Just got a Surface Pro 4. What can I do with it?

[Chicken Chaser]

Thing is, other than running a couple of pieces of software, using it as a tablet is exactly what I'll be doing. If I could get a Windows tablet which could run Cubase or Reaper or similar then I'll buy it. This seems to be the only one with real processing power and Win10. Android is fine for browsing or Youtube but it falls short when actually needing to do stuff with it.

[grumbledoak]

Chicken Chaser said:

Thing is, other than running a couple of pieces of software, using it as a tablet is exactly what I'll be doing. If I could get a Windows tablet which could run Cubase or Reaper or similar then I'll buy it. This seems to be the only one with real processing power and Win10. Android is fine for browsing or Youtube but it falls short when actually needing to do stuff with it.

Have you tried Win10's tablet mode? It's pretty st.

[Richyvrlimited]

grumbledoak said:

Have you tried Win10's tablet mode? It's pretty st.

This, its such a shame as win8.1 is a brilliant tablet OS. For some reason MS ballsed it up in Win10. Desktop mode in 10 is brilliant.

[Chicken Chaser]

But is the Surface win 10 tablet or desktop? If its tablet then I'll buy a touchscreen flippable HP or Lenovo laptop instead. Mine doesn't need to be super portable but I like sitting around with a tablet over a laptop.

[grumbledoak]

Surface Pro 4:


Removable screen, high spec, shiny thing. But that won't save it as a tablet - Win10 needs a mouse.

[Chicken Chaser]

I know what it is, what I mean is does it have a different win10 to a normal laptop? I dont really know what happens with win10 working between tablet and laptop form, and how that changes when you change the orientation etc.

As it happens I planned to use the Surface as a tablet I.e, not connected to the keyboard and without a mouse.

[GrumpyTwig]

I think I must have some special edition of windows 10 because it works fine for me on a tablet.

[RobDickinson]

grumbledoak said:

Removable screen, high spec, shiny thing. But that won't save it as a tablet - Win10 needs a mouse.

Saying something doesnt make it true..

[Don]

RobDickinson said:

grumbledoak said:

Removable screen, high spec, shiny thing. But that won't save it as a tablet - Win10 needs a mouse.

Saying something doesnt make it true..

Indeed. My surface works very well as a tablet. At least as well as my iPad!!!

AND it works great with a mouse out of tablet mode.

[grumbledoak]

Blimey, I tried a Win10 tablet and sent it back. Maximised but otherwise unchanged desktop apps? Tiny touch targets? No swipe? No thanks. Still got the 2520 running Win8.

Each to their own.

[Tycho]

Don said:

RobDickinson said:

grumbledoak said:

Removable screen, high spec, shiny thing. But that won't save it as a tablet - Win10 needs a mouse.

Saying something doesnt make it true..

Indeed. My surface works very well as a tablet. At least as well as my iPad!!!

AND it works great with a mouse out of tablet mode.

My experience as well. I'm still extremely happy with my original i5 Surface Pro.

[sgrimshaw]

grumbledoak said:

Removable screen, high spec, shiny thing. But that won't save it as a tablet - Win10 needs a mouse.

Well at least you can use a mouse with it, unlike iPad.

Microsoft Wedge Mouse is excellent BTW

[gizlaroc]

I don't really get tablets full stop, I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab and an iPad, they are fine for watching some TV on in the car for kids, quick browse of the web etc. But an 11" Air is no bigger and is so much nicer to use (could be any small laptop doesn't need to be a Mac).

Maybe I am just from a generation who like a physical keypad? If you add a keyboard to a tablet I think "Just by a notebook".

[MattyB_]

I must have a magic SP4 (i5/256gb) too - of some of you are running some intensive apps

Multiple Chrome/IE tabs, various Office apps, multiple RDP sessions and various other things open and it works flawlessly for me. I had lots of issues originally, but since the various FW/software updates it's been much better in terms of performance, and especially power management.

That being said, I'd probably have preferred the Surface Book - the times I need to use it on my lap outnumber the times I use it as a tablet, but the latter does come in handy when I'm at home.

[Frik]

I've got the exact spec you're looking at (i5/256GB/8GB) and I couldn't be happier with it. It's a Windows machine you can use like a tablet as it turns on so quickly (instantly from sleep and about 7 seconds when fully off). I haven't seen any of the issues people are mentioning above. I certainly haven't seen a BSOD.

I use it for photo and video editing and assumed it might be frustrating when compared to my work machine (i7/32GB/Quadro) but I honestly haven't felt hampered. I'd highly recommend it.

[Chicken Chaser]

I ended up buying a Lenovo Yoga. Not quite the beauty of the Surface pro4 but a fair bit cheaper and a bit more on spec. I have a feeling that I may wish I'd gone down the Surface route but interested to see what it's like to return to windows after 6 years.

[W00DY]

I've been looking at these and prefer them to the Surface Book. Tempted by the i7 model for it's significantly better graphical capabilities, but it does get quite expensive then. What sort of real world battery life are people getting?

Not sure whether there'll be better deals around than the Xbox one for Black Friday?

[Don]

W00DY said:

I've been looking at these and prefer them to the Surface Book. Tempted by the i7 model for it's significantly better graphical capabilities, but it does get quite expensive then. What sort of real world battery life are people getting?

Not sure whether there'll be better deals around than the Xbox one for Black Friday?

OK. I use my i7/16GB/512GB Surface Pro 4 as a PC and cane the crap out of it with SQL Server and Visual Studio. Doing that I can get battery life down to a couple of hours. Runs hot, too.

Or I can use it for the stuff other people do and have it last loads longer. I doubt you'd get that 9 hours of video they claim, though...

[anonymous-user]

W00DY said:

I've been looking at these and prefer them to the Surface Book. Tempted by the i7 model for it's significantly better graphical capabilities, but it does get quite expensive then. What sort of real world battery life are people getting?

Not sure whether there'll be better deals around than the Xbox one for Black Friday?

I can't get a work day out of mine - and in general I am a light user with the odd massive spreadsheet.

OK bit of kit but the windows update thing drives me mad.

Was thinking of going back to a Macbook Pro but just seen they have ditched magsafe and that is a big thing for me as I am a clumsy fker.

Also I am not sure windows handles "sleep" as well as mac - I regularly find mine has run out of battery whilst in my bag or similar.

[Mammasaid]

Don said:

OK. I use my i7/16GB/512GB Surface Pro 4 as a PC and cane the crap out of it with SQL Server and Visual Studio. Doing that I can get battery life down to a couple of hours. Runs hot, too.

Or I can use it for the stuff other people do and have it last loads longer. I doubt you'd get that 9 hours of video they claim, though...

Similarly, I'm running a SP3 i7/8GB/512GB with VS/MS SQL Server Management Studio/Test Manager and tons of chrome tabs simultaneously, and and it seems to handle everything thrown at it.

And then I take it home, remove the keyboard and surf Pistonheads all evening with some Sky Go thrown in (other catch up services may be available)

Other than an occasional fan noise when running flat out, it's great for my needs.

P.S. get the SP4 dock, it's perfact for when you need to plug anything in!

https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msuk/en_GB/pd...