The Sams Report: Something Different About The October Surface Event

Posted on September 13, 2019 by Brad Sams in Podcasts, The Sams Report with 22 Comments

On this edition of the Sams Report, Microsoft’s hardware event in a couple of weeks is coming into focus, Apple announced a bunch of hardware, and a lot more dive into as the hardware gets heavy.

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Comments (22)

22 responses to “The Sams Report: Something Different About The October Surface Event”

  1. Avatar

    jchampeau

    *Centaurus

    1 year ago
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    proesterchen

    You have to absolutely hand it to Microsoft: If they bring both an 8cx design and an AMD-based notebook, they are simply unmatched in selecting unfit suppliers that are decidedly uncompetitive in their chosen field.


    Then again, this is the same company that shipped a flagship All-in-one with positively ancient, terribly performing hardware.

    1 year ago
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      Greg Green

      In reply to proesterchen:

      How are 8cx or Ryzen unfit? 8cx already has demonstrated competitive benchmarks in PCMark 10. If those benchmarks carry through to products the 8cx will become a game changer that threatens both intel and AMD in laptops, offering i5/Ryzen 5 performance with traditional ARM battery life.


      AMD has nearly the efficiency and power (more in multi core) in a better price range with a 70% better integrated graphics solution than intel’s integrated graphics. Read the reviews about various AMD laptops, AMD’s on an equal footing with intel now.

      1 year ago
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        proesterchen

        In reply to Greg Green:

        8cx is slow and not compatible with x86-64 software.


        Current mobile Ryzen APUs are still based on 12nm Zen+, and hence behind Intel in both performance and power consumption.

        1 year ago
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          rm

          In reply to proesterchen: 8cx is compatible with win32 on Windows 10. Intel is behind with 12 nm, I believe the newest processors from both ARM and AMD are 7nm and Intel is finally getting 12nm. Maybe I am wrong on some of this, that is just what I am trying to put together in my head.


          1 year ago
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            proesterchen

            In reply to RM:
            "Maybe I am wrong on some of this"

            I think you're agreeing with the fact that 8cx is not compatible with x84-64 software, so that's at least not wrong.


            The rest, unfortunately, is. The current generation of Intel mobile 15/25W processors is built on its newest 10nm process, and while AMD and Qualcomm are producing silicon on other foundries' 7nm process(es), the former is currently only shipping 14/12nm APUs for the mobile market, and both are behind Intel in performance.

            1 year ago
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    Cain69

    I love my Surface Pro - I use it from within a minute I wake up to the time I fall asleep. But there is something to be said about a client saying something and you being able to jot it down right away. If you carry a notebook with you, all you have to do is flip to a page and start writing. Or if someone asks you - opening your notebook and answer something referring to you notes!!

    Yes, I use SP in meetings, but - killer use case - I do wish there was something that was just as fast as a notebook - always on and with AT LEAST 8 hours of battery life.

    1 year ago
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      Scsekaran

      In reply to Cain69:

      You can do this by using surface pen along with Surface pro. Set up surface pen to open OneNote on a button press(usually the top button). If you want to take a note, just press the button on surface pen. OneNote opens instantaneously even if the computer is locked or in sleep (as long as the Surface pro is not shut down completely) with out having to log on first. At the completion of note, you can unlock the Surface pro and organise notes.


      I use this feature since surface pro 3 days.

      1 year ago
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      jchampeau

      In reply to Cain69:

      An iPad isn't as fast as a paper notebook, but I think it's closer than any Windows-powered device we're likely to see in the near future. I use OneNote on my iPad for this very reason, although OneNote does take a few seconds to open. And I like knowing that if I lose the iPad, I won't lose the work I've done with it.

      1 year ago
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  4. Avatar

    rmac

    The look of W10 and the Win UI SDK 2.2 is for me the best UI MS have ever done. I actually wish MS could just make Windows a UI rendering engine for XAML and HTML, atop .NET Core 3/.NET 5, and release Windows FOC to run on any device.

    1 year ago
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      Rob_Wade

      In reply to rmac:

      Meanwhile, I still feel Win 8 was. I only dislike Win10 slightly less than Win7 or older.

      1 year ago
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        rmac

        In reply to Rob_Wade:

        I never got myself a Wiindows Phone but I always thought the form factor (save for the tile animation) was pretty decent. My thinking was to make Win 10 Mobile/Win 8/Metro (call it what you will) the 'companion'/tethered UI for a smaller/secondary device ('Your Companion'?). A bit like the TV remote I suppose. Whatever the form factor, I think Windows (the rendering OS), has to be free with MS and devs making money on services rendering on any screen - on pieces of Surface if you will.

        1 year ago
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    rmac

    I think MS should focus on a 'wireless hinge' and coupling/tethering 2 or more disparate screens e.g. a watch to a desktop. Clearly the UI needs to be different on each - a bit like metro on one device and the more usual W10 on the other. The Asus ViviBook is close to comparable save of course the 2 screens are on one device. I just see a big screen being controlled by a smaller 2nd screen, which could be a phone or smaller touch screen device.

    1 year ago
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    inform

    The Centaurus use case is to replace the paper moleskin style 9” notebooks with the same size, weight, digital version with OneNote, ToDo, Teams etc. A very high number of professionals carry them and use them daily. Can’t wait to replace it. Cant count the number used over the years. It’s such a clear use case and nobody has addresses it yet. Was hoping courier would get done to address the need but that stories dead.

    1 year ago
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    derylmccarty

    consider the "larger version" foldable as a school device, not K-12, but higher ED. It would resemble a book - think two Kindles side by side. It would, as opposed to a Kindle, let you DL PDFs or whatever on one side and take notes as well as highlight with a Surface pen on the other. OneNote would really shine on such a device in that scenario. But you could just read your latest Jack Reacher or sci-fi to SUPPLEMENT the Kindle experience. The smaller SB opr SB2 are sometimes a bit heavy and cumbersome for on-the-road use, especially in the battery arena. Am back to school for the next couple of years and year for a Kindle like device, smaller than a Fire, but easy to carry and use to read, highlight or take notes.

    1 year ago
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    ChristopherCollins

    It will be far longer before they phase out LTE. LTE and LTE Advanced will be around at least five more years if not more. It's good enough and with the way 5G works, there is a chance it stays longer. It should also be noted that outside of large DMA's, 5G could be 4 years away for many people.

    1 year ago
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  9. Avatar

    will

    The Surface Fold

    1 year ago
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  10. Avatar

    drewidian

    This is the device I would take to meetings and on the go as a portable device. Snapping does not work for me, but I need a light device that can run Windows Applications and remote desktop while I take notes on another screen. I often am multitasking and sometimes lugging my laptop around is just overkill. I get that this Centaurus base of users may be niche, but I want a light meeting device that I could run the whole O365 Suite, ADUC, and other tools including powershell. It must have a Universal Broadband Radio. Yes, I'm a sysadmin.

    1 year ago
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