Tried the new Surface Pro 7 today...

[jjudson]

I stopped into Best Buy and played around a bit with the new Surface Pro 7 today. They are not ready for shipment until next month, but Best Buy and others are taking orders right now. I've held off on buying the Gen 3 iPad Pro due to durability concerns, so I wanted to see how this new Microsoft unit compared as I have a serious decision to make soon.

My first impressions handling this unit is that -- like it's predecessors -- it appears to be built like a tank. It's slightly thicker than the iPad Pro and the kickstand adds to it's structure. Of course, the trade-off is that it's noticeably heavier. I'm okay with that.

The screen is bright and the colors look great. I do think that the iPad Pro screen has a bit more crispness and color depth. The screen resolution of the Surface is easy on the eyes. It does, however, run a version of Windows, so the fonts and icons are scaled very small. Selecting with fingers works fine, though I believe you need to be a bit more accurate in picking things. The screen size has a different aspect ratio than the iPad Pro, but I didn't really find that to be a problem.

The keyboard on the Surface is really great. The trackpad is smooth and feels nice. The mouse action on the screen is quick and nimble with the trackpad. I did not have a chance to use an external mouse, but I would assume that it works very similar. The keys have a nice tactile feedback and with the "carpet" material, it looks and feels great. Typing is quick and feels much better than my Macbook Pro. Screen typing worked fine as expected.

The programs opened quickly -- though not quite as quick as the iPad Pro. The ones I used (Microsoft apps) worked fine and smoothly. I did not get to see it do any heavy crunching as I would expect to experience with Photoshop or other processor and memory-intensive programs, so I cannot speak to its handling of those. Speaking of memory, the sales guy told me that the internal storage and memory are user-upgradable -- a BIG plus for the Surface Pro over the iPad Pro.

My biggest disappointment was the pencil. There's definitely a lag that is very noticeable. As my most active use of my iPad Pro is as a pen tablet, this could be a bit of a deal-killer for me. I think that the lag would become less apparent with regular use, but coming directly from an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, it really stood out for me.

I did not get to try the LTE connectivity, but that is a big plus for me that I've waited for before even considering the Surface.

I'll be watching Apple closely over the next several months. I'm disappointed that I've gotten to a point where I'm even considering the competition, but Apple has their ups and downs. I just think they might be in one of those "downs" right now. If they hit the durability mark on the next release -- and iron out the iPad OS bugs -- I'll likely stick. I'm not crazy at all about Microsoft's security and privacy policies.

All-in-all, the Surface Pro 7 is a solid unit, but it certainly lacks the polish of the iPad Pro. I'm just as on the fence as I was when I started.

Just my humble two cents. Your opinions will most likely vary...

 

[Freakonomics101]

The Surface products are indeed nice but Windows alone is a dealbreaker.

 

[rowspaxe]

I love the surface pro, but I think a laptop with a complimentary ipad is--imo--a better approach
than a two in one. I am committed to windows and my life was made much easier when
Apple finally sorted out iCloud on windows. Drawings on my ipad update to my windows laptop
in less than a minute. I archive ideas and reference in oneNote on my laptop or desktop.

 

[sparksd]

I'll keep my 2018 12.9 Pro and Dell XPS 13 with QHD display - I like both of them but use them for different things and have no burning urge to have just a single device.

 

[muzzy996]

Thanks for the thoughts. Looking forward to picking between the surface pro 7 and x. For me Windows is the deal maker not a deal breaker,. I have room in my bag for two tablets since neither ticks all boxes for me alone.

FYI the surface pro 7 doesn't have LTE, that's reserved for the X.

 

[joeblow7777]

I've never seen the iPad Pro to the Surface Pro as an apples to apples comparison (no pun intended). The Surface Pro is a laptop trying to be a tablet and the iPad Pro is a tablet trying to be a laptop.

That being said, I use a (non-pro) iPad and a Surface Laptop daily for work and recreation and I'm definitely a fan of both product lines. It's just that they fill different niches and have different strengths/weaknesses.

 

[muzzy996]

I've never seen the iPad Pro to the Surface Pro as an apples to apples comparison (no pun intended). The Surface Pro is a laptop trying to be a tablet and the iPad Pro is a tablet trying to be a laptop.

That being said, I use a (non-pro) iPad and a Surface Laptop daily for work and recreation and I'm definitely a fine of both product lines. It's just that they fill different niches and have different strengths/weaknesses.

I dont see them that way. I see an iPad and a Surface, neither of which is a full fledged laptop or desktop. Even the surface laptop that you have exists because it fills a slightly different niche than the surface pro itself. It’s nice having a selection of tools to choose from to accomplish various workflows effectively.

 

[AutomaticApple]

I stopped into Best Buy and played around a bit with the new Surface Pro 7 today. They are not ready for shipment until next month, but Best Buy and others are taking orders right now. I've held off on buying the Gen 3 iPad Pro due to durability concerns, so I wanted to see how this new Microsoft unit compared as I have a serious decision to make soon.

My first impressions handling this unit is that -- like it's predecessors -- it appears to be built like a tank. It's slightly thicker than the iPad Pro and the kickstand adds to it's structure. Of course, the trade-off is that it's noticeably heavier. I'm okay with that.

The screen is bright and the colors look great. I do think that the iPad Pro screen has a bit more crispness and color depth. The screen resolution of the Surface is easy on the eyes. It does, however, run a version of Windows, so the fonts and icons are scaled very small. Selecting with fingers works fine, though I believe you need to be a bit more accurate in picking things. The screen size has a different aspect ratio than the iPad Pro, but I didn't really find that to be a problem.

The keyboard on the Surface is really great. The trackpad is smooth and feels nice. The mouse action on the screen is quick and nimble with the trackpad. I did not have a chance to use an external mouse, but I would assume that it works very similar. The keys have a nice tactile feedback and with the "carpet" material, it looks and feels great. Typing is quick and feels much better than my Macbook Pro. Screen typing worked fine as expected.

The programs opened quickly -- though not quite as quick as the iPad Pro. The ones I used (Microsoft apps) worked fine and smoothly. I did not get to see it do any heavy crunching as I would expect to experience with Photoshop or other processor and memory-intensive programs, so I cannot speak to its handling of those. Speaking of memory, the sales guy told me that the internal storage and memory are user-upgradable -- a BIG plus for the Surface Pro over the iPad Pro.

My biggest disappointment was the pencil. There's definitely a lag that is very noticeable. As my most active use of my iPad Pro is as a pen tablet, this could be a bit of a deal-killer for me. I think that the lag would become less apparent with regular use, but coming directly from an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, it really stood out for me.

I did not get to try the LTE connectivity, but that is a big plus for me that I've waited for before even considering the Surface.

I'll be watching Apple closely over the next several months. I'm disappointed that I've gotten to a point where I'm even considering the competition, but Apple has their ups and downs. I just think they might be in one of those "downs" right now. If they hit the durability mark on the next release -- and iron out the iPad OS bugs -- I'll likely stick. I'm not crazy at all about Microsoft's security and privacy policies.

All-in-all, the Surface Pro 7 is a solid unit, but it certainly lacks the polish of the iPad Pro. I'm just as on the fence as I was when I started.

Just my humble two cents. Your opinions will most likely vary...

The Surface Pro 7 is definitely a very nice product.

 

[joeblow7777]

I dont see them that way. I see an iPad and a Surface, neither of which is a full fledged laptop or desktop. Even the surface laptop that you have exists because it fills a slightly different niche than the surface pro itself. It’s nice having a selection of tools to choose from to accomplish various workflows effectively.

Kinda sounds like we're saying the same thing. My point is also that all of these devices fill different niches, which is why I don't see an iPad Pro vs. a Surface Pro as a fair or useful comparison. Even though Apple may claim that the iPad Pro can be your laptop, it's a tablet, and still has some tablet limitations. And even though the Surface Pro is technically a tablet, it is designed in every way to function as a Windows laptop.

This is why, even though I think both of the aforementioned devices are awesome, I've personally chosen my combination of a regular (2018) iPad and a Surface Laptop 2. I feel that the iPad works best as a really good pure tablet, not trying to be a full computer with keyboard and all. It's my go-to device for simple web surfing, social media, light productivity like emails and viewing documents, streaming media, and some other specific apps that I use for work. As for the Surface Laptop, as I said, I like the Surface Pro, but if it's going to be my "laptop", might as well get it in the form that's actually full-fledged laptop.

So, although others might feel differently, I don't think that either the iPad Pro or Surface Pro work well as both a tablet and a laptop.

 

[rowspaxe]

Thanks for the thoughts. Looking forward to picking between the surface pro 7 and x. For me Windows is the deal maker not a deal breaker,.

Word to the wise: skip gen one devices unless you have money to burn. Also, I can't understand the
Windows hate in 2019. I use both Windows and MacOS and both are fine

 

[RevTEG]

Honestly, the whole iPad iPad pro durability thing is way overrated. I have the 2018 12.9. I keep it in Apples Smart Keyboard or folio. It lives in my backpack. I carry it all over Asia doing relief work during earthquakes and typhoons. I just returned from Asia last Tuesday. I’ve had my 2018 since launch day. It’s been crammed under countless airplane seats. Zero issues. As a matter of fact we issue our team iPad pros and have only had one issue. One had a touch issue and Apple replaced it the same day. We do not baby our iPad pros. We do not keep them in tank size cases as travelbilty is essential. the surface pros are cool but don’t pass on the iPad over durability concerns. They make Apple care for the slim chance you have any issues.

also, what PadOS bugs are you experiencing that need ironed out? I’ve been on all but one public beta and find the GM version to be really stable. The bugs I had during the betas are gone.

 

[Jessemtz25]

I stopped into Best Buy and played around a bit with the new Surface Pro 7 today. They are not ready for shipment until next month, but Best Buy and others are taking orders right now. I've held off on buying the Gen 3 iPad Pro due to durability concerns, so I wanted to see how this new Microsoft unit compared as I have a serious decision to make soon.

My first impressions handling this unit is that -- like it's predecessors -- it appears to be built like a tank. It's slightly thicker than the iPad Pro and the kickstand adds to it's structure. Of course, the trade-off is that it's noticeably heavier. I'm okay with that.

The screen is bright and the colors look great. I do think that the iPad Pro screen has a bit more crispness and color depth. The screen resolution of the Surface is easy on the eyes. It does, however, run a version of Windows, so the fonts and icons are scaled very small. Selecting with fingers works fine, though I believe you need to be a bit more accurate in picking things. The screen size has a different aspect ratio than the iPad Pro, but I didn't really find that to be a problem.

The keyboard on the Surface is really great. The trackpad is smooth and feels nice. The mouse action on the screen is quick and nimble with the trackpad. I did not have a chance to use an external mouse, but I would assume that it works very similar. The keys have a nice tactile feedback and with the "carpet" material, it looks and feels great. Typing is quick and feels much better than my Macbook Pro. Screen typing worked fine as expected.

The programs opened quickly -- though not quite as quick as the iPad Pro. The ones I used (Microsoft apps) worked fine and smoothly. I did not get to see it do any heavy crunching as I would expect to experience with Photoshop or other processor and memory-intensive programs, so I cannot speak to its handling of those. Speaking of memory, the sales guy told me that the internal storage and memory are user-upgradable -- a BIG plus for the Surface Pro over the iPad Pro.

My biggest disappointment was the pencil. There's definitely a lag that is very noticeable. As my most active use of my iPad Pro is as a pen tablet, this could be a bit of a deal-killer for me. I think that the lag would become less apparent with regular use, but coming directly from an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, it really stood out for me.

I did not get to try the LTE connectivity, but that is a big plus for me that I've waited for before even considering the Surface.

I'll be watching Apple closely over the next several months. I'm disappointed that I've gotten to a point where I'm even considering the competition, but Apple has their ups and downs. I just think they might be in one of those "downs" right now. If they hit the durability mark on the next release -- and iron out the iPad OS bugs -- I'll likely stick. I'm not crazy at all about Microsoft's security and privacy policies.

All-in-all, the Surface Pro 7 is a solid unit, but it certainly lacks the polish of the iPad Pro. I'm just as on the fence as I was when I started.

Just my humble two cents. Your opinions will most likely vary...

I respect your concern but as someone with a IPP 3rd gen I find the durability concern silly. I've checked mine for bending against a ruler multiple times and haven't had any issues but that's my experience.

 

[triangletechie]

I'm probably going to get the SP 7.

 

[StellarVixen]

I would buy that under only two conditions: 1. I must be able to install Linux on it, and it has to work, 2. Somehow, there is no Mac in existence to buy.

 

[jjudson]

also, what PadOS bugs are you experiencing that need ironed out? I’ve been on all but one public beta and find the GM version to be really stable. The bugs I had during the betas are gone.

So far, it’s just a general flakiness: Screens being blank and needing to be refreshed, browser windows scrolled, formatting for apps off. Some of it are the apps themselves. iPad OS apparently took some developers by surprise, and they are playing catch-up.

As to durability, I can’t spend $1500 on something I don’t trust. It sounds like you’ve had good experiences with yours, others haven’t. I’m a bit of a super-user And I travel a ton. If I have to wait — or pick something I’m more comfortable with — I will, even if it seems irrational.

 

[rowspaxe]

Honestly, the whole iPad iPad pro durability thing is way overrated. I have the 2018 12.9. I keep it in Apples Smart Keyboard or folio. It lives in my backpack.

gaahk. backpacks--imo--are potential ipad destroyers. I always use a laptop case and inexpensive
thin rubberized cover. Might be ok with super bulky smartcover. Did I mention I hate the smart cover?
[automerge]1571606690[/automerge]

I'm probably going to get the SP 7.

Has anyone here played with a Surface pro? Feels super light, almost delicate. My ipad is always
in a cover so feels bigger although it is slightly lighter.

 

[Digitalguy]

gaahk. backpacks--imo--are potential ipad destroyers. I always use a laptop case and inexpensive
thin rubberized cover. Might be ok with super bulky smartcover. Did I mention I hate the smart cover?
[automerge]1571606690[/automerge]
Has anyone here played with a Surface pro? Feels super light, almost delicate. My ipad is always
in a cover so feels bigger although it is slightly lighter.

Before ipad pro become my on the go device, Surface pro 3 used to be it. At that time I did not use any cover, I just put in my backpack with no protection other than the keyboard. And it was not a laptop backpack just a standard one with no protection. Inside there were books / documents, sometimes a UE boom, a bottle of water, some cables, sometimes food. It doesn’t have any big scratch, just barely noticeable ones, the only thing that has some damage is the keyboard cover. Ipad pro always stays in the logitech create keyboard, which by the way slightly broke too...

 

[pika2000]

The Surface Pro is a laptop first, with touchscreen and stylus capability. Once you accept that, you’ll be fine. If you keep hoping it to be a tablet first, you’ll be disappointed pretty quickly.

 

[polbit]

All-in-all, the Surface Pro 7 is a solid unit, but it certainly lacks the polish of the iPad Pro. I'm just as on the fence as I was when I started.

Just my humble two cents. Your opinions will most likely vary...

Excellent review! I chose Surface Pro over iPad few years back as I needed more of a serious laptop-replacement, and now on Surface Pro 6. I enjoy it immensely for what it offers, but just got the 12.9 iPad Pro. Between two of them, I have my portable nirvana.

 

[Digitalguy]

The Surface Pro is a laptop first, with touchscreen and stylus capability. Once you accept that, you’ll be fine. If you keep hoping it to be a tablet first, you’ll be disappointed pretty quickly.

Things are not so simple. A question that should be asked is probably ”What’s a tablet?” (which alone would be good for a whole thread). People tend to think laying on a sofa or use Job’s word for the OG ipad. I personally don‘t lay on a sofa with any device. And I still have many ipads and several surface devices. Once we agree on a definition of tablet, then we can do tablet vs laptop.

 

[HDFan]

I have the 2018 12.9. I keep it in Apples Smart Keyboard or folio. It lives in my backpack. I carry it all over Asia

Same here. Have carried various models in my backpack (in pocket next to back) on innumerable flights and 7 continents. Dropped it once like a frisby throw and all I got were some scratches. Never any problems.

 

[pika2000]

Things are not so simple. A question that should be asked is probably ”What’s a tablet?” (which alone would be good for a whole thread). People tend to think laying on a sofa or use Job’s word for the OG ipad. I personally don‘t lay on a sofa with any device. And I still have many ipads and several surface devices. Once we agree on a definition of tablet, then we can do tablet vs laptop.

If you think the Surface Pro is a tablet first, go ahead sell your Surface Pro keyboard and use it as a tablet only.

As an owner of a Surface Pro, I stay with my statement, that the Surface Pro is a laptop first, with features like touch screen and stylus support.

 

[tarsins]

If you think the Surface Pro is a tablet first, go ahead sell your Surface Pro keyboard and use it as a tablet only.

As an owner of a Surface Pro, I stay with my statement, that the Surface Pro is a laptop first, with features like touch screen and stylus support.

Fully agree. In a fit of insanity I bought the Surface Book 2 because I have to use Windows for work and the idea of the detachable tablet appealed to me.
It's an awful tablet, so I tried out a Surface Pro 6 and that was the same. I don't know if it's Windows, Microsoft, the pen or a combination of all three.
It's now permanently closed, attached to a dock and I use my iDevices (iMac/MBP/iPad Pro) to RDP into it to do my Windows stuff.

 

[leebroath]

Has anyone tried the Microsoft Pro X yet?

Would love to hear about this and how it copes with heavy usage like video editing in PP CC

 

[0989382]

I can’t spend $1500 on something I don’t trust

That's a fair reason to make your decisions. But I'm not sure if Microsoft's Surface division have earned the reputation of Apple for looking after customers yet. Warranty returns are much worse here in the UK without many Microsoft Stores. You might live far from one even in the US. That means no same-day replacements, in-store repairs and having to wait for devices to be posted away, fixed, then posted back to you with no backup machine provided. Also, in desperate times you can usually have an iPad screen repaired at a questionable mall repair kiosk (I wouldn't dream of using one but if you were overseas and needed mission critical work done you might, and at least you could). It's unlikely they'd stock parts readily available for the Surface.

Apple also in more cases than not will 'do the right thing', meaning repairs, replacements and recall work done way beyond warranty simply to keep your faith in the brand. Microsoft don't have this reputation yet, and the customer satisfaction and experience data on Surface reliability, repairs etc aren't outstanding to say the least. At least they weren't initially, but in terms of making a safe bet now do your homework to convince yourself the best you can that they're now a safe bet.