Went to Microsoft Store today to possibly purchase -then went to Apple Store.

[johnfrisco]

I went with my friend to the Mall today--wanted to test out the Surface Pro 3 in a Windows friendly environment (Best Buy & Staples displays them like trash).

Anyway about me: Current Windows 7 user--previous Windows XP, Mac Jaguar, Panther and Tiger.

My friend--Mac only user--is a graphic artist and only uses Macs at work and at home.

First off the Windows Store was at a prime location in this busy mall--MS must have paid a fortune for this space.

Me and my friend played with the Surface Pro 3. I liked it, but the track pad was a killer for me. The physical keys are okay, but the cloth keyboard will stain easily and I can easily see it getting ripped where it attaches. The one in Staples was already ripped and many online users complaining about that.

Windows 8 interface (I only have about 3 days of prior Win 8 experience) is a nightmare! 2 Versions of OneNote Open--2 versions of IE open--confusing. I know about Start 8 and classic Shell and they are a must on Win 8.

But my friend and I were impressed with all of the computers (including SP3) touch screens. I never thought I would like a touch screen on a PC, but we both did. They had the all-in-one iMac copycats which were great with the touch screens. And the ultrabooks touch screen made them seem like tablets because of their light weight.

My friend liked the digital pen on the SP3 and sketched a nice drawing in OneNote.

I am currently in the market for an ultrabook and my friend and I agreed that the XPS 13" with Infinity was the best one. I didn't buy yet.

And my friend was impressed with the Windows Phone--Blu something? Compared to his 5S.

Next we hit the Apple Store to play with the new trackpads. After just coming from the Windows Store we were both trying to touch the screen. My friend asked one of the Apple employees how come Apple doesn't make it touch? He responded Apple is probably waiting for the technology to be perfected.

My friend mentioned that there were so many more people at the genius bar than there were checking out Apple products. And what's the deal with not including written model and specs of what computer or device you are looking at. Instead there are iPads that display the info which are next to them, but customers were playing around with them and changing them. So to find out what computer I was on I had to go to the Apple Menu>About this Mac. So confusing in a store! If it weren't for my prior Mac experience I would have not known to do that.

We were both confused on whether it was retina or not. Oh and new track pads are nice. Hard to believe the button isn't physically moving.

Bottom line is that I think I am going to buy the Dell XPS ultrabook and install Start 8 and prey Windows 10 gets released soon. And Apple needs to make OS X touch--I am sure they are secretly working on it.

Take care--just wanted to share!

 

[sharpuser]

Thanks for posting your experience, @johnfrisco

You might check out:
- How Windows 10 looks on the Surface Pro 3 (on page 1 a link is provided to jump to latest Build)
- Drawings you have done with your Surface

Might help you make a decision in the near future. Lots of money involved. If you didn't hear, Windows 10 will be free, even for PCs which have pirated or corrupted operating systems on it. All is forgiven.

By the way, I'm posting this from one of my MacBook computers, because it was closer to me just now. The Surface Pro 3 is getting jealous. Switching to it...

You can write with a pen?
You can say that again.
I really like your Surface Pro 3.

The happiest computer users I know like both Mac and PC.
Check out below how my Surface Pro 3 plays nice with iCloud.

P.S.
I am a Mac OS X guy.
I am a PC Windows guy.
A pizza fan.
A burger fan.
Love apples.
Love oranges.

Plays nice with iCloud.

Clean desktop.

Start Menu just plain makes sense.

If you like to see all apps and programs, you may.

I think Cortana likes me.

 

[benjitek]

I went with my friend to the Mall today...

If your need isn't immediate, wait for the SP4 to be released, then decide...

 

[Joe Torres]

Touch screen is a must for me, and I'm sure when Apple finally makes a touch screen it will be 2k or so and make it sound like they invented it.

 

[Liam2349]

I've found the start menu to be completely pointless since I started using 8.1

Its removal kept me on Win 7 for some time, but after upgrading I realized what I had been missing. I don't see a need anymore to open a menu and scroll through it to find Word for example, then click to open. I don't even use the tiles on the start screen. I just hit the Windows key, type a few letters and hit enter to open it.

 

[benjitek]

...I'm sure when Apple finally makes a touch screen it will be 2k or so and make it sound like they invented it...

Maybe a little -- but I bet when they do come out with a touch enabled Mac, it'll do things others haven't thought of yet --and-- whatever those new features might be, they're probably already patented... ;-)

 

[GreyFox7]

Maybe a little -- but I bet when they do come out with a touch enabled Mac, it'll do things others haven't thought of yet --and-- whatever those new features might be, they're probably already patented... ;-)

Have they patented butt dialing yet?

 

[LukeJoseph]

Apple better not start putting touchscreen on their computers. OSX (at least in it's current form) would suck with a touchscreen.

Windows 8.1 interface doesn't really "suck" per-se, just takes quite a bit to get used to without a start menu anymore. I am actually having a little trouble adjusting back to a start menu in Windows 10. But then again I open programs on Windows 8.1 and OSX nearly the same, using search.

You wan't to know why there was more people at the genius bar than shopping? Because the genius bar doesn't just handle computers..... iPhone's, iPad's which quite a few people own....

I am a OSX user as my primary, and even so MS is a bit late to the game with quite a few features. I do appreciate they are at least trying.

 

[benjitek]

Have they patented butt dialing yet?

Not sure if that's a failed attempt at humor or what...?

 

[MissionMan]

I am a Mac user (and write for an online Mac publication where I wrote a 3 part series about spending 2 weeks with the SP3).

I also use a Surface Pro for business because I wanted something that worked with a hardware integrated stylus and the SP3 seemed to be the best combination of hardware.

I agree with some of the comments though.

The keyboard cover is a part time keyboard, nothing more. I carry a Logitech external for every day use.

The trackpad isn't great but there are plenty of tiny mice like the T610 so this shouldn't be an issue.

Windows 8 leaves a lot to be desired. If Apple had released a copy of the surface pro with integrated stylus I would have dumped the SP3 yesterday.

Windows 10 seems to be what the SP3 should have had in the beginning. I get the impression that this is the difference between Microsoft and Apple. Microsoft will release a half baked solution where Apple would probably have waited until Windows 10 before releasing it.

That said, I think the Surface Pro 3 from a hardware perspective is bloody impressive and coming from someone who has used most unibody Mac's, that says something. The Surface Pro 3 is every bit as good as the Macs from a hardware finish perspective.

 

[olimjj]

I am a OSX user as my primary, and even so MS is a bit late to the game with quite a few features. I do appreciate they are at least trying

I am not disputing the verity of your statement, but can you elaborate what they are.?

 

[vsherry]

I don't really see the type cover as a reason not to get the SP3 since Bluetooth and USB allow you your choice of a keyboard, and in many cases, those options will be cheaper.