Surface Pro 11 -Thoughts

[August1991]

I have the OLED screen. I would choose no other.

Studio? No. I have this because of the detachable keyboard.

I like Microsoft because it allows me control/choice. Apple does not.

It has two USB-C and the MS magnet on the other side. MS should lower all ports, give a physical touch to know where

(When bluetooth fails, I have no sound. It should have a plug-in headphone).

The weird AI button is useless, badly placed. The keyboard should have raised dots for keys.

 

 

 

[August1991]

The keyboard, while connected loses contact with the screen. This is a known issue.

I really liked the Surface Book 3 and its microSD slot.

If the Surface 11 Pro screen were 1 inch larger, it would be better.

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I have had no issues with the ARM cpu - except PDFGear which is slow.

[August1991]

Bad design: The points on the keyboard to indicate the F and J keys.

The keyboard should have a touch to indicate F5 - with a physical bump - how to illuminate the keyboard.

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Pros: This keyboard snaps into place. The way the pen sits is perfect. This is very well designed.

[herbie]

Had I seen your post, I would've advised you to avoid a Surface like it was the Plague. Overpriced captive junkware, save a fortune and buy a real laptop.

Even if you like Windows because there's more games, laptops, tablets and the mutant in-betweens aren't able to play them for shit. If you even mention the words 'gaming laptop' these days, the salesman knows he's got a real sucker in front of him to take to the cleaners.

[August1991]

On 2/19/2025 at 5:33 PM, herbie said:

Had I seen your post, I would've advised you to avoid a Surface like it was the Plague. Overpriced captive junkware, save a fortune and buy a real laptop.

..

Overpriced? Agreed.

But I like the detachable keyboard.

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Junkware? Explain

 

[August1991]

More than anything, I like that I can still use DOS.

I have control of my computer.

[herbie]

On 3/3/2025 at 4:28 PM, August1991 said:

I have control of my computer.

You mean they have control of your computer. You're using Windows. DOS?
You want control of your computer use Linux, you want to do retro stuff spend $60 for a Raspberry Pi.

[August1991]

On 3/9/2025 at 4:25 PM, herbie said:

You mean they have control of your computer. You're using Windows. DOS?
You want control of your computer use Linux, you want to do retro stuff spend $60 for a Raspberry Pi.

Herbie, I understand your point.

With Apple, they control/know everything - but it works and I trust them.

With Microsoft, I don't trust them - but it works.

With Linux, I trust the software - but it doesn't work.

 

 

[herbie]

Augie, I've been servicing Windows computers since the days of 3.1 and you're wrong to state Windows 'works' and Linux doesn't. After all these years I still entounter let's say, two problems in Windows that I've never seen before.
When I encounter them on Linux, the problems are exclusively something I messed up or something I wish a program could do, but doesn't. If I was 25 years younger, I'd get in there and code the software myself and add it. Something you can't do with Windows.

My biggest gripe is that Windows is so ubiquitous, schools teaching computing and coding aren't doing that, they're simply indocrinating pupils to be good Microsoft consumers.
Boils down to:
Windows for work
Macs for fun
Linux for learning

My dislike for the Surface, is that they're priced like a Mac with none of the interoperability, quality control or ease of use and they poisoned themselves on Day One by using that horribly lamed out version of Windows.
None of the ones I've handled were in shape to be refurbished, but if I ever do get one I might use it, but never go out of my way to buy one new. Which is the same for all Windows machines these days.

I will upgrade my shop computer to Win 11 some time this summer as 10 fades away and half hoping my 11 laptop croaks so I have an excuse to get a new Macbook.

[August1991]

On 5/16/2025 at 3:46 PM, herbie said:

...

My dislike for the Surface, is that they're priced like a Mac ...

True. I tend to agree.

And the Mac hardware build is better.

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But I can use Visual Studio. And I can control my environment.

[August1991]

Patents - intellectual property.

Apple owns the hardware phone environment.

Google owns the software phone environment.

With Surface, Microsoft now owns both - when content creators are not using phones.