Quote:
Originally Posted by Hitch
Hi, mgmueller:
I've been avidly interested in obtaining the Pro since the RT arrived on the scene; I'm a power user of productivity tools, particularly in Microsoft and other business applications. I use a ton of SAS (Software as Service) like TeamworksPM, Freshbooks, Desk (from Salesforce), etc. You seem to really like yours, warmness aside. But you also said that for now, you prefer your Dell Latitude, is that right? I'm dying for a Win8 laptop-tablet that isn't for "consumers of content," but for "creators of content," in that iPads, etc, are primarily for people who consume the content provided (I have one; I know that I just don't find it usable for any real work) on the Net, Games, movies, etc. I mean, I wear through keyboards every six months, so I need a box that is sturdy.
I still have but really can't use an old IBM ThinkPad...top of the line at the time, but like all things, it's like, 108 in dog-years, and it's married to XP. My desktop is a pretty mighty Win7 machine, and I've been lusting after the Pro since it was announced. I know a lot of people bought Acer Win8 boxes, but as you can see, I tend to keep my hardware a long time. (Don't see any need whatsoever to buy "the next cool thing." I just want my stuff to WORK.) Overall, how happy are you with that Pro box? And besides warmth, and a bit of weight, any other real drawbacks? I don't "game," so truly couldn't care less about that bit.
Hitch
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Surface Pro has really grown on me.
In the beginning, for maybe the first 4 weeks, I still did prefer Latitude 10.
I'm mainly in tablet mode, so the bulk and weight of Surface Pro in comparison to the lightweight Latitude 10 was a clear disadvantage for me.
But the phantastic build quality of Surface Pro more and more got to me.
I still absolutely love my Latitude 10. Atom processor, so no fan needed and still not getting warm.
But whenever I take Surface Pro (or Surface RT) in my hands, it feels "special".
The only other tablet with a similar effect is iPad Mini.
And hopefully next week Google Chromebook Pixel.
Advantages and disadvantages of Surface Pro, mainly compared to Latitude 10:
Advantages of Surface Pro:
a.) Full blown Windows 8.
So far, every single legacy program has been working fine.
I can run 99% on Latitude 10 as well, but there have been a few exceptions.
b.) The phantastic covers.
There have been lots of discussions about usability and such.
But personally, I find both covers a stroke of genius.
When on a trip, I'd never take an additional bluetooth keyboard with me.
But both covers add almost no bulk and still do the job.
c.) The great display.
There probably are other Windows 8 systems out there with similar display quality, for example maybe Sony Duo 11.
But I haven't seen another one with these measurements.
Yes, for a tablet it's bulky. But still perfectly workable. And compared to Ultrabooks, it's even a bit less bulky than my MacBook Air.
You just don't see and feel it at first. Surface Pro feels more bulky as you use it as a tablet. But when you use it as an Ultrabook...
d.) The WACOM stylus.
Great Steve Jobs once said, any stylus/pen would be prove they got it wrong.
I don't agree.
You don't have to use it, you can operate with your fingers as well.
But sometimes it's just fun and/or of enormous use to have a stylus.
Handwritten notes for example.
I love it on both, Surface Pro and latitude 10.
e.) Touch and feel
Of course it's a matter of taste.
But I find both Surface tablets extremely "valuable".
Only comparable with iPad.
Most other tablets look a bit "cheap" and "plasticky".
Disadvantages of Surface Pro:
a.) Weight.
It's certainly more than acceptable for an Ultrabook. And most likely it can't be done much lighter for now.
Still, in tablet mode, it's at the upmost limit.
I already found iPads 1 to 4 a bit too heavy. And Surface Pro even adds to that. And it's slightly "fatter", which doesn't help either.
It's well balanced and comfortable to hold. But after 30 minutes or so you simply feel it in your arms. I'd never, for example, read magazines on it for more than 30 minutes or so.
b.) Battery.
I find this critical on most tablets.
In comparison to Surface RTs 8 to 10 hours, I only make about half of it on Surface Pro.
Latitude 10, probably due to the Atom processor, can do longer. And, quite brilliantly, Dell made the battery exchangeable. You even can use a bigger battery, which adds ca. 1cm bulk to the back of the tablet. I bought a standard battery for backup and love it. Not just for switching batteries on a trip, but for knowing I simply could throw away the old battery after 2 years of usage.
c.) Heat.
Well, heat is a bit harsh. Let's call it "warmth".
It's not painful to the touch, but not perfectly convenient either.
It really gets warm, even though you hear the fan from time to time.
In all fairness: My MacBook Air even gets warmer and I hear its fan more often. But on your desktop you don't bother much. When holding in your hands on the other side...
I was a bit annoyed with iPad 3 about the warmth, same about Surface Pro. It's no real problem, but it's simply not "perfect".
d.) Fan noise.
I guess, Microsoft did solve the cooling brilliantly. You rarely hear the fan and you don't feel the air blowing. Still, from time to time, there's a slight whisper. Far from annoying or distracting. But you usually don't hear a fan on tablets, so again it's not "perfect".
Meaning:
It's hard to choose between Surface Pro and Latitude 10.
And fortunately, I don't have to.
I switch between both.
Latitude 10 when I have to worry about weight and bulk, for example when on the train.
Surface Pro, when I just want to enjoy the quality product.
But I clearly can say, that both rank #1 and #2 of all my tablets (for now).
I thought about Sony Tablet Z.
But then I asked myself: With the exception of the "new factor", what would I actually want to do on an Android tablet?
I'll definitely buy the next iPad, as it's a different approach. To me, iPad is a great gadget/toy. But Android tablets had been my "workhorses", chosen because of the filesystem and such. And here each of my Windows 8 tablets does offer more. Even Surface RT. And even more so Latitude 10 and Surface Pro.
Next to Surface Pro, some of the hybrids might be worth considering for you.
I had bought the Sony Duo 11. This was the only hardware, I ever gave back. As a tablet, it didn't have any "sex appeal". And as an Ultrabook, I din't like the fan.
But I don't need much processing power for my usage pattern. Would I need a real "working horse", hybrids might make sense: Toshiba Satellite U920T or Sony Duo 11 for example.