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Microsoft Surface Go 2 review

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81–90 of 184 posts

Re: Microsoft Surface Go 2 review

#81

What I really don't get is how companies get away with shipping any model that has 4GB of RAM. I mean,come on, it's 2020. The OS running idle probably needs more than that,not even mentioning opening a few tabs in Chrome.

DDR4 DRAM draws about 1.5W per 4GB, regardless of chip counts.

Re: Microsoft Surface Go 2 review

#82

You reckon these kind of tablet/laptops would be able to handle remote desktop smoothly? Since the quarantine started I've been using my laptop to remote desktop to my PC in the office (I need a pretty hefty machine so a laptop doesn't cut it). I've been surprised how well it works and opens a world of possibilities for me. I'd imagine I'm not the only one realizing this.

I pretty much only ever use my Surface (which is quite old now) for RDP'ing into my office desktop machines to give demos - usually via a 4G connection as a lot of places I visit don't have a public wifi network.

Only problem I've ever had was when I accidentally pulled the ethernet cable out of one of my PCs as I was leaving to give the demo....

Edit: Only other problem I had was constantly losing the Surface video adapters - solved by attaching the adapter to my Surface power supply cable with a cable tie.

Re: Microsoft Surface Go 2 review

#83
post #78
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, I've been using my Surface Pro 4 for a bit over four years now, and pre-lockdown I was on 2 round-trip flights a month on average. No issue whatsoever using it on the tray. On the contrary, my size and the reduced seat pitch in most narrow body aircrafts made my other machine (a 15" macbook) rather unusable.

Anecdotally, I tried OG Surface Pro back when it launched. On my lap the kickstand was extremely unstable; on high speed rail chairs the angle of kickstand was extremely steep and uncomfortable; on university desks and cafeteria tables it was okay but never good; only on airplane couches and Starbucks tables, which I’m not as privileged to say I use with frequency, it fit, at all. The kickstand has reportedly improve…

Keep in mind the device "lapability" improved a lot in the subsequent iterations, for two reasons:

- the kickstand is now freely adjustable, you can set it at any angle (there are no pre-determined stops)

- the keyboard "sticks" to the bottom of the front side, this both gives the device more rigidity on your lap and improves the typing angle

I have never used an OG Pro, but I've used an RT and the difference is night and day

Re: Microsoft Surface Go 2 review

#84

I feel like MS laptops are getting bashed left and right by various online experts these days without a decent reason. Apple products are not less cheaper and follow the same "100EUR for a charger" scheme. If you calculate the totals, MS laptop is no more experiensive than the Apple one. Except with MS products you also get a true mobile experience if that is what you are after. The only drawback is Windows and its t…

(Not specific to Surface Go 2) I assure you there is sometimes a reason, which in my mind can be generalized as lack of attention to detail: I deployed Surface Laptop 3’s to my SMB and now hairline screen cracking [1] is popping up left and right. Why? Because MS opted not to put a rubber gasket around their screens so when they changed from fabric to metal wrist rests, the imperfect closure fit led to pieces of sand etc. obliterating screens.

When I account for my lost time dealing with support, and the occasional cost of replacing devices/accessories that support will not, MS devices are far more expensive than Macs.

[1] https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/8/21252634/microsoft-surface...

Re: Microsoft Surface Go 2 review

#85

I feel like MS laptops are getting bashed left and right by various online experts these days without a decent reason. Apple products are not less cheaper and follow the same "100EUR for a charger" scheme. If you calculate the totals, MS laptop is no more experiensive than the Apple one. Except with MS products you also get a true mobile experience if that is what you are after. The only drawback is Windows and its t…

> The only drawback is Windows and its tooling Oh goo, I was worried it was a serious drawback. Also try reselling a Surface Go 2 in 3 years compared to a MacBook Air/Pro.

This is debatable but I would agree to some extend that it is easier to resell MacBook Air/Pro than Surface. I would also argue that it is rather due to higher familiarity with Apple products, not hardware. In anyway, this is not an argument in favor of Apple products.

Re: Microsoft Surface Go 2 review

#86
post #84

I feel like MS laptops are getting bashed left and right by various online experts these days without a decent reason. Apple products are not less cheaper and follow the same "100EUR for a charger" scheme. If you calculate the totals, MS laptop is no more experiensive than the Apple one. Except with MS products you also get a true mobile experience if that is what you are after. The only drawback is Windows and its t…

(Not specific to Surface Go 2) I assure you there is sometimes a reason, which in my mind can be generalized as lack of attention to detail: I deployed Surface Laptop 3’s to my SMB and now hairline screen cracking [1] is popping up left and right. Why? Because MS opted not to put a rubber gasket around their screens so when they changed from fabric to metal wrist rests, the imperfect closure fit led to pieces of sand…

I agree. It is a design flaw I was well aware before making a purchase and bought a screen protector for Surface. It served me well so far, I am also more careful of not holding the laptop by the edge or slapping it too much. However, I think it is good since it forces you to be careful with the expensive gadget. Yes, the repairability is very bad and yes such are the costs for being detachable.

Re: Microsoft Surface Go 2 review

#87
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same experience here. I hear the 'unusable on lap' sentiment seemingly often (including in the OP article itself). Yet, I honestly cannot tell is because it's only the ones with a bad experience speaking up and the rest remaining silent, or because there really is a problem I'm not aware of. And in both cases: I honestly wonder how that is possible? Is my body different in some way that I don't see the difference bet…

That seems very awkward versus a laptop, though; in particular you'd have stay very still. I'd expect it to be particularly problematic on a bus or train, where there was movement.

The hinge is sturdy so in comparison with a laptop you don't have one big contact area with your legs but the bottom of the kickstand and the botom of the machine itself which don't move with respect to each other. The bottom of the keyboard kan move wrt the rest but only in one plane. I don't see how movement of whatever you're sitting on changes much in how the thing sits on your lap. I also don't encounter that when I'm on a bus or so.

Re: Microsoft Surface Go 2 review

#88
post #80
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same experience here. I hear the 'unusable on lap' sentiment seemingly often (including in the OP article itself). Yet, I honestly cannot tell is because it's only the ones with a bad experience speaking up and the rest remaining silent, or because there really is a problem I'm not aware of. And in both cases: I honestly wonder how that is possible? Is my body different in some way that I don't see the difference bet…

https://msegceporticoprodassets.blob.core.windows.net/asset-... This image is from Microsoft.com. Think how much his upper torso will have to bend to look at the middle of his thighs.

Sure, but the image shows a desktop. I'm talking about differences of the Surface vs a 'standard' laptop when used on your lap.

Re: Microsoft Surface Go 2 review

#89
Completely related to the article but completely unrelated to surface.... what's going on with those product pictures? The blur is all messed up... on the last picture the left side of the surface is gone.

Re: Microsoft Surface Go 2 review

#90

I feel like MS laptops are getting bashed left and right by various online experts these days without a decent reason. Apple products are not less cheaper and follow the same "100EUR for a charger" scheme. If you calculate the totals, MS laptop is no more experiensive than the Apple one. Except with MS products you also get a true mobile experience if that is what you are after. The only drawback is Windows and its t…

Use Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 and 3 for work, have to disagree that the only drawback is software. The trackpad is significantly worse on Microsoft devices than Apple fairly consistently. Even the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro trackpad, albeit smaller in size, is more sensitive and accurate than the Surface Laptop 3's.
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