Microsoft Surface Pro Arrives Feb. 9 268
adeelarshad82 writes "According to Microsoft, the Surface Windows 8 Pro will be available for purchase on Feb. 9 in the U.S. and Canada. As anticipated, the Surface Pro will be slightly thicker than the Surface with Windows RT, and will weigh about two pounds. The tablet is powered with an Intel Core i5 processor and 4GB of memory. It also includes an 802.11 a/b/g/n dual band Wi-Fi, a stylus for pressure-sensitive input, dual 720p HD webcams, a full-sized USB 3.0 port, microSDXC slot, and mini DisplayPort. Since the Surface Pro runs Windows 8 Pro, it will work with your corporate infrastructure, as well as any older apps that you used on Windows XP to 7. In terms of pricing, the 64GB version will cost $899 while the 128GB will set you back by $999."
Re:And? (Score:4, Interesting)
Except the HP TX2500 series were some of the crappiest laptops I've ever used. We bought 8 of them for the office and within 18 months half of them died. They were hot, the screens were dim, and the stylus was never accurate. Plus, it came with Windows Vista.
Re:Compare to ... (Score:4, Interesting)
MB air is $100 more and doesn't even have a pen or touch?
I'd rather have the Surface Pro.
Re:Compare to ... (Score:5, Interesting)
Apple user here.
Here's what the Surface Pro has over an iPad: Run desktop apps; ability to modify the OS as you see fit
Here's what the Surface Pro has over a Macbook Air: Touchscreen
Different tools for different people and different uses. I don't personally want a Surface (Pro or RT), and it certainly has some (pretty big) disadvantages, but that doesn't mean I can't understand what Microsoft is trying to accomplish. I think there's merit to their "Windows anywhere" goal, though it still needs some polishing.
Re:Not the same thing (Score:2, Interesting)
It might be a third less because it uses a shitty ARM CPU, has half the RAM, one eighth the amount of storage space, no touchscreen, no pen input, no memory card slot, lower resolution and weighs more than the Surface Pro.
Re:Compare to ... (Score:5, Interesting)
An iPad at $400 cheaper
An iPad doesn't run corporate win32 and win64 apps natively. An iPad doesn't integrate with Active Directory for seamless access to network resources. An iPad only has a finger, not a stylus interface. iPad has no USB port.
and a MacBook Air for only $100 more
The Macbook Air has no touch interface and doesn't convert to a tablet / slate for easy use on an airplane in economy with the seat in front of you in full recline.
Re:Let the bashing begin! (Score:4, Interesting)
I'd say the main reason it "sucks" is OS. It's still a horrifying chimera of desktop and tablet, and does neither thing well. Hardware itself actually looks good enough for what I would use it for, if a bit pricy. But I'm not into tablets anyway.
That said if I were, that actually looks good. Solid build, essentially a laptop inside the screen with attachable keyboard. I can see this replacing an ultrabook for those who want to replace one with a tablet, but need x86.
Re:Let the bashing begin! (Score:5, Interesting)
The thing you are overlooking is your needs aren't a significant part of the market. A stylus and all that other stuff? If those were major selling points then Microsoft would have been successful with tablets say... 15 years ago.
Your repetitious "90% of today's tablets don't" blah blah. Sounds like a prediction that Surface will battle and claw it's way to... 10% market share?