For the moment I'll put that as a device with a Skylake Core-M running in 4W SDP mode, DDR4 RAM, SSD or PCIe SSD, USB-C/A USB 3.1, DP 1.4, 2/4k ext monitor support, wireless ac/ad. These are the must haves...
What am I going to regret the most if I order the 2GB model?
- Thread starter ynohtna
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InspectHerGadget
Active Member
I don't think that they'll be compromising the total wattage for this form factor. I don't see how they can. It will need to be very low power and ditto for RAM and storage so compromises need to be made. DDR4 uses less power evidently than DDR3 but not sure how that translates into very low power/voltage RAM used in the Surface 3. An SSD or PCI-e storage must use more power as well driving parallel reads and writes.
Again, fanless and cool is hard to achieve. The Core M would melt the Surface 3 unless it was throttled a lot and even then it would run hot as and then adding SSD/PCI-e it would probably cause a tear in the space/time continuum possibly sucking the entire Surface 4 development team into a black hole.
According to the Intel graphic showing device size/watt its right in the TDP design path to do a 10.8 device.
InspectHerGadget
Active Member
Except isn't the Atom 2W? Every Watt counts with a small chassis. The SSD/PCI-e would add extra power draw too which is not only a heat but a battery life issue. Then there is the price issue.
Edit: I do think that there is a market though for a higher performance device if possible, fanless and cool running in the same chassis, even if it overlaps in cost with the SP3. My wife for instance wants very small and the screen size is the minimum acceptable given wanting a decent keyboard attached. It would be very popular but I wonder if it is possible even taking out the price consideration.
Edit: I do think that there is a market though for a higher performance device if possible, fanless and cool running in the same chassis, even if it overlaps in cost with the SP3. My wife for instance wants very small and the screen size is the minimum acceptable given wanting a decent keyboard attached. It would be very popular but I wonder if it is possible even taking out the price consideration.
InspectHerGadget
Active Member
Okokok 4GB ordered!!
Thanks for all your comments!
I think it is a great device. IMHO, it probably is the pinnacle of technology for such a compact device and such a great screen. I went for the 4G too and you get double the storage, in fact more.
Price is just a number and everybody has their price
Intel has subsidized parts before and there's no reason not to extort one from them on this.
MS has an opportunity in front of them to disrupt the market and shouldn't let price upend that.
Pennywise and pound foolish would translate to millionwise and billions foolish.
Intel published 2W SDP for the Atom and didn't give a TDP number so it's an unknown.
I'm not sure that's true... The SSD implementation emulated an HDD to make it a transparent transition. PCIe SSD eliminates the façade and implements a native SSD solution so it very likely could be more efficient.
I think we will see Skylake Core-M give us the necessary performance boost and power drop combination allowing for other system design improvements. I don't think the Surface 3 really jams the most battery in the case they could but advancements in battery tech is probably really all that's needed allowing for maybe even a modest weight reduction too.
Yes, there will be some throttling of the SoC that's what the current designs are all about to get the peak efficiency for a given implementation. In days of old we engineered margins into the design to safely operate within the physical limits and left it at that. Now we can pick parts that will overrun the physical limits and dynamically control the operational characteristics to run up to the physical limits. There should be no grousing about it but there probably still will be. Complaining about throttling is just misunderstanding how we achieve maximum performance in todays world.
InspectHerGadget
Active Member
I don't know what they'll do in the future although obviously there will be some increase in power efficiency and performance. The increases aren't endless though and 11nm is about the limits of x-ray lithography. I remember clearly reading this back in about 1995! It might still be true. They're already getting Quantum burrowing effects.
If you look at this though:
http://www.ultrabookreview.com/5165-broadwell-ultrabooks/
There is NO device at the moment that is down to the size/weight of the Surface 3 and the Surface 3 has a lovely chassis and kickstand included in the weight. I'm debating whether it is possible to build something cool running, fanless with Core M (which seems to benefit a lot from a fan) and an SSD in this chassis. I don't think it is and even if you could you would need a bigger battery and again it just wont' fit.
InspectHerGadget
Active Member
I'm returning my wife's Surface 3 for a refund actually. We just found it had no sound and a habit of freezing.
The point maybe is a Core M with SSD is the minimum most device affecionados would like. This device is marginal but then so was the Surface 2 before it and as everyone says it is faster than that. She will be happy enough with the Surface 2. The Surface 3 was really my idea although now she will be somewhat disappointed. I might just get the Pro 3 for her, the i3 model.
The point maybe is a Core M with SSD is the minimum most device affecionados would like. This device is marginal but then so was the Surface 2 before it and as everyone says it is faster than that. She will be happy enough with the Surface 2. The Surface 3 was really my idea although now she will be somewhat disappointed. I might just get the Pro 3 for her, the i3 model.
Or given your issues seem to be more the exception than the rule, maybe just get a replacement and give it one more shot?
InspectHerGadget
Active Member
I might in the future but for now it is being returned. I might wait six months until they iron out any hardware issues.
Edit: I'm sure if those hardware issues didn't occur we would have kept it. I have no way of knowing of course whether I'm one in 5 or one in 50 or even less. The problem is the Surface 2 is still a good unit so we'll keep using that. It is in warranty for another five months or so.
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