Windows 8 Pro - Surface Pricing Released $899 (64GB) / $999 (128GB)

[CyberNerd]

Apart from gaming I reckon if you connected the Surface pro to a large monitor it would be perfectly usable as your only computer.

I guess. If you really wanted to and didn't care about things like storage space. Im a low end user anyway and my work pc only ever struggles if its running more than 4 virtual machines simultaneously. Its a higher spec than a surface pro and cost about £500

[localzuk]

I guess. If you really wanted to and didn't care about things like storage space. Im a low end user anyway and my work pc only ever struggles if its running more than 4 virtual machines simultaneously. Its a higher spec than a surface pro and cost about £500

You can't carry that thing around easily though can you... Plus, the Surface Pro has a USB port, so if you really need more storage, you can plug in an external drive. 128GB is fine for a portable device IMO. Most storage for business is done on a server anyway, and anything 'extra' can go on that external drive, or be accessed via DirectAccess or a VPN etc...

[CyberNerd]

EDIT: Also, this same idea would also make them ideal as a replacement for teacher's laptops. Schools are dabbling with iPads but regularly bump into issues of compatibility or flexibility, but with one of these, they would work with IWBs, projectors, would be able to have the keyboard for periods of extended typing, and would also have the tablet interface when they want to wander round the room with it in their hand. The possibilities are actually pretty good IMO. I'm probably going to try and get one for work to have a play with (first time I'll ever have asked for a piece of 'new' kit to play with like this, in a purely 'blue skies' manner).

I don't understand your logic at all. Rather than fix an infrastructure problem which causes compatibility issues with non windows devices you'd be prepared to buy touch screens at £600 a piece. I would recommend buying cheaper laptops and spend some money on a more flexible infrastructure.

[CyberNerd]

You can't carry that thing around easily though can you...

I can remote to it

[localzuk]

I don't understand your logic at all. Rather than fix an infrastructure problem which causes compatibility issues with non windows devices you'd be prepared to buy touch screens at £600 a piece. I would recommend buying cheaper laptops and spend some money on a more flexible infrastructure.

We currently pay £600 a piece for staff laptops... But these don't have touchscreens or the 'small' size that people like about iPads. iPads don't have the flexibility needed for longer term working. We *have* the infrastructure for Windows, projectors, IWBs, Smart notebook etc... So, switching to these is no different than buying the next batch of replacement laptops. Whereas iPads require much faffing and retraining to be able to do less than they can on their existing machines. The cost of changing to use iPads all around would outweigh these devices significantly. Especially considering the iPad is simply not robust enough to survive in a school, especially in a 'plug in to screen' way (we've already had 1 need to be repaired as the connector port wore out through normal use, and that's after around 9 months use).

I can remote to it

On what? An iPad? Costing you £300? So, your cost has suddenly become £800...

[Arthur]

It's a higher spec than a surface pro and cost about £500

[CyberNerd]

Ok enough already. I just think its too expensive when you can put a sub £300 desktop in a classroom and get staff to bring in their own tablets if they want them.

[EduTech]

It might be too expensive for schools etc. to start throwing cash at but from a personal perspective I am actually very tempted at purchasing the Surface Pro and for the first time in a very long time I think I am actually going to make sure that I do get one. For me the RT just wouldn't work but with this tablet being able to be used a Windows 8 PC also then I would not need anything else (in theory i guess it would just replace my laptop, but with the touch screen ability etc.) as I only have an 120GB SSD anyhow and so with the i5 processor & 4GB RAM it would be perfect for everything that I need from a laptop and I think what most IT Pro's would want from such a machine never mind consumers. Ok if your a gamer then a specialist machine you would have anyway, if your a graphic designer then again this may not be suitable and likewise if you like to run various VMs on your laptop then again it probably wouldn't work but for me i can get around those with the likes of a dedicated machine for such VMs or by using Windows Azure via MSDN :-)

James.

[SYNACK]

I want one but not willing to pay the 3k it would probably be in NZ, shame it is not Haswell, guess Intel have not quite got all the bugs out of it yet.

[rich_tech]

I really like the look of the device (shame about the os lol) but I saw the prices last night and felt that it was immediately too expensive for me, which is a shame

[sonofsanta]

As far as the consumer market is concerned, I think the Surface tablets are essentially fulfilling the role of the early Google Nexus devices - no chance of them actually selling in any great quantities themselves, but meant more to show the OEMs How To Do It Right. It's just pushing Acer/Asus/Samsung/Dell to up their game.

As far as the enterprise market is concerned, which is the real target for the Surface Pro, money money money. Why sell them something adequate for cheap when you can sell them something overpowered for cash-monay.

[Arthur]

shame it is not Haswell

You might not have to wait too long...

Rumors of Surface tablet successors and specs appear

We're unsure of this latest rumor that's appeared in relation to Surface tablet successors, but the content as posted by well-known Microsoft leaker MS_nerd details plausible specs for upcoming Microsoft-made tablets. Here's what was leaked in the space of a 140 character tweet:

• There will be a Surface RT 2 that uses an 8.6-inch display and will have a Qualcomm chipset, as opposed to the NVIDIA Tegra chip used in the current Surface RT
• The Surface Pro will be updated to an 11.6-inch display, and will ditch the Intel Core i5 CPU for an upcoming and yet-to-be-released AMD "Temash" APU
• There will be a third Surface called the "Surface Book" that has a 14.6-inch display, and an Intel 22nm "Haswell" chip

Both Haswell and Temash chips won't be ready until at least mid-2013, so there is still some time before anything will start to come together in regards to successors to Microsoft's Surface line.

[localzuk]

I seriously doubt they'd make a 11.6" tablet - far too large.

The 'Surface Book' sounds remarkably like the Courier project they scrapped.

[gshaw]

As far as the enterprise market is concerned, which is the real target for the Surface Pro, money money money. Why sell them something adequate for cheap when you can sell them something overpowered for cash-monay.

That's all it comes down to at the end of the day sadly.

If MS wanted to take the market they'd make a mid range tablet, size and battery life of the RT and pitch it as a device to edit \ create your Office docs on and price it about £50-100 under the iPad... market won

As it stands it's the IT equivalent of the trophy wife... you get it because you can not because it's the best overall package

[k-strider]

I'm with Localzuk on this, they do look like good replacements for teachers laptop.
I was considering similar asking for Samsung ATIV Smart Pro Tablet PC with Clamshell Keyboard / Intel Core i5-3317UM / 11.6" LED / 4GB / 64GB / Windows 8 Professional / Free 5 Year Warranty / Free 5 Year Warranty - www.misco.co.uk
if the Atom ones could come down they could be good bits of classroom kit.