Microsoft Surface Pro review

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Ti-Ron

What is the difference between a laptop and an ultrabook?

For me the ultrabook was just the new version of laptop not a new gadget. Am I wrong?

Ultrabooks are generally categorised as laptops which are very lightweight and small, and use solid-state drives (SSD). Yes, they are indeed a sub-category of laptop, but are at the high end of the market, price-wise. If you compare the Surface Pro to the typical Ultrabook, the price is not unreasonable, and that's the market sector that these devices are aiming at.

[HomeInMyShoes]

^^Aa answered by previous poster.

Ultrabooks are smaller than laptops. They feature less weight, but generally less processing power, RAM and storage as well as less display area. They tend to enhance battery consumption and reduce weight, generally with smaller displays and the use of SSD (solid state drives) instead of the usual hard drive. The SSD improves performance.

[Turtle91]

The convenience of a tablet, the power of a laptop...they should call them tabtops, or laplets!

$1000 for a limited tablet...way too much.

$1000 for a portable laplet....that's cheap. The Asus Taichi - a laplet type computer - is $1500...

[Penforhire]

Ultrabook was supposed to be narrowly defined by Intel (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrabook ). But the meaning does seem to have broadened, like Xerox or Kleenex did, into a laptop under 4 lbs, less than 1.5" thick, 11 to 13" display (sometimes stretched to 14" with narrow bezel), with adequate processing power for mainstream programs.

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by HarryT

So what? You can still run all your old apps on the desktop.

I'm specifically talking about the Metro UI of Win8. Why are you bringing up "old apps"?

Are people so in-the-tank for Microsoft that they are unable to acknowledge legitimate criticism of Windows 8?

Apparently so.

Originally Posted by wizwor

A lot of people complain about any change. Almost as many complain about stale. I don't see what the big deal is. There are enough versions of enough operating systems for each person to choose. Maybe complaining fulfills?

You are conveniently ignoring the fact that virtually all new laptops are preloaded with Windows 8. If you don't see the big deal in buying a new laptop w/Win8, spending an additional $50-100 for Win7, and then installing it on the new laptop then I wouldn't expect you to see the legitimate deficiencies of Win8.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

I'm specifically talking about the Metro UI of Win8. Why are you bringing up "old apps"?

Because the question you asked was "what if people rely on overlapping windows?". If you rely on overlapping windows in an app, then by definition it's not a Metro app, hence you must have been referring to non-Metro apps.

[Turtle91]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

Are people so in-the-tank for Microsoft that they are unable to acknowledge legitimate criticism of Windows 8?

Not at all...I find all kinds of things that I wish would be different about Windows & MS products in general. However, when I find criticisms that are either invalid, easily worked around, or just a lack of knowledge/experience with the program, I will mention it. Hopefully my mentioning it will educate the individual as to a fix for their issue and/or inform others that the issue really isn't a problem.

If you are using old style programs, like Harry mentioned, then you have the FULL functionality of the desktop available to you. It appears that your only complaint would be that you have to click a button to get there instead of having it appear automatically.

I would argue that windows 8 will boot so much faster than 7 that I could click on the (desktop) tile and be productive in my program/app long before you could even get to the login page. If you absolutely can't get over not having the desktop appear automatically, then there are several programs you can install that make that happen - and they even give you a start button! There really is no need to install windows 7 on a new laptop...so "that dog don't hunt."

Cheers,

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

The Metro UI of Win8 does not support overlapping windows. That's an issue for those of us who depend on them.

work in the desktop

[wizwor]

free start menu today at GOTD...

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/star...-pro/#comments

for people who want more than the task bar solution I posted earlier, this looks pretty cool.

[Anabran]

http://reviews.cnet.com/best-ultrabooks/

"They're not trying to compete in the laptop market; they are competing with the Ultrabook market, in which they are reasonably priced.

"

Hi thanks for the clarification HarryT.
But IMHO the so called "ultrabook" Class of devices have no economic use to a person like me who still prefers a powerful full featured production machine for my 3D /CG animation work and is perfectly fine with an android tablet in the $200-$300 range for my limited mobile use.
Thus the Surface pro has no appeal to users like myself.

[Turtle91]

Originally Posted by Anabran

But IMHO the so called "ultrabook" Class of devices have no economic use to a person like me who still prefers a powerful full featured production machine for my 3D /CG animation work and is perfectly fine with an android tablet in the $200-$300 range for my limited mobile use.
Thus the Surface pro has no appeal to users like myself.

I don't think anyone is trying to say that the surface is for everyone. Of course there will be a need for high-powered desktop type computers. But there is also a need for small compact yet "fully functional" computers. A tablet is great for some things, but it is limited if you need the full functionality of a full OS.

As far as price range goes the surface is right there with other devices in it's class. If it's more than you want to spend, then OK...don't buy it. That doesn't mean it is not worth what they are charging.

I don't understand why people feel the need to post negative comments about an item (any item) when the only thing they say is "it's not what I need/want". It's like me going onto a cross-stitchers forum (there's got to be one of those somewhere right) and posting that the latest and greatest frame or cloth is just not for me....instead of giving a valid critique of the item itself.

[Anabran]

"I don't understand why people feel the need to post negative comments about an item .......instead of giving a valid critique of the item itself

."

My Critique:
having Missed the smart phone train for the most part,
Microsoft has come very late to the rapidly expanding tablet market with the closed garden $500 USD "surface tablet"(non pro version) supported by a relatively thread bare Ecosystem of content.
completely ignoring the hotly contested and wildly popular $200-$250 7 inch space being occupied by Nexus, Amazon and others.

The "Pro version" sold under the same "Surface" name
is a "Full OS device" seemingly aimed at the extremely small $$luxury$$ "Ultrabook" niche market.
Populated by "Full OS devices" devices such as the Macbook Air.
I personally Dont see this as good strategy but only time will tell.

[pl001]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

I don't think anyone is trying to say that the surface is for everyone. Of course there will be a need for high-powered desktop type computers. But there is also a need for small compact yet "fully functional" computers. A tablet is great for some things, but it is limited if you need the full functionality of a full OS.

Yes, everybody's needs are different. With my RT I no longer need a laptop. I do still need a PC. Some people have trouble making that distinction. Where I used to have a tablet and a laptop, now I have a Surface and a desktop PC. Doesn't seem much different on paper, but in reality it's a much more powerful and convenient setup for me. And the total cost was a bit less than a Surface Pro w/keyboard.

Some people will still have a need for the Pro, but probably not as many people as who think they need it.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by Anabran

."

My Critique:
having Missed the smart phone train for the most part,
Microsoft has come very late to the rapidly expanding tablet market with the closed garden $500 USD "surface tablet"(non pro version) supported by a relatively thread bare Ecosystem of content.
completely ignoring the hotly contested and wildly popular $200-$250 7 inch space being occupied by Nexus, Amazon and others.

The "Pro version" sold under the same "Surface" name
is a "Full OS device" seemingly aimed at the extremely small $$luxury$$ "Ultrabook" niche market.
Populated by "Full OS devices" devices such as the Macbook Air.
I personally Dont see this as good strategy but only time will tell.

lol. You should have stuck with, "the Surface pro has no appeal to users like myself."

[Anabran]

"You should have stuck with, "the Surface pro has no appeal to users like myself"

Agreed but that did not satisfy he guys need for a critique of some sort of the product so I cobbled him one to be accommodating. :-)