Is the Surface Pro 4 screen too small?

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nate

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#198988 30-Jul-2016 12:21

Looking at upgrading my HP to a Surface, my concern is going from a 14" screen to a 12.3" screen.

I've spoken to a couple of other GZ users who don't see it as an issue. I would normally plug it into a 24" monitor, so daily use isn't the issue, it's more if I have to just use the screen while travelling, am I going to find it too small?

My current laptop is used mainly for coding, so being extra wide makes it super easy to fit everything in.

tripp

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#1601318 30-Jul-2016 12:41

I never had a issue with my surface pro 3 screen size, remember they do have higher resolution than most laptops in the market. A little tip i like to give people is put the task bar on the left on the screen and you have have more windows showing than having it on the bottom :)

heavenlywild

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#1601320 30-Jul-2016 12:46

If you need wider screen, then I would suggest that you look for a more conventional screen size. I tried the SP4 and being a designer, I found it more difficult to do my job. Reading Word documents and surfing the web is perfect though!

ashtonaut

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#1601345 30-Jul-2016 13:39

I went from a 15.6" HP pro book to a SP4 a month ago. The screen and keyboard are noticeably smaller. I find that it's a bit small for me for extended typing sessions, but for light or intermittent use its fine. The type cover is nice to type on but is a bit noisy (it rattles a bit). Awesome for portability though, and if you have an external monitor, keyboard and dock then it's no different to any other laptop for lost desktop use. The latest type cover is significantly better than the older version released with the SP3, particularly the trackpad

Stu

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#1601346 30-Jul-2016 13:43

Quite happy with the size of the SP4 screen and the overall size for portability. On the desk it's running a couple of 24" monitors/keyboard/mouse etc. Also consider the HP offerings similar to the SP4.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

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Talkiet

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#1601370 30-Jul-2016 15:13

I use a SP3 when travelling (not as a day to day laptop - which is a Spark supplied COE machine) and I don't find the screen too small for most things. I was even eyeing up the SP4 i7 16GB model today which has a huge discount but managed to control myself.

Good tip above about moving the start menu. If I was going to use it more often or as a day to day machine then I would certainly get a docking station to make using a big monitor a lot easier.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

ArcticSilver

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#1601431 30-Jul-2016 19:38

nate:

Looking at upgrading my HP to a Surface, my concern is going from a 14" screen to a 12.3" screen.

I've spoken to a couple of other GZ users who don't see it as an issue. I would normally plug it into a 24" monitor, so daily use isn't the issue, it's more if I have to just use the screen while travelling, am I going to find it too small?

My current laptop is used mainly for coding, so being extra wide makes it super easy to fit everything in.

Just a warning, I have herd of many support requests for Microsoft Surface's, especially involving docking stations.

I know of companies that have regretted going over to a Surface line due to these issues and they haven't been able to fix them either.

Stu

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#1601460 30-Jul-2016 21:46

I'm now using a Kensington "docking station". Far more stable than the official offering from Microsoft.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

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geekiegeek

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#1601510 31-Jul-2016 08:23

I just got rid of my SP3 and replaced it with a 13" MacBook Pro. I just found the whole form factor to not be suitable. It's almost impossible to use as a "lap" top and even with the upgraded SP4 keyboard, typing is pretty clunky.