Who's getting one?

[bradhaak]

Agreed on your last point and good luck to you.

I just find USB-C to be everything I have ever wanted in a port. Admittedly, my computer usage is possibly non-typical. I use Bluetooth mice, store everything in the cloud (Microsoft and Google), except for the desktop, I live in WiFi-land and don't care about a wired network. I don't connect laptops to monitors and only occasionally hard disks (and that works great with an $8 cable).

I suspect that most people have similar usage model (built-in display and Wi-Fi for networking). Most people don't use exotic USB devices, outside of the occasional midi port. At my level of use, I haven't seen any compatibility issues--none/zero/zip/nada. So I do believe that, for the average user, the USB-C problems are a red herring and a flimsy excuse.

And if all of your information comes from reading articles from the tech journalism industry, that exists to create controversy and doesn't understand the real-world usage, rather than actual experience with the port, I will trust my own experience. And that experience has been overwhelmingly positive on more than a dozen devices by at least six manufacturers.

But, while I do believe that my use case is pretty average, I do respect that YMMV based on your actual usage. If you do have incompatible devices, you're going to be unhappy, but how many people, in the real world, does that actually apply to?

But yeah, who would want a computer with a universal port that runs at 10 gigabits per second and can be used for data, charging (up to a hundred watts), or display?

 

[bradhaak]

And now, since we both know how the other feels, I'm going to close this out and wish you luck with whatever you buy (or don't).

Take care

 

[kristalsoldier]

Agreed on your last point and good luck to you.

I just find USB-C to be everything I have ever wanted in a port. Admittedly, my computer usage is possibly non-typical. I use Bluetooth mice, store everything in the cloud (Microsoft and Google), except for the desktop, I live in WiFi-land and don't care about a wired network. I don't connect laptops to monitors and only occasionally hard disks (and that works great with an $8 cable).

I suspect that most people have similar usage model (built-in display and Wi-Fi for networking). Most people don't use exotic USB devices, outside of the occasional midi port. At my level of use, I haven't seen any compatibility issues--none/zero/zip/nada. So I do believe that, for the average user, the USB-C problems are a red herring and a flimsy excuse.

And if all of your information comes from reading articles from the tech journalism industry, that exists to create controversy and doesn't understand the real-world usage, rather than actual experience with the port, I will trust my own experience. And that experience has been overwhelmingly positive on more than a dozen devices by at least six manufacturers.

But, while I do believe that my use case is pretty average, I do respect that YMMV based on your actual usage. If you do have incompatible devices, you're going to be unhappy, but how many people, in the real world, does that actually apply to?

But yeah, who would want a computer with a universal port that runs at 10 gigabits per second and can be used for data, charging (up to a hundred watts), or display?

Non-tech question: I live in WiFi-land and don't care about a wired network

Pardon my ignorance, but what do you mean? WiFi land? Do you mean ubiquitous connectivity to the internet over local wifi networks (or a single network)? Just curious...I like that term - WiFi Land...!

 

[bradhaak]

I mean that, with the exception of one desktop computer the other dozen-or-so computers, and tablets, use WiFi for connecting to my network and onto the Internet. They tend to migrate from room to room and when they leave the house, are either on public WiFi or tethered to my phone.

My point was that I don't care about wired network dongles and compatibility because it's outside of my use case, as I suspect it is outside of most people's.

Take care.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

No USB type C, no purchase.

Easy decision.

I won't buy the new Surface Pro for the same reason.

I sold my SP4 and was considering the Surface Laptop.

You know the lack of USB-C is a good thing. I think together with Thunderbolt is probably a waste of time. Thunderbolt has been around for years and I still don't see the point of it.

USB-C may be useful in the future but in the lifetime of this product, alternative USB 3 port will still be viable. The only good point with USB-C is it is smaller. USB 3 though is still fine for most things.

I ended up buying a Lenovo 910. It has USB-C but...yawn. I suppose it does give an extra port or two, now all I have to do is to find some accessory I can plug in that uses USB-C.

The reasons I didn't buy the Surface Laptop was it was expensive and the screen doesn't fold back far enough (useful lying down where I have the screen almost flat sometimes). I also don't particularly trust Microsoft to produce a new product sans a plethora of bugs.

The Lenovo 910 is descended and improved from the Lenovo 900 so I know it has been well thought out. I have had it for three weeks now and yup, very nice and with a 78Wh battery with ridiculously long battery life.

 

[jpfive]

Ordered mine today from BB store on ebay. It joins my book and sp3. Small discount, but first I have seen offered. Paypal 24 mo promotion at 0% was useful - good until 8/23. I've enjoyed this thread. Thanks to all who have posted.

 

[FlatSurface]

I finally bit the bullet last week and got a new SP i5/8Gig/256SSD.

Returned it a few days later. It was very sluggish, probably a defect. But I was also not impressed by the type cover (although it looks awesome) and the fact that the body takes scratches really easily.

Now looking at the new HP Elite X2 1012 G2, or maybe the HP Spectre x360.

 

[jpfive]

Received mine yesterday. Setup and win 10 pro update went well. Liking the unit, seems much lighter than my book - and more comfortable on the lap (no edges). Also like the feel of the keyboard.

 

[CrippsCorner]

I finally bit the bullet last week and got a new SP i5/8Gig/256SSD.

Returned it a few days later. It was very sluggish, probably a defect. But I was also not impressed by the type cover (although it looks awesome) and the fact that the body takes scratches really easily.

Now looking at the new HP Elite X2 1012 G2, or maybe the HP Spectre x360.

You bought a Surface Laptop, scratched it, then returned it?

 

[boki_to]

I got Surface Laptop (4 Gig / 128 Gig) week ago for CAD$769.99 . I am enjoying it so far . Great laptop for great price.

 

[FlatSurface]

You bought a Surface Laptop, scratched it, then returned it?

Minor scratches, but yes. Wasn't a problem with the vendor where I got it.

So, though I'd update this thread my experiences. I ended up going through 9 (read 'em: nine) Surface Pro units before I gave up. All of them had extreme lightbleed along the lower edge of the screen. The vendor ordered in from different warehouses, made no difference.

I then decided to chance it up with an HP Spectre x360. First one had a dead pixel, second one had a loose trackpad. My gawd.

I resolved to go back to a Macbook (had one for 5 years workng flawlessly before), since it seems Apple is the only manufacturer that actually does QA... or so I thought. First unit had the enter key get stuck in the first week. Had it replaced... have had light issues with the keyboard since (although I otherwise quite like it). Had issues with the fan coming on (loudly!) constantly if I had Skype and any type of browser open at the same time.

However, I am now back to where I started... as my Macbook got stolen. Sucks, fortunately it was my business laptop and I can write it off. Still hurts, though.

We are now in 2018 and we've seen the new 8th gen Intel chips be released. I am certainly NOT going for a Mac again (I was looking at Windows machines for a reason).

Is the SP17 still worth getting? Do I want to wait on an update? The other computers I'm looking at are the Asus Zenbook 3 Deluxe and the Dell XPS 13.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[Wevenhuis]

Surface pro 5. Have had it only a few months, but happy with it to date. 14 hours continuous is not realistically real worked use, but average use with on off effective productive use does deliver a comfortable full workday use with no need to recharge or "range anxiety".