I bought this device a few days ago and besides problems i don't think i have experienced anything else with it. Bought this device for my boss, thinking that it would replace his desktop/laptop/tablet.
The first time i set it up, OneNote wasn't working. I had to go to some forums to read about the problem. Solved it by tweaking some garbage in the powershell. OneNote is now working, but not 100%. Sometimes it doesn't start when i use the pen. There are also instances when i clip something with OneNote and the Pen, it saves the image into a new "note", but the image immediately disappears after a second. Have to close OneNote and use the Pen again. What a disgrace.
Perhaps reading up on ONENOTE might have been in your better interests, I have had ZERO issues with ONENOTE, but hey the PEN is programmable and you can tie it into any application your heart desires. I'd love to see some screenshots of your "Powershell Tweaking"
Then started the default Mail application. Didn't work either. Had to tweak even more garbage in the powershell.
Again - please elaborate on "Powershell" - Try updating your Surface Pro - works wonders.
Then Microsoft Store was crashing right at the startup. Tweaked again, only that i've messed it up so badly that i had to restore from a "restore point". Fixed the problem after a few hours, again with the Powershell.
Perhaps staying out of the "Powershell" would be a better idea in your case. I mean really - please pass along these "tweaks" - I'd love to see them. The Microsoft Store is garbage in my opnion. Why dont you install Thunderbird or Outlook? - Mine worked great even before the SP4 Updates.
I thought that the problems would end at this point, but no. I had to experience bad screen flickering on battery, using the "suggested" mode. I'm ashamed to even give this device to my boss, because if he sees the flickering, what the hell do i tell him ? That it's normal ?
I wouldn't keep the device if its flickering - Turn it in for another. Or perhaps try updating it to see if this fixes the issues.
The fan also starts going nuts when the CPU goes at over 20%. The sound is pretty horrible, given that the current desktop has a Fractal r4, which cancels the noise pretty well. Good luck with having it in on a meeting or in a skype conversation.
Updates fixed this.
The battery is a mess too. I can't use the Surface for more than 4-5 hours without plugging it into a power source. I would probably save more by using the "suggested" mode, but i prefer to go with "brighter", because it gets rid of the flickering.
WOW !! You get 4-5 hours? Man your machine rocks. I get about 4 hours without turning down anything in the POWER Settings. But who'd complain about 4-5 hours when the machine is wide open? Keep in mind if you will it's a 12"+ screen that has super high resolution....Kinda a battery bummer on any machine.
Today i'm struggling with Microsoft Store again. It tells me "Check your internet connection Error - see details". Disconnected the wireless adapter, restarted the pc, still not working.
I can't wait to lose more hours on trying to repair this problem.
I had this problem one time, when I used my phone as my router out of desperation, at which point I noticed I was on a EPRS (aka super slow) network. Once I moved the phone towards the window - 4G kicked in and BAM!! The Store ran wide open - I am sure this is your internet connection.
Also, the Microsoft Store is so poor in the apps library that i can't even find a decent PDF reader where i could add and personalize my own library. Something that could at least be 50% of what IBooks is.
Its a PC running Windows - not a phone running Android - You dont have to use the STORE to get a PDF reader, just do a Google search for FOXIT or ADOBE Pdf....
I don't even want to get into the UAC subject. It seems like Windows 10 doesn't like when you disable UAC, unlike with Windows 7. Disabling UAC is usually the first thing i do when i install a windows, because i don't have time to confirm every stupid window that tells me that the .exe could be dangerous. When i disable UAC, i have problems with permissions. I have to run files with right click and "Run as Administrator". Sometimes i have problem copying files because of the permissions.
I too adjust the stupid UAC settings to OFF - Hate em, but immediately after changing this setting it prompts you to reboot, if you dont, yeah, you'll have to install programs etc as the admin....
Another thing, I'm still wondering why they didn't place a magnet for the Pen right above the webcam. I have to remove the pen every time i use my device in landscape mode. I guess that this will probably be an innovative "feature" for the next Surface".
Directly above the camera is the fan exhaust, if you do a cutaway view of the SP4, the area above the camera (actually to the right of) is the MAIN exhaust - so perhaps blocking it wouldn't be such a great venture for Microsoft - but we'll see I guess. The pen itself is magnetic, so you can attach it to just about anything metal.
Anyways, to make it short: I wouldn't recommend this device to anyone. It had an immense potential but it ended by being a disgrace. I'm afraid to give it to my boss because of the random errors that he could encounter during a trip. He cannot afford to screw things up during a product presentation in front of potential customers.
