Surface Pro 3 - Why?

[eltos_lightfoot]

I have to agree with leeshor on this one. That seems a bit, uh, excessive. I would agree that a desktop appears to be the way to go. I am not even sure most laptops could handle that. LOL.

 

[eltos_lightfoot]

Also, just adding another USB port might not have solved your issue. It would require additional resources on the motherboard--which may not be easy to do with limited space.

 

[jimkraz]

Tried a powered hub, that might help, but that's a lot of stuff.

 

[daniielrp]

I can only connect 7 peripherals at a time. After 7 I get a USB resources exceeded message. I am trying to connect a printer, 2 scanners, a monitor, 4 hard drives, a keyboard, a display calibrator, USB speakers and a card reader.

Personally, I would change a lot in this system - but your needs may mean you can't, so these are just ideas:

Printer - get a Bluetooth one - I've had one for years and no problems.
2 Scanners - assess whether you need 2? Can the printer and scanner be combined to one device?
Monitor- Switch to displayport rather than USB.
4 HDDS - can you get a caddy that can contain them all, so they all go through a single wire? (likely would need an ext power source).
Keyboard - Bluetooth
Calibrator - I've never used one, so won't comment on that.
USB Speakers - can you use standard 3.5mm jack speakers?
Card reader - think this would have to stick as USB.

As I said, this is what I would do, might work for you, might not, but are some ideas

 

[kundas1]

well lets be honest here, who NEEDS 2 scanners and 4 hard drives!! what knuck needs to do is down grade a bit and get 1 hard drive that's 4TB and partition it into 4 drives if he REALLY needs it into 4 separate things. also get rid of the USB speakers and use the audio jack OR use Bluetooth speakers, also get an all in one printer/scanner/copier, and also get a BT keyboard or use the surface keyboard... that will free up at least 6 USB plugs! to me that's just crazy how many things your plugging in the SP2...

 

[Tsurugaya]

@Kanuck
A (preferably powered) USB HUB would solve a part of the only real problem you have.

When Windows 7 was under development people on the Microsoft forums made great suggestions and Microsoft listened. On those same forums the users made suggestions to improve Windows 8 when it was being developed and were pretty much ignored. With the recent upgrades/updates they have been attempting to do some of the things the people on their forums wanted them to do in the first place. I think their mindset has changed and they aren't listing the way they once did. Someone there thinks they know best. I have had a close relationship with Microsoft since 1992 and have seen this before. But that was before they got into the hardware business. Just my opinion.

I got the impression that Panay wanted to stress how much they had listened to users in the development of 3. You disagree?

 

[leeshor]

I got the impression that Panay wanted to stress how much they had listened to users in the development of 3. You disagree?

It isn't that I totally disagree. They listened, just not the way they once did. They had to listen as their projections for sales of previous Surface models have not met their projections. They were pretty much forced to listen just like they were forced to listen re: shortcomings in the UI for Windows 8.

 

[Tsurugaya]

Ahh, ok. They heard us rather than listened to us?

 

[bamaster]

well lets be honest here, who NEEDS 2 scanners and 4 hard drives!! what knuck needs to do is down grade a bit and get 1 hard drive that's 4TB and partition it into 4 drives if he REALLY needs it into 4 separate things. also get rid of the USB speakers and use the audio jack OR use Bluetooth speakers, also get an all in one printer/scanner/copier, and also get a BT keyboard or use the surface keyboard... that will free up at least 6 USB plugs! to me that's just crazy how many things your plugging in the SP2...

I agree about the external hard drives. Since I got my Surface Pro 2, I use the 200GB OneDrive a lot now. I still have a USB drive connected to my wireless router but I haven't used it in a long while. I can also tell you that I use the microSD card for my File History drive and also for storing a few movies for fun. The microSD slot is too often overlooked.

And why would anyone need to keep a display calibrator constantly plugged in? I mean, set it and forget it, right?

 

[bamaster]

It isn't that I totally disagree. They listened, just not the way they once did. They had to listen as their projections for sales of previous Surface models have not met their projections. They were pretty much forced to listen just like they were forced to listen re: shortcomings in the UI for Windows 8.

Not listening isn't always a bad thing. Apple is notorious for not using focus groups. The public will cry about what they want today. But they don't know what they want tomorrow.

That said, sales will influence change, too. Steve Jobs was adamant about the size of his iPhone... "no one is going to buy a big phone" remember? Of course, the iPhone 6 will be bigger than Jobs would have ever imagined.

I wasn't a big fan of Windows 8 but 8.1 has been refreshing. And I think the announcement of the Surface Pro 3, WITHOUT an announcement of a Mini Surface, is evidence that Satya Nadella is moving away from RT. If Microsoft is banking on the "one device to rule them all" pitch then the Surface Pro with full Windows is the future. RT doesn't fit in with that strategy.

 

[kundas1]

well why do away with the RT when I'm sure there is people (like myself and others) who don't want a full fledged win 8 device for the amount MS is asking? I mean lets be honest here and look at the high prices MS is selling these tablets for? its ridiculous IMO... also I have 2 desktops and a laptop and don't want another full fledged computer tablet and enjoy using/owning my RT device! also there is a ton of people who want to see a Surface mini with RT as a companion device at a low price! I think getting rid of the RT line is stupid...

 

[bamaster]

Panos said it best... the tablet that can replace your laptop. And 96% of people who own an iPad also own a laptop. The Surface Pro is supposed to be both. How can you pitch "you only need one device" and at the same time offer a tablet-only device. RT negates the value proposition of the Surface Pro.

And look at how Microsoft is starting to give away "Windows 8.1 with Bing" for entry level devices. As CPU technology improves, there will be smaller devices that have Windows with Bing at Surface RT prices. My guess is that Intel i3 will eventually crush Atom CPUs. Then you'll have full Windows in small tablet form. No you won't put AutoCAD on it but you can have traditional programs and Store apps. It's just a matter of time.