Need to buy a Laptop - thinking of a Surface Pro 3....

kingstown · 03-02-2015 3:00pm #1

Hi
Maybe someone could offer some advice as I’m not by any means an expert on computers, I simply use them for work, therefore all advice is welcome.

Thing is, I now need a laptop for work, mainly to use as a portable device to view excel files and emails & company website when out and about.
I will still use my office desk top computer for about 90% of my work, but as I sometimes have to travel out and about inc UK, I need something light, usable, workable and portable.

The Pro 3 seemed to fit that bill, its powerful enough to run win8 and the full Office suite, which for me would be mainly Outlook and Excel and maybe a bit of Word.
Then at the same time the tablet concept should be ideal to view and demonstrate our company web site while talking to clients / colleagues

Is it fit for purpose or a glorified tablet?
Is there any other similar or indeed better options from other manufacturers?

Sorry for the long post

Thanks in advance:)

unkel · 03-02-2015 9:40pm

It is fit for purpose. It's a full speed computer well capable of the things you plan to do with it. Not cheap, but compared to the offerings from Apple, it's a bargain.

kingstown · 04-02-2015 10:34am

Thanks unkel

Harvey Norman / Microsoft are currently running a promotion on the entry model Pro 3 64gb @ €649 and €99 for the keypad. Couldn’t justify spending €1050 on the 128gb.
I know 64GB isn’t huge but as I only intend using the machine as a second computer and as a tablet to surf, I can’t see myself running out of capacity very quickly.

Someone did say a lot of the 64gb is used to run windows so only half that available for storage, then someone else said that only applied to the Pro 2 ? – hence my reason in asking

Alanstrainor · 04-02-2015 10:53am

kingstown wrote: »

Thanks unkel

Harvey Norman / Microsoft are currently running a promotion on the entry model Pro 3 64gb @ €649 and €99 for the keypad. Couldn’t justify spending €1050 on the 128gb.
I know 64GB isn’t huge but as I only intend using the machine as a second computer and as a tablet to surf, I can’t see myself running out of capacity very quickly.

Someone did say a lot of the 64gb is used to run windows so only half that available for storage, then someone else said that only applied to the Pro 2 ? – hence my reason in asking

I have a 64GB Windows 8.1 tablet (not a surface) and I would say it's more like 20GB is taken up by the OS. Obviously the more applications you install the more this will increase.

64GB seems a bit pathetic to me, but given the price difference :eek: if you don't need the storage then I can't see why not!

My brother has a Surface 2 and it's a great machine. Although it isn't the same as a laptop.

K.O.Kiki · 04-02-2015 11:46am

The Surface 3 Pro has a microSD card slot & 1x USB, so storage should be okay (as long as you don't lose them!)

kingstown · 04-02-2015 1:13pm

Thanks Guys

Pro 3 @ €649
Keyboard @ €99
Win8 @ €120

Total €868 plus a cover which should be in or around €45/50

Think I'll go for it.......:cool:

ct5amr2ig1nfhp · 04-02-2015 1:19pm

Why Win 8 at 120 EUR? It comes with Windows 8.1 Pro

kingstown · 04-02-2015 1:23pm

Yes, I meant Win 8.1pro
But I was told the licence was either €70 per year (to use on any machine) or €120 once off payment to use on that machine only
Thats how I understood what he said - Is that correct?

ct5amr2ig1nfhp · 04-02-2015 1:26pm

I think he must have meant Office 365? Windows 8.1 pro comes on the machines as standard I believe.

kingstown · 04-02-2015 1:29pm

Oops - your 100% correct Office 365 @ €120

ct5amr2ig1nfhp · 04-02-2015 2:02pm

If you have Office at work, check out the Microsoft home use program.

kingstown · 04-02-2015 2:11pm

Yes - all our machines use Office and we have licences for each (Even set up a new desktop 1st week of January and purchased a new licence)
Couple of years back we got a Corporate deal from Microsoft to buy home edition Office at a reduced rate on the back of our company licence. i bought a home version for my son who was in school at that time.

Who do i check with regarding the home use for this new machine?

ablelocks · 04-02-2015 3:25pm

ms surface pro 3 is excellent - i have the 64gb (with a 64gb microsd) - however, with unlimited onedrive storage, it doesn't really matter anymore. I have all my files in onedrive and work from there (back up to an externall hdd every week just in case).

could you get the company to pay for some or all of it? or are you the company?

you could buy it for said son and avail of the education discount...

marcus2000 · 04-02-2015 3:34pm

kingstown wrote: »

Thanks Guys

Pro 3 @ €649
Keyboard @ €99
Win8 @ €120

Total €868 plus a cover which should be in or around €45/50

Think I'll go for it.......:cool:

Can I ask where you are getting those prices? On the HN website, the starter price for the Pro 3 seems to be €819

http://www.harveynorman.ie/computing/tablets/microsoft-surface-pro-3-64gb.html

kingstown · 04-02-2015 3:52pm

It was Curry / PC world I had rang (thought it was HN as I was looking at so many sites…) I was also looking and talking with HNorman in or around the same time...

Rang them just now and the call was transferred to the UK call centre and it transpires the guy I was talking to least week (Aussie or South African guy) actually gave me Sterling prices…£649 £99 etc
I jotted down all the prices he quoted and I assumed it was Euro (to be honest I didn’t know I was speaking to someone outside of Ireland & he didnt make it clear – I just thought I was ringing Curry’s)

Anyway, its back to square one!
Its now looking like a very expensive option, maybe I better start over again and look at some other machines
Kind of had my head set on the Pro3 ….

ablelocks · 04-02-2015 4:18pm

kingstown wrote: »

It was Curry / PC world I had rang (thought it was HN as I was looking at so many sites…) I was also looking and talking with HNorman in or around the same time...

Rang them just now and the call was transferred to the UK call centre and it transpires the guy I was talking to least week (Aussie or South African guy) actually gave me Sterling prices…£649 £99 etc
I jotted down all the prices he quoted and I assumed it was Euro (to be honest I didn’t know I was speaking to someone outside of Ireland & he didnt make it clear – I just thought I was ringing Curry’s)

Anyway, its back to square one!
Its now looking like a very expensive option, maybe I better start over again and look at some other machines
Kind of had my head set on the Pro3 ….

do you know anyone in the USA - I know the exchange rate is very bad but you'd still get the surface for $799 (there's $100 off at the moment) and the keyboard for $130 - total of €830 or so.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp · 04-02-2015 4:20pm

What about a surface pro 2?

kingstown · 04-02-2015 4:34pm

Thanks ablelocks, No i don't know anyone there at the moment, but have a colleague going May or June so if i don't get sorted maybe I ask.
Thanks everyone for all replies & advice - still kicking myself about the UK price.
I should have know it was too good to be true, but wanted to get some reports / reviews before I made a purchased - should have attempted to buy it there and then and we would have seen what would have happen.........

kingstown · 06-03-2015 2:40pm

looked at a lot of options and the more I looked the better the Pro 3 seemed as correct machine for what I want.

Anyway I ordered the following from Insight;

Surface Pro 3 i5 128GB SDD 4 GB of RAM, £679.20
Surface Pro 3 Docking Station £131.99
Black Type Cover Keyboard UK £87.99
Arc Touch Bluetooth Mouse £47.99
Dell 23.8 LED Monitor £219.00
3 in 1 Adapter £31.99

It was delivered to our IT people in UK and they have just set it up for me and put our software + office (configured my Email) Virus / Spam checkers etc and are sending it across today.
Hopefully middle of next week i'll be working on my new Surface Pro 3

:)

If anyone is interested i'll let you know how i get on and what i think of it as a piece of kit..

Alanstrainor · 06-03-2015 2:44pm

Awesome! Let us know how you get on!

kingstown · 06-03-2015 2:52pm

Will do...!:)

cichlid child · 06-03-2015 2:58pm

kingstown wrote: »

looked at a lot of options and the more I looked the better the Pro 3 seemed as correct machine for what I want.

Anyway I ordered the following from Insight;

Surface Pro 3 i5 128GB SDD 4 GB of RAM, £679.20
Surface Pro 3 Docking Station £131.99
Black Type Cover Keyboard UK £87.99
Arc Touch Bluetooth Mouse £47.99
Dell 23.8 LED Monitor £219.00
3 in 1 Adapter £31.99

It was delivered to our IT people in UK and they have just set it up for me and put our software + office (configured my Email) Virus / Spam checkers etc and are sending it across today.
Hopefully middle of next week i'll be working on my new Surface Pro 3 :)

If anyone is interested i'll let you know how i get on and what i think of it as a piece of kit..

Hi Could you let me know what you think of the pro3 and any problems hooking it up to a printer etc.

kingstown · 06-03-2015 3:06pm

Will do - but it will be a week or so before i get back to you.
Hope to get it next week and i'm away the following week in europe so will have a better understanding of how it work after that..

Alanstrainor · 06-03-2015 3:35pm

cichlid child wrote: »

Hi Could you let me know what you think of the pro3 and any problems hooking it up to a printer etc.

There should be no issues with connecting to printers...

kingstown · 12-03-2015 8:57pm

it arrived today and must say so far so good.
have most of my stuff up and running but still having a problem with outlook....
I'll have IT sort it tomorrow so all should be ok

Have the docker connected to the new monitor but haven't connected it to the server yet to connect to the office printers, so cant comment on that.

must say the keyboard is easy to use, much better than i though...

Need to buy a Laptop - thinking of a Surface Pro 3....

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