Surface Pro (2017) as desktop replacement?

[wpcoe]

I've been (im)patiently waiting for the new Surface Pro to be released in Thailand on 15-August. I've had my eye on the i5/8GB/256GB model.

However, reading through the messages in this forum section I saw a photo of a nice setup with the SP being used in a dual-monitor situation and my interest was piqued.

My current desktop is an i3-6320 (2C/4T 3.9Ghz) with 16GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. (No discrete video card, just IGP.) I'm retired now, but when I traveled for a living I always carried a notebook computer mirrored with my desktop's data files that I synched before and after each trip. I've carried that tradition up until now. It would be nice to have one computer to just pick up and go.

How would the new Surface Pro compare to my i3-6320 system performance wise? No gaming -- mainly office apps, browsing, watching occasional videos and a little Photoshop editing of photos.

Would the Kaby Lake i5/8GB Surface Pro be a step down, performance-wise, from a Skylake i3/16GB desktop?

If so, what about the i7? Do the extra 500Mhz and the 64MB eDRAM make a noticeable difference?

Unfortunately, over here there is no risk-free option to return merchandise unless there is a defect, and even then a replacement is given, not a refund.

 

[jnjroach]

I've been (im)patiently waiting for the new Surface Pro to be released in Thailand on 15-August. I've had my eye on the i5/8GB/256GB model.

However, reading through the messages in this forum section I saw a photo of a nice setup with the SP being used in a dual-monitor situation and my interest was piqued.

My current desktop is an i3-6320 (2C/4T 3.9Ghz) with 16GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. (No discrete video card, just IGP.) I'm retired now, but when I traveled for a living I always carried a notebook computer mirrored with my desktop's data files that I synched before and after each trip. I've carried that tradition up until now. It would be nice to have one computer to just pick up and go.

How would the new Surface Pro compare to my i3-6320 system performance wise? No gaming -- mainly office apps, browsing, watching occasional videos and a little Photoshop editing of photos.

Would the Kaby Lake i5/8GB Surface Pro be a step down, performance-wise, from a Skylake i3/16GB desktop?

If so, what about the i7? Do the extra 500Mhz and the 64MB eDRAM make a noticeable difference?

Unfortunately, over here there is no risk-free option to return merchandise unless there is a defect, and even then a replacement is given, not a refund.

It depends how plan use it...I went from the i7 /16/256 Surface Book to the i5/8/256 Surface Pro 2017 and for how I use it I have issues. I dock it to 2 4K monitors.

 

[wpcoe]

It depends how plan use it...I went from the i7 /16/256 Surface Book to the i5/8/256 Surface Pro 2017 and for how I use it I have issues. I dock it to 2 4K monitors.

May I ask what issues you have, and how you connected two monitors? Is it the downgrade of CPU power, or less RAM, or both? I also have two monitors, but I don't know what the best options are with a Surface Pro. Is the docking station required to do dual monitors?

[edited to add:]
Just read your reply in the other thread about the monitors.

 

[theveterans]

@wpcoe
If you want 2 4K monitors at 60 Hz, you need the dock. If you're OK with 30Hz on both 4K monitors, you won't need the dock if your monitors support display port daisy chain.

Unless you are converting videos using CPU alone or doing CPU heavy tasks, there will be no difference in performance compared to your desktop

 

[Exhile]

If so, what about the i7? Do the extra 500Mhz and the 64MB eDRAM make a noticeable difference?

Of course an extra 500MHz in the CPU would increase performance plus the 1MB of cache.

There's more information about the 64MB of eDRAM in the Core i7 at this website:
Intel pushes out the rest of its Kaby Lake processors for 2017’s PCs

 

[theveterans]

Of course an extra 500MHz in the CPU would increase performance plus the 1MB of cache.

There's more information about the 64MB of eDRAM in the Core i7 at this website:
Intel pushes out the rest of its Kaby Lake processors for 2017’s PCs

IMO, I don't notice any difference in my older SP3 with 1.7 GHz 4th gen i5 and my current SP 2.5 GHz 7th gen i7 in web browsing, word processing, outlook and basic excel. If I'm a programmer, maybe there's a noticeable difference with Visual Studio, C++, autodesk, etc.

I upgraded to the i7 SP though because of wants not needs though. Then again, if the OP needs a fast dual core chip on the go, definitely go with i7.

Also, regarding continuous workload, i7 will throttle less than the i5 due to the fan vs fanless configuration.

 

[Exhile]

IMO, I don't notice any difference in my older SP3 with 1.7 GHz 4th gen i5 and my current SP 2.5 GHz 7th gen i7 in web browsing, word processing, outlook and basic excel. If I'm a programmer, maybe there's a noticeable difference with Visual Studio, C++, autodesk, etc.

I upgraded to the i7 SP though because of wants not needs though. Then again, if the OP needs a fast dual core chip on the go, definitely go with i7.

Also, regarding continuous workload, i7 will throttle less than the i5 due to the fan vs fanless configuration.

"The Surface Pro 2017 is 2.5 times faster than the Surface Pro 3", so says the presenter at the Microsoft China Event in Shanghai. Perhaps processing the Fall Creators Update will take less time with the Core i7.

 

[theveterans]

"The Surface Pro 2017 is 2.5 times faster than the Surface Pro 3", so says the presenter at the Microsoft China Event in Shanghai. Perhaps processing the Fall Creators Update will take less time with the Core i7.

I think they're referring to SSD speeds. At least the 2.5x faster stands at that category

CPU wise, it's about 1.66x faster on geekbench compared to my i5 SP3

Microsoft Corporation Surface Pro 3 vs Microsoft Corporation Surface Pro - Geekbench Browser

 

[convergent]

The i5/8G/256G nSP will handle the use case you described just fine. I do heavy office apps, browsing, and Lighroom work on mine and its fine. I basically merged what I was doing on an i7 Dell work laptop and my i5 Mac Mini from home onto a nSP, and love it. I do have the dock, and I have one 4K display connected to that. When docked, I fold the kickstand back to studio mode and use the nSP display as a dedicated OneNote tablet. I see no reason why you'd need a separate desktop computer unless you were doing things like gaming or 4k video editing.

That said, I would have gone for more RAM and SSD if it wasn't such a significant price jump to get it, and only available with i7. I really like the no fan silent operation.

 

[wpcoe]

Thanks, guys. The feedback is encouraging that I might be able to ditch the desktop computer totally.

Now, I need to decide if it's worth a $300 premium to go for the i7 model. (Extra .5Ghz, Iris Plus with 2x the EUs & 64MB eDRAM, and extra 1MB cache.)

@convergent is spot on about the price jumps to get the extra RAM and SSD capacity. Out of my price range. Even splurging $300 for the i7 might be pushing it.

 

[Russ]

@wpcoe

A real-life replacement scenario: My Ladyfriend runs her own company and travels regularly to China on business. Because of the China time differential, she regularly works at home. Previously, she traveled with a laptop, had a desktop computer at home and at her office -- a potential syncing nightmare. The original SurfacePro replaced her laptop, but still left the syncing issues. She was forever muttering about being at the office and needing a file from home, or, vice versa, or, worse yet, being in China and needing a file from either of those places.

When we upgraded her to an I7 SPro3, I decided it could replace the desktop at her home. I set her up with docking station and external monitor and keyboard. That immediately worked so well that her IT guy mirrored that setup at her office. She then replicated that setup at her Shanghai condo. Now, wherever she goes, her files go with her and she is a much happier Lady.

Her usage is primarily business stuff, some photo editing and watching Chinese movies on her long flights. Her SPro3 is I7/16GB/256. She doesn't face serious price constraints, so when I buy for her, I tend to buy at the top. I am currently looking at the new SPro as a possible replacement, but her SPro3 is meeting her needs so well that I can't really justify it.

So, one SPro3 replaced one laptop and two desktops and simplified her life.

For whatever it's worth, and questions are invited.

Take care,
Russ

 

[BubbaUK]

Just as an aside, without wanting to sound like a patronising old numpty, if you do use any device as your single device, the imperative to do backups and mirroring of that one device becomes even more significant, especially if you are travelling with it a lot.