Surface Pro 8 is a Media-Centric 13-inch Tablet With a 120Hz Dolby Vision Display (engadget.com) 23
Microsoft has unveiled the Surface Pro 8. Engadget: Microsoft's new Surface Pro 8 tablet can actually go toe-to-toe with most ultraportables. It features a 13-inch PixelSense screen, a significant upgrade from the previous 12.3-inch display. Even better, it's one of the first non-gaming notebooks we've seen that supports a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling through web pages and jotting down notes a lot smoother. And of course, it's built with Windows 11 in mind. Together with some of Intel's latest 11th-gen processors, as well as long-awaited support for Thunderbolt 4, the Surface Pro 8 could tempt over potential buyers who were turned off by the limitations of previous models.
Thankfully, the Surface Pro 8 finally supports Thunderbolt 4 on its two USB-C ports. That means you'll be able to connect fast external hard drives, several 4K external monitors or even an external GPU. As for other updates, the rear camera is now 10MP instead of 8MP, and it also supports 4K video. The front-facing camera is still 5MP with 1080p video, but it should offer better low-light performance.
Thankfully, the Surface Pro 8 finally supports Thunderbolt 4 on its two USB-C ports. That means you'll be able to connect fast external hard drives, several 4K external monitors or even an external GPU. As for other updates, the rear camera is now 10MP instead of 8MP, and it also supports 4K video. The front-facing camera is still 5MP with 1080p video, but it should offer better low-light performance.
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Since I am forced to Windows for work I do not mind the shitty OS so much, it helps pay the mortgage. I love the Surface Pros, save the floppy keyboard, but this is a good bump. Now that I have volunteered to do something that relies on Mac, I'm back in the triad of OS switching, which is no fun, remembering it's top left, or ls not dir, and WSL2 is like a different OS in so many ways, Ubuntu 20.x notwithstanding.
ps - if you're a Windows denier, you were never a Surface customer. Your review is superfluous.
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Pretty big spec bump over the previous spec bumps, which all together over generations present a huge spec bump. If you have a Pro 7 I would agree it's a hard pass. On the other hand finally something worth of upgrading to from the Pro 4.
As for the "Shitty OS" opinions are like arseholes, everyone has one.
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Here's the thing - if I am using a tablet, it's because I am not at my desk with a couple of 32 inch monitors. Mabey I'm on the couch, or mabey I'm in bed watching something or reading something. In neither of these scenarios do I want a keyboard, or extra hardware hanging off my tablet - I will be streaming from my desktop setup (which is actually a laptop with a couple of big monitor and a keyboard and mouse) or I will be watching Netflix or something.
The use case for where I want a tablet to actually do
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So basically what you are saying is that the Surface isn't for you. That in no way correlates to the Surface being bad for anyone else.
Why would you complain about lugging around a docking port? Are you also lugging around the multiple monitors you mentioned? If not then just leave the docking port connected to the desktop setup. Docking stations aren't meant to be lugged around. The whole point of a docking station is to leave it on your desk, connected to the peripherals and just plug/unplug the laptop.
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My boss found the Surface to be great for him. He goes to a lot of meetings (so we don't have to) and it lets him sit and do what he needs to, then he plugs it into the dock and he's got full KVM capability. Doesn't fit your use case, but not everyone has the same need. When I was out in the field I would have killed for something like a Surface, trying to use a laptop while on top of a ladder is miserable.
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So don't buy one if you don't have a use case. I on the other hand needed something that can be used as a laptop if I needed, has a decent OS and isn't just some media consuming toy. And I agree with you I don't want a keyboard when I'm in bed reading something which is why it's great that the keyboards on these devices detach magnetically.
It not being for you doesn't mean that many people aren't very happy with them. I mean when they don't break they are happy with them, fragile as all shit they are.
Fantastic Synergy ! (Score:1)
With the Surface range, Microsoft finally had the chance to show us what they can really do, by coordinating their famous software with their very own hardware, and we can all enjoy the revolutions in usabliity that results from that, such as...
A bigger screen !
And Explorer still doesn't support NTFS long file paths.
Whoop dee ... meh.
Does the Disable Ads button stop /vertisements? (Score:2)
I've never used it because I already have extensive adblocking/DNS blacklists, but stuff like this makes it through.
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Over the past 20 years Slashdot has never once not covered a industry event from Microsoft or Apple. Kiddo if the disable ad button hasn't done it for you up until now, it's not ever going to. You may as well just give up.
By the way, since MS has an event on right now I suggest for your own sanity you stay of Slashdot for the coming 3 days, or you may see more *gasp* Microsoft "Slashvertisements".
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As someone who has been here for all of those 20 years. They are a significantly higher percentage of the articles now.
Of course they are. More companies are hosting more public announcement events. That doesn't mean Slashdot hasn't always covered them.
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Apple announcements also make it through. It's almost as though the Slashdot audience are interested in shiny new expensive toys.
The only reason I'm not going to buy a Surface Pro 8 is that my '4 is still working fine and if I'm going to upgrade, I may as well go full Surface Laptop when it gets its next refresh.
But don't worry, we won't make you buy one. You're very welcome to enjoy the technologies you prefer.
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Apple announcements also make it through. It's almost as though the Slashdot audience are interested in shiny new expensive toys.
I think it's more that a high percentage of the Slashdot audience has a collective hate-boner for Apple and Microsoft, so stories about them always drive up comments. So less like advertising and more like throwing a chicken into a pit full of alligators. Old, cranky alligators who sit around being mad at clouds all day.
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I think it's more that a high percentage of the Slashdot audience has a collective hate-boner for Apple and Microsoft
Actually I think it's a minority of vocal trolls and maybe 5 people with mod points.
The leaks were true (Score:2)
How is it media-centric to have a 120Hz display? (Score:2)
Does the display adapt to whatever the framerate of video that you are playing is? Because if not, 120Hz is just a waste of power that will shorted the battery life, thus actually limiting how much media you can play...
Just seemed like a funny juxtaposition, if they had mentioned gaming now that would make more sense, but it's explicitly mentioned to be non-gaming.
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Variable Refresh Rate is a prerequisite for the Windows 11 Dynamic Refresh Rate feature.
Microsoft also says explicitly on their specs sheet for pre-order that the default is 60hz unless DRR requests a higher refresh rate from the app (currently mostly for ink and touch scrolling).
https://devblogs.microsoft.com... [microsoft.com]
Did they make it reparable? (Score:2)
Because I don't want a laptop that has a sealed battery, if anything happens to the battery or any other component the surface turns into a brick. It also limits the lifetime of the product. I am tired of the anti environmental attitude of companies and consumers. Hardware performance is flattening and to compensate hardware companies are forcing consumers to upgrade with software bloat (newer software versions run slower on the same hardware) and making the hardware non repairable.
It's 2021 we should be ab
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Thinkpads and the Framework laptop exist for repairable devices. If that's a value for you (It is for me, I can usually get a good decade out of a Thinkpad) than the Surface line is not and has never been for you.
Microsoft, Apple and others will continue making devices like this because people buy them and want them, it's not a matter of figuring it out. It would require state regulation or a huge market swing for them to stop.
Re: Did they make it reparable? (Score:2)
The only two brands I'll buy is Asus and Lenovo for that reason (and they hold up well), I dropped my Asus laptop and broke the frame, then tore the whole thing apart and replaced it
"toe to toe" (Score:2)
The only toe this goes against is the one I drop-kick it out of consideration.
Gunshy (Score:2)
I bought one of the ill-fated Surface Pro 4s at launch and after all the issues with the Skylake CPU it used, I would definitely wait a bit before getting another one of these. Most annoying of all was how it used special Intel video drivers which kneecapped the IGP and caused other issues. You could manually replace it with the official Intel drivers, but every so often Windows Update would detect it and wipe it out, forcing you to do it all over again.