is surface any good? - The Bear and Badger

RedDave2

Work has kindly offered to get me a tablet and seeing as I use excel and word a lot in work I am considering a surface 2 with keyboard. Anyone here use one, rate it or hate it?

Thank you bear and badger, you're my only hope ;-)

Yossarian

Based on the reviews I've read: no, not really. However, as a techy kind of person, you'll probably be able to work around the issues it presents. However (pt. 2), if your work are paying anyway, why not get an iPad seeing as that is the standard by which all tablets are measured and (I'm pretty sure that this is true now, if it isn't, it will be soon) you can run Microsoft Office on it?

RedDave2

Can I run office on an iPad? Didn't think I could - I know some apps bridge to it, but apparently some formulas don't always cross over. The boss would prefer if I get an iPad to be honest, just never used one for office stuff. I have am android which is fine for personal usr but I would like something I could block off my work to - even to the point of not doing work on my laptop.

Yossarian

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/tablets-in-the-enterprise/microsoft-office-lands-on-ios/

RedDave2

Not too inspiring though it could improve dramatically over the next year. Maybe I would he better with a slimline laptop... Sure the boss will foot some of the bill ifbi chip in a little. I have office 2010 with a third pc left to add so that may be the better option.

I still love the idea of a walled off laptop/ tablet for work though. Hate having to do homework on my own laptop.

Blue Swirl

I'm rather taken with the Surfaces, but there's no point getting the RT version, imho. A fully kitted out Pro 2 would be aces, but it also costs a bomb. I also hear they're even harder to repair than iPads, so if you drop it the only option is to get a new one.

What about a 11" touch screen laptop, if you're set on Windows 8? HP, Dell and Asus do some nice units.

RedDave2

Funny you mentioned them. I was just looking at
the hp 11" one which might suit me best. Best bet would probably by office 365. Looks very portable. Decent camera for quick food shots, portable and still with the full office tools. It also costs the same as a surface 2 with keyboard

acemuzzy

Mac Air??

AJ

I like the look of those Lenovo Yoga Pros. They're like Surface Pros, but with a proper keyboard section so you can use them as actual laptops. Not read any reviews of the performance, mind.

WorKid

If you want to use office, get a laptop.

Sasukekun

Gabriel from Penny Arcade loves his Surface Pro 2. Take that as you will.

WorKid

Truth is you can get a good laptop and a great tablet for the same price and that is probably a better combo.

It would be for me, anyway.

ChopperByrne

The original Surface RT is quite good. Long battery life, nice screen and the latest update allows proper office with outlook.

AJ

It's also going to have no support in the future 'cause WinRT is being discontinued.

Elmlea

WorKid wrote:

If you want to use office, get a laptop.

Sounds about right. Doesn't really sound like a tablet is what you need?

MattyJ

I've got a Surface Pro from work and really like it. The only fault I have is that the store is under served.

AJ

Does that matter when it runs everything Windows does? Do you not use it for typing on your lap or is it not actually as god awful as it looks for that?

MattyJ

Typing is all good. And you're right, it is windows so you can access whatever, but the Win 8 and Metro style is actually very nice so having an app run native in that is preferential.

AJ

It isn't the typing itself I'm worried about. What's it like using it on your lap with that ridiculous stand?

MattyJ

The little kickstand? Its alright actually, but on Surface 2 they've increased the number of angles you can have.

AJ

Well, well, colour me surprised. I honestly thought it'd dig in too much and/or be continually falling off the end of you knees.

RedDave2

Just to respond to some comments here -

Budget is €700 or there abouts which rules out Mac Air or Surface Pro 2

Need something light and portable that can be held like a tablet/ has touch screen but has a functioning keyboard. A usb port is also pretty handy although we use dropbox a lot in work now so that need has cut back.

Not sure I could afford a small enough laptop with enough grunt so hence why I am looking at some of the cheaper hybrids and surface 2. As I said, office (particularly excel and word) are near essential to what I need or at least something that can interact with doc and xls files.

The Asus T100 looked to be a good bargain buy but the lack of a rear camera is a bit off-putting. One of the benefits of having a tablet in the Kitchen is to snap photos quickly to show the other chefs what I'm looking for later. Of course I can use my phone and connect via usb so not a major problem but it has me on the fence a little, looking what else is out there.

Thanks for all feedback - this place is great for getting information for things like this and I do appreciate it. Just wondering does anyone know how intensive Office 365 is on a pc because its probably the most power-hungry program I would run on the machine so as long as it runs smoothly, I'm not too bothered about much else.

AJ

http://shop.lenovo.com/gb/en/laptops/ideapad/yoga/yoga-11s/

Lowest spec one is on offer at the moment for £550 (~€650).

Pretty much anything you buy now is going to be more than good enough for Office. Hell, I'm pretty sure that Yoga 11s could play any Source game at a decent framerate.

Edit: Oh, just spotted your note about a camera. I don't even know if the Yoga's got a front camera.

Blue Swirl

MattyJ wrote:

The little kickstand? Its alright actually, but on Surface 2 they've increased the number of angles you can have.

From one to a mighty two. (Or two to a mighty three, if you count 'closed' as a position.)

AJ wrote:

It's also going to have no support in the future 'cause WinRT is being discontinued.

Really? Thank fuck. Took 'em long enough to do it, tbh. When the only people making a device with your OS on are you and the company you own, it's time to drop it.

Sasukekun wrote:

Gabriel from Penny Arcade loves his Surface Pro 2. Take that as you will.

I'd love a Surface for free, too. I thought he had a Pro 1? Though I wouldn't be surprised to find out MS gave him another one.

Roujin

I got a Surface Pro 2 last week, its ridiculously good. As its a PC crammed into a tablet form factor you can do pretty much anything business related on it straight away. You can even stick any of your less graphically demanding Steam games on it.

If your work are buying then get it and try to get a Type Cover 2 out of them as well.

Using Win 8 on it is so completely different from the clunky experience on a desktop setup, it actually works and gestures and snapping and everything else that sucks normally now make sense.

The other great thing about the Pro 2 is the built in wacom functionality and pe n they include. I now take all meeting minutes scribbled by hand into One Note which syncs to my Skydrive as a document i can then PDF and send out to people if needed.

If your work aren't buying a Pro 2 then i would say avoid. The old Pro and the regular Surface 2 aren't worth it.

Blue Swirl

What Roujin said.

RedDave2

So seeing as work wouldnt spring for a surface pro 2 (they are yummy though - I did push) I have now settled on an Asus T100. Its a pretty decent hybrid which has gotten good reviews and the price helped me look a star to the boss (paid €385 for it online). The only thing with it that may be a bummer is that while its gotten great reviews there are one or two instances where new models have glitches. Still, I went with PC World so I can return it to any of their outlets if there is a problem.

Thanks for all the help guys. I think a normal surface 2 would have been a massive error if I had of gone for it.

AJ

Hadn't heard of that before. Looks pretty good for the price and perfect for what you're using it for. Kudos.

Roujin

Yeah that Asus T100 is a great buy, had my work not put money in to fund some of the Surface I got, the T100 was what I would have gone with.

Blue Swirl

I'm quite taken with the Lenovo Yoga range, and the T100 is a lovely wee thing.

Rev

I'm now saving up for a t100 after reading the chat about this. Steam and fez? Yes please.

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