An SP4 would be an improvident purchase for me given the stellar functionality of my SP3 and limited funds. I will buy the type cover, consider the pen and set my sights on the SP5. I don't think I'll go with the Surface Book as I have two stellar premium laptops. I want an ideal road warrior, and the Surface Pro form factor does that best for me. I hardly use the current pen, which I find excellent, so I am on the fence about upgrading to the new one. If I do upgrade, I expect I will not do so immediately. On the other hand, I will get the new type cover the very day that it is available. The current type cover was always more of a compromise than I cared to make.
So what is the real impetus to upgrade to 4?
- Thread starter bluegrass
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I expect the SP5 will see a new generational change, with extremely reduced thickness and introduction of USB C. MS is keeping true to their word by keeping the form factor "as is" for 2 generations.
A solid upgrade, but hardly ground breaking.
Will be interesting to see what happens when the SP4 core m3 is tested against the rest - I expect this could be the model that replaces my i5/128/4 SP3, with vastly better battery life compared to the rest of the family that require hybrid cooling. Core m3 will also be truly silent, ala new retina Macbook.
A solid upgrade, but hardly ground breaking.
Will be interesting to see what happens when the SP4 core m3 is tested against the rest - I expect this could be the model that replaces my i5/128/4 SP3, with vastly better battery life compared to the rest of the family that require hybrid cooling. Core m3 will also be truly silent, ala new retina Macbook.
Compusmurf
Active Member
I'll wait until you all get your hands on one and see what everyone complains about. I suspect it'll have the same ole issues that are commonly reported on the SP3..... hahahaha
Agree. I've ordered the fingerprint reader keyboard and the new pen. I was due for a replacement of my keyboard anyway due to an increasingly flaky 'h' key. I hope they have improved the mechanical keys. I've examined the keyboard photos pretty closely. They have increased key spacing by squeezing the margins on the top and edges, and by making the function row a little bit more narrow. They have made space for an added key on the lower row by making the space bar a tad shorter. The touch pad seems more square...?...and the edge margin on the bottom may be slightly reduced. External dimensions are the same, though the new board may be slightly thinner (4.65mm vs "5mm form factor").
CrippsCorner
Well-Known Member
Loving the new keyboards, they look fantastic. Does anyone wish the actual Surface models themselves would come in some different colours though?
Might be nice, although the earlier models came in black which would generally be my color of choice and they didn't hold up very well. I think Microsoft is still working out the logistics of managing this kind of hardware to the point they don't need to add additional complexity by offering colors as well. 
snowcherries
New Member
pretty much the same here, except opposite for the keyboard and pen.
the exchange rate for australia is limiting [$1499 for 128/4] and i am still more than happy with my SP3 - it doesn't seem like i've had it a year and runs more than adequately for my usage...only obvious wear is some faint marking [in certain light] on a few of the more popular keys and trackpad.
i am intrigued by the new keyboard but again the exchange rate - $200AUS for the standard model, and if the fingerprint model is released here perhaps more again? plus the colours [imo of course] are more woeful than last year [i still want pink microsoft!]
so i am going to read reviews about the pen and if the extra pressure sensitivity truly does translate to the sp3 i think i will just go for that. love the idea of the different nibs to. the pen is $95 in aus, that is upgrade enough cost wise for me for at least til sp5.
on a side note disappointed that sp4 still limits the 128GB to 4gb ram, would have been nice to see that with 8GB as standard. so maybe next gen will fix that.
Kif
Active Member
I'm mildly interested in updating my SP3 to SP4. I do some gaming on my SP3 and having an i7 with Iris would help improve things. However I'm not sure the numbers with work for me. I spent $1299 on my SP3 last year and I can't see myself spending 1.5k+ on a SP4 for the performance gain.
New pen and type cover with fingerprint reader, new dock all compatible with sp3, so those won't qualify as "must haves" only for the sp4.
Faster CPU, GPU, lower temps and mem/drive options are all BIG qualifiers tho.
I'm undecided on the actual device, I will be getting the new type cover and pen for my 3 and will make future decisions later.
That's what I might do (get new pen and type cover) if I can be bothered but both seem to have very nice advantages. I wont' be rushing out to buy a SP4 - not because it's not a great device but just because the SP3 is still more than enough device for me (and I want to continue getting my money's worth out of it!).
I like the new Dock too whcih is also compatible with the SP3. I never got a dock for my Sp3 as I didn't want the bulk as the only place I could put it was in front of my regular PC monitors. Now I can get the smaller wire/dock, leave that under the monitors attached to one of the spare inputs on my main monitor and hook my SP3 up to it if I wish sounds good to me!
In general I think MS have done a brill job and actually listened to what people were asking for in terms of the dock and the keyboard etc. Good that they kept the accessories backwards compatible. more sales for them.
kristalsoldier
Well-Known Member
You bet! That dock looks very cool!!!
Just looked £165 on the UK store. think I'll give it a miss for now as it's only rare I might want to use it like that. I did preorder a new keyboard and pen though.
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