Can a Surface really replace a laptop?

[matthew81202]

I am a student looking to buy a laptop, and I am considering a Surface I move around a lot so I really need something thin that I can just throw in a bag and set off with. I don't really use my laptop on my lap much, so that is not a huge concern, I mostly just set it at my desk and work at it until I am done. I do some cad work in PTC Creo, some programming in Visual Studio and Android Studio, and lots of web browsing. I also do some image manipulation work in GIMP. I like the idea of the Surface Pro 4's pen support, touch screen, and amazing form factor, but I don't know if the 1300 dollar SKU with an Intel i5 6300U and 8 Gigs of RAM is powerful enough for me. To be fair, I am coming from a pretty terrible system, so I know it can only get better from there, but I want to keep my new device for as long as possible. Is the Surface a good choice for my needs? The nicest machine I have used is an HP rig with an i5 4590, 8GB of RAM, and WD Blue HDD. The machine I currently use is an 8 year old dinosaur with an Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 CPU, 8 GB of RAM, no working integrated or discreet GPU, and some unidentifiable SATA HDD. It is becoming very unstable just running Windows 10, and I am worried that it will give out on me soon. 

[Squirrel724]

A surface is comparable to a high end ultrabook and can easily replace a laptop.

[neoxid501]

Okay it's really going to depend on you. I'm in college and one of my art major friends has a Surface Book and loves it. I tried the keyboard at a Microsoft Store (I was only there to try the HTC Vive I swear lol) and it was only "okay." 

 

The real decider will be if you're going to use the Surface Book/Surface 4 more as a tablet than a laptop. I'm majoring in Software Engineering, since I'm not a tablet user anyway, I went for a Lenovo t460s with a touch screen and the Lenovo keyboards are well known for just being better than every other laptop (I mean they did buy IBM). However, if you don't want to lug around notebook to all your math lectures than the Surface isn't a bad option since it include that Note taking thing from Microsoft as long as you don't mind using your Surface to take down all your notes and study with.

[GR8-Ride]

I'm not so sure that it matters if you'll use the Surface Pro 4 as a tablet more than a laptop, as in my own personal case, I use my Surface Pro 4 more as a laptop than I did as a pure tablet.   As to power, I went high-end, with the i7 / 16 GB / 512GB model, but this is dependent upon your own budget and requirements.   I went in with the idea that mine was going to replace my personal laptop, which it did quite successfully (my personal laptop was a 15 rMBP / i7 / 1TB / 16 GB model).

 

I rarely use mine a whole bunch on my lap, but when I do, it functions relatively well.   When I do use it in tablet mode (laying on the sofa, or in bed) it's far better than any laptop I've ever owned.

 

For pen usage, I actually prefer the SP4 vs the Surface Book, as I found the Surface Book to have a fairly wobbly screen for either pen or touch input when it's sitting on a desk.   The SP4 was much better braced for finger or pen input with the kickstand out.

 

I was reluctant to sell my rMBP prior to getting fully comfortable with the SP4, as I was both very used to OSX, and unsure of how well a tablet / laptop hybrid could function as my primary machine.  After the last 7 months, I can say that the SP4 has done an excellent job as my primary machine.

 

 

Patrick