Surface 3... what do you want!?
- Thread starter CrippsCorner
- Start date
slvrdrgn123
New Member
I hope they don't keep the same dimensions for the Pro 3. That's the biggest complaint right now is thickness and weight. Everything else is perfect for me. If they can just make it thinner and lighter, it would be perfect. Considering it's the 3rd generation, they should have a new body for it.
kristalsoldier
Well-Known Member
Some of what you suggest would be difficult to achieve. For example, various MS officials have stated that they will keep the full-sized USB port, which rules out a slimmer Surface. And, the consensus is that a full-sized USB port of immense value. Weight, however, may be a distinct possibility what with the iPad Air having set a standard of sorts. Particularly for the SP3, the key would be to get a SoC that would not require a fan-centric cooling system. That could reduce thickness with the caveat that the thinnest profile would be determined by the USB port.
iPad Air is in a totally different class than Surface Pro, so it's not even worth mentioning. You can only compare it to the Surface 2. Apple's A7 chip is ARM architecture, and one of the main points is that it's low-power and doesn't require a fan.
We can only look at the thinnest competing Windows 8 x86-64 machines on the market with full USB port to see how thin they can make it. I haven't heard of upcoming x86-64 class processors running cool enough to not require a fan but still powerful enough against the current Surface Pros; the other option is along the Atom category or something, and that would be a severe downgrade for the Surface Pro line.
macmee
Active Member
Keeping USB doesn't mean they can't make it thinner, if you look at the 2013 Nexus 7 for example. Microsoft could do what ASUS did, support USB via means of an OTG cable - works great! I would imagine the reason the Surface Pro is so thick ultimately comes down to the CPU. To accommodate for it you need a fan and one honkin' beast of a battery.
I think as CPUs become smaller and batteries better we will see thinner build of this device.
ChemCat
New Member
Having to have an otg cable would defeat the purpose of a useful mobile computer device.
If you want thinness over usefulness so much, why not just go with the ipad air or ipad mini?
Businesses have been trying to make the ipad useful for a few years now. And every story I've heard and seen have always ended with the ipad turning into a really expensive email device. That is what the surface will become if you sacrifice usefulness for thinness.
I don't think Microsoft should make thinness a priority for the Surface Pro line--battery technology and power-CPUs requiring fans will not change anytime soon. Lightness will only happen if they change materials. But again, going from a magnesium and glass chassis to plastic would be a significant downgrade for many. Carbon fiber may work out for the premium appeal. Or a screen size smaller than 10.x", but sub-11 is really pushing it already when we're talking about non-touch legacy applications.
It's pointless to compare the Surface Pro line to any other existing mobile OS tablet. How much smaller/thinner/lighter is it compared to actual laptops sporting similar hardware specs? That's the only viable comparison. Priorities.
macmee
Active Member
I already have an iPad, and I never once said I want the device to be thinner, I was responding to another user. Moreover, desire for thinness alone isn't an implication that the iPad is the best tablet to buy.
Nuspieds
Active Member
The Surface Pro line is certainly more than a tablet, so comparing its thickness to the sizes of other tablet-only devices is like comparing apples to oranges.
However, even with the current Surface Pro thickness, if MS were able to reduce the weight, that would be a big, big PLUS during handheld tablet-use mode.
However, even with the current Surface Pro thickness, if MS were able to reduce the weight, that would be a big, big PLUS during handheld tablet-use mode.
demandarin
Active Member
doesn't that new sony windows tablet have a full sized usb port? look how thin that is. it has basically same specs as the pro. so thinning the pro out can be done.
You're mixing up two things: The comments about Surface being limited to USB thickness has to do with the Surface RT line. Thinning the Surface Pro line has nothing to do with the USB port but rather CPU - fans, ventilation - space for other power-hardware and battery size.
Sony VAIO Tap 11? (Mm, yes, cloning is flattery...) That has a full USB port indeed, but potential issues seem to be heat escape and battery life in the linked tests, which makes sense because it's thinner and lighter than the SPro2 (battery figures are closer to SPro1).
There's a compromise for everything, like I said; if people demand thinner, something is going to give--lower battery life I'm guessing is one thing (Sony's 3800 mAh battery vs. 4200 mAh). Considering how the Pro 1 was reamed for that, is that what you people really want?
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