MS has had to eat some profit on the NAND by starting with more capacity than what other vendors use for mobile devices. The Surface RT at $499 has 32GB which seems like 2x as much capacity than the 16GB iPad but Surface RT needs about 16GB for the OS and pre-installed apps.
I expect the Surface Pro to come in at about 20GB which would give the remaining capacity for a 32GB model around 10GB of usable space. A 64GB and 128GB Surface would then have around 39GB and 100GB of usable capacity, respectively.
For those prices (which you also have to include an additional $129 for the TypeCover) I would rather just get a MBA. Or for those that really hate Apple then any Ultrabook would probably be a better fit overall.
I get all the criticism- but everyone comparing this with the MacBook Air is missing the point. They are trying to replace the MacBook Air and also have it double as your tablet. Only having 1 device instead of two. So to get an accurate price, you need to add an iPad WITH the MacBook Air price. This is a tablet- let's remember.
Just trying to be fair.
Me? I'd rather (and do) have an air and an iPad and would prefer the two.
Well so far it can. They did lose one mini sale though because of it. My son wants an ereader. I considered spending a bit more and getting him a mini. But a 16 Gb iPad is about as useless as a 64 Gb Surface and the price of the 32 Gb model is a bit much so he's getting an e-ink kindle.
Well so far it can. They did lose one mini sale though because of it. My son wants an ereader. I considered spending a bit more and getting him a mini. But a 16 Gb iPad is about as useless as a 64 Gb Surface and the price of the 32 Gb model is a bit much so he's getting an e-ink kindle.
what about when your son wants to listen to music, play games, show his tablet to his girl, use tablet apps instead of phone apps, etc. will you be ok with it?
I get all the criticism- but everyone comparing this with the MacBook Air is missing the point. They are trying to replace the MacBook Air and also have it double as your tablet. Only having 1 device instead of two. So to get an accurate price, you need to add an iPad WITH the MacBook Air price. This is a tablet- let's remember.
Just trying to be fair.
Me? I'd rather (and do) have an air and an iPad and would prefer the two.
But that's just it, I think most people will be served better by two devices that are designed to excel with a UI and HW for the intended I/O. This is just not it. It's like only having a Swiss Army Knife for being a lumberjack and a handyman. Sure, the SAK has a saw and screwdriver and I guess you can use it to bash in nails but it's not exactly a great tool for any specific occupation. Unfortunately what has MS been telling us is that Surface is the ideal tool for notebook and tablet users... but it's not. It's only great for very specific use cases and because of that it won't ever sell a lot of units.
This thing called Surface Pro has identify crisis. On the 1 hand, you're somewhat a tablet and run some tablet apps (won't be a lot compared to iPad), on the other hand you're kinda a laptop/desktop by running those win 7 desktop apps, except those apps won't be usable with touch, so you'd need a mouse/keyboard combo for those. Seems like anyone using it will switch btw tablet mode and desktop mode a lot, especially if you want to mulit-task Office work and then some casual stuffs. It's a confusing product.
The Specs are ok for the price, but i think consumers will return this thing in high %.
Including the Windows page file, the backup files for patches, and registry? I expect 30gb to be rather limiting. When I build modern PCs, I make sure there is at least 100GB of free space on the C: drive, and I don't install applications there, because each application will install shared DLLs, dot net assemblies in the GAC or runtime libraries in WinSxS, all eating away at the C: drive. You can detach a keyboard from an Ultrabook and call it a tablet, but that doesn't create a post-PC experience.
Well so far it can. They did lose one mini sale though because of it. My son wants an ereader. I considered spending a bit more and getting him a mini. But a 16 Gb iPad is about as useless as a 64 Gb Surface and the price of the 32 Gb model is a bit much so he's getting an e-ink kindle.
If your son wanted an eReader, then why would even consider a tablet? The Kindle is $79.
They should advertise that as a 48GB model. MS doesn't count the space taken by the Surface OS (Windows RT), which takes up some 12 GB..lol
They've already been hit with a lawsuit over it.
I disagree with that lawsuit. It's foolish for anyone to expect the capacity of HW storage to be the same as the capacity after formatting with an OS and numerous apps installed. That has never been how drives were sold in the past.
I get all the criticism- but everyone comparing this with the MacBook Air is missing the point. They are trying to replace the MacBook Air and also have it double as your tablet. Only having 1 device instead of two. So to get an accurate price, you need to add an iPad WITH the MacBook Air price. This is a tablet- let's remember.
Just trying to be fair.
Me? I'd rather (and do) have an air and an iPad and would prefer the two.
Good luck to MS or any other PC OEM in marketing that. I'd be curious to know how many people actually use Surface as a tablet since most, if not all of MS marketing shows it landscape with the keyboard connected. And most of the reviews I've read give it poor marks when using it in portrait mode. When I think of a tablet I think of something thin and light. That's NOT what I think when I see the Surface Pro.
I disagree with that lawsuit. It's foolish for anyone to expect the capacity of HW storage to be the same as the capacity after formatting with an OS and numerous apps installed. That has never been how drives were sold in the past.
that's totally different from advertising something with X amount of memory but giving only X/2 memory.
But that's just it, I think most people will be served better by two devices that are designed to excel with a UI and HW for the intended I/O. This is just not it. It's like only having a Swiss Army Knife for being a lumberjack and a handyman. Sure, the SAK has a saw and screwdriver and I guess you can use it to bash in nails but it's not exactly a great tool for any specific occupation. Unfortunately what has MS been telling us is that Surface is the ideal tool for notebook and tablet users... but it's not. It's only great for very specific use cases and because of that it won't ever sell a lot of units.
But Sinofsky said it's not a tablet but its the best tablet he's ever used and its not a laptop but the best laptop he's ever used. Really they should have called it Unicorn instead of Surface. 8-)
Good luck to MS or any other PC OEM in marketing that. I'd be curious to know how many people actually use Surface as a tablet since most, if not all of MS marketing shows it landscape with the keyboard connected. And most of the reviews I've read give it poor marks when using it in portrait mode. When I think of a tablet I think of something thin and light. That's NOT what I think when I see the Surface Pro.
It's actually a huge pain switching to portrait mode. I assume you'd also lose the ability to use ClearType (something MS has touted as a feature) because that relies on sub-pixel rendering.
Comments
It cannot be stressed enough...
DOA
Quote:
Originally Posted by tjwal
If Microsoft can add another 64 Gb by $100 why does Apple charge that much for an extra 16 Gb.
Because it can?
I get all the criticism- but everyone comparing this with the MacBook Air is missing the point. They are trying to replace the MacBook Air and also have it double as your tablet. Only having 1 device instead of two. So to get an accurate price, you need to add an iPad WITH the MacBook Air price. This is a tablet- let's remember.
Just trying to be fair.
Me? I'd rather (and do) have an air and an iPad and would prefer the two.
Quote:
Originally Posted by island hermit
Because it can?
Well so far it can. They did lose one mini sale though because of it. My son wants an ereader. I considered spending a bit more and getting him a mini. But a 16 Gb iPad is about as useless as a 64 Gb Surface and the price of the 32 Gb model is a bit much so he's getting an e-ink kindle.
Seriously why is this thing being compared to the MBA. Shouldn't it be compared to Wintel Ultrabooks?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rogifan
But but but it has a stylus and a touch screen. That kicks the MBA's ass don't you know? /s
Seriously why is this thing being compared to the MBA. Shouldn't it be compared to Wintel Ultrabooks?
who is buying them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tjwal
Well so far it can. They did lose one mini sale though because of it. My son wants an ereader. I considered spending a bit more and getting him a mini. But a 16 Gb iPad is about as useless as a 64 Gb Surface and the price of the 32 Gb model is a bit much so he's getting an e-ink kindle.
what about when your son wants to listen to music, play games, show his tablet to his girl, use tablet apps instead of phone apps, etc. will you be ok with it?
But that's just it, I think most people will be served better by two devices that are designed to excel with a UI and HW for the intended I/O. This is just not it. It's like only having a Swiss Army Knife for being a lumberjack and a handyman. Sure, the SAK has a saw and screwdriver and I guess you can use it to bash in nails but it's not exactly a great tool for any specific occupation. Unfortunately what has MS been telling us is that Surface is the ideal tool for notebook and tablet users... but it's not. It's only great for very specific use cases and because of that it won't ever sell a lot of units.
I don't think Microsoft understand the rules of the game they are playing.
This thing called Surface Pro has identify crisis. On the 1 hand, you're somewhat a tablet and run some tablet apps (won't be a lot compared to iPad), on the other hand you're kinda a laptop/desktop by running those win 7 desktop apps, except those apps won't be usable with touch, so you'd need a mouse/keyboard combo for those. Seems like anyone using it will switch btw tablet mode and desktop mode a lot, especially if you want to mulit-task Office work and then some casual stuffs. It's a confusing product.
The Specs are ok for the price, but i think consumers will return this thing in high %.
Including the Windows page file, the backup files for patches, and registry? I expect 30gb to be rather limiting. When I build modern PCs, I make sure there is at least 100GB of free space on the C: drive, and I don't install applications there, because each application will install shared DLLs, dot net assemblies in the GAC or runtime libraries in WinSxS, all eating away at the C: drive. You can detach a keyboard from an Ultrabook and call it a tablet, but that doesn't create a post-PC experience.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tjwal
Well so far it can. They did lose one mini sale though because of it. My son wants an ereader. I considered spending a bit more and getting him a mini. But a 16 Gb iPad is about as useless as a 64 Gb Surface and the price of the 32 Gb model is a bit much so he's getting an e-ink kindle.
If your son wanted an eReader, then why would even consider a tablet? The Kindle is $79.
How exactly is a 16GB iPad useless?
They've already been hit with a lawsuit over it.
I disagree with that lawsuit. It's foolish for anyone to expect the capacity of HW storage to be the same as the capacity after formatting with an OS and numerous apps installed. That has never been how drives were sold in the past.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
I disagree with that lawsuit. It's foolish for anyone to expect the capacity of HW storage to be the same as the capacity after formatting with an OS and numerous apps installed. That has never been how drives were sold in the past.
that's totally different from advertising something with X amount of memory but giving only X/2 memory.
that's a scam right there. 32-16.
It's actually a huge pain switching to portrait mode. I assume you'd also lose the ability to use ClearType (something MS has touted as a feature) because that relies on sub-pixel rendering.