I exchanged a defective i5 256 last night for a one more try i7. I also brought home a yoga pro 2. The yoga was what I was after the day I was swayed by the sp3. I started with a i5 128 which worked great then swapped to a i5 256 with problems. Well setting up both the sp3 and yoga side by side the sp3 screen looked incredible while the yoga was bland in colors. The sp3 brightness at half also kills the yoga. Next were the speakers. The yoga sounded like a muffled MBA to me, yuk. Then there was the yoga heat on my lap! The sp3 and the yoga were both getting hot during updates but the sp3 is not shooting it at your lap. The yoga is a likeable machine but its going back in the box. It's funny, while I had been looking to replace a 6 yr old MBP i5, I wind up with a sp3 i7.
sp3 vs yoga pro2
- Thread starter Mikewired
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Geek.Verve
Member
I was down to a decision between the SP3 and Yoga Pro 2 as well. For me it came down to size and weight. I thought the display on the Yoga was pretty close to the SP3 from an image quality standpoint. Using it as a tablet, however, just seemed to be something it wasn't very good at (or perhaps the SP3 is just so much better). Plus, 16:9 is a terrible tablet format, IMO.
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I tried the YP2, the Yoga Pro (with pen), the Dell XPS 12, a Sony Vaio, a Toshiba, and the Samsung convertible. None of them could do everything the SP3 could. Each of them was missing some critical component, whether it was a TPM chip, or the Pro version of the OS, or a good stylus, or something. They all had clay feet and while I hated having to buy their damnable keyboard, the SP3 was the only true solution.
I've got both the SP3, and Y2P i7 256gb. Upgraded the yoga to a 1tb Samsung evo M.Sata.
Both are great. But both are kind for the most part different units.
The yoga is a great ultrabook, falls extremely short as a tablet. Let alone no pen input, size, weight, ect as tablet are also really bad. But as an ultrabook, its is great. Light, thin, decent battery, gorgeous screen, plus if/when I would need, I could use it as a kind of tablet.
SP3. Production pen input tablet, excels beyond any other in my eyes. As a laptop, it works great. Until you need that hinge. The single USB port also brings some workarounds. But adding a Wireless hhd/sd card reader/router/battery pack fixes that one.
In my eyes, I don't see/use tablets for media consumption so keep that in mind.
Yoga, 100% laptop, -50% tablet
SP3 90% tablet (based on iPad comparison kind of), 60-80% laptop (depending on use)
My rating, for owning both
Yoga 2 pro,
100% A+ laptop, tablet 30% D (it can be used as one, but its really not there)
SP3
75% laptop B+ (that lacking hinge ....), tablet 100% A+
Which is why I own both. But I do find myself on SP3 about 80-90% of my time at home, and when I leave for school/work/weekend I find myself grabbing SP3 80-90% the time
Both are great. But both are kind for the most part different units.
The yoga is a great ultrabook, falls extremely short as a tablet. Let alone no pen input, size, weight, ect as tablet are also really bad. But as an ultrabook, its is great. Light, thin, decent battery, gorgeous screen, plus if/when I would need, I could use it as a kind of tablet.
SP3. Production pen input tablet, excels beyond any other in my eyes. As a laptop, it works great. Until you need that hinge. The single USB port also brings some workarounds. But adding a Wireless hhd/sd card reader/router/battery pack fixes that one.
In my eyes, I don't see/use tablets for media consumption so keep that in mind.
Yoga, 100% laptop, -50% tablet
SP3 90% tablet (based on iPad comparison kind of), 60-80% laptop (depending on use)
My rating, for owning both
Yoga 2 pro,
100% A+ laptop, tablet 30% D (it can be used as one, but its really not there)
SP3
75% laptop B+ (that lacking hinge ....), tablet 100% A+
Which is why I own both. But I do find myself on SP3 about 80-90% of my time at home, and when I leave for school/work/weekend I find myself grabbing SP3 80-90% the time
markusbeutel
Member
Yoga 2 pro is also an older machine though - it would be more accurate to wait for the YP 3 or the upcoming Helix in October that will be running fanless.
I wanted a Yoga until I actually saw one in person at Best Buy. I was immediately turned off of the device and haven't considered it again. Although I still like the idea of the Yoga just not the implementation of the Yoga. Its an ugly ugly design.
I have a Lenovo X1 which I like a lot but its a laptop/ultrabook only and since getting the SP3 it doesn't get much use; may have to put it up for sale. It also generates a lot of heat and yes it throttles too. On the other hand it leaves my MBA in the dust which also generates a lot of heat and the fan on the MBA sounds like a jet engine but it looks nice.
I have a Lenovo X1 which I like a lot but its a laptop/ultrabook only and since getting the SP3 it doesn't get much use; may have to put it up for sale. It also generates a lot of heat and yes it throttles too. On the other hand it leaves my MBA in the dust which also generates a lot of heat and the fan on the MBA sounds like a jet engine but it looks nice.
Battery life with the yoga for past few months seems to be 5 1/2-6 hours. No matter light or medium use, I get the same. Think its because the screen is the largest power consumption culprits. My surface pro I get about 6 hours light and about 5 hours with typical usage or about medium. One thing I found though, is that under max usage such as rendering in Sony vegas, the yoga will get about 2-2 1/2 hours easy, surface pro about a 1-1/2 hours.
You are 100% correct there. *for the most part*
If you want the yoga for the i7, i'd opt to get it when the current models go on sale. I just got mine a month or so ago after knowing the Y3P is coming out. It was $1199 on sale for $1090 with a $150 student discount as well. Walked out paying just over $900. Plus the current yoga you can open up, I upgraded M.Sata right away, but I'm not sure since the new one will be fan less if you will be able to open.
The new one with the Intel m series looks to really only add about an hour of battery life over the current. Since they're using the same screen, I'm guessing again that the screen is the biggest battery culprits.
My wife didn't like the look of the yoga. She said it looked and felt cheap. While I agree with her. After purchasingit, I realized that the 'cheap' factor, actually worked out great for it. The plastic with rubberized texture makes it really easy to grip, very little fingerprints, while actual laptop build is metal cage reinforced. The keypad is on par with the best.
But I have also looked at the X1, which does 100% look to be a gorgeous laptop. And with all the reviews done on it only claiming that same thing. If my local BB had the X1, or even sold the X1, I'm guessing I would've more than likely went that route.
unruledboy
Active Member
sp3 is way lighter, much more portable, and, IT IS TABLET.
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