Why Did You Buy Your Surface Pro and How Do You Use It?

[SJLPHI]

I bought my SP3 to compare to Lenovo X260/T480 Toughbook CF-19Mk6 to see how it compares/competes as an on-the-go laptop.

So far, I have a mixed opinion about it. I like its flexibility but I dislike its lack of rigidness when I want to use it as a laptop. Its battery lasts too short compared to most modern tablets and laptops, it has quite the power but frequently overheats (~80C = thermal limit) despite undervolting, the lack of access to maintenance ports is an issue. I want to re-paste it and put on larger SSD and I hate the idea of soldered RAM. I also dislike the modified Windows 10 options for it.

Also for some reason the stylus that came with it works every other touchpad capable machine except this one, and at the same time the machine picks up touch just fine as long as it is from my fingers.

I took it to one flight so far and I absolutely loved the fact that I could literally game for hours (plugged in) with a trackball but then again my CF19 would do a better job, just heavier.

Bottom line, it is for now collecting dust and is out on an auction. I want ty try Lenovo X1 Tablet. I like the ability to open my devices up whenever I please to maintain/upgrade it. At least for me anyways, I think my SP3 is my first and last SP but not the last convertible Windows laptop/tablet.

 

[AMS]

I think I've answered this at some point in the past few years... In late 2019, I was making plans to travel to Portugal. I wanted to take a machine along, but I wanted a minimal machine, with a plan to work using online tools. I bought a used Macbook Air and just hated it. Likely there's nothing wrong with it, but the OS just bugged the hell out of me, and it was bigger than I wanted. So I sold it and bought a well-used Surface Pro 3. It was love from first use. Granted, it's no top of the line device (i3/4GB/64GB). But it did what I needed on that trip, and I use it a lot at home--to watch streaming video, first thing in the morning with my spouse to play some games on the New York Times website and to catch up on the news. I tried a number of Android and Windows tablets in various sizes before I got my SP3. And so far, battery wear is minimal. I don't get hours and hours and hours, but I get enough.

I liked it well enough that when time came to upgrade from my 7-year-old laptop, I went with an SL3. And I've been very pleased with that, too.

 

[Turbo4AWD]

I started out as a massive iPad fan until I got my iPad Air 2 and learned that it STILL could not open some videos, websites, other content online. I would keep getting an error "...this content not available on mobile device..." and just got angry and sold it to a local GameStop and waited for the Surface 3 to come out. Bought a Surface 3 and fell in love despite the early adopter issues but it eventually became great to use......until it fell off of the arm rest of my couch and onto the tile floor.

I thought I had saved it with my foot by guiding the fall away from the tile, but it was not enough. A corner of the device caught the tile while the rest fell on the area rug gently, but the damage was done.

At the time the Surface Pro 6 was being announced and I had an opportunity to upgrade. Bought my Surface Pro 6 with Signature TypeCover and have been in love since. Haven't looked back at getting an iPad and now I get to enjoy the best of 3 worlds:

1. Using it as a laptop for work while on the go
2. Connecting it to a docking station and using it as a desktop workstation with multiple monitors and get even more work done
3. Disconnect the docking station, detach the keyboard, and lie down on the couch to read ebooks, consume info on the web, and watch videos, etc

While docked or with the keyboard attached as a laptop I game a little on it too. Left4Dead 2 runs really well on it and so does Command and Conquer: Kane's Wrath....the flexibility is insane and I would never go back to an iPad.

I am one of the few that still believe the Surface Pro line is still a TABLET FORM FACTOR with the flexibility to perform as a laptop/desktop as well. Seems to be the direction Apple is heading with the iPad Pro because they now have a keyboard released for it too and are putting Desktop level CPUs with additional Desktop like functionality.

.....regardless of how many people try to call it a laptop, the Surface Pro 6 is the best TABLET purchase I have ever made and I love it.