Microsoft will pay you $650 to ditch your MacBook for a Surface

[captain_to_fire]

Quote

If Apple's MacBook updates on Thursday aren't good enough for you, Microsoft has an alternative.

The Windows maker will offer up to $650 for anyone in the US who "trades up" a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air for a Surface Book or a Surface Pro at a Microsoft Store or Microsoft.com starting Thursday, Brian Hall, corporate vice president of marketing for Microsoft devices, said in an interview.

The offer comes as Microsoft unveiled new devices and software at an event in New York. One of its announcements was a battery life boost and graphics bump in its high-end Surface Book i7.

Apple declined to comment Wednesday. It will host an event Thursday where it's expected to introduce redesigned MacBook Pros, the first major updates to the high-end laptops in over four years. The new MacBook Pros will reportedly have an OLED touchscreen in place of function keys, can be unlocked with Touch ID and feature Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports.

One thing the new MacBooks are not expected to have are touchscreens. Microsoft and Windows PC makers popularized the screens in computers and hybrid devices that convert between tablets and laptops. But Apple has resisted putting touchscreens in its computers, saying they don't make sense. Microsoft says lack of touchscreens hurts customers.

"At this point, they're really doing customers a disservice to not to have an option for touch on a MacBook," Hall said Wednesday. "We're going to announce tomorrow a trade-in program so that people who feel disappointed by the Mac not going all the way to touch screen can trade in" their Apple computers for Surface.

Microsoft has offered its Mac trade-in programs before. It didn't say how successful they have been in the past.

Article from CNET: https://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-will-pay-you-650-to-ditch-your-macbook-for-a-surface-apple-pro-surface-book/

Original Post from Microsoft Store: https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/cat/Surface-Trade-In/categoryID.69758400?tduid=(08adb61514ef228bafdb9541d1b81be4)(256380)(2459594)(hL3Qp0zRBOc-BdySPEFwP0ZmialwbBpAZA)()

 

This is probably a good deal. I just got the budget to buy a MacBook Pro 13" and Apple decided to screw its customers by replacing the MagSafe charging port and the type A ports with three USB C ports. They've also eliminated the SDXC card slot so yay for more proprietary adapters. But then I prefer Final Cut Pro X than Adobe Premiere. I prefer the free iWork than paying $100 every year for Office 365. Apple's Time Machine is miles ahead than Windows 10's File History and Macs are free from OEM crapware. ?

[The Belgian Waffle]

Basically you have no idea on what to do x)

[suicidalfranco]

I'd take the offer if it was to get a Dell Inspiron 15 7559

[rattacko123]

24 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

 But then I prefer Final Cut Pro X than Adobe Premiere. I prefer the free iWork than paying $100 every year for Office 365. Apple's Time Machine is miles ahead than Windows 10's File History and Macs are free from OEM crapware. ?

just use google docs or some free alternative, you can get alternatives to windows 10's file history,(I use syncback free) and OEM crapware is easy to remove and is not found in similarly priced laptops to the macbook pro. In the case of premiere, well that sucks but it seems that premiere is the only decent choice out of anything in the market, and besides it's the industry standard so if you pursue a career in video related stuff, your expertise in premiere would come in handy

[rattacko123]

16 minutes ago, suicidalfranco said:

I'd take the offer if it was to get a Dell Inspiron 15 7559

yeah surface hardware is nearly as expensive as apple hardware, so getting a dell would be much better, or better yet, a razer blade

[suicidalfranco]

4 minutes ago, rattacko123 said:

yeah surface hardware is nearly as expensive as apple hardware, so getting a dell would be much better, or better yet, a razer blade

Eh, blade has the same issue that affects the Macbooks and surfaces, all three are not user maintenance/upgrade friendly 

[rattacko123]

3 minutes ago, suicidalfranco said:

Eh, blade has the same issue that affects the Macbooks and surfaces, all three are not user maintenance/upgrade friendly 

if you want something that's maintenance/upgrade friendly, then get a clevo (or an alternative in your market e.g. metabox is the australian version), unless you need touchscreen or something.

[Thony]

Finally reached the point when companys pay the customers lol

 

Also shows how desperate MS is...

[captain_to_fire]

11 minutes ago, rattacko123 said:

In the case of premiere, well that sucks but it seems that premiere is the only decent choice out of anything in the market, and besides it's the industry standard so if you pursue a career in video related stuff, your expertise in premiere would come in handy

I actually started video editing with iMovie then with Final Cut Pro X. I don't know if I'll have the patience to learn Premiere. Also, FCP X renders in the background unlike Premiere. As much as possible, I like to stick to first party apps so I'd say Time Machine is better than Windows 10 File History. Not to mention, I'm learning how to play guitar with the free Garage Band. Windows Movie Maker won't even come close to iMovie. I'm planning to replace my MacBook Air 13" 2011 by a MacBook Pro but I'm disappointed with the things they removed to make it thin and light. I tried to use a touchscreen PC and the experience isn't mind blowing nor significant.

 

 

[captain_to_fire]

6 minutes ago, Thony said:

Finally reached the point when companys pay the customers lol

 

Also shows how desperate MS is...

Cable companies do that. Wireless carriers also pay their customers or pay their early termination fees to switch. I don't think it's an act of desperation for Microsoft. It's not like all of a sudden Surface PCs are exploding ala GN7 and they started to buy their customers' loyalty.

[bigneo]

I agree with Apple about the touch screen. 

 

Why would I want or let someone else to touch this beautiful screen and have a chance to get it all greasy and dirty with filth!

 

I've seen some dudes in college sitting with their touch screen windows laptops with filthy screens and finger prints...

[pyrojoe34]

2 minutes ago, bigneo said:

I agree with Apple about the touch screen. 

 

Why would I want or let someone else to touch this beautiful screen and have a chance to get it all greasy and dirty with filth!

 

I've seen some dudes in college sitting with their touch screen windows laptops with filthy screens and finger prints...

If only there was some way to clean a touchscreen?? I know this is exactly why I still use my Moto Razr, you people with smart phones are dumb.. there are fingerprints all over them!!

[rattacko123]

14 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

I actually started video editing with iMovie then with Final Cut Pro X. I don't know if I'll have the patience to learn Premiere. Also, FCP X renders in the background unlike Premiere. As much as possible, I like to stick to first party apps so I'd say Time Machine is better than Windows 10 File History. Not to mention, I'm learning how to play guitar with the free Garage Band. Windows Movie Maker won't even come close to iMovie. I'm planning to replace my MacBook Air 13" 2011 by a MacBook Pro but I'm disappointed with the things they removed to make it thin and light. I tried to use a touchscreen PC and the experience isn't mind blowing nor significant.

 

 

"we all do powerful work with the trackpad" hahaha, that explains alot about apple software, they've given up on the imac. Yeah I don't like touchscreen, it's only good for games imo. Touchscreen does have its uses though and to really compete and attract customers having a stylus type thing like the ipad pro would be great, it doesn't even need to be used for the main OS, devs can add their support. Apple can afford it, touchscreen isn't that expensive.
And considering that you rely so much on garageband (truly a great software, never seen anything close to it on PC) I understand your reliance on the apple ecosystem.
FCP X is great, although it is mac only, I suppose you could get AVID which is only twice as expensive as premiere. 

Yeah I agree that microshit 1st party software is pretty bad, the whole point of windows is the wide selection of 3rd party applications compared to the closed 1st party OSX.

[captain_to_fire]

14 minutes ago, rattacko123 said:

Yeah I agree that microshit 1st party software is pretty bad, the whole point of windows is the wide selection of 3rd party applications compared to the closed 1st party OSX.

I still use Windows but only for gaming. But for everything else like work stuff, I prefer the Mac. I don't know if the W10 creators update can get more OEMs to build touchscreen PCs and monitors. 

[AlTech]

22 minutes ago, hey_yo_ said:

I still use Windows but only for gaming. But for everything else like work stuff, I prefer the Mac. I don't know if the W10 creators update can get more OEMs to build touchscreen PCs and monitors. 

It probably will.

[bigneo]

53 minutes ago, pyrojoe34 said:

If only there was some way to clean a touchscreen?? I know this is exactly why I still use my Moto Razr, you people with smart phones are dumb.. there are fingerprints all over them!!

 

Okay bruh, take your laptop in one hand and rub the screen against your jumper or jeans to clean screen conveniently/fast, just like with the phone.

[TrigrH]

this is stupid, why would I trade in a perfectly functioning paperweight?

[suicidalfranco]

1 minute ago, TrigrH said:

this is stupid, why would I trade in a perfectly functioning paperweight?

to get a magnesium paperweight 

[TrigrH]

Just now, suicidalfranco said:

to get a magnesium paperweight 

magnesium is lighter hence an inferior paperweight no?

[suicidalfranco]

Just now, TrigrH said:

magnesium is lighter hence an inferior paperweight no?

magnesium is lighter than aluminium yes, but magnesium is also more valuable than aluminium, so you get a fancier paperweight 

[TrigrH]

Just now, suicidalfranco said:

magnesium is lighter than aluminium yes, but magnesium is also more valuable than aluminium, so you get a fancier paperweight 

yeah but id still have to pay another ~700 for it

[suicidalfranco]

1 minute ago, TrigrH said:

yeah but id still have to pay another ~700 for it

700 more for a chic paperweight. Show your peers how much luxurious you are 

[AlTech]

6 minutes ago, suicidalfranco said:

700 more for a chic paperweight. Show your peers how much luxurious you are 

Surface is not a paperweight and anybody who thinks so, definitely isn't the target audience.

 

Does that mean because i'm not the audience for the Pixel and Pixel XL, it is a paperweight? No. Of course not.

[Valentyn]

2 hours ago, hey_yo_ said:

I actually started video editing with iMovie then with Final Cut Pro X. I don't know if I'll have the patience to learn Premiere. Also, FCP X renders in the background unlike Premiere. As much as possible, I like to stick to first party apps so I'd say Time Machine is better than Windows 10 File History.

 

 

I moved to Windows and Premiere Pro after Apple stopped caring about the Mac Pro line, and honestly. I miss FCPX so damn much, it's was faster workflow wise for me personally, and significantly faster at rendering and exporting projects.

My current workstation is far better than my old Mac Pro, but it honestly barely matches FCPX in productivity.

Adobe are terrible at utilising all the available hardware, and my goodness does the software throw out "unknown error" a lot on long exports.

Never mind Adobe's terrible subscription service as well.

[Mr.Meerkat]

3 hours ago, hey_yo_ said:

OEM crapware

If don't include some of Apple's software