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[GopherD]

Sorry, I cannot see this working for MS. 3rd party OEMs are releasing their own versions of win8 tablets. MS cannot undercut their pricing as they then won't use win8 and back to Android they go. Similarly, xbla games designed to run on win8 will also run on cheaper hardware. I don't understand the need for a seperate branded tablet.

 

[lowrider007]

That still brings up issues. Are you going to plug in a usb mouse while you're out and use that keyboard? Are you going to lug a controller around? Doable sure but probably unlikely for most people. And at home no one's going to use that thing over their PC.

That's the problem for me, it's just not practical, I don't own any tablet but if I was going to get one then I'd rather grab an ipad and embrace touch and have a massive library of games that are designed with that in mind.

 

[darkside31337]

That still brings up issues. Are you going to plug in a usb mouse while you're out and use that keyboard? Are you going to lug a controller around? Doable sure but probably unlikely for most people. And at home no one's going to use that thing over their PC.

edit: For gaming I mean.

Well for me personally it'd be a replacement to this 3 year old laptop. The specs on the Pro will crush the stuff on my laptop right now and it's definitely more portable in general. I can take the tablet with me on the go and throw in a mouse with it. I don't really do much PC gaming, I just play PC games that are exclusive to the platform on this laptop, the rest of my gaming is on consoles and handhelds. If this thing can do what my laptop does but just be able to be used as a tablet as well then I'm quite excited for it.

I agree though its a pretty small niche and definitely isn't for most people on GAF. But there isn't really anything else out there right now that can do what the Surface potentially can.

 

[Fixed1979]

That still brings up issues. Are you going to plug in a usb mouse while you're out and use that keyboard? Are you going to lug a controller around? Doable sure but probably unlikely for most people. And at home no one's going to use that thing over their PC.

edit: For gaming I mean.

Perhaps, a 360 controller on a long plane or bus ride. Throw it on your bag and it's not a big deal, I wouldn't walk around town with a controller in my hand or anything though. If you're out and about I and want to bust it out for a bit I'm sure one of the two keyboards with the touchpad will suffice.

 

[Pierre Levegh]

Finally tablet that can replace owning a pc. This thing looks amazing and will be my new pc solution when it launches. I hope it wont be priced much higher than an iPad.

MS... shut up and take my money.

+1 I've been waiting for a tablet that could replace a laptop for PC games.

 

[Grewas]

Remember the last time Microsoft made hardware? We're so quick to forget their failures.

microsoft has an history of great hardware. From small accessories like mice, keyboards and controllers to things like the original xbox and the zune. I can't really think of anything other than the 360 from microsoft that was notoriously poorly built.

 

[Oppo]

If people are on the move they are very likely to find this more usable. As I said: you get your tablet on your way there and you get your laptop when you get there. That's basically the whole idea of the concept for me and how it should work. All you need is to bring the Surface + charger + 360 controller in order to get pretty much the same setup you'd have at home, albeit less powerful.

Expanding on this: if people get that attached to the thing because their work implies travel, then it surely could end up being their main PC (getting used to that desktop, having everything in there if they dont use the cloud) and replacing their home one, since it would lose it's purpose.

It's not as far-fetched as you think. Many people only have iPads for their computing needs, this only expands on that aspect.

360 controller is proprietary RF though – could be a problem? I guess solvable with a USB dongle but that's another bit to carry.

 

[CountAntonius]

I'd rather it have xbla games on the go then try to poorly run high end PC titles.

 

[wwm0nkey]

If it's XBLA-only, then no. Wouldn't they have to re-license all the XBLA games for this thing, anyways?

RT will be XBLA only, Pro will have Steam and ect.

 

[lowrider007]

RT will be XBLA only, Pro will have Steam and ect.

What gpu is in the pro?

 

[Lonely1]

For gaming? Not much.

 

[hongcha]

If it will play all the XBLA stuff I already bought and it lets me use my wireless 360 controller, I'm in.

 

[UntoldDreams]

Haven't we had Windows tablets like the HP Slate for quite some time now though?

I thought the issues for the win tablets really were that cramming a full PC into a tablet ended up compromising everything "cool" about having the power of a PC for the form factor and short battery life or a tablet.

 

[Quadrangulum]

No. I may ditch my iPad for this because it might actually be useful for work and I'm sure it's going to integrate better into the indispensable Windows ecosystem but for gaming I'm still covered well between my PC, consoles, laptop, and handhelds. Concerning gaming, this looks like it simply occupies a different part of the uncomfortable midrange between laptops and portables at least for the kinds of games I enjoy.

 

[Spasm]

What if it had the 360 controller wireless dongle built-in? Sexytime.

 

[PhatSaqs]

I'm with the OT crowd and will so own this.

 

[Bullza2o]

I'm an anti-tablet person overall, but after seeing the Surface I began to become interested. Perhaps the biggest factor why I dislike tablets is due to its limited functions. If this thing can run any Windows software/games (Diablo III) which it looks like it can, then I'll finally see the tablet that I really want to see. I shall wait a few generations though.

 

[beelzebozo]

is this powerful enough to do facebook, play farmville, etc

 

[Baron_Calamity]

If the pro is a decent ultra book, and it has a reasonable price, I'll consider it.

 

[Atomski]

Looks alright. If I can run adobe suite on it and it supports the touch functions I wouldnt mind one. Thats the main reason I think most tablets are dumb.. I want something I can actually design on.

 

[knitoe]

I might get the pro to replace my Asus EP121 Windows 7 tablet. And, I doubt the intel integrated GPU will be able to play anything even remotely graphic intensive. So, no, it's not going to a gaming device.

 

[clashfan]

Wait iPads don't have usb connector?

 

[Tyrax]

I might get the pro to replace my Asus EP121 Windows 7 tablet. And, I doubt the intel integrated GPU will be able to play anything even remotely graphic intensive. So, no, it's not going to a gaming device.

My Mac friends tell me that their MacBook Air will run Diablo 3, I can't see why this would be any different. Right now that is good enough for me.

 

[Barkley's Justice]

Runs Steam, world ends

 

[Visualante2]

microsoft has an history of great hardware. From small accessories like mice, keyboards and controllers to things like the original xbox and the zune. I can't really think of anything other than the 360 from microsoft that was notoriously poorly built.

A lot of those simple accessories are just branded Microsoft and manufactured by Logitech. I use the intellimouse myself, but it's difficult to compare the two. I mean the 360 controller is great so I agree.

 

[Barkley's Justice]

PS - This is what you'll be buying your parents as the sun sets on the pc as we know it for "the common folk"...

 

[fernoca]

Interesting also because of the addition of USB and Micro SD; on top of the internal memory.

 

[Kibbles]

With PCs, three consoles and two handhelds, there are so many better ways to play video games that I cant for the life of me see why anyone would want to use a tablet for gaming.

Play game anywhere. Wireless Dongle + Wireless Controller for serious games.

 

[Tyrax]

I think this makes the Xbox SmartGlass scenarios a lot more interesting. I'm glad that I will not need to unlock my phone each time I want to do something, I can just leave this running.

 

[GillianSeed79]

For me, it's not so much that I'm anti-tablet and more like, as with fashion, I'm always about four years behind everyone else. I was on vacation last week and I realized as I lugged my giant gaming laptop around everyone else in my family was playing games on their slim iPhones and iPads. My brother in law was playing a EA sports golf game and damn if it didn't look like an HD port. Meanwhile I'm playing ios level games on a 16-inch laptop. Do people actually own laptops these days? The way this works for me is when I finally do buy an iPhone or iPad everyone will have either moved on to this or we'll have these $5,000 gaming TV's or Apple will announce they've created the holo deck.

 

[flyinpiranha]

I want it. The one thing holding me back from an iPad is the fact I'm stuck using app store software for everything ... and the ridiculous price.

If the Pro is a decent price ($399-400) and can run Steam and play my Xblive games with a USB controller (don't see why not, it works on Windows 7) ... then fuck yeah.

 

[Apath]

Nope. I like buttons.

This has them.

Indeed, I'm not sure how a modern PC game could run on it, considering some of them require 30 gigs or more of hard drive space.

You can get it with 128GB of HDD space.

 

[BruiserBear]

I want it. The one thing holding me back from an iPad is the fact I'm stuck using app store software for everything ... and the ridiculous price.

If the Pro is a decent price ($399-400) and can run Steam and play my Xblive games with a USB controller (don't see why not, it works on Windows 7) ... then fuck yeah.

Ridiculous price? I'm assuming you're not aware you can buy an iPad for $399.

 

[Emitan]

Yes. I can play "real" games on it. I've given dozens upon dozens of iOS games a try and none of them can satisfy me for longer than an hour.

 

[Aeana]

I want it. The one thing holding me back from an iPad is the fact I'm stuck using app store software for everything ... and the ridiculous price.

If the Pro is a decent price ($399-400) and can run Steam and play my Xblive games with a USB controller (don't see why not, it works on Windows 7) ... then fuck yeah.

Didn't they say the Pro will be in line with ultrabook pricing? So $400 isn't going to happen.

 

[Phoenician_Viking]

If MSSurface have Xbox live for free, that would be funny.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

So you can use the keyboard and it has usb (so mouse) for gaming? Seems like a screen with invisible hardware (lol tablet). I don't see a point, for me, to buy one. To answer the question, no.

Take a good long look at your own username.

 

[wwm0nkey]

If MSSurface have Xbox live for free, that would be funny.

Xbox Live on PC is free, they stopped charging for it soon after they attempted with GFWL.

 

[masud]

Nope tablets are still useless tech for me. Don't understand their popularity. Wake me up when they start making win 8 laptops w/ touch screens.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I want it. The one thing holding me back from an iPad is the fact I'm stuck using app store software for everything ... and the ridiculous price.

If the Pro is a decent price ($399-400) and can run Steam and play my Xblive games with a USB controller (don't see why not, it works on Windows 7) ... then fuck yeah.

If the iPad price is "ridiculous" and you think the Pro will be $399-400, it's safe to say you won't be buying a Pro. Also I wouldn't' count on much hardcore gaming on the thing. There will probably be a lot of touch based stuff but it's not like you are going to be playing the next Crysis or Witcher.

 

[Elginer]

Nope tablets are still useless tech for me. Don't understand their popularity. Wake me up when they start making win 8 laptops w/ touch screens.

That's what the pro essentially is.

 

[A Twisty Fluken]

I am not anti-tablet (typing this on my fourth iPad), but I was interested in the pro version until I heard "priced like an ultrabook" and "thicker and hotter than the RT version."

Cover's neato, but Windows ARM does not appeal to me, and if the price for the full monty is $1000 like it sounds, well....I am probably not buying that over a $1000 MacBook Air. LOVE that 11" mama.

Now, iPad priced full windows tablet with IVB graphics? That I could have gone for.

 

[BUCKFUSH187]

only if it comes with a controller.

 

[kuroshiki]

I probably will get one since ARM version has built in office. That alone is worth the money.

As a gamer, however? pff.

 

[masud]

That's what the pro essentially is.

Not really the keyboard is a cover, it looks like it would be really difficult to use on your lap or on your chest while laying in bed.

 

[kuroshiki]

I want it. The one thing holding me back from an iPad is the fact I'm stuck using app store software for everything ... and the ridiculous price.

If the Pro is a decent price ($399-400) and can run Steam and play my Xblive games with a USB controller (don't see why not, it works on Windows 7) ... then fuck yeah.

For 399 price range you are looking for ARM version not I5 version.

No way in hell MS will charge 400 for i5 version.

 

[Emitan]

I probably will get one since ARM version has built in office. That alone is worth the money.

As a gamer, however? pff.

well you won't be doing much gaming on ARM

 

[VALIS]

Nope tablets are still useless tech for me. Don't understand their popularity. Wake me up when they start making win 8 laptops w/ touch screens.

That's pretty much what the Pro is.

Not really the keyboard is a cover, it looks like it would be really difficult to use on your lap or on your chest while laying in bed.

USB port = USB keyboard.

 

[Shining Sunshine]

I would just buy a Zenbook instead.

i7 and no win8

 

[The Abominable Snowman]

The gaming side of RT isn't quite hashed out, but the Pro should be considered a PC, all things considered. It's like looking at a laptop.