I bought a SurfaceBook

[SteveJUAE]

If you don't need the performance of the quad core CPU and stronger dGPU the HP make for a compelling package, especially being a 360 2 in 1 with full pen support. I find my Surface Book's custom 940M offers a nice uplift in graphic performance over iGPU.

What I think is; if your satisfied with your Surface Book's performance the 15" 360 will be more so, thx to 7th Gen CPU (marginally) and the dGPU. HP has made huge strides in it's design and quality, that said I've never personally had issue and still have an old DV2 that runs, which has seen off several Mac's

Q-6

Although generally Quad core CPU should be better there's always exceptions due to possibly poor programing that may well only use 25% of the available CPU although I understand hyper threading can assist in these cases, sometimes.

I doubt if we could find a list of such programmes but I'm struggling to find one for programmes/software that use quad core. Theirs lots of generalisations (eg Video editing) but I was hoping someone kept an up to date list for MacOS and Win10 so we can be sure we are not over spec'ing or even wrongly disappointed by choosing dual core for no good reason

 

[Queen6]

Although generally Quad core CPU should be better there's always exceptions due to possibly poor programing that may well only use 25% of the available CPU although I understand hyper threading can assist in these cases, sometimes.

I doubt if we could find a list of such programmes but I'm struggling to find one for programmes/software that use quad core. Theirs lots of generalisations (eg Video editing) but I was hoping someone kept an up to date list for MacOS and Win10 so we can be sure we are not over spec'ing or even wrongly disappointed by choosing dual core for no good reason

Video transcoding most definitely, which is also a good example, as it's often specialised tasks, where applications are specifically written to take advantage of as many logical cores as are present in the system. For many users they would never know the difference, with the duel core being marginally faster some circumstance due to the thermals.

I own and use quad core Mac's, yet rarely travel with them, preferring the portability of the 13" class notebook, another factor is due to the vast improvements in connectivity is to simply remote into a desktop solution for heavy lifting. Similar to many, the up-sale is everything encompassing ever higher margins.

Absolutely there's a market for the likes of HP's 15" 360 as it makes sense on a lot of levels for many, inversely some will just buy the "biggest" numbers, so they can say so. Personally as my systems are used for professional purpose I want enough performance to meet my needs for the forthcoming 24 months, however I certainly don't look to over spec as it only serves to be a nicer gift for someone else, and empty my pockets faster

Q-6
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Hmm, per what I read the HP has the better cpu vs the XPS 2 in 1 model.

Yes the XPS 13 2 in 1 has the passively cooled Y series CPU, those with higher demands will be far better served by the more typical i5/i7 actively cooled CPU's.

I have used a Retina MacBook in a professional role for 21 months so have some experience. If the usage requires sustained heavy CPU usage then an actively cooled is the better solution. I would best describe passively cooled notebooks as best suited to more basic tasks, business use etc. not the best all rounders.

Between the Dell and the HP, I would opt for the HP as there has been times when, I needed more performance from my rMB, yet it had no more to give. Admittedly I prefer Microsoft's Surface Book over the 13" 360, however the 15" 360 is an interesting product, as for me Touch & Pen input only make sense if the device is designed to be used in such a manner.

Q-6

 

[SteveJUAE]

Video transcoding most definitely, which is also a good example, as it's often specialised tasks, where applications are specifically written to take advantage of as many logical cores as are present in the system. For many users they would never know the difference, with the duel core being marginally faster some circumstance due to the thermals.

I own and use quad core Mac's, yet rarely travel with them, preferring the portability of the 13" class notebook, another factor is due to the vast improvements in connectivity is to simply remote into a desktop solution for heavy lifting. Similar to many, the up-sale is everything encompassing ever higher margins.

Absolutely there's a market for the likes of HP's 15" 360 as it makes sense on a lot of levels for many, inversely some will just buy the "biggest" numbers, so they can say so. Personally as my systems are used for professional purpose I want enough performance to meet my needs for the forthcoming 24 months, however I certainly don't look to over spec as it only serves to be a nicer gift for someone else, and empty my pockets faster

Q-6

Yes outside of some multimedia apps, games and a few specialised applications there is not a lot really as far as I can see other than Excel in Win10

I suppose it's better than before with newer quads having a higher base clock rate now but it almost seems unless you are doing a lot in FCP or Adobe Premiere/PS most wont know or see anything other than in benchmarks

So your more likely to get dragged into Quad core by opting for higher other specs (Game related ?) more than a specific requirement

 

[Macman45]

The HP is definitely eye catching, I like it a lot, but from what I've seen, its a 15w TDP CPU, where as the Dell uses the 45w TDP. Plus with the dell you get a better GPU. Still for medium sort of work, I like the HP

Funny, but I just can't get on with the pen at all. Something in me says it's wrong to use a sharp object on the screen. I seldom use tablet mode unless I'm out and tend to use my Surface as a laptop. Works well like that with the KB attached.

 

[maflynn]

Funny, but I just can't get on with the pen at all.

Tbh, I don't use the pen that much, but when I use the touch screen its with my fingers

 

[Queen6]

Tbh, I don't use the pen that much, but when I use the touch screen its with my fingers

Am pushing myself to use the Pen as the text conversion feature in OneNote is excellent. It's more a question breaking old routines and adopting to new ones, that can improve productivity. Also looking at the Pen adoption in Viso as it's more natural for basic tasks. MyScript's Nebo is another notable App well worth mentioning for those looking to use the Pen.

Q-6

 

[Ethosik]

I've owned every single Surface Pro since the SP2 so problems like this aren't just things I can personally fix. Future Windows updates and firmware updates will fix these issues, however they will also introduce brand new bind blowing issues which confusingly slip past the quality control team. It has always worked this way with the Surface lineup.

Don't get me wrong, Apple has their own major ****ups, like how they can't ship a product line that doesn't have a crippling image retention or GPU problem, but Mac OS is still far better for battery and far more stable in my experiences than Windows.

MacOS is more stable and feels more polished and streamlined.

Windows is much more buggy, uglier and feels like a discount OS.

Agreed. I found Windows 10 at RTM to be pretty much flawless. But the anniversary update (1607)? Don't get me started. THEY BROKE ALL SHORTCUTS! THEY BROKE WINDOWS UPDATE!

In order to fix it, I had to download an update from the catalog site. Ridiculous.

 

[maflynn]

In order to fix it, I had to download an update from the catalog site. Ridiculous.

I suppose I was lucky because my update (or upgrade to anniversary) was seamless. It took a couple of tries but it finally worked - at least on my SurfaceBook

 

[SteveJUAE]

I suppose I was lucky because my update (or upgrade to anniversary) was seamless. It took a couple of tries but it finally worked - at least on my SurfaceBook

Ditto I just checked out of curiosity from the above and it was there did not even notice it was updated

 

[Ethosik]

I suppose I was lucky because my update (or upgrade to anniversary) was seamless. It took a couple of tries but it finally worked - at least on my SurfaceBook

Yeah you were lucky! I have seen this 10 times now. Let's just say I am not very happy with Microsoft at the moment. I was all in for Windows 10 at launch, telling EVERYONE to make use out of the free upgrade and get it. I even purchased a few new copies for around $700. I had some problems with the 1511 update too .

 

[belvdr]

I haven't seen that issue either. So far I think it's been deployed to about 4500 systems, including VMs.

 

[Queen6]

Another with no issue with the Windows 10 Anniversary update, seamless experience.

Q-6

 

[maflynn]

Another with no issue with the Windows 10 Anniversary update, seamless experience.

Q-6

I'm looking forward to the next release, I'm not a gamer or creator but I think there's some things in the update that will improve my day to day usage

 

[Queen6]

I'm looking forward to the next release, I'm not a gamer or creator but I think there's some things in the update that will improve my day to day usage

Same here, impressed with Microsoft's direction of late looking forward to the Creators Update this spring, as Microsoft are now delivering tangible benefits to it's users.

Q-6

 

[v0lume4]

Same here, impressed with Microsoft's direction of late looking forward to the Creators Update this spring, as Microsoft are now delivering tangible benefits to it's users.

Q-6

If you ask me, Microsoft smells blood and realizes that they can swoop in and capture the creative market, not unlike Apple in the days of yore. Apple had better keep their wits about them.

 

[MRU]

If you ask me, Microsoft smells blood and realizes that they can swoop in and capture the creative market, not unlike Apple in the days of yore. Apple had better keep their wits about them.

They will only capture the creative market if they can persuade all the print industry to change from Mac to PC. Designers and creatives at the end of the day need compatibility more than 'extra features' or shiny hardware.

I need to know whatever i have designed, illustrated or typeset will turn out exactly as I have designed it and which the client has approved. With all parts of the printing / manufacture chain I deal with all likewise using Mac, it makes submitting final docs to them for production much more efficient and saves worry, time and money.

The surface line look great, but until ALL of the design industry chain swap over (unlikely given the last 25 year history), i will be sticking to Mac.

 

[Queen6]

If you ask me, Microsoft smells blood and realizes that they can swoop in and capture the creative market, not unlike Apple in the days of yore. Apple had better keep their wits about them.

Microsoft will undoubtedly attract some; equally as stated moving to a new workflow is not done without significant thought. I do know some creatives/designers who are now looking with interest to see how the Surface Studio develops as the concept appeals.

Personally my background is engineering with the Surface Book now serving my 13" computing class needs, versus the longstanding MacBook Pro. What I believe is Microsoft is now looking to challenge typical conventions, producing premium "Halo" products that are designed to showcase Windows 10. My own experience with SurfaceBook has been seamless, with Microsoft's premium 2 in 1 being the best notebook I have ever used

Another premium 2 in 1 coming to market is the Porsche Design Book One, the day's of Apple's competition offering dull, bland portables are long gone...

Inversely Apple I feel has simply ran out of ideas, with the only fallback being "thinner" at the cost of usability & features

Q-6

 

[kazmac]

Microsoft will undoubtedly attract some; equally as stated moving to a new workflow is not done without significant thought. I do know some creatives/designers who are now looking with interest to see how the Surface Studio develops as the concept appeals.

Personally my background is engineering with the Surface Book now serving my 13" computing class needs, versus the longstanding MacBook Pro. What I believe is Microsoft is now looking to challenge typical conventions, producing premium "Halo" products that are designed to showcase Windows 10. My own experience with SurfaceBook has been seamless, with Microsoft's premium 2 in 1 being the best notebook I have ever used

Another premium 2 in 1 coming to market is the Porsche Design Book One, the day's of Apple's competition offering dull, bland portables are long gone...

Inversely Apple I feel has simply ran out of ideas, with the only fallback being "thinner" at the cost of usability & features

Q-6

Gosh that is beautiful.

 

[ozreth]

Another premium 2 in 1 coming to market is the Porsche Design Book One, the day's of Apple's competition offering dull, bland portables are long gone...

Wait, that thing is awesome. Do we know if there are similar 2 in 1's coming out soon with a similar hinge mechanism (and that don't say Porche all over them ha). I would definitely want one that could lay flush like that when closed. Also, can we expect more battery life out of the tablet side of things soon? Can the tablet be plugged in to charge?

Is that price point mostly because it was designed by Porche?

I'm new to this whole surface thing and am trying to get a grip one the line and what is coming out.

 

[Queen6]

Wait, that thing is awesome. Do we know if there are similar 2 in 1's coming out soon with a similar hinge mechanism (and that don't say Porche all over them ha). I would definitely want one that could lay flush like that when closed. Also, can we expect more battery life out of the tablet side of things soon? Can the tablet be plugged in to charge?

Is that price point mostly because it was designed by Porche?

I'm new to this whole surface thing and am trying to get a grip one the line and what is coming out.

I too like the design of the Porsche Design Book One, similarly I would prefer a slightly more understated approach, equally that's exactly the same game Apple's in. As the Book One have USB C/Thunder Bolt 3 on the tablet section it very much implies that the tablet can be charged in isolation same as Microsoft's Surface Book. As for the tablets battery life I would expect similar to Surface Book 3-4 hours as a tablet 10-12 as a notebook, potentially more given the 70Wh battery.

Only aspects I don't like is the lack of dGPU & 16:9 display, hopefully this is a indication of Surface Book 2 as I believe Microsoft was also involved in the Book One. Porsche Design looks to put a premium spin on everyday items. The Book One looks to be beautiful executed, equally price reflects, very much liking the symmetrical design of the tablet section & base.

More of the Book One

Personally as a longterm user of the Mac both recreationally and professionally I believe Apple has the mix wrong as once you use and adjust to a good 2 in 1 it simply makes Apple's current offering feel archaic in use. The likes of Microsoft's Surface Book offers so much more usability & flexibility over my Retina Mac's. As I have frequently stated Surface Book is the notebook I once envisaged only Apple could produce, ironically how the tables have turned...

Q-6

 

[maflynn]

Inversely Apple I feel has simply ran out of ideas, with the only fallback being "thinner" at the cost of usability & features

I think its less about them running out of ideas, and more about the Mac is not the focus. They're spending more time, money, and effort in iOS products. Macs are just not important to them anymore, which is why we see ads on how an iPad is a computer which indirectly hurts their Mac sales. Also we have Tim Cook's comments a little while ago

“I think if you’re looking at a PC, why would you buy a PC anymore? No really, why would you buy one?”,

I too like the design of the Porsche Design Book One

That is a gorgeous laptop.

 

[Queen6]

I think its less about them running out of ideas, and more about the Mac is not the focus. They're spending more time, money, and effort in iOS products. Macs are just not important to them anymore, which is why we see ads on how an iPad is a computer which indirectly hurts their Mac sales. Also we have Tim Cook's comments a little while ago

It's definitely part of it as we see Apple depreciating display's & routers. Personally I would rather the provider of my PC solution place the product first. Given Apple's resources the current state of the Mac is poor to say the least, if the Touch Bar is the best Apple can come up with then there's little hope for the future of the Mac, outside of what is today just a stylised product. It's also telling as the desktop OS becomes ever less relevant and unstable. Biggest danger is that people discount Apple as a serious provider of the PC.

That is a gorgeous laptop.

Indeed, I could be tempted myself if I run across one in the wild, equally I would want to see some trusted reviews first as it's not a cheap machine by any means. The Book One looks to be beautifully executed and well thought out offering a reasonable selection of ports to meet the users needs. I also think Surface Book 2 will be along the same lines with dGPU & 3:2 display.


Q-6

 

[ozreth]

I also think Surface Book 2 will be along the same lines with dGPU & 3:2 display.

I'll be on the lookout for that then.