sc0ott
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Registered: 16th Feb 09
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Im obviously not too clued up on what to look for when it comes to the spec. I went to currys to have a look but i ended up just looking for one that looked the best 
At best i'll be wanting to use it for downloading music, movies etc, but i'll also be wanting to use AutoCAD and quite possibly revit and some other graphics software at some point (say photoshop).
Prefer one with a touch screen as well.
What can be had?
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VrsTurbo
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Something not very good for autocad
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sc0ott
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Registered: 16th Feb 09
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Yeah i think youre right
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evilrob
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You can get a refurbed first gen Surface Pro 128Gb for £320.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Microsoft-Surface-Pro-Tablet-128-GB-Hard-Drive-4-GB-RAM-Windows-8-Pro-/151420103601?pt=UK_iPad_Tablets_eReaders&hash=item2341576bb1
Runs Photoshop CC like a dream. Can't speak for Autocad, but it's got a Core i5 and SSD so is pretty nippy. Runs a 1080P external monitor no probs.
I played South Park Stick of Truth all the way through in HD on one, if that helps.
Cracking little machine for the money. Enough left over in your budget for a nice external monitor, or keyboard cover.
Good deal on a 23" Dell Ultrasharp:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dell-UltraSharp-U2414H-Widescreen-Monitor/dp/B00H3JIGHA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411987744&sr=8-1&keywords=dell+2414h
Keyboard cover:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Microsoft-Surface-Type-Cover-Keyboard-Surface-2-Pro-Pro-2-RT-Black-/171453337889?pt=UK_iPad_Tablet_Accessories&hash=item27eb6a5121
I can recommend this case:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Manvex-Compact-Leather-Microsoft-Surface/dp/B00KQRSLKI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411988051&sr=8-1&keywords=surface+pro+leather+manvex
[Edited on 29-09-2014 by evilrob]
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kz
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Another vote for Surface  mine's been great. The not-quite-so-good-but-capable Touch Cover is £30 brand new at Curry's now...
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing/ipad-tablets-and-ereaders/tablets/tablet-accessories/microsoft-surface-touch-cover-tablet-keyboard-cyan-21290311-pdt.html?awc=1599_1412016464_1148c5e61f532771333a33fad5987060&srcid=369&xtor=AL-1&cmpid=aff~HotUKDeals~Communities%20%26%20UGC&istCompanyId=bec25c7e-cbcd-460d-81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istItemId=qqpxmxaq&istBid=t
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AndyKent
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Good luck using Autocad on touch tbh.
Its all about dragging the mouse about on screen. Machine might be powerful enough but theres some things a mouse is good for.
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sc0ott
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As much as i would love a surface pro, its all most certain i would just get fed up of having to connect accessories and what anykent said.
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evilrob
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quote:
Originally posted by sc0ott
As much as i would love a surface pro, its all most certain i would just get fed up of having to connect accessories and what anykent said.
Bluetooth mouse? 
When I'm using my Surface Pro for serious stuff I have a wireless keyboard and mouse that connect automatically when in range. I can't see you using a trackpad for Autocad, so you'll have the same issue with a "traditional" laptop.
When I just want to entertain myself on a train or whatever, I sling it in my bag.
[Edited on 29-09-2014 by evilrob]
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sc0ott
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How well does it work on uneven surfaces? (excuse the pun) Say i want to lie on the couch with it on my lap and i wanted to use the keys, will the keyboard connect properlly? Or will it disconnect easily from sudden movements.
Or if it was sat on top of some paperwork at my work desk, will the keyboard flop off if it was sat at a slight angle?
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evilrob
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quote:
Originally posted by sc0ott
How well does it work on uneven surfaces? (excuse the pun) Say i want to lie on the couch with it on my lap and i wanted to use the keys, will the keyboard connect properlly? Or will it disconnect easily from sudden movements.
Or if it was sat on top of some paperwork at my work desk, will the keyboard flop off if it was sat at a slight angle?
If you use that Manvex 'folio' style case I linked to above, it's very comfortable to use a Surface Pro with Type Keyboard while lounging as it allows you to angle the device exactly how you want it. That said, if you're just web browsing or firing off some quick e-mails, the on-screen keyboard is more than adequate. That case works well with or without keyboard attachment:
The keyboard covers attach magnetically and are very strong; you can hold it by the keyboard with the tablet hanging underneath and it won't fall off (I wouldn't recommend doing it over tiles though just in case!) It takes a firm and deliberate action to decouple.
Type Cover 2 demo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V77uy6X4V8
The experience is best on a flat surface not balanced on anything underneath, for sure - but again, the same is true of an actual laptop.
I generally use mine either as a pure tablet without a keyboard attachment when lounging or as a desktop replacement at a (clean and tidy!) desk with external keyboard, mouse and monitor.
[Edited on 30-09-2014 by evilrob]
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sc0ott
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And its only the pro version you can install itunes on?
I must admit i do like these. I hate windows 8 though due to lack of experience with it but im not wanting a mac so i'll have to get used to it.
Is it the first gen pro you have? Is there much difference between the surface 1, 2 and 3?
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evilrob
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quote:
Originally posted by sc0ott
And its only the pro version you can install itunes on?
I must admit i do like these. I hate windows 8 though due to lack of experience with it but im not wanting a mac so i'll have to get used to it.
Is it the first gen pro you have? Is there much difference between the surface 1, 2 and 3?
Surface RT and Surface 2 are iPad equivalents - you can only run apps from the Microsoft App Store on these devices due to their ARM processors rather than Intel ones. They do, however, confusingly come with a special version of Office 2013 preinstalled - but this is the only 'desktop' app you can run on it; you can't install Photoshop or whatever.
Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2 and Surface Pro 3 are full laptop spec computers, but in a tablet form factor running full Windows and you can therefore install proper Windows applications on them.
The original Surface Pro is what kz and I have. It is the oldest of the three, having been released in early 2013. It has a 4-6hr battery life (sometimes more, sometimes less depending on what you're doing, screen brightness etc.; I've got through a full work day on a single charge before). It has a beautiful 10.6" 1080P 16:9 widescreen that is great for watching films on. The kickstand only has one position, which is only really good for having on a desk, but a folio case such as the one mentioned earlier makes this a non-issue. A refurbished 128Gb Core i5 model can be had for as little as £320.
Surface Pro 2 is slightly newer (late 2013), very slightly thinner, better battery life (6-8hrs), and the kickstand has two positions - one for desk and one for lap use. It has the same screen as the original. If you can find one, a 128Gb Core i5 model is around £600. It's better than the first gen, but not twice as good so as to justify paying twice as much for one!
Surface Pro 3 is the latest model, having just come out in August 2014. It's the thinnest, has an 8-10hr battery life and a kickstand that can sit at any angle. It has a 12" 4:3 ratio display. A 128Gb Core i5 model starts at £850 - so while it's the best, you pay for it!! There is a 64Gb Core i3 model is available at £649, I probably wouldn't bother with this one, though.
The latest Windows 8.1 is much better than earlier versions of Windows 8 you may have used. Windows 8 makes much more sense on a touchscreen device. In any case, Windows 10 is coming next year (it's THAT much better they're skipping 9, apparently) - this will see the return of the Start Menu you know and love:
http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/windows-10-unveiled-microsoft-ushers-in-the-next-era-of-windows-1267199
[Edited on 30-09-2014 by evilrob]
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kz
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quote:
Originally posted by sc0ott
As much as i would love a surface pro, its all most certain i would just get fed up of having to connect accessories and what anykent said.
I only have the power cable and Mini DisplayPort connected... Bluetooth mouse, Bluetooth audio receiver (great bit of kit, only £25 from Logitech) and the keyboard that attaches via the port on the bottom of the Surface.
Easy as pie yo.
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John
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Tablets, even with the hard keyboard type cases, aren't as good sitting on your lap as a laptop.
For what the OP intends to use it for I'd still be going with a normal laptop.
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kz
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Absolutely true, although the Surface Pro 3 is meant to change that...
Although being the latest model, it completely blows hi budget unfortunately!
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sc0ott
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I think the size of the screen will be my biggest problem with a surface. Im used to having quite a big monitor at work, even using a smaller monitor was awful.
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sc0ott
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I dont have an area set up at home where i could connect it to another monitor either
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evilrob
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Forget the Surface then.
I recommended it largely on the basis I don't think you can't get anywhere near the specs of a first gen Surface Pro any other way.
To get a Core i5 processor, touchscreen and SSD you need to be spending £600-800:
Dell start at £649:
http://www.dell.com/uk/p/laptops.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn#!facets=70205~0~462573,41105~0~3778517,274521~0~4175474&p=1
A quick look on Dabs yields similar levels of cost:
http://www.dabs.com/category/computing,laptops-and-tablets,laptops/11105-4294941871-54590000-501230000
Same story on eBuyer:
http://www.ebuyer.com/store/Computer/cat/Laptops?72=Yes&a00035=Intel+Core+i5&a05780=SSD&sort=price+ascending
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evilrob
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If you want a big screen you'll have to lose the touchscreen idea.
Personally, I wouldn't bother buying a laptop with a mechanical drive any more; SSD is so much faster - even sticking an SSD in your current laptop would probably make you happy.
At a minimum you want a Core i5 processor, especially if you want to have any hope of running AutoCAD.
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kz
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This looks good, i7 & 6Gb RAM..
http://www.debenhamsplus.com/DE_ACER_Notebook_10094023/version.asp
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evilrob
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Martin Lewis has got nothing on you, has he kz?
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kz
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I don't know what that means so I'll just nod 
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evilrob
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quote:
Originally posted by kz
I don't know what that means so I'll just nod
Martin Lewis = Money Saving Expert
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