Should I Wait For The SP4

[malberttoo]

Microsoft can do anything they want. It is their decision for both good and bad if they make it ever thinner. It is nice having a holder for the pen like on the SP2. I don't need a case for it. I just carry it under my arm, with the pen clipped into it.

I also don't have to worry about whether the pen feels like working that day or whether there may be battery issues. I had some issues on the SP3 where the pen wouldn't work when I needed it which put me off. The pen on the SP2 has no batteries and always works. I've never even had a moment where it failed to write.

Okay that's fine. The OP specifically mentioned a silo.

I agree with you that some other means of directly attaching the pen TO the Surface, should be a definite feature on the SP4. I'm getting tired of keeping track of my pen.

I never cared for the way they did it on the SP1/SP2 though. The pen got knocked off too easily.

 

[GreyFox7]

Okay that's fine. The OP specifically mentioned a silo.

I agree with you that some other means of directly attaching the pen TO the Surface, should be a definite feature on the SP4. I'm getting tired of keeping track of my pen.

I never cared for the way they did it on the SP1/SP2 though. The pen got knocked off too easily.

Maybe it should be a smart pen and they will give you an app to Find my Pen.

 

[malberttoo]

Maybe it should be a smart pen and they will give you an app to Find my Pen.

Oh great then it will need a 3rd battery, to power the radio...

 

[InspectHerGadget]

The Broadwell i3/i5/i7 replacements, evidently are already being made in the 'millions' and due for release by the end of the year.

To me that means 'in time for Christmas'. The current SP3 chips could get replaced at that time if anyone is looking for the earliest date at which the current chips could be replaced by Broadwell.

I would like to see them go back to a passive pen design but I don't think it will happen.

 

[GreyFox7]

The Broadwell i3/i5/i7 replacements, evidently are already being made in the 'millions' and due for release by the end of the year.

To me that means 'in time for Christmas'. The current SP3 chips could get replaced at that time if anyone is looking for the earliest date at which the current chips could be replaced by Broadwell.

I would like to see them go back to a passive pen design but I don't think it will happen.

I don't expect MS to midstream replace the current build CPUs with Broadwell models. At the very least I think they would do a model revision like SP3B or something. The in family change on the SP2 from an i5 4200U to an i5 4300U is understandable and the difference so minimal its transparent. The difference from an i5 4300U to an Broadwell i5Y70 is too great to be transparent, not to mention new firmware will be needed as well. Replacements would be a public relations nightmare if they just dropped in a Broadwell CPU into the SP3. Apple replaced the lackluster iPad 3 in six months with the iPad 4 and offered recent (not sure of the timeframe for recent ... 1-2 months maybe) purchases of the 3 free upgrades.

 

[goodintentions]

No, you should wait for sp10.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

Let me put it this way, if you have to ask the question then yes you should wait.

The Broadwell processors are almost out and will be in the SP3 sometime between December and May next year and it will be a generational improvement in performance and battery life.

If you want the best gadget now then arguably the SP3 is king.

If you're worried about cost then buy an SP2 second hand for a fraction of the new price. The SP2 has the better pen in my opinion too.

 

[GreyFox7]

Let me put it this way, if you have to ask the question then yes you should wait.

The Broadwell processors are almost out and will be in the SP3 sometime between December and May next year and it will be a generational improvement in performance and battery life.

If you want the best gadget now then arguably the SP3 is king.

If you're worried about cost then buy an SP2 second hand for a fraction of the new price. The SP2 has the better pen in my opinion too.

I don't see MS putting Broadwell into the SP3 at all in any way shape or form. The SP whatever that gets Broadwell probably wont drop before April.

 

[Dblkk]

Surface pro 4 or w/e it will be, won't be sold until at least mid next year. By then Intel Skylark will be so close to releasing, you'll be asking yourself the same thing all over again. Right now, Haswell or BROADWELL, in 6 months it'll be BROADWELL or SKYLARK.

Its crappy that so close to release of new chip, is when the SP comes out. Happened SP1 to SP2 as well. But honestly, within 1 year, there will be SKYLARK.

The way this works, not sure if you know.
But HASWELL is a refreshed/tweaked series. BROADWELL will be a complete new and shrunken die. SKYLARK will be the refreshed/tweaked series of BROADWELL.

So if you play the waiting game, you'll always be asking yourself the same type of question. Idea is to buy when you think or know you need it. Unless there is a specific date of the new release, theres no need to wait if you think or know you'll need it.

I started with SP1 knowing HASWELL was right there. I loved my surface. The SP2 came out and brought better specs and battery, but the SP1 worked just as good as when I bought it regardless of a new one coming out. I never went SP2. Now SP3 is out, my SP1 was on fritz, I bought SP3. New size, perfect for me, is main reason. Different chip, same chip, w/e. SP1 worked just fine, but 12' vs 10' for me personally was the selling point.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

Surface pro 4 or w/e it will be, won't be sold until at least mid next year. By then Intel Skylark will be so close to releasing, you'll be asking yourself the same thing all over again. Right now, Haswell or BROADWELL, in 6 months it'll be BROADWELL or SKYLARK.

Its crappy that so close to release of new chip, is when the SP comes out. Happened SP1 to SP2 as well. But honestly, within 1 year, there will be SKYLARK.

The way this works, not sure if you know.
But HASWELL is a refreshed/tweaked series. BROADWELL will be a complete new and shrunken die. SKYLARK will be the refreshed/tweaked series of BROADWELL.

So if you play the waiting game, you'll always be asking yourself the same type of question. Idea is to buy when you think or know you need it. Unless there is a specific date of the new release, theres no need to wait if you think or know you'll need it.

I started with SP1 knowing HASWELL was right there. I loved my surface. The SP2 came out and brought better specs and battery, but the SP1 worked just as good as when I bought it regardless of a new one coming out. I never went SP2. Now SP3 is out, my SP1 was on fritz, I bought SP3. New size, perfect for me, is main reason. Different chip, same chip, w/e. SP1 worked just fine, but 12' vs 10' for me personally was the selling point.

I don't agree mid-year next year. It is possible that they will leave it that long but I doubt it. It would be very easy to drop the new Broadwell into the SP3 chassis, not much engineering required. I believe that the 15W U series Broadwell are now being made in large numbers, millions, and will be in products in time for the holiday season.
Unfortunately Microsoft has set the precedent for aggressive release schedules. January 2013 the SP1 was released then about October 2013, the SP2 was released (10 months) then May 2014 for the SP3 (7 months). If you add 7 months to May, you get December which coincides with the release of the new 15W chips.
The release of these chips will mean that the SP3 is at that point second rate hardware wise compared to the new devices and there is no way Microsoft is sitting on it's hands for six months whistling Dixie, while sales fall. I'm not sure what they'll do but let me put it this way, an SP3B released in December is one possibility and a revamped SP4 model is going to coincide with the Windows 10 release scheduled for about April 2015 so May or June may be right for that.

Some people on the forum have been saying too that Microsoft just got tired of waiting for Broadwell in 2014 and put Haswell in it. The corollary of that is they'll want Broadwell in it ASAP and it is no doubt already being tested, you can count on it. Broadwell is a BIG change and that is the problem, how long can Microsoft sit back while other products have it while their leading edge Surface Pro 3 hasn't? I would say NO TIME AT ALL.

 

[Dblkk]

while I agree with that logic. I truly be live that the surface 4 will be launched with windows 10. Flagship OS with flagship device.

All this is speculation. And while your theory makes total sense based on the SP1 SP2 update cycle. But the sP1 SP2 update cycle is believed by most to be a one time thing. Plus launching the SP2, they had so many problems with the first HASWELL chip used, they had to exchange many units with newer ones with updated HASWELL chips. I'm not sure if Microsoft wants to launch asap with BROADWELL without fully making sure the chip is ready. And according to Intel SKYLARK will be launching in devices, later next year. Reason for such a quick launch is based on the many many problems the new 14mm chip which has led to, what 6 months in delays. Which to me would be another reason not to pull the trigger on a massive rollout of the chip which has seen way to many problems so far.

Plus these 3 newest launch chips are extreme power sippers. Still using the same amount of wattage as the HASWELL chips, ramping up frequency, but then are throttled down. Performance will also be lower than the current HASWELL chips put into the surface. I'm sure that the MacBook air will include this first set of chips, but I. will almost guarantee you that the MacBook pro will not. They will be waiting for the more powerful (yet still efficient) chips which should be released sometime around mid next year.

As for if/when/whatever, seeing as how BROADWELL will be 'able' to be fan less. This would make a whole new design of the hardware of the Surface Pro which would include it. They could keep the same design, but that wouldn't be keeping up with the newer products being released either. Soon many laptops will be thinner than the current SP3. So including BROADWELL and fan less system, would be more than just a chip swap like the SP1 SP2 were.

 

[stevenrossvanduyn]

I think they will wait and it will be installed with windows 10 . Also surface pro 3 are selling well around the world.
I predict may or June next year