Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/08/03/microsoft-surface-go-gets-rave.html
…
2 Likes
I wonder how difficult it is to replace battery in this thing - earlier models had problems in that department.
LoL good luck. I guess you can wait for the iFixit report to be disappointed.
1 Like
It’s precariously close to the kind of thing I want; a digital note taking device where I can scribble, sketch, and jot and then send it over to a laptop or desktop for editing or whatever.
2 Likes
iFixit teardown of Surface Pro 5 was quite entertaining:
There is nothing replaceable inside, the battery is glued to the case and even the SSD is soldered to the mainboard 
It is not for me anyway - it wouldn’t last long in industrial environment. I’ll probably wait for used Toughbooks CF-33:
2 Likes
You don’t. There are no internally replaceable parts, and within my experience, I have not known anyone personally who has been able to successfully disassemble and reassemble one with everything working at the end. I remember with a previous model a “popular” mod was to use an endmill to cut a hole in the back in order to upgrade the SSD.
Don’t get me wrong, I like using my Surface tablet, even in spite of the fact that it runs Windows. They are anti-consumer devices though. There’s no reason that the back couldn’t be held on with ten screws. It’d be just as sturdy, and could also be made completely upgradeable and repairable. The problem is that Microsoft and Apple are both racing toward making it so that computers are things we can’t own or even repair.
5 Likes
So, the “rave review” by Gizmodo is that it looks nice?
2 Likes
A lot of my friends with big boy office jobs have been using surface’s as general office computers. Pretty much since they first came out. The two big wishes that seem to come out of it are a more powerful more laptop like version so more complex stuff doesn’t have to be put off to another machine as often. Which Microsoft started doing a while back. And then for smaller cheaper ones. So there’s a lower buy in for their very nice busy work and media machine.
So I imagine this will be quite popular.
Might be nice if it ran anything other than windows
" . . . people will note with admiration when you’re at a coffee shop . . . " Wait a minute, that’s what owning an Apple computer is for. It costs $400, but of course you’ll need a keyboard and the author then says he’s reviewing, “It’s $680 to get the version that I think would work best for most people.”, then finally, " Spring for at least the $550 8GB model [Amazon]."
I bought what was described as incredibly rugged HP ProBook x360 11.6" G1 EE, which is now $314 https://www.amazon.com/HP-Notebook-Touchscreen-Dual-Core-Bluetooth/dp/B071DBN7XK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=06185startech-20&linkId=93d172543871096291e59a6e070dd7c1#customerReviews
I retired my desktop and replaced it with the HP and couldn’t be happier. You can get it with 8 GB ram and a larger SSD type drive. It’s also last year’s model now replaced by a G2, but otherwise it’s up to date. My point is that I was amazed at what’s available at the low end of laptop prices and maybe you are like me, someone who’s thought about a Chromebook but couldn’t bring yourself to a non Windows device.
3 Likes
Yeah, Ars has a round-up of reviews that is far less complimentary (and, weirdly, from some of the same reviewers quoted by Rob). At least one of them explicitly recommends not buying one if your intention is to run Photoshop, which seems like a use-case du jour for a tablet running Windows.
Even more concerning is that reviewers received the model with 8GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD, which is not the model that costs $400. If performance was pits on the high-end model, I can’t imagine how much worse the cheap-o version is.
4 Likes
When the Surface Studio came out I was thrilled: finally a giant draw on it workstation with real apps!
Until I went to the MS store and played with it. OMG the pen lag was atrocious. It would chord every curve (straight or straighter line components in every dang curve). The dial was neat but would slide off the surface (wink!) when in drawing mode. Excellent design but the actual use was pretty awful. The tablets just seemed the same on a smaller scale (again nice design). Now that said I didn’t test photoshop on it…
I am now the very happy owner of an iPad Pro 12.9 and pencil. First apple product to actually excite me in decades. Once you get over drawing on glass it is super sweet. I generally use Procreate.
5 Likes
I know this is asking too much but what I really want is a windows tablet that has the stylus experience of the iPad Pro (from most artist reviews, the surface stylus isn’t “there” yet)… A boy can dream, right?
1 Like
There’s no reason to make things user replaceable if it’s cheaper and easier from a manufacturing standpoint to make everything integrated. And things are only going to get more tightly integrated as we go on.
Hilarious that everyone was all gaga over this thing when it was announced, but then we never hear anything else about it. Not surprising that MS didn’t live up to its own hype.
I’ve got some anecdota to provide you! I have horrible fine-motor control and couldn’t use the pen at all. I didn’t notice the lag @enkidoodler attests to, but I still couldn’t get it to do anything useful. So I gave the pen to my labmate for his Surface and he’s been thrilled with it! He’s been using it on a daily basis for a month now.
I doubt most people want to run Photoshop on a tablet, or at all. That seems like a pretty specialized use case. Just get my general use computing right in a slim form factor like this, and I’m there.
(Of course for those of us that do want to run Photoshop, a tablet interface could be a big bonus.)
2 Likes
I understand the reasoning, that doesn’t change the fact that it is a very bad thing for consumers and the environment. I am to the point which I’m almost ready to support the idea of legislation that enforces certain levels of customer repairability.
1 Like
If you want to run PS, you really need the power of the Pro.
1 Like
or making Photoshop work hard.
And I’m out.
