Do y'all not find the screen too small to do any work?

[jackpine]

I'm a super happy SP3 owner, but I do like the idea of the S3 because of how small it is. But I have enough trouble getting work done on the SP3! I do a lot of extensive research and drafting so I'm always reading PDFs then writing / referencing them etc. so not being able to see large amounts of texts at a glance etc. is a bit difficult!

But I know a lot of people use the S3 for school, assignments, work, etc. so I'm just wondering... how?! Especially for school!

 

[jnjroach]

I use the S3 as primary note taking and research/reading device and works really well.

 

[Brandonspapa]

It does take some getting used to, especially when web browsing (Firefox).

 

[hughlle]

It depends on the individual and their work habits obviously. If you need constant access to multle windows them almost any ultraportable will be problematic. But if you are simply taking lecture notes or writing an essay, then it'll work just fine.

As a student, the sp3 is inadequate for me. When at home I have a second monitor, and when in the library I use my tablet alongside a 24" AIO or at a push, a second 10" tablet.

I have both sp3 and s3 and neither are viable for a serious work session, but the sp3 works great as a portable solution, portable. The S3 will be almost predominantly for note taking with the sp3 used alongside it for research, referencing and the creation of assignments.

The surface could be 17 inches but I will always use a second display or machine when doing serious work. I like all my info no more than a glance away, no alt tab for me

A tool for every job Now I just need one of these fancy 34" curved monitors

 

[jackpine]

Yeah I guess in some ways if the SP3 is inadequate the next best thing is to get an S3 (as counterintuitive as it seems) and project it. Though yes the SP3 is a good portable solution. I'm just boggled by how students manage to use an S3 as their primary machine!!

Totally with you on the second displays... screen snapping too!

 

[Moonsurface]

My step daughter uses an surface 2 for her college work lol. I am fine with the size of my SP3 for the way I use it. As I see it any bigger and it would to too unweildy as a tablet and I use it as a tablet a lot in note taking guise... If rumours are correct SP4 might come in two sizes.....

 

[GreyFox7]

Well as *small* as the Surface screens are they offer more screen real estate than almost all other tablets. I always laughed inside when certain people proudly proclaimed they could do their whole job on a 9.7 inch screen with a Phone OS. The joke being, must not have much of job then.

 

[Steven Du Bois]

Yes I find it a little too small at times for writing research papers with more than one window open, but its difficult because the pro model is just too big to be used as a tablet and half of what I need on this is for studying...I second the other commentator that you do get used to it after a while and to have one machine with my textbooks and onenotes as well as word documents is much better than multiples like it used to be.

 

[Turbo4AWD]

Yeah I guess in some ways if the SP3 is inadequate the next best thing is to get an S3 (as counterintuitive as it seems) and project it. Though yes the SP3 is a good portable solution. I'm just boggled by how students manage to use an S3 as their primary machine!!

Totally with you on the second displays... screen snapping too!

I agree, if you're using it for work, you should consider a SP3/SP4. Bigger screen, more power, better performance. Better tool for the job.

 

[kristalsoldier]

I use my SP3 to write (long papers and manuscripts) and for browsing (sometimes) and my S3 for reading extensively and for browsing (and other sundry web-related stuff like wasting time on Reddit).

Edit: Though I will get the new dock and will hook up a monitor (or two) for when I am in my study.

 

[hughlle]

Well as *small* as the Surface screens are they offer more screen real estate than almost all other tablets. I always laughed inside when certain people proudly proclaimed they could do their whole job on a 9.7 inch screen with a Phone OS. The joke being, must not have much of job then.

Only just seen this old post, and normally i would agree. However (don't ask, i don't understand how) my partner did 3 years on an english degree with nothing but an ipad 1/2 and the touch screen keyboard.

 

[Turbo4AWD]

Only just seen this old post, and normally i would agree. However (don't ask, i don't understand how) my partner did 3 years on an english degree with nothing but an ipad 1/2 and the touch screen keyboard.

See, when I read Surface 3 reviews and "...for the complete experience the typecover is required..." I thought "Why? I can type super fast on the iPad keyboard split using my thumbs and can touchtype when the keyboard is not split so why would the Surface 3 "require" the type cover???" Only to find out that I really don't need the type cover and do extremely well on the on screen keyboard. However, I cannot be without the pen. So glad I bought the pen.