SP4 Wish List

[mcsenerd]

Just in the spirit of fun... I started thinking about the things that I'd like to see in the SP4 (not that I hate the SP3 or think it's terrible... just that everything can be improved). Here's the start to my list (in no certain order):

1.) Better Battery Life/Heat Management
2.) At least one extra full size or micro-USB port
3.) Autofocusing Rear Camera
4.) More storage options on lower CPU models (maybe I need the storage and not the oomph)
5.) Yeah yeah yeah...I know... but... a place to dock the pen
6.) Better GPU?

There's a start... what are your ideas?

 

[ipaq_101]

7) Power Keyboard that charges the SP3
8) Cheaper spare charger
9) Same power charger as the SP3 (so you can have a...see #8)
10) A black option instead of the silver (not a must, but as this is a wish list)
11) A more robust Windows App Store
12) An upgradable hard-drive? (At least make it accessible)

 

[unruledboy]

• 16gb ram
• broadwell
• 7mm thinkness
• 4g lte

 

[GreyFox7]

It should make you look thinner, younger and more attractive.
Only weigh 8 ounces
Be water proof and bulletproof.
Changes color from an app

 

[bamaster]

Biometrics for password management. Make the capacitive Windows button a thumbprint reader.

 

[bkydcmpr]

full power usb
carl zeiss len for rear camera
thunderbolt

 

[GreyFox7]

• 16gb ram
• broadwell
• 7mm thinkness
• 4g lte

Here's the thing about Broadwell ... currently (and I don't know if it could change but I say currently because its an unreleased product) the U variety has the same 15w TDP as Haswell U. The Y variety or "Core-M" is expected to have 3.5-4.5w TDP. So we will still have some balancing to do. Then the higher units will be 37w and 47w. Which one do you want?

For example the Haswell Y series has 11.5 w TDP but you lose performance
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=2089&cmp[]=2054&cmp[]=2092
i5 4300u = 3740
i5 4300y = 2508
i7 4610y = 3655
i7 4650u = 4192

SPECULATING They might avoid throttling with the Y series but lose total performance anyway. OR
with the U series perform well on most things but give at the high end.
May well be a similar situation with Broadwell, we're at the mercy of Intel there.

Current estimates are a 40% performance increase over Haswell so
Y series i5 - 2508 * 1.40 = 3511
Y series i7 - 3655 * 1.40 = 5117

The SPECILATIVE and THOERETICAL Broadwell Y series could give a modest and stable performance increase in a likely fanless unit with a 3.5-4.5w CPU.

 

[bkydcmpr]

Here's the thing about Broadwell ... currently (and I don't know if it could change but I say currently because its an unreleased product) the U variety has the same 15w TDP as Haswell U. The Y variety or "Core-M" is expected to have 3.5-4.5w TDP. So we will still have some balancing to do. Then the higher units will be 37w and 47w. Which one do you want?

For example the Haswell Y series has 11.5 w TDP but you lose performance
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp[]=2089&cmp[]=2054&cmp[]=2092
i5 4300u = 3740
i5 4300y = 2508
i7 4610y = 3655
i7 4650u = 4192

SPECULATING They might avoid throttling with the Y series but lose total performance anyway. OR
with the U series perform well on most things but give at the high end.
May well be a similar situation with Broadwell, we're at the mercy of Intel there.

Current estimates are a 40% performance increase over Haswell so
Y series i5 - 2508 * 1.40 = 3511
Y series i7 - 3655 * 1.40 = 5117

The SPECILATIVE and THOERETICAL Broadwell Y series could give a modest and stable performance increase in a likely fanless unit with a 3.5-4.5w CPU.

in the real world the scenario is more like this:

if the chassis/cooling allows 10w heat dissipation, all those 4 processors will be throttled at 10w (assuming these numbers were at full speed):

i5 4300u = 3740 * (10/15) = 2493
i5 4300y = 2508 * (10/11.5) = 2180
i7 4610y = 3655 * (10/11.5) = 3178
i7 4650u = 4192 * (10/15) = 2794

however, the performance and heat dissipation are not linear, this just give you a basic idea.

 

[dstrauss]

OK - time for grandpa to chip in here:

1. DO NOT MAKE IT THINNER - if Broadwell is better, STUFF IT FULL OF BATTERIES!
2. Offer 512GB option for ALL processors, and 1TB on top end devices
3. 8GB ram across board, with 16GB option on the top end devices
4. Thunderbolt or TWO of the new USB 3.1 reversible ports
5. Enable USB 3.1 and add Ethernet to that power brick, for a full service mini-hub
6. Mini N-Trig stylus stored in a silo in the device, with current stylus an optional purchase
7. Full size SDXC slot - there are already affordable 256GB full SDXC cards out there!

 

[mcsenerd]

7) Power Keyboard that charges the SP3
8) Cheaper spare charger
9) Same power charger as the SP3 (so you can have a...see #8)
10) A black option instead of the silver (not a must, but as this is a wish list)
11) A more robust Windows App Store
12) An upgradable hard-drive? (At least make it accessible)

8.) Maybe they could just license the connector to third parties and then they could make a cheaper one?
9.) I agree... but I will say that I do like the SP3 connector MUCH more than that of the SP1/SP2
10.) Agree as well. Although I think the silver is attractive, I would prefer a black color in most business settings.
11.) Although I agree... that's something that should be done even if they never make another Surface PC again.
12.) I'm hot/cold here... Although I do understand folks thoughts and feelings here...I just think that's a ship that's sailed and we're not going to get it back. In return for ever more elegant, thin, lighter devices, we are trading away serviceability, upgradeability, and mod-ability. As much as it might pain some...PCs are basically becoming or have become much like the rest of the items in our lives... disposable items that are doomed to be completely replaced when they're no longer useful.

• 16gb ram
• broadwell
• 7mm thinkness
• 4g lte

The extra RAM would be awesome! I wonder about the effect on battery life though. I have moved this one semi-down my list because I just don't do virtualization on the SP1/2/3. I've moved that workload off to a dedicated vSphere farm, so it's just not high on my list at the current time, but I'm sure for many it's a big deal.

I think Broadwell is a no-brainer and gonna happen no matter what. Will it bring any thermal efficiency improvements with it? That... I'm not sure of, but it can't hurt.

I actually am perfectly happy with the form factor. Could they make it "thinner" or "lighter"? I guess so... other companies always seem to, but I'm happy with it as is.

I so do want this thing to come with built-in LTE as well. I think it would go a LONG way to making the device a true replacement for both my tablet and laptop and I'm semi-shocked that this still isn't already available.

Biometrics for password management. Make the capacitive Windows button a thumbprint reader.

Yes yes yes!!! I've grown so much to rely upon the TouchID sensor in the iPhone and I think such a device would make great sense in the Surface Pro line as well.

full power usb
carl zeiss len for rear camera
thunderbolt

It would be nice if the USB port could drive more power, but I understand the limitations with battery life and such.

I suppose a CZ lens would be helpful, but just the ability to do macro focus would be a huge improvement IMHO.

Thunderbolt would be a greatly welcome addition to the party. I have several Thunderbolt hard drives from my Apple days and I'd love to use them again on the SP3. This might take some pride swallowing though...

 

[ipaq_101]

8.) Maybe they could just license the connector to third parties and then they could make a cheaper one?
9.) I agree... but I will say that I do like the SP3 connector MUCH more than that of the SP1/SP2
10.) Agree as well. Although I think the silver is attractive, I would prefer a black color in most business settings.
11.) Although I agree... that's something that should be done even if they never make another Surface PC again.
12.) I'm hot/cold here... Although I do understand folks thoughts and feelings here...I just think that's a ship that's sailed and we're not going to get it back. In return for ever more elegant, thin, lighter devices, we are trading away serviceability, upgradeability, and mod-ability. As much as it might pain some...PCs are basically becoming or have become much like the rest of the items in our lives... disposable items that are doomed to be completely replaced when they're no longer useful.

Yeah, I agree that the days of upgradable components are sadly in the past.

 

[GreyFox7]

This coming late in the game but.... my most fervent wish for SP4 right now based on all experience is that they DUMP the Marvell Wireless chipset and go with something reliable.

We heard in the past that they had the issues resolved (not so) and experience with Marvell in the bank... bla bla bla. Horse hockey! It's now worse than ever for me. Marvell is NOT marvelous, time to move on.