User experiences between Surface RT and Surface Pro

[Silverfox]

Has anyone upgraded from RT to Pro, I took the opportunity today to test out a RT in a UK store today and was really disappointed.

Maybe my expectations were too high, a friend of mine has a Samsung slate 7, which he put windows 8 on, and that is really good to use.

I found that RT was really slow, in opening apps, lot of gestures and movements didn't register, you have to be pretty heavy handed and repeat swipes to get it to work. The touch keyboard I did not get on with whatsoever, maybe I had a defective unit perhaps?.

Hopefully someone can tell me that the pro is totally different to the RT, for the user experience and I can relax, I know the spec for both and what they are both aimed at, more interested in the user experiences.

The Pro hasn't been released in the UK yet, so got a while to make up my mind on what to do.

 

[jnjroach]

Remember that the RT devices in the store are running a Retail Store Build that takes months to create by the MS Retail Team for each Retail Outlet. So my guess is that the demo units are missing at least 3 or more Firmware Upgrades that have fixed the initial sluggishness. I use my RT device everyday for work and personal use. Its unfortunate that the demo units haven't been updated but that is nature of the business.

 

[kristalsoldier]

Yeah...I'll second what Jeff mentioned above. I bought my RT through the MS website (actually, my employer bought it for me on my recommendation/ request). It has become my main machine when I am moving around - from home to work and back. Working off-site and working within my work-place but when not at my desk. I am on it for about 8-9 hours a day mainly using the browser, Office, and some media apps. I've set up a VPN on it and use the Remote Desktop utility quite often. I also use the MS Wedge mouse (not the Surface Edition one though) all the time, which connects by Bluetooth. I am on connected to the network at my place of work all the time I am there. If I am out then the places where I visit have their own networks which they allow me to connect to and at home I have my own network. And, nopes, I have not found anything to complain about yet. Oh, I should also mention that I have put in a 64GB MicroSD card. Yes, there was a bit of a learning curve (especially with the UX of Win 8 - RT on the Surface and Pro on my desktop). But all in all, it has been an excellent experience.

 

[Russ]

Silverfox --

This sounds like one of those "you had to be there" stories. I have both Surface RT & Pro (long story). Probably my preference is the RT, except for reading my .MOBI books. I have the Touch Cover, which I use on both, but it mostly lives on the Pro. I like it, but I am not a high-speed typist.

I have not experienced anything like you describe with the RT. I find it equally as responsive as the Pro. I like the Pro for the ability to install all kinds of "legacy apps." Most of my experience with the Pro was in setting it up to be a laptop replacement for my Ladyfriend in her travels. I have had fun setting up my Pro, and I use it as a reader for my .mobi books, but, aside from that usage, I am very content with the RT.

I don't know what else to say, except that, if you have any specific questions, I would be happy to answer.

Regards,
Russ

 

[Silverfox]

Thanks guys, this has put a few issues that I had to rest.
My main use for the Pro is as a laptop replacement, I am rarely home and always travelling, and even so I have no network at home or even a desktop. So the Pro would be my main and only machine.

I already have 3 phones including 2 windows 8 phones and a iPad, so the pro is basically there to do what I cannot do with these other devices.

I work as a freelance database admin, worldwide. So the pro seemed Ideal, I need a device which is lightweight, with no dependence on being connected to a desktop, which can run Microsoft and oracle software preferably with a touch screen using window 8.

I am hoping that the slight issues that people are finding with the pro, will be solved with updates.

So just waiting for release date for the uk and the price, if it isn't coming soon, might have to use bundlebox and get it sooner.

Anyways
Thanks for the info

Darren

 

[machistmo]

Thanks guys, this has put a few issues that I had to rest.
My main use for the Pro is as a laptop replacement, I am rarely home and always travelling, and even so I have no network at home or even a desktop. So the Pro would be my main and only machine.

I already have 3 phones including 2 windows 8 phones and a iPad, so the pro is basically there to do what I cannot do with these other devices.

I work as a freelance database admin, worldwide. So the pro seemed Ideal, I need a device which is lightweight, with no dependence on being connected to a desktop, which can run Microsoft and oracle software preferably with a touch screen using window 8.

I am hoping that the slight issues that people are finding with the pro, will be solved with updates.

So just waiting for release date for the uk and the price, if it isn't coming soon, might have to use bundlebox and get it sooner.

Anyways
Thanks for the info

Darren

The Lenovo Helix might be better for you. Check out the link below and notice the battery use technology and the charge logic.

Convertible Ultrabook Laptop & Tablet PC | ThinkPad Helix | 11.6" with Windows 8 (US)

 

[Silverfox]

The Lenovo Helix might be better for you. Check out the link below and notice the battery use technology and the charge logic.

Convertible Ultrabook Laptop & Tablet PC | ThinkPad Helix | 11.6" with Windows 8 (US)

Thanks for the link again. Kind of ironic I have used a few thinkpads over the years. To put in context the 1st thinkpad I bought cost me £8000, anyone want to guess how many years ago that was.

The prob, that I have with the helix, is no release date, price is extremely expensive for what it is and no sd card slot. Potentially the lowest spec helix would be 50% more expensive than the PRO in the UK.

Don't get me wrong, the helix looks really good, but thinkpads have always been expensive, and it would have to be something really special, to consider it over a Pro

Cheers

 

[kristalsoldier]

Thanks for the link again. Kind of ironic I have used a few thinkpads over the years. To put in context the 1st thinkpad I bought cost me £8000, anyone want to guess how many years ago that was.

The prob, that I have with the helix, is no release date, price is extremely expensive for what it is and no sd card slot. Potentially the lowest spec helix would be 50% more expensive than the PRO in the UK.

Don't get me wrong, the helix looks really good, but thinkpads have always been expensive, and it would have to be something really special, to consider it over a Pro

Cheers

I'm a ThinkPad fan (my fav ThinKpads as of now were the X301 and the X201). And there are three things that I value the most in ThinkPads - at least as per my experience - (1) Keyboard; (2) robustness; and (3) user replaceability of parts (within reason). In many ways, ThinkPads have completely messed up my laptop experience. I always seem to compare other laptops to ThinkPads and they invariably come up short (yes, despite the crappy screen that ThinkPads usually sport).

Having said that, in your usage scenario, I would probably have opted for the Carbon. But now since I have the RT, I think I will go in for the more traditional T series with a 15" screen that I can hook up to a monitor and which can serve as my desktop.

 

[Inadorel]

I have the RT and the Pro. I did a detailed view and comparison on my blog here - Review of Surface Pro - ScotSTS Blog But basically I think that the RT is a tablet plus - great for browsing, movies etc and for light to moderate work with Office. The Pro is a full-on laptop substitute and is definitely the more useful of the two devices to a professional - the only major drawback to it for me is the reduced battery life. I agree with Kristalsoldier about Thinkpads though - they are my favourite laptops - I just love not having to carry one around any more

 

[Silverfox]

Yeah I know what you mean, I loved the keyboard on the thinkpads, and build wise they were the best but expensive. I keep on reading all the reviews for the Pro, nothing negative, getting hard to resist ordering one from the states ATM.

I did look at the carbon, cannot remember why I dismissed it. For a touch screen device, it is going to be helix and pro that need to fight it out, veering towards Pro ATM, can't see the helix coming close to the pro for price.

 

[kristalsoldier]

Given the work you want to do, is a touch screen necessary? It's very odd, I know, but here is my set-up. At home I have a ThinkPad R400 (4 GB RAM, 500GB 7200 rpm HDD) hooked up to a external monitor. I also have a 1TB external drive hooked up to this. This serves as my primary work-station (when I am at home). My mobile needs are met by the Surface RT (+64GB MicroSD expanded) and the Nexus 10. I use SkyDrive extensively, which keeps my machines synced. I also use SugarSync as a backup option.

My work, however, involves a lot of writing, reading (including web-centric research) and media viewing work. Sometimes, I have to make presentations etc. too. My work-profile does not necessarily require touch, but things are a little easier because of it. I use the Surface and Nexus 10 when I am out and about (say about 8-9 hours per day). In case you are wondering, I use the Nexus 10 primarily as an e-book reader, a web surfing device and for watching/ listening to media. The Surface RT is my desktop-away-from-home.

Make what you will from this! :LOL:

 

[Russ]

My main use for the Pro is as a laptop replacement. . . . So the pro seemed Ideal, I need a device which is lightweight, with no dependence on being connected to a desktop, which can run Microsoft and oracle software preferably with a touch screen using window 8.

I am hoping that the slight issues that people are finding with the pro, will be solved with updates.

Darren --

The Pro for my Ladyfriend is also a laptop replacement and, thus far, appears to be a nearly perfect one. Although we tend to think of it as a "tablet," it is, in fact, a full-fledged computer. She is a small woman, so size and weight are important for her, but she needs the ability to run conventional apps, so the RT would not meet her requirements.

Her Pro is the 128G + 64G SDC card, with TypeCover (her preference after trying both at the MS store). I also included the StarTech USB 3.0 to Ethernet adapter, because she is often in smaller/older hotels that do not have wireless facilities. The Pro charger also includes a 5W USB charger port, so she doesn't need to carry the adapter for her iphones (she has 2, 1 for US and 1 for China).

I put Office Pro 2013 on it, plus Chinese Language Pack and an assortment of other apps, graphics, etc., and still have not stressed the storage limits. I used RealPlayer as her music player. It doesn't care where the music files reside, so they are all on the SDC card. I used a 3rd party email program (Thunderbird) because she likes its simplicity, plus the ability to handle both IMAP and POP3 accounts. I copied the Recovery partition onto a USB drive, but did not remove it from the Pro. We can always do that later, if it becomes necessary (which I doubt).

She has had her Pro since the Feb 9th release date, and has had no notable issues with it -- although I was kinda "holding my breath" for a while after reading all the posts about problems after the infamous "firmware update." She had none, but I had a couple of minor start-up issues on mine, but they went away.

Her Pro is about to embark on its "maiden voyage," as she leaves on Tuesday for a 6-week China trip. I hope it plays nicely for the whole trip, but, since I can't hold my breath for six weeks, I'll have to let time take its course.

I have my Pro, plus an RT, so if you have any further questions about either, I'll be happy to answer them -- or at least try.

Take care,
Russ