New Surface Laptop (2017)

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Dingbatt

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#214240 3-May-2017 11:31

Just been watching some videos on Microsoft's new Surface Laptop. Replacing, presumably, the Surface Pro and the Surface Book. Nice looking ultrabook, but no USB C and also a 'new' version of Windows 10 that will only allow apps from the Store to be loaded. Walled garden anyone?
$999 in the US for an i5 with 128GB of storage, so goodness knows how much they will retail for here.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

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#1774862 3-May-2017 11:40

I don't think this is intended to replace the Surface Pro at all - different use case - tablet vs laptop.

Surface Book could be retained as a premium product.

Benjip

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#1774868 3-May-2017 11:50

Very disappointed to see no USB-C, but it's a good looking laptop. The Windows 10 S can be upgraded to full Windows 10 for $40 USD, I believe.

JayADee

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#1774896 3-May-2017 12:39

Looks very nice. WinS upgradeable to Win10 until the end of the year I read. Good plan making it pen compatible, I use my SP4 for drawing with the keyboard attached, can't wean myself off keyboard shortcuts.

dafman

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#1774899 3-May-2017 12:41

Defies belief there is no USB C in this day and age?

dafman

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#1774900 3-May-2017 12:42

And the fabric keyboard - looks great, but keeping it clean? How will it stand the test of time and look after, say, 12 months of heavy use?

Dairyxox

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#1774931 3-May-2017 13:16

I like the screen and component choices. Price seems a little steep, but I guess it matches Apple.

What puzzles me is having a stylus support in clamshell format. I just cant imagine anyone doing decent art or taking more than 1 minutes worth of notes with a clamshell type laptop screen.

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Batman

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#1774969 3-May-2017 14:49

Wow another step towards matching Apple, but not quite.

I've been eyeing the XPS 13 - which I consider to be nearly the complete lightweight laptop. But haven't gotten one because it's not complete enough. PS why do I have fixed double spacing on my replies???

Pros of the XPS 13:

- light @1.2kg

- great batt life for non touch 1080p screen

- full fledged computer

Cons

- not quite light enough

- small trackpad. why oh why???

- charger is bulky. make a lightweight portable device and the charger is like weighs nearly as much??!

- not compatible with pen (minor issue)

- uneven thickness (minor, but if you make the thickness more even, the thickest part can be made thinner)

- 13.3" screen could be a 14", that would be perfect

- no 3G (minor)

- keyboard could be less noisy (minor)

- speakers not awesome enough

I wonder how the surface laptop compares here. Will hang out for some youtube reviews.

Batman

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#1774971 3-May-2017 14:55

dafman:

Defies belief there is no USB C in this day and age?

Defies belief how companies make high end products and leave 2-3 important (sometimes non negotiable!) things out seemingly on purpose.

JayADee

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#1775275 4-May-2017 06:57

dafman:
And the fabric keyboard - looks great, but keeping it clean? How will it stand the test of time and look after, say, 12 months of heavy use?

The black one on my Surface pro 4 is fine so far. I like it. We'll have to see how it looks after a few years I guess. I'm curious myself to see how it goes. I got some ash or something on it the other day so need to give it a light go over with a damp cloth; it's due for it anyway.

JayADee

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#1775280 4-May-2017 07:07

Dairyxox:
I like the screen and component choices. Price seems a little steep, but I guess it matches Apple.

What puzzles me is having a stylus support in clamshell format. I just cant imagine anyone doing decent art or taking more than 1 minutes worth of notes with a clamshell type laptop screen.

I've been drawing on my pro 4 with the keyboard attached and sitting on the table like a laptop, it's fine. If I were a uni student I'd be typing the notes and using the pen for diagrams probably. I type faster than I scrawl- at uni diagrams are a must, or were to me.

tripp

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#1775284 4-May-2017 07:20

Oh why no USB C for charging. I wish PC companies would just change to it now. But I guess there is money to make in their own charging ports.

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dafman

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#1775334 4-May-2017 08:42

tripp:

Oh why no USB C for charging. I wish PC companies would just change to it now. But I guess there is money to make in their own charging ports.

Yep, $138 for a replacement Surface Pro 4 power cable in Melbourne last week.

Batman

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#1775347 4-May-2017 09:08

thumbs down

at least Dell gave me one for free when I blamed poor design

coffeebaron

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#1775467 4-May-2017 11:39

dafman:

And the fabric keyboard - looks great, but keeping it clean? How will it stand the test of time and look after, say, 12 months of heavy use?

Machine washable?? lol

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#1775468 4-May-2017 11:41

coffeebaron:

dafman:

And the fabric keyboard - looks great, but keeping it clean? How will it stand the test of time and look after, say, 12 months of heavy use?

Machine washable?? lol

No needs to be sent in for dry cleaning.

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