I’ve been warming up to the Microsoft Surface tablet lately. The latest version, the Surface Pro 4 (starting at $ 899 directly; check the Amazon price), is a step in the right direction, and it has several features that will make you think twice before pre-ordering this sleek new Apple iPad Pro. it turns out this month
Pro 4 is a tablet that acts as a laptop. It runs standard Windows applications, has an Intel Core processor (sixth generation) as fast as the i7, and has a flip keyboard that you can add for $ 130, turning your tablet into a laptop that you can use on an airplane.
On paper, the Pro 4 is a progressive upgrade to the Surface Pro 3. Makes hair thinner, faster & keeps hair longer In my tests, the screen on the Surface Pro 4 looks sharper and slightly more colorful; This makes sense because Microsoft says they’ve improved the screen and framed it a little bigger and smaller. (Dell is a leader in devices with stretch screens; the XPS 13 is still one of my favorite laptops.)
Here are a few things to keep in mind before parting with your $ 899.
The first is that the Microsoft ecosystem is somewhat irrelevant. With a tablet, you really want to go in and get content quickly, then lie down in a hotel bed and read an e-book. The tablet is for immediate reception. Windows 10 is a big improvement in terms of touch access to apps, but you can’t get books from the Microsoft Store quickly (you have to use Nook). You can easily rent movies and watch TV shows, but the “everything you can eat” music program is not integrated into the store, it is a separate program called Groove. And in general, I still don’t see many touch programs. Skype has one for Evernote, several newspaper programs, many games, and of course all Microsoft apps, including several apps that sync with the Xbox One, but I can’t think of an innovative or new touch screen program. Works for Windows 10 and in tablet mode.
Another important point to consider is battery life. Microsoft said the new Surface Pro 4 will last about nine hours. This is not bad for a tablet, because the iPad Air takes about ten hours to charge each. However, it is not as good as the HP EliteBook 840 for serious work with the flip keyboard and for use as a laptop from the Pro 4. In fact, with a long-lasting battery option, you can buzz for about 33 hours. Battery life at 840. Laptops will last longer if you don’t buy super thin “cool” models. I’ve used an EliteBook on trips before and left the charger in my office knowing it would last all the time. Not available on Surface Pro 4.
This is not intended to deter you too much. The Surface Pro 4 is a powerful tablet that works like a laptop, and I’m starting to support this idea (power and portability). I know I can download Adobe Photoshop and make some edits, I can even play a game like Fallout 4 and wait for the processing power to continue. Any of these scenarios are unlikely to happen on the upcoming iPad Pro. Now that they are thin enough for real portability and strong enough for real work, Surface has finally entered the realm of possibilities for me.
A good reminder: Surface Pro 4 is not as useful as a regular tablet due to the lack of innovative applications and fragmented ecosystem. Not as long-lasting as a laptop. Whether or not someone likes you depends more on whether or not these two factors are easy to ignore.
