[dagamer34]

Meh, decided I needed the Pro for wacom but I am going to wait on Haswell and how it does. 4-5 hours on the battery for the current version won't cut it.

Yep, I was going to tell you the same thing.

 

[olds]

Microsoft's next Surface Pro tablet will feature at least a few considerable upgrades when it launches, possibly this fall around the release of Windows 8.1. According to NeoWin and WinSuperSite, the alleged Surface Pro 2 will be equipped with an improved processor, double the RAM, and a better battery than what is found in the current Surface Pro.

The Surface Pro 2 will reportedly utilize a 4th generation Intel Core i5 Haswell processor, 8GB of RAM, and is expected to last up to 7 hours on battery. In a separate report, NeoWin also suggests that a new Power Cover keyboard attachment will also be introduced, which includes a built-in battery to extend the life of the device even further. In our review of the original Surface Pro, battery life was particularly poor, so any improvements in that department are welcome.

The Surface Pro 2 is also said to use a "refined," two-position kickstand.

Pricing for the yet-to-be-announced Surface Pro 2 is still unknown, although it is expected to be in the same price range as the current model, which originally sold for $899.
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09...-2-may-use-intel-haswell-processor-8gb-of-ram

 

[Skott]

Sounds good on paper but like anything else in this world how it performs in real life is what is important. I hope they can pull it off. I understand they still have millions of units of the RT models sitting in warehouses collecting dust because they are not selling well. That's why MS took a $900 million charge this last quarter. They cant keep making blunders like this. Their rep keeps taking a hit. Pretty soon no one will buy anything made by MS if they keep going on like this.

 

[Crono]

I don't have a bad thing to say about Windows 8.1 after using the preview edition for a few weeks. Everything is very fast, smooth, and stable. I didn't find myself missing the Start button terribly on 8 like some people, but it's nice to have it back, actually. I'm looking forward to getting a Haswell-based Surface Pro. If I can justify purchasing one (trying to be more budget conscious when it comes to technology purchases), I'll get one after launch.

 

[lifeblood]

I need relief. I am thinking of buying my own machine (at my expense) that I can run my training from. Problem is, for email and some other apps, I have to have their laptop. So I don't want to carry two laptops when I travel.

Buy a second hard drive with a clean version of Win7 and Office (or PowerPoint viewer). That laptop should still be usable, just not with all the crapware on it.