Apple is building the computer of the future, and I’m buying the Surface Laptop Go of the past

6 years ago we bought 11” MacBook airs for our nurses to carry with them as they work. They have worked great…but are beginning to show their age. Apple is making amazing 13” M1 MacBook airs, but I just bought a surface laptop pro to see if it will work. It can run our 30 year old office management software which the Macs never could. Some of our doctor use surface laptops and pros so we have surface chargers in each room. The nurses want something small. It all makes sense to get the surface laptop Go. But it breaks my heart to not be getting the computer that I know will running the ARM processor that I know will be the future.

Conversation 14 comments

  • anoldamigauser

    Premium Member
    22 December, 2020 - 4:34 pm

    <p>If the chip of the future will not run the software of the present, it is probably not the chip of <strong><em>your </em></strong>future. Software is what people use to get things done, and a computer that does not run the applications you need is just a desk ornament.</p><p>Let your heart be glad that the nurses will actually be able to run the applications they need to do their job.</p>

  • illuminated

    22 December, 2020 - 7:23 pm

    <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">What a weird case of FOMO! </span>You can always get future processor in the future. </p>

  • shark47

    22 December, 2020 - 9:19 pm

    <p>Imagine someone who bought an Intel Mac in Q3 or even Q4.</p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      23 December, 2020 - 5:09 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#601729">In reply to shark47:</a></em></blockquote><p>Or even in 2021. Apple have only released entry level MacBooks and Mac minis so far. Those that need more expansion, more memory etc. still have no other option, other than to keep what they have or buy an Intel Mac.</p><p>You buy the machine that suits your workload.</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      23 December, 2020 - 9:24 am

      They’ll be fine for years to come. I bet they’ll be fine for longer than someone using a Surface Laptop Go, honestly.

    • scj123

      Premium Member
      24 December, 2020 - 3:58 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#601729">In reply to shark47:</a></em></blockquote><p>Are they about to stop working?</p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    23 December, 2020 - 5:19 am

    <p>This has always been the case, since I started in computing, back in 1980. You always buy the best platform that supports the software you need to run.</p><p>With basic productivity applications (Office, photo editing, email, web surfing etc.) you have a wide range of platforms that can suit your needs. If you have specialised application and specialised requirements for the type of device it runs on, then you are often much more limited in what your hardware choices are.</p><p>We still have some XP machines kicking around in our laboratories, because replacing them with Windows 10 devices would cost in excess of $100,000 each, because they are used to control lab equipment and the drivers and software only work on XP, nothing later. To get a Windows 10 version, we need to replace all the lab equipment with newer versions, which run into 6 figures per station.</p>

    • christianwilson

      Premium Member
      23 December, 2020 - 9:21 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#601773">In reply to wright_is:</a></em></blockquote><p>This is exactly it. You must equip your workforce with the right tools for the job. Those tools are not always the prettiest, or future proof, but running business-critical software is top priority. Otherwise, it is a headache for IT and frustration for the end users. </p>

    • vladimir

      Premium Member
      23 December, 2020 - 7:25 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#601773">In reply to wright_is:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I work in a hospital and we have the same problem. In our case the problem are expensive diagnostic machines such as MRIs, ecography etc. It really hurts to use windows XP today. I wonder if there is some real technical limitation or if it's just the equipment providers that refuse to produce updated drivers to force the update of machinery that costs 100 thousands of dollars.</p><p>I recently discovered that at least in Europe (don't know in the US) a vast number of machines that still use XP are ATMs. I find that to be absurd</p>

  • jchampeau

    Premium Member
    23 December, 2020 - 6:35 am

    <p>Can the app be virtualized or run in Citrix or something?</p>

  • scj123

    Premium Member
    24 December, 2020 - 4:01 am

    <p>Why would you roll out MacBook Airs to your nurses knowing they wouldn't run your office management software?</p>

  • ghostrider

    24 December, 2020 - 5:11 am

    <p>Thin client laptops (eg Chromebooks) with your software running on a backend somewhere. Easy to manage, secure, cheap etc. They support RDP or other remote access protocols. You would not want to inflict Windows on anyone if not necessary, ARM version or not. There are alternatives! Macs are hideously expensive and like Surface, are style over substance.</p>

  • angusmatheson

    24 December, 2020 - 9:40 am

    <p>The surface laptop go arrived. It is a cute little computer and the nurses love it. The 3 by 2 screen is great, actually better then the 11 MacBook Air that it will replace for the web app that we live in at the office. At 2.4 pounds it feels heavy – but it is the same as the Air. I used to think the best computer was the one with the fastest processor the most RAM. I have learned – the best computer is the computer does the job needed the best. Running software that I installed when I was 15 in 1985 is one of the jobs. This computer runs the web app and runs that. Making it the “best”</p>

  • phil_adcock

    24 December, 2020 - 1:09 pm

    <p>Like others have said, what best suits your needs is the computer for you. I have both a Windows 10 laptop and a Macbook Pro (2019 Model) I prefer the Mac because it works the best for me. I can text with out leaving the computer. I can browse the web, manage email and all of my business critical apps either run on the web or work on an intel Mac. I love the updated look of Big Sur but I agree that if it didn't support everything I needed. It would be useless.</p>

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