What's new

Tempted to return my sp4 and get a SB

Mikewired

Member
I like my sp4 even with the bugs, but if the SB can really get near the 12 hour battery mark (which means maybe 9ish hours) that would be worth it.
 

DavidZ

Active Member
Keep in mind that the battery in the tablet alone lasts about 2 hours. The keyboard battery holds about 75% of the total battery capacity.
 

raqball

Active Member
When I 1st saw the Surface Book I knew I wanted it and had to have it until I got into the details of it..

As stated the battery life in tablet mode is atrocious! Based on that I passed and got the Sp4 instead..

If tablet mode is a non factor then dang that SB sure does look sweet!
 

DavidZ

Active Member
Here's another reason to keep your SP4. The SB is first generation. From what I've read, it has even more issues (and perhaps more significant issues) than the SP4. But more importantly the SB issues may be hardware issues, that cannot be resolved with software updates, but will only be truly addressed in the second generation.

Also, I much prefer the SP4 form factor, in that, it weighs about a pound less and is significantly smaller.
 
I was 100% going to buy the surface book when I first heard of it, thinking it was essentially a surface pro 4 with a dock. The battery situation and lack of stand (which is such an oversight, that thing is amazing) made me choose the SP4.
 

hughlle

Super Moderator
Staff member
I was 100% going to buy the surface book when I first heard of it, thinking it was essentially a surface pro 4 with a dock. The battery situation and lack of stand (which is such an oversight, that thing is amazing) made me choose the SP4.

I wouldn't think for a second that it was oversight. They have to differentiate the products else why bother selling both, if the book was just an SP4 with a keyboard dock (my personal opinion is they shouldn't sell both, but there should be the SP4, and then various accessories so you can use it as you like, either as a surface pro, or as a surface book etc)
 

Dim-Ize

Active Member
I bet SB2 will have a stand. Would be so cool if you had a SB1, the new model comes out, and you just choose to buy a display vs whole new keyboard base too.
 
OP
M

Mikewired

Member
A stand would be nice but with such a short battery life of the clipboard, I doubt any one would be tempted to carry it without the keyboard base. Although the charger does fit the clipboard.
 

btreece

Member
The maddening graphics issue on both devices -- that the Windows 10 built-in Maps app shows NO ROADS IN ROADS VIEW -- has been solved on the SB but NOT the SP4.
Microsoft and Nvidia (graphics card on SB) have integrated a solution in mid-November. After 35 days since both devices launched, MS Engineer Rohan Thakkar, posted a solution.
But for the SP4 -- the issue since launch (Oct 26, 2015) is now 60 days old -- there is no solution. Both Microsoft and Intel (graphics card on SP4) say they are working on a solution. Unlike the Nvidia graphics card which is custom designed for the SB, the Intel Integrated HD graphics 5## on the SP4 is part of many other computer devices. This graphics issue affects more people, which could give hope for a possible solution, but 60 days of an issue, indicates more of a technical hurdle than possibly the business model will allow.
 

jbowden

Member
The maddening graphics issue on both devices -- that the Windows 10 built-in Maps app shows NO ROADS IN ROADS VIEW -- has been solved on the SB but NOT the SP4.
Microsoft and Nvidia (graphics card on SB) have integrated a solution in mid-November. After 35 days since both devices launched, MS Engineer Rohan Thakkar, posted a solution.
But for the SP4 -- the issue since launch (Oct 26, 2015) is now 60 days old -- there is no solution. Both Microsoft and Intel (graphics card on SP4) say they are working on a solution. Unlike the Nvidia graphics card which is custom designed for the SB, the Intel Integrated HD graphics 5## on the SP4 is part of many other computer devices. This graphics issue affects more people, which could give hope for a possible solution, but 60 days of an issue, indicates more of a technical hurdle than possibly the business model will allow.

Its these type of issues that give SP4 a quality hit. There are several issues that MS needs to address ASAP....
 
Top