• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 announced: "better in nearly every way" (The Verge)

Status
Not open for further replies.

Luigi87

Member
No concerns about going from 8 to 4GBs of RAM?
It's been something I've been thinking about a lot, but I'm mainly going to be doing work in Clip Studio Paint, and some light Zbrush work, and it seems people have gotten by fine with 4GB.
I have no intent to put games or anything on it.
 
Got to try out the SP4 today at my local Microsoft Store.

Drawing on it felt better than expected. The jittery line is still present which is disappointing but for the most part it felt very smooth. I only drew in the OneNote program so I'm not sure how much better it'll be in a program like Photoshop. Keyboard felt like an actual laptop keyboard which is a nice change from the previous type cover which I thought felt very cheap. Only got to try it out for 30 minutes but I'm convinced from that little session alone. It felt great to use and this is coming from someone who's been more or less strictly on Apple products. Was debating between this and the SB but the SP4 should do more than fine for my needs. Not doing anything crazy that warrants the SB.

cnVrdFO.jpg

JoPvWnE.jpg
 

strata8

Member
Microsoft have outlined the exact CPU models in the SP4 now: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2989...-surface-pro-4-chips-and-why-they-matter.html

Basically:

Core m3 6Y30: CPU - 0.9 GHz base, 2.2 GHz turbo / GPU - 24 EUs, 300-850 MHz
Core i5 6300U: CPU - 2.4 GHz base, 3.0 GHz turbo / GPU - 24 EUs, 300-1000 MHz
Core i7 6650U: CPU - 2.2 GHz base, 3.4 GHz turbo / GPU - 48 EUs, 300-1050 Mhz, 64MB eDRAM

vs. SP3:

Core i3 4020Y: CPU - 1.5 GHz base, no turbo / GPU - 20 EUs, 200-850 MHz
Core i5 4300U: CPU - 1.9 GHz base, 3.0 GHz turbo / GPU - 20 EUs, 200-1100 MHz
Core i7 4650U: CPU - 1.7 GHz base, 3.3 GHz turbo / GPU - 40 EUs, 200-1100 MHz

Clock speeds apart from base are actually pretty similar, though more Geekbench results have been uploaded and it's still showing a 15-20% improvement vs. the SP3 so obviously there's a bit more to it.
 

Luigi87

Member
... Now I'm thinking I'm gonna plot down the extra $300 and get the i5 256 / 8 x_x
halp

... why couldn't there be a i5 128 / 8 like the SP3?
 
Got to try out the SP4 today at my local Microsoft Store.

Drawing on it felt better than expected. The jittery line is still present which is disappointing but for the most part it felt very smooth. I only drew in the OneNote program so I'm not sure how much better it'll be in a program like Photoshop. Keyboard felt like an actual laptop keyboard which is a nice change from the previous type cover which I thought felt very cheap. Only got to try it out for 30 minutes but I'm convinced from that little session alone. It felt great to use and this is coming from someone who's been more or less strictly on Apple products. Was debating between this and the SB but the SP4 should do more than fine for my needs. Not doing anything crazy that warrants the SB.
Have you tried a cintiq? Do they also jitter? Or is the surface not a similar experience?
 
... Now I'm thinking I'm gonna plot down the extra $300 and get the i5 256 / 8 x_x
halp

... why couldn't there be a i5 128 / 8 like the SP3?
That's the config that a lot of people want, including myself.

Wish they would allow us to config it so that we can have a i5, 128, 8/16GB Ram option. I don't need the extra storage.

Have you tried a cintiq? Do they also jitter? Or is the surface not a similar experience?
I use a Wacom Cintiq everyday and no there's no jitter when you draw a line slowly. It really is the only thing that's making me second guess picking this up. Really thought it would be a problem that they would have fixed in this version.
 

Grazzt

Member
Microsoft have outlined the exact CPU models in the SP4 now: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2989...-surface-pro-4-chips-and-why-they-matter.html

Basically:

Core m3 6Y30: CPU - 0.9 GHz base, 2.2 GHz turbo / GPU - 24 EUs, 300-850 MHz
Core i5 6300U: CPU - 2.4 GHz base, 3.0 GHz turbo / GPU - 24 EUs, 300-1000 MHz
Core i7 6650U: CPU - 2.2 GHz base, 3.4 GHz turbo / GPU - 48 EUs, 300-1050 Mhz, 64MB eDRAM

vs. SP3:

Core i3 4020Y: CPU - 1.5 GHz base, no turbo / GPU - 20 EUs, 200-850 MHz
Core i5 4300U: CPU - 1.9 GHz base, 3.0 GHz turbo / GPU - 20 EUs, 200-1100 MHz
Core i7 4650U: CPU - 1.7 GHz base, 3.3 GHz turbo / GPU - 40 EUs, 200-1100 MHz

Clock speeds apart from base are actually pretty similar, though more Geekbench results have been uploaded and it's still showing a 15-20% improvement vs. the SP3 so obviously there's a bit more to it.

Surface book has the same i5 CPU.
Guys help me decide which one to buy, SP4 i5 256/8g or SB i5 128/8g. The former plus type cover is only $100 AUD or so cheaper than SB. And I don't really need much storage space.
 

dLMN8R

Member
I tried out the Surface Pro 4 today and the keyboard is like night and day. I'm the one who's said for the last year that my Surface Pro 3 has been my main computer, but man that new keyboard is soooooo solid. The separated keys are great, and there's simply no flex in the keyboard at all. And the trackpad as even better.
 

SCHUEY F1

Unconfirmed Member
I tried out the Surface Pro 4 today and the keyboard is like night and day. I'm the one who's said for the last year that my Surface Pro 3 has been my main computer, but man that new keyboard is soooooo solid. The separated keys are great, and there's simply no flex in the keyboard at all. And the trackpad as even better.

Yeah, I played with it too today, felt great. Much more rigid.
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
Surface book has the same i5 CPU.
Guys help me decide which one to buy, SP4 i5 256/8g or SB i5 128/8g. The former plus type cover is only $100 AUD or so cheaper than SB. And I don't really need much storage space.

Keyboard or tablet - which is more important to you?

- SB will be less good as a tablet when not at a desk. Holding it in clamshell mode its twice the weight of the SP4. Using it in clipboard mode is more on par but then you have a lot less battery life so ok for short periods.

- SP4 will be less good at typing in your lap (honestly I found it ok as long as you don't have your legs crossed)

Personally for the low end machines I'd think the SP4 is better - SB for if you want the GPU. If you're out and about the weight saving will be a benefit, and the new keyboard seems good enough. If you're at a desk and really want a better keyboard, just ditch the type cover and use an external keyboard.
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
Microsoft have outlined the exact CPU models in the SP4 now: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2989...-surface-pro-4-chips-and-why-they-matter.html

Basically:

Core m3 6Y30: CPU - 0.9 GHz base, 2.2 GHz turbo / GPU - 24 EUs, 300-850 MHz
Core i5 6300U: CPU - 2.4 GHz base, 3.0 GHz turbo / GPU - 24 EUs, 300-1000 MHz
Core i7 6650U: CPU - 2.2 GHz base, 3.4 GHz turbo / GPU - 48 EUs, 300-1050 Mhz, 64MB eDRAM

vs. SP3:

Core i3 4020Y: CPU - 1.5 GHz base, no turbo / GPU - 20 EUs, 200-850 MHz
Core i5 4300U: CPU - 1.9 GHz base, 3.0 GHz turbo / GPU - 20 EUs, 200-1100 MHz
Core i7 4650U: CPU - 1.7 GHz base, 3.3 GHz turbo / GPU - 40 EUs, 200-1100 MHz

Clock speeds apart from base are actually pretty similar, though more Geekbench results have been uploaded and it's still showing a 15-20% improvement vs. the SP3 so obviously there's a bit more to it.


Want some core m results, and especially on prolonged usage. The base clock doesn't matter (and should be good for battery life), so it's really just the 2.2GHz boost vs the 2.4-3GHz of the i5. If they have sorted out cooling then the i5 should be a good step ahead though
 

darkinstinct

...lacks reading comprehension.
The new Surface Pen is now available seperately for preorder, says nothing about reduced pressure sensitivity on older models. Just 1024 levels, compatible with Surface, Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book. $60 (but includes the $10 tip kit).

Maybe the pen doesn't have 1024 levels but instead still has 256 and they use software to translate those into four levels each for transition?
 

Grazzt

Member
Keyboard or tablet - which is more important to you?

- SB will be less good as a tablet when not at a desk. Holding it in clamshell mode its twice the weight of the SP4. Using it in clipboard mode is more on par but then you have a lot less battery life so ok for short periods.

- SP4 will be less good at typing in your lap (honestly I found it ok as long as you don't have your legs crossed)

Personally for the low end machines I'd think the SP4 is better - SB for if you want the GPU. If you're out and about the weight saving will be a benefit, and the new keyboard seems good enough. If you're at a desk and really want a better keyboard, just ditch the type cover and use an external keyboard.
Pro 4 sounds like a reasonable choice. I'm very satisfied with my pro 3.
The only thing that makes me want to buy the SB is its appearance, love it, and I'm sure it's a head turner. And also the slightly better screen.
Still waiting for the student discount...
 

Luigi87

Member
The new Surface Pen is now available seperately for preorder, says nothing about reduced pressure sensitivity on older models. Just 1024 levels, compatible with Surface, Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book. $60 (but includes the $10 tip kit).

Maybe the pen doesn't have 1024 levels but instead still has 256 and they use software to translate those into four levels each for transition?

Unfortunately the information on the website is a tad misleading.
It's true that the pen alone doesn't have 1024 levels of sensitivity, as it requires working with the G5 controller (which controls the touch and pressure sensors on the Pro 4 and Book screens) to operate fully. This is why it only functions at 256 on Pro 3 screens.
 

mulac

Member
Screw it.

Surface Pro 4 i7/ 256GB/ 8GB
OR
Surface Pro 4 i5/ 256GB/ 8GB

i'd like to do some light gaming (nothing intense) and its a $AUD500 difference between the two...is it better to just chuck the extra $$ at the i7 longer term?

Also on the Australian Microsoft site looks like i5 is expected Nov11th while the i7 is Dec11th...
 

Maximo

Member
Screw it.

Surface Pro 4 i7/ 256GB/ 8GB
OR
Surface Pro 4 i5/ 256GB/ 8GB

i'd like to do some light gaming (nothing intense) and its a $AUD500 difference between the two...is it better to just chuck the extra $$ at the i7 longer term?

Also on the Australian Microsoft site looks like i5 is expected Nov11th while the i7 is Dec11th...
Depends you could probably save that extra $500 then trade in your SP4 for a SP5 for next year. It all really depends on what your willing to spend, personally I don't think the small upgrade is worth it when the Surface Pro line has good resell value and you could just upgrade next year for (I assume) a bigger increase in performance for next year's line.
I'm in the mindset to never overpay for a small performance upgrade.
Plus I would wait for benchmarks to see how they each perform.
 

mulac

Member
Depends you could probably save that extra $500 then trade in your SP4 for a SP5 for next year. It all really depends on what your willing to spend, personally I don't think the small upgrade is worth it when the Surface Pro line has good resell value and you could just upgrade next year for (I assume) a bigger increase in performance for next year's line.
I'm in the mindset to never overpay for a small performance upgrade.
Plus I would wait for benchmarks to see how they each perform.

Yeah thats fair. Best to hold off especially as this is equal to a top of the line gaming machine build!
 

artsi

Member
I want to get into digital art. Would this be a great companion?

I've been digitally painting for many years with a desktop tablet (Wacom Intuos) and I'm also looking for a mobile sketchbook, SP4 is one of my choices.

According to impressions there are problems with line jitter (bad quality lines when drawing slowly) and you have to apply a bit force so it's difficult to draw very light lines.
But it does have 1024 pressure levels, low latency and jitter shouldn't be a problem if you draw quick lines. Overall if you want full Windows software catalog (Photoshop, Painter etc.) then SP4 is a pretty good choice.

Personally I'm currently on the fence between SP4 and iPad Pro. I might go for the iPad as I haven't heard any negative impressions about the pen accuracy so far, it also has tilt support and I like how they designed the pen to work with that. It doesn't run Windows, but Adobe is developing a lot of professional software for iOS and there's other good painting programs too (Autodesk Sketchbook, Procreate).
 

artsi

Member
Line jitter is a disqualifier for me. :/

It's truly disappointing, as otherwise the product would be perfect for me. Maybe it could be migitated using Lazy Nezumi for Photoshop or programs like Painter / SAI with integrated line smoothing, but it adds latency especially with higher smoothing levels, and I would just expect better from a premium product.
 

darkinstinct

...lacks reading comprehension.
Line jitter is mostly present in apps that are not built for sketching. If you use something like Mischief there is no jitter to be found other than what your hand produces.
 
I've been digitally painting for many years with a desktop tablet (Wacom Intuos) and I'm also looking for a mobile sketchbook, SP4 is one of my choices.

According to impressions there are problems with line jitter (bad quality lines when drawing slowly) and you have to apply a bit force so it's difficult to draw very light lines.
But it does have 1024 pressure levels, low latency and jitter shouldn't be a problem if you draw quick lines. Overall if you want full Windows software catalog (Photoshop, Painter etc.) then SP4 is a pretty good choice.

Personally I'm currently on the fence between SP4 and iPad Pro. I might go for the iPad as I haven't heard any negative impressions about the pen accuracy so far, it also has tilt support and I like how they designed the pen to work with that. It doesn't run Windows, but Adobe is developing a lot of professional software for iOS and there's other good painting programs too (Autodesk Sketchbook, Procreate).

What would you consider the best painting/drawing apps on iOS? I'm legitimately curious
 
I've been digitally painting for many years with a desktop tablet (Wacom Intuos) and I'm also looking for a mobile sketchbook, SP4 is one of my choices.

According to impressions there are problems with line jitter (bad quality lines when drawing slowly) and you have to apply a bit force so it's difficult to draw very light lines.
But it does have 1024 pressure levels, low latency and jitter shouldn't be a problem if you draw quick lines. Overall if you want full Windows software catalog (Photoshop, Painter etc.) then SP4 is a pretty good choice.

Personally I'm currently on the fence between SP4 and iPad Pro. I might go for the iPad as I haven't heard any negative impressions about the pen accuracy so far, it also has tilt support and I like how they designed the pen to work with that. It doesn't run Windows, but Adobe is developing a lot of professional software for iOS and there's other good painting programs too (Autodesk Sketchbook, Procreate).

You should wait to see how they both review. Currently their aren't any negative bimpressions but the thing isn't out yet while we're on the 4th gen of Surface.
 

Servbot24

Banned
I'll be content with iOS apps in iPad Pro as long as they can be output as psd.

Tbh I'll mainly be using the device as a cintiq replacement while on my Mac.
 

demon

I don't mean to alarm you but you have dogs on your face
I'm convinced. I need a new laptop and I think I'm going to get the SP4. Wasn't planning on spending this much money but you only live once right? I almost went with a MacBook (in fact I ordered one while a little drunk last night and cancelled it after changing my mind) which I'm sure would have been a fantastic laptop but being able to use my laptop as a tablet and using OneNote to take notes and do math problems and shit without needing paper once I start school next January is too tempting.

I can't decide between the Core M and i5, though. I won't be doing any gaming and the most intensive stuff I'll do will probably be watching 1080p video. The lowest specced 8gb version is almost $1500 with the keyboard and I don't think I'm willing to spend that much. Thoughts?
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
I'm convinced. I need a new laptop and I think I'm going to get the SP4. Wasn't planning on spending this much money but you only live once right? I almost went with a MacBook (in fact I ordered one while a little drunk last night and cancelled it after changing my mind) which I'm sure would have been a fantastic laptop but being able to use my laptop as a tablet and using OneNote to take notes and do math problems and shit without needing paper once I start school next January is too tempting.

I can't decide between the Core M and i5, though. I won't be doing any gaming and the most intensive stuff I'll do will probably be watching 1080p video. The lowest specced 8gb version is almost $1500 with the keyboard and I don't think I'm willing to spend that much. Thoughts?

Either will be fine for what you want, and 4GB will IMO be enough - the jump in price to 8GB is a lot because you also get a jump in SSD (128GB is enough for general usage - again IMO). The potential is for the core m to have better battery life as it is less than half the wattage of the core i5. And I thnk it is fanless so it'll be quieter too. If the cooling on the i5 is less than perfect, the gap in benchmarks could be close (as we've seen before with ultravooks and 2-in-1s). But I think they will have nailed the cooling this time - at least for the i5.

The two are relatively close in price so if you can wait for benchmarks then decide. That's basically what I'm going to do - if the core m is within 10-20% on benchmarks and has a couple of hours longer battery life then I'll go for that one.
 

JCX

Member
For people who have bought older models, do thy usually sell out, or would it be relatively easy to get one until Black Friday? I'm on the fence, leaning toward yes, just want to see how it plays Starcraft 2 and Civ V in tablet mode before buying.
 

see5harp

Member
The magnet for the pen feels a lot stronger than I imagined it would be. The keyboard is incredibly solid. You aren't going to feel any noticeable flex unless you are straight pushing on it close to the top.
 

jason10mm

Gold Member
For people who have bought older models, do thy usually sell out, or would it be relatively easy to get one until Black Friday? I'm on the fence, leaning toward yes, just want to see how it plays Starcraft 2 and Civ V in tablet mode before buying.

I play Civ5, Beyond Earth, and X-com on my pro 1, I don't think you will have any issues with those games on any surface, especially a SP4 (though I don't know specifically how well StarCraft plays on one I imagine it runs fairly well).
 

Sh1ner

Member
For drawing/painting maybe light 3d is it better to get the i7 model at the cost of £220 ($338) more?

I am looking at the surface pro 4 instead of the SB, will be getting the 8Gb version at the very least. Will be purchasing in the UK.

I am also considering the HP Spectre x360. I am still torn between the two. I assume Microsoft's implementation of N trig will be superior to HP's pen tech.
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
For drawing/painting maybe light 3d is it better to get the i7 model at the cost of £220 ($338) more?

I am looking at the surface pro 4 instead of the SB, will be getting the 8Gb version at the very least. Will be purchasing in the UK.

I am also considering the HP Spectre x360. I am still torn between the two. I assume Microsoft's implementation of N trig will be superior to HP's pen tech.

If you might do any gaming it could be worth it. Otherwise I wouldn't just for the CPU improvement
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom