10-17-2012, 02:51 AM | #46 | |
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-processor power. Compiling large programs on a laptop can take a while. -temperature. Producers of laptops clock the components to the max to compete, which makes the hardware run hot. A desktop is cooler than a laptop, so you can use the hardware more efficient -price. The cheapest upgrades and hardware are made for desktops. -expandability. A desktop can easily be expanded if you need new hardware. With a laptop, adding hardware is difficult. -noise. My laptop is extremely noisy. It has these small fans to save space. The fans are so small that they need to run fast to push enough air, and making a lot of noise in the process. My desktop is very quiet. I can even turn off all the fans if I need to have it totally quiet. -control. If you have special needs, e.g. Error-correcting ram, water cooling or a powerful processor combined with a cheap graphics card, then it would be difficult to find a laptop or even a commercial desktop to meet your specifications. You may have to build it yourself. |
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10-17-2012, 02:58 AM | #47 |
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Microsoft has proven, over and over again, that they are unable/unwilling to make an OS suitable for being connected to the internet. In my opinion, Windows on a tablet is a paradox. Tablets have the smallest and weakest processors to save power and keep the temperatures on acceptable levels, yet a lot of the capacity of the CPU will be used for anti-virus? Say, what's the meaning of that?
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10-17-2012, 03:34 AM | #48 | |
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I've had no serious need to install AV on a Windows box in several years. The built-in support has been good enough. When I have installed, it's been Security Essentials, which has always been lightweight, unlike Norton. My machines practically live on the net. The truth of the matter is that most processors go unused until you play something truly intensive or do something like transcoding, in which case you are likely only trying to do that one thing. Web doesn't really touch a CPU that much. Significant internal work has gone on internally (this is public knowledge as of Win7) to detangle certain thread-scheduling issues. Further, the app lifecycle model for modern apps is very different from prior win32 apps -- more like the winphone's. When you switch focus, they go into suspension and so don't consume CPU. Background activity is something you grant permission for. Further, the APIs have been made heavily asynchronous, making it more difficult for devs to write code that locks up the UI thread. As a metric, the machine I'm on is running an i5. I presently have 6 web pages open, 4 other modern apps open (Adera [a game], Kindle, OneNote MX, News) and Outlook 2013 preview running in the legacy desktop. I have both DropBox and SkyDrive clients active. Visual Studio is also running. This is well in excess of a typical user. My UX is not blinking at all on this. Streaming Netflix HD over WiFi is no challenge. Last edited by kfarmer; 10-17-2012 at 03:37 AM. Reason: typo |
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10-17-2012, 03:38 AM | #49 |
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I was thinking that a connector to the keyboard on the side, so you can use it in portrait mode while typing, is the clincher for great. That to me is what is lacking, if it had that I just might have been game.
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10-17-2012, 03:43 AM | #50 | |
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I tend to spend about equal time in landscape vs portrait. |
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10-17-2012, 03:56 AM | #51 | |
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Ohh, and the kickstand on the back should be rotateable so you can stand it in portrait mode as well. Imagine reading on something like that. To me it seems the engineers has had a field day, the liberal arts people, not so much. Last edited by Kumabjorn; 10-17-2012 at 03:58 AM. |
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10-17-2012, 04:04 AM | #52 | |
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As a cheap alternative you could put it in a simple document holder and use a full-size bluetooth keyboard and mouse perhaps? |
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10-17-2012, 05:41 AM | #53 |
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10-17-2012, 05:48 AM | #54 | ||
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I'd love to see the independent side by side tests that showed more detail on a 1366x768 screen than on a 2048x1536 one, rather than Microsoft's carefully staged ones. Imagine the ridicule we would have seen if Apple had said the quoted paragraph. "Even though it has half the resolution, our new screen is magical and shows you more detail anyway!" Last edited by murraypaul; 10-17-2012 at 05:50 AM. |
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10-17-2012, 07:10 AM | #55 | |
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I shudder to think things could get worse... ('scuse me while I go shoo those kids off my lawn...) |
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10-17-2012, 07:21 AM | #56 | |
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I'd be shocked if they hadn't included drivers for generic USB keyboards. We already know it will work with thumbdrives and external hard drives through the full-size USB2.0 port so keyboards should work. Driver availability for USB devices is going to be crucial here. Being able to plug in USB scanners and printers would elevate the Surface RT above media consumption tablets into real PC territory like the Surface Pro to come. (And other Win 8 tablets.) Hopefully reviewers will do their homework and review the new tablets as PCs rather than merely as media pads. |
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10-17-2012, 07:27 AM | #57 | |
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But with USB host on the thing there is no need to spend for Bluetooth; any old USB keyboard should work. Part of the hidden value in the surface tablets is you don't *need* a dock. The basic $499 tablet can hook up to monitors and keyboards and hard drives without a dock. No hidden cost there beyond a USB host if you need more than one. A USB keyboard with built-in hub would be a good match for "homebase" desktop use. |
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10-17-2012, 07:36 AM | #58 |
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This will receive a $100 price reduction before Christmas...mark my words. Those who preorder will retroactively receive the discount. It's priced $100 too high.
Pros: $40 cheaper than 32 GB Ipad with cover (640 vs 600) Surface cover actually does something useful so I'd say there is a $100 benefit (640 vs 500) Ipad has superior hardware (battery life probably, screen, Apple vs msft, etc) (500 vs 500) Surface has MS Office for free. At least a $100 benefit in my mind. (500 vs 400). Surface has better connectors and has SD slot, etc (500 vs 370) Ipad has a hellalot more apps. what is this worth?...increases functionality of the device immeasurably....worth probably $200. (300 vs 370) So there you have it, the Surface is priced $70 above the Ipad after adjusting for customer value factors. The Surface needs a $100 price reduction to compete with the Ipad. |
10-17-2012, 08:17 AM | #59 |
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Don't assume that a smaller battery means noticeably less battery life; a lot of the extra capacity of the New iPad monster battery goes to feeding the display. Let's wait on the reviews there, okay?
As for the OSes, do remember that RT is still Windows. NT micro-kernel core, true pre-emptive multi-tasking, multi-threading, etc. More OSX than iOS. The 2GB RAM isn't there to run fart emulators. The thing is a full PC (not a scaled up cellphone); just one that runs on an ARM-based CPU. It'll take a while to see its full potential bloom, as it'll take 3rd party developers time to update their Windows apps to Win8 apis but when they do all Win8 apps will run on RT. I'm thinking it'll be a while before Mac Apps run on iPad or Linux Apps on Android. We're looking at a something really new under the sun, guys. That's why assessing value is going to be hard. |
10-17-2012, 09:34 AM | #60 |
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Battery life is in the Technical Specs: 8 hours vs. 10 for the iPad. I hope the Pro can do better. I'm dreaming... I know....
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