I have been looking everywhere to pre-order in the UK but can't find it anywhere... does anyone know where its even going to be sold? Really want to secure one before they run out in the early days.
I am super interested in diving in with a surface pro for digital painting, but I'm just waiting for PS/ZBrush to have strong touch controls so that I won't need a keyboard handy every time I want to edit my brush settings quickly or other common commands
None at all. I have had a side panel installed not long after purchase. Runs cool , barely takes up any system resources....works flawlessly, though dont expect battery life to last more than 4 hours.
Whats cool is that it even was hooked up to both my large 20inch wsx and the smaller 13hd cintiqs as a primary computer. It ran pretty damn well considering the specs.
@telekeneticfrog, check out something called ClassicShell for windows 8. Its free and a must have.
Whats just as nice is that the power consumption for the computer is tiny. So when I dont need to use the power consuming beast of a desktop PC, the surface pro makes an easy substitute. The electricity bill gets lower, and thats not a bad thing.
None at all. I have had a side panel installed not long after purchase. Runs cool , barely takes up any system resources....works flawlessly, though dont expect battery life to last more than 4 hours.
I'll probably get a surface pro as my first tablet at the end of may when it is FINALLY released in Europe. So what exactly is a side panel mod? And what does it do/help with?
Hey Nitewalkr - sorry for being a bum and not responding to the other thread. About the Lenovo tablet for ZB -- my boyfriend uses ZB and 3DC on his X220T (i7, 8GB ram) and while both work well, 3DC is pretty demanding on the hardware and temperatures fly (sometimes 90Celcius). But Zbrush is totally fine, and without lag. You just need to have an external keyboard if your screen is folded back. Sculptris is nice too, but same issue with the temperature. My bf also says Blender sculpting works smoothly and without any temperature issue.
If you want, since you're in 'Sauga, you are welcomed to come to downtown TO, to the former Alias office (King/Sherbourne) one of these days and give my X230T a spin.
I've tried the surface pro in the store and while i didn't get to use any real apps on it, i didn't really like the non-tactile keyboard and saw it more as an upgraded ipad.
So far I've had no issues with pressure sensitivity on the Surface Pro. It has been reactive and nice like I expected of it. I have set up the stylus button to draw up a pop up menu with keyboard shortcuts that I custom made for Photoshop CS5. You can set them up via the wacom wintab driver app. It is easy, just takes a couple minutes and then you don't need to worry about a keyboard. I do have a Logitech K810 bluetooth keyboard I've paired up with it. Nice thing about the keyboard, keys feel nice, illuminated keys and you can pair up to 3 bluetooth devices to it and switch between them via a single key press. I use the mac version of the same keyboard with my ipads and macbook air. Zbrush and PS seem to run just fine on the Surface Pro and I've yet to really run into anything that I didn't like or something annoying. I'll keep updating with my thoughts the more I use it, so if I do run into anything I'll post it up here.
I'll probably get a surface pro as my first tablet at the end of may when it is FINALLY released in Europe. So what exactly is a side panel mod? And what does it do/help with?
Its basically a touch menu system with short cuts and hotkeys that floats on the side of the screen, yet manages to get out of the way when you actually begin to draw/model/sculpt. Essentially it diminishes the need for a keyboard.
I'm really confused, the Surface Pro releases in 4 days (United Kingdom) and I can't find anywhere to actually pre-order/buy the dam thing! Whats going on?
There is one that shows up on amazon.co.uk for like a lil over 1,000. Isn't thought the UK price supposed to be more like around 700 something. I'm talking in your currency not USD.
I'm really confused, the Surface Pro releases in 4 days (United Kingdom) and I can't find anywhere to actually pre-order/buy the dam thing! Whats going on?
Are there any microsoft stores up there by any chance? Thats the best way. My gf and I had to wait in line for 45 min early in the morning to get one. They sold out fast.
I doubt its that bad anymore, but since its the release for you guys up there you might have to do the same depending on where its sold. Alternatively you can probably try to order one from the US of A.
Haven't seen any pre-orders for it yet, but I'd guess these sites will have it when it's available
Since Currys/PC World are listed, maybe try calling them?
So far I've had no issues with pressure sensitivity on the Surface Pro. It has been reactive and nice like I expected of it. I have set up the stylus button to draw up a pop up menu with keyboard shortcuts that I custom made for Photoshop CS5. You can set them up via the wacom wintab driver app. It is easy, just takes a couple minutes and then you don't need to worry about a keyboard. I do have a Logitech K810 bluetooth keyboard I've paired up with it. Nice thing about the keyboard, keys feel nice, illuminated keys and you can pair up to 3 bluetooth devices to it and switch between them via a single key press. I use the mac version of the same keyboard with my ipads and macbook air. Zbrush and PS seem to run just fine on the Surface Pro and I've yet to really run into anything that I didn't like or something annoying. I'll keep updating with my thoughts the more I use it, so if I do run into anything I'll post it up here.
So all this in just 4 gigs of ram?
I am just waiting to see someone posting about the heat up issues with MS surface pro.
I am just waiting to see someone posting about the heat up issues with MS surface pro.
Yep! It's an amazing lil' machine. It is a full on PC, so this really isn't a tablet. Games even play on it really well for the most part. WoW runs just fine as does LoL and Torchlight 2. The thing doesn't heat up anymore than my ipad3.
If the haswell is 2x igp performance and lower energy use. And being released next month. It seems logical to wait for fall. Surface may not come out with a Haswell version. Someone else will.
If the haswell is 2x igp performance and lower energy use. And being released next month. It seems logical to wait for fall. Surface may not come out with a Haswell version. Someone else will.
The next Surface will basically be a portable 360, the Surface Pro can run most console games on console settings at around 5-7FPS lower frame rate. The problem is the Surface 2 isn't expected until Q4 2013, so Jan-Mar next year. Its also rumored to be a 7-9 inch display.
The main reason someone would get a Surface Pro right now is it has the best Cintiq input. It has 1024 levels of pressure and has a pretty great response time. Combine that with a Windows platform and Photoshop and Zbrush... BAM!
I'm really broken, its going to cost me £900 for the device and I'm sure I will really enjoy it in the short term. But how much will I be kicking myself if they decide to launch a new surface this year! BAH!
Quite frankly if the new surface has a smaller screensize I am not interested in it at all. I already think the current one is kinda the minimum to work on it properly. As far as performance goes I haven't heard any complaints for PS or ZBrush yet, but ofc more is always better!
The Surface Pro releases tomorrow and I still can't find it anywhere... am I doing something wrong? How the hell are we supposed to buy Microsoft products if no one is even selling it?
The only hope I have is that Microsoft update there website at some point so I can buy it directly.
I can only assume this terrible build up, lack of visibility and advertising is down to there contracts with OEM manufacturers and Windows8?
Do they have a version of art dock for it or something similar? Having to fuss about with keyboards is not ideal for tablet PCs. Bit confused as to why they would make the next ones screen so small aswell, this ones got one of the smallest screens on the market already.
The next Surface will basically be a portable 360, the Surface Pro can run most console games on console settings at around 5-7FPS lower frame rate. The problem is the Surface 2 isn't expected until Q4 2013, so Jan-Mar next year. Its also rumored to be a 7-9 inch display.
The main reason someone would get a Surface Pro right now is it has the best Cintiq input. It has 1024 levels of pressure and has a pretty great response time. Combine that with a Windows platform and Photoshop and Zbrush... BAM!
I'm really broken, its going to cost me £900 for the device and I'm sure I will really enjoy it in the short term. But how much will I be kicking myself if they decide to launch a new surface this year! BAH!
Mudbox? 3d coat? Udk? Unity?
If you are going to do anything beyond 2.5 sketching, you will need a better gpu. Even if this is not as important to you, having a tablet that actually runs longer will. Come on, we have both heard the current Pros runtime isn't anything to write home about
If M$ falls through with a haswell pro, there are plenty of other manufacturers to fill the void.
I can see them releasing the Surface RT in a smaller format. Since the pro was made for business use which would require a larger screen to get work done, I need you to fill the source of your rumors. I wonder if you or they are confusing the RT version downsizing.
Woho, I got one! Really enjoying it so far. Zbrush has shocked me the most. It had no issues running a 4million point single tool. I still got to properly use it though. But super excited! Photoshop runs great, but its user interface really isn't designed for the tablet. Everything is very small and clunky. I would recommend using SketchBookPro. Its only £30 an a fantastic program.
I got a fantastic deal on it also, getting the type keyboard for free at John Lewis. So, all my whining paid off.
The main cons I have right now is Windows 8. It is very different but does work well on a tablet. Once you know what your doing :P Its taken me a while to get my head around some of its concepts and methods. But once you do its plain sailing.
I have had some calibration issues with my pen, it works fantastic in the centre of the screen. But very close to the edge it starts to fall off and get a little weird. I did a 100 point calibration which sorted out most of it, but still the odd bit here and there. But considering its on the edges it really isn't a problem.
I will get back with some proper impressions in a week or so once I get time to properly use it.
exactly. Which is why a more powerful igp would be prudent.
Btw your link talking about the surface pro only mentions the next generation will include smaller sizes. At no point did it say it would only be such. Especially the flak the designers got about the small battery.
I just want to drop by and say thanks for bringing the Surface Pro to my attention. I'm considering getting one. I'm uncertain if I should wait for the Surface Pro 2 to appear though. It should be possible to know more about it around E3 (middle of June) no?
I just want to drop by and say thanks for bringing the Surface Pro to my attention. I'm considering getting one. I'm uncertain if I should wait for the Surface Pro 2 to appear though. It should be possible to know more about it around E3 (middle of June) no?
I would wait. Lets say you wait, two things can happen. 1) You get a better hardware option over the first surface pro, or 2) you buy a first generation surface pro used for cheap because someone wants the new one.
Either way its a win win.
After owning the surface pro for awhile, I can say that there are some limitations and some small quirks, but its still fairly solid. IF these are addressed in the Surface Pro 2, then all the better. I really want to see them put a better GPU in them though, and or maybe have an option for a bigger screen size.
One rant though: keyboard cover thing is £109 extra? For £800 I want that shit included.
Yep, you are not the only one to feel that way. They are doing the usual high cost accessories with lower cost base hardware. Consoles use it too for the most part.
Avoid the touch cover if at all possible. Looks cool at first, but its not fun in the long run. You can find them cheaper online. Think my gf bought a pink one for $75 at the time, even though store retail is over $100. Also any bluetooth keyboard/usb keyboard will work with it. You might be able to find some covers that come with such attached, or even use a smaller handheld keyboard. These are much cheaper, and for art you probably wont use the cover keyboards much.
I got a free type cover included with my Surface Pro, I purchased it from John Lewis.
One thing to add to all potential buyers, I did some messing around last night and noticed there is currently one issue. You have two separate drivers for your pen, Windows and Wacom.
The problem is the calibration for both of them is very different. The Wacom currently only provides a 4 point calibration. But you can also run a 100 point using a run cmd. The problem with these is they don't seem as accurate as another calibration I did. But to do this special calibration I had to uninstall my Wacom drivers... But when I install them again it resets my calibration...
I still got a lot of messing around to do, but currently the only way I can get a perfect calibration is without the Wacom drivers installed. Which is a bit of a pain in the arse.
Its important if your looking to buy to understand the Surface Pro is not perfect and will not replace your home computer. Its very much a secondary device for sketching or messing around with Zbrush when your on the sofa, travelling or in bed.
So far Zbrush seems like the most practical use for the tablet, as I'm currently having issues with calibration to do any proper drawing without becoming frustrated.
Good points Dataday. I'll wait and see what's coming up on the horizon. If not the Surface Pro 2, perhaps Wacom's rumored portable solution will be a good choice. (read: expensive)
is there any reason you would buy the surface over say a wacom cintiq? 13" HD one seems around the same price range?
One is an actual computer, the other is just the tablet/screen.
If you are just going to use the surface pro as a cintiq replacement for your desk, then a cintiq 13hd is far better. If you are out and about and want to art it up...say maybe in a coffee shop, the surface pro has the advantage.
is there any reason you would buy the surface over say a wacom cintiq? 13" HD one seems around the same price range?
there will be a portable wacom slate coming in the summer as well
I'm a little bit hating them for not publishing specs and OS yet, and there're chances it gets delayed, but I don't see surface selling out immediately anyway.
it might be worth it to wait a little bit.
(I find it odd that wacom slate's been announced before c. 13" popped out of nowhere, yet they have been dead silent on it since than)
I'm back again. I'm really starting to fall in love with my Surface Pro for Photoshop and Zbrush. I'm still having annoying pen calibration issues though. Its not really noticeable in the middle of the screen. But it gets really bad 1cm from the edge. It also gets bad in the corners. I have read this is normal for tablets but always paranoid mine might be worse than others. When you spend so much on a device you want it to be spot on. Have any of you guys with Surface Pro's had this issue? I'm going to go in town this weekend and find a demo tablet in a shop to test.
I'm back again. I'm really starting to fall in love with my Surface Pro for Photoshop and Zbrush. I'm still having annoying pen calibration issues though. Its not really noticeable in the middle of the screen. But it gets really bad 1cm from the edge. It also gets bad in the corners. I have read this is normal for tablets but always paranoid mine might be worse than others. When you spend so much on a device you want it to be spot on. Have any of you guys with Surface Pro's had this issue? I'm going to go in town this weekend and find a demo tablet in a shop to test.
That seems to be normal for some reason, and not just on the surface pro...though it shouldnt be too bad. I did notice though that once you install the "experimental" wacom drivers, pen behavior changed a bit. I think mostly due to interference with the microsoft pen drivers. This may or may not get fixed in the future as the drivers mature.
That seems to be normal for some reason, and not just on the surface pro...though it shouldnt be too bad. I did notice though that once you install the "experimental" wacom drivers, pen behavior changed a bit. I think mostly due to interference with the microsoft pen drivers. This may or may not get fixed in the future as the drivers mature.
I'm back again. I'm really starting to fall in love with my Surface Pro for Photoshop and Zbrush. I'm still having annoying pen calibration issues though. Its not really noticeable in the middle of the screen. But it gets really bad 1cm from the edge. It also gets bad in the corners. I have read this is normal for tablets but always paranoid mine might be worse than others. When you spend so much on a device you want it to be spot on. Have any of you guys with Surface Pro's had this issue? I'm going to go in town this weekend and find a demo tablet in a shop to test.
It is realllly bad in ArtRage, it zips/drags the cursor to the lower right, and choosing color in the color wheel is next to impossible. I've only had click-accuracy issues thus far in the corners (menus, quitting programs). Haven't tried drawing in photoshop @ the corners yet tho!
moose >> People have been talking about the magnification in Windows 8, which is at 150% by default, messing with mouse/UIs. Tried lowering to 125% or 100%?
It is only the first iteration of the Wacom driver so fingers crossed. If you uninstall it and do a 274 point calibration the pen is pretty spot on all over the screen. But obviously the problem then is you don't have pressure sensitivity. Its frustrating knowing the pen has the possibility to have pretty good accuracy but is blocked by driver issues. I must have done a million calibration tests to try and get the most out of the device and it got to the point where I just deleted them all and did the Wacom 4 point calibration. Instead of touching it in the cross I pressed it based on the inaccuracy I was having in that area. Its still a little meh around the edges but the middle of the screen is spot on.
I started some games tests on it yesterday and was having a blast on XCOM. A good way to view the gaming performance of the Surface Pro is to take a console game and reduce its FPS by like 5-7. Something like Call of Duty should be fine but GTA or Crysis your looking at like 15-20FPS.
I very much anticipate the Surface Pro 2 to be a portable 360 and wouldn't be surprised if they advertise it that way.
I'm absolutely loving the device, but I use it for a lot more than just Photoshop and Zbrush. If you only want it for those I recommend just buying a Cintiq.
I setup my home groups yesterday so can access my desktop hard drive from my portable. This means I can access musics, projects etc....
Guys, Im thinking about getting a surface too, especially for digital painting and zbrush.
I laready have a intuos 5 at home and I think surface's mobility will be a great addition for working at my job or wherever I want.
However, I heard lots of bad things that go beyond the driver issue. Probably most of them aret true so Id like you guys to list some issues you think make good CONS for the surface, if there is any.
has anyone tried playing UDK mobile games in the emulator. I have found that it works fine with PC but if you try the iphone emulator it crashes almost as soon as you press it.
You just made my day! Now all that's needed on that tool is a brush/eraser button similar to the original japanese one. (BTW LEFTIES: dragging the panel to the right corner of the screen is possible if you drag on the photoshop icon (in the photoshop subwindow)
Had to return it for a laptop. Sculptris doesnt work on it, All the mods that I was researching along with the art dock mods they dont properly work on it. This wasnt for me I suppose.
If I would want to buy a tablet I'd rather buy cintiq.
I bought a Microsoft Surface Pro last week and after messing around with it for a while these are my thoughts.
Good Hardware
For its small form factor it packs a lot of punch. I don't have to worry about things going slow. Sure, it's not a gaming system but it does a lot for its size pre-haswell. It feels great to hold in your hand. You get a sense of quality from its build. It does however run really hot when you use the GPU and the power drains very fast when you do.
Faulty Software
The custom Windows 8 build that ships with the hardware is a buggy piece of shit. The Surface Pro overheats, has screen brightness issues and the list goes on. However, almost everything goes away if you follow this guide and install a clean copy of Windows 8 ISO with the Surface Pro drivers included. The only issue that still appears with the Surface Pro is that you need to reinstall the Intel HD4000 drivers if you use Windows Update to have support in Sculptris and a couple of other apps.
Nitpicking
The wacom digitizer works great from the start and installing the recently released driver pack adds support to almost all apps I've tested so far. The calibration do however have some small issues very close to the upper corners. There are guides that tries to remedy this with more calibration points but I've found that the default calibration is more than enough and it's better to just 'live with it'. I have gotten used to it, you only touch the problematic area when you're trying to close a window or enter the file menu. (pen only, touch calibration is perfect)
Glass Screen vs Screen Protection
The glass screen feels great. Paranoid as I am I decided to buy a Incipio Self-healing screen protector. This protector was very easy to apply, with almost no bubbles (which were easy to eliminate). The protector has a similar feel to the glass when drawing except when you're drawing slowly, you might feel a small resistance if you do. Otherwise it slips along fine.
IPS Panel
The colors are great on the Surface Pro. The 1920x1080 resolution is quite overkill though. I decided to lower it to 1600x900 with 100% zoom in windows. Art programs feels better to me because the default line widths for pencils tend to be similar to a real life 0,3mm mechanical pen nib at full resolution.
Included Pen vs Bamboo Feel Black
I bought a Bamboo Feel Black because other SP users has recommended it. After trying it I wouldn't say the difference is all too big to justify its price point. The pressure sensitivity in both pens are pretty close to one another, the Bamboo being slightly more sensitive. The Bamboo does have one great advantage, the cursor appears closer to the tip which is nice. If you get a Bamboo Feel Pen, I recommend switching to the white plastic nib which is included.
Summary
If you want a great sketchbook tablet, then go ahead! I finally got back to drawing again because it's a blast on the surface! Drawing in portrait mode is quite comfortable when you don't have a table around. I sold my Intuos 4 because I don't feel I'll ever need it again. If you have patience, I would recommend that you wait for the rumored haswell version. The Surface Pro is a great piece of hardware but it has too many issues you need to fix before you get started. All the extra hardware you might want (pen, screen protection, keyboard) makes price go up alot too.
If you want to get a Surface Pro I recommend you follow these steps to make it optimal:
* Get a 32GB USB-stick and do a backup of the factory settings. Then install a clean copy of windows 8. Follow this guide. This is a one time thing and keep the USB for whenever you want to format and reinstall your Surface Pro.
* Run Windows Update and restart. Rinse and repeat until all updates are present.
* Install the Intel HD4000 drivers (see previous guide for drivers) to add support for some art applications.
* Lower resolution to 1600x900 and set windows item size to 100% (in resolution settings).
* Turn off screen auto-brightness in PC Settings or your tablet will dim whenever your hand is close to the cameras....
* Get a screen protector from Incipio.
* Get a Bamboo Pen if you want the cursor closer to the tip.
* Get a USB-dock or hub if you want to connect keyboard/mouse/extra screen.
* Get the touch or type keyboard attachment. It's convenient.
It might look like a lot of issues, in retrospect it was worth it though. I love using it and I can't wait to have it as my study companion when I'm back at University after the summer. The Microsoft OneNote app is actually pretty damn convenient! Windows 8 is also not too bad when you use it on a touch device. I'd say W8 is the smoothest touch device OS I've used so far.
I think you'll love the Surface Pro if you don't mind the price and the initial installation procedure. It's capable, powerful and has a great feel when you hold it.
Replies
[ame="
None at all. I have had a side panel installed not long after purchase. Runs cool , barely takes up any system resources....works flawlessly, though dont expect battery life to last more than 4 hours.
Whats cool is that it even was hooked up to both my large 20inch wsx and the smaller 13hd cintiqs as a primary computer. It ran pretty damn well considering the specs.
@telekeneticfrog, check out something called ClassicShell for windows 8. Its free and a must have.
Whats just as nice is that the power consumption for the computer is tiny. So when I dont need to use the power consuming beast of a desktop PC, the surface pro makes an easy substitute. The electricity bill gets lower, and thats not a bad thing.
If you want, since you're in 'Sauga, you are welcomed to come to downtown TO, to the former Alias office (King/Sherbourne) one of these days and give my X230T a spin.
I've tried the surface pro in the store and while i didn't get to use any real apps on it, i didn't really like the non-tactile keyboard and saw it more as an upgraded ipad.
Its basically a touch menu system with short cuts and hotkeys that floats on the side of the screen, yet manages to get out of the way when you actually begin to draw/model/sculpt. Essentially it diminishes the need for a keyboard.
Are there any microsoft stores up there by any chance? Thats the best way. My gf and I had to wait in line for 45 min early in the morning to get one. They sold out fast.
I doubt its that bad anymore, but since its the release for you guys up there you might have to do the same depending on where its sold. Alternatively you can probably try to order one from the US of A.
Since Currys/PC World are listed, maybe try calling them?
So all this in just 4 gigs of ram?
I am just waiting to see someone posting about the heat up issues with MS surface pro.
Yep! It's an amazing lil' machine. It is a full on PC, so this really isn't a tablet. Games even play on it really well for the most part. WoW runs just fine as does LoL and Torchlight 2.
The next Surface will basically be a portable 360, the Surface Pro can run most console games on console settings at around 5-7FPS lower frame rate. The problem is the Surface 2 isn't expected until Q4 2013, so Jan-Mar next year. Its also rumored to be a 7-9 inch display.
The main reason someone would get a Surface Pro right now is it has the best Cintiq input. It has 1024 levels of pressure and has a pretty great response time. Combine that with a Windows platform and Photoshop and Zbrush... BAM!
I'm really broken, its going to cost me £900 for the device and I'm sure I will really enjoy it in the short term. But how much will I be kicking myself if they decide to launch a new surface this year! BAH!
The only hope I have is that Microsoft update there website at some point so I can buy it directly.
I can only assume this terrible build up, lack of visibility and advertising is down to there contracts with OEM manufacturers and Windows8?
Mudbox? 3d coat? Udk? Unity?
If you are going to do anything beyond 2.5 sketching, you will need a better gpu. Even if this is not as important to you, having a tablet that actually runs longer will. Come on, we have both heard the current Pros runtime isn't anything to write home about
If M$ falls through with a haswell pro, there are plenty of other manufacturers to fill the void.
I can see them releasing the Surface RT in a smaller format. Since the pro was made for business use which would require a larger screen to get work done, I need you to fill the source of your rumors. I wonder if you or they are confusing the RT version downsizing.
http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/surface-2-what-microsoft-s-reddit-q-lls-us-about-the-next-surface-tablet-1129998
http://www.slashgear.com/microsoft-surface-2-tipped-as-cautious-build-release-02280299/
Surface Pro running Zbrush (Now has pressure sensitivity)
[ame="
Mudbox won't work as its a GPU based program, Zbrush is very much all about your CPU and RAM.
I got a fantastic deal on it also, getting the type keyboard for free at John Lewis. So, all my whining paid off.
The main cons I have right now is Windows 8. It is very different but does work well on a tablet. Once you know what your doing :P Its taken me a while to get my head around some of its concepts and methods. But once you do its plain sailing.
I have had some calibration issues with my pen, it works fantastic in the centre of the screen. But very close to the edge it starts to fall off and get a little weird. I did a 100 point calibration which sorted out most of it, but still the odd bit here and there. But considering its on the edges it really isn't a problem.
I will get back with some proper impressions in a week or so once I get time to properly use it.
exactly. Which is why a more powerful igp would be prudent.
Btw your link talking about the surface pro only mentions the next generation will include smaller sizes. At no point did it say it would only be such. Especially the flak the designers got about the small battery.
I would wait. Lets say you wait, two things can happen. 1) You get a better hardware option over the first surface pro, or 2) you buy a first generation surface pro used for cheap because someone wants the new one.
Either way its a win win.
After owning the surface pro for awhile, I can say that there are some limitations and some small quirks, but its still fairly solid. IF these are addressed in the Surface Pro 2, then all the better. I really want to see them put a better GPU in them though, and or maybe have an option for a bigger screen size.
Yep, you are not the only one to feel that way. They are doing the usual high cost accessories with lower cost base hardware. Consoles use it too for the most part.
Avoid the touch cover if at all possible. Looks cool at first, but its not fun in the long run. You can find them cheaper online. Think my gf bought a pink one for $75 at the time, even though store retail is over $100. Also any bluetooth keyboard/usb keyboard will work with it. You might be able to find some covers that come with such attached, or even use a smaller handheld keyboard. These are much cheaper, and for art you probably wont use the cover keyboards much.
http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/microsoft/55516-new-artdock-surface-pro.html
Enjoy!
One thing to add to all potential buyers, I did some messing around last night and noticed there is currently one issue. You have two separate drivers for your pen, Windows and Wacom.
The problem is the calibration for both of them is very different. The Wacom currently only provides a 4 point calibration. But you can also run a 100 point using a run cmd. The problem with these is they don't seem as accurate as another calibration I did. But to do this special calibration I had to uninstall my Wacom drivers... But when I install them again it resets my calibration...
I still got a lot of messing around to do, but currently the only way I can get a perfect calibration is without the Wacom drivers installed. Which is a bit of a pain in the arse.
Its important if your looking to buy to understand the Surface Pro is not perfect and will not replace your home computer. Its very much a secondary device for sketching or messing around with Zbrush when your on the sofa, travelling or in bed.
So far Zbrush seems like the most practical use for the tablet, as I'm currently having issues with calibration to do any proper drawing without becoming frustrated.
One is an actual computer, the other is just the tablet/screen.
If you are just going to use the surface pro as a cintiq replacement for your desk, then a cintiq 13hd is far better. If you are out and about and want to art it up...say maybe in a coffee shop, the surface pro has the advantage.
there will be a portable wacom slate coming in the summer as well
I'm a little bit hating them for not publishing specs and OS yet, and there're chances it gets delayed, but I don't see surface selling out immediately anyway.
it might be worth it to wait a little bit.
(I find it odd that wacom slate's been announced before c. 13" popped out of nowhere, yet they have been dead silent on it since than)
That seems to be normal for some reason, and not just on the surface pro...though it shouldnt be too bad. I did notice though that once you install the "experimental" wacom drivers, pen behavior changed a bit. I think mostly due to interference with the microsoft pen drivers. This may or may not get fixed in the future as the drivers mature.
There is only soo much you can do on the fly tho.
It is realllly bad in ArtRage, it zips/drags the cursor to the lower right, and choosing color in the color wheel is next to impossible. I've only had click-accuracy issues thus far in the corners (menus, quitting programs). Haven't tried drawing in photoshop @ the corners yet tho!
I started some games tests on it yesterday and was having a blast on XCOM. A good way to view the gaming performance of the Surface Pro is to take a console game and reduce its FPS by like 5-7. Something like Call of Duty should be fine but GTA or Crysis your looking at like 15-20FPS.
I very much anticipate the Surface Pro 2 to be a portable 360 and wouldn't be surprised if they advertise it that way.
I'm absolutely loving the device, but I use it for a lot more than just Photoshop and Zbrush. If you only want it for those I recommend just buying a Cintiq.
I setup my home groups yesterday so can access my desktop hard drive from my portable. This means I can access musics, projects etc....
lead me to this:
TABLET PC Enhanced Tablet Driver 7.1.1-12
This driver might take few calibrations but it seems to be working on Corel Painter 12. I have yet to test it out on the sculptris and others.
I cant seem to find Photoshop CS5 online since I have a hard copy of it. They dont even offer it online anymore.
I laready have a intuos 5 at home and I think surface's mobility will be a great addition for working at my job or wherever I want.
However, I heard lots of bad things that go beyond the driver issue. Probably most of them aret true so Id like you guys to list some issues you think make good CONS for the surface, if there is any.
Thanks!
You just made my day! Now all that's needed on that tool is a brush/eraser button similar to the original japanese one. (BTW LEFTIES: dragging the panel to the right corner of the screen is possible if you drag on the photoshop icon (in the photoshop subwindow)
If I would want to buy a tablet I'd rather buy cintiq.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/20/samsung-ativ-q-hands-on-with-the-new-windows-android-slider/
Good Hardware
For its small form factor it packs a lot of punch. I don't have to worry about things going slow. Sure, it's not a gaming system but it does a lot for its size pre-haswell. It feels great to hold in your hand. You get a sense of quality from its build. It does however run really hot when you use the GPU and the power drains very fast when you do.
Faulty Software
The custom Windows 8 build that ships with the hardware is a buggy piece of shit. The Surface Pro overheats, has screen brightness issues and the list goes on. However, almost everything goes away if you follow this guide and install a clean copy of Windows 8 ISO with the Surface Pro drivers included. The only issue that still appears with the Surface Pro is that you need to reinstall the Intel HD4000 drivers if you use Windows Update to have support in Sculptris and a couple of other apps.
Nitpicking
The wacom digitizer works great from the start and installing the recently released driver pack adds support to almost all apps I've tested so far. The calibration do however have some small issues very close to the upper corners. There are guides that tries to remedy this with more calibration points but I've found that the default calibration is more than enough and it's better to just 'live with it'. I have gotten used to it, you only touch the problematic area when you're trying to close a window or enter the file menu. (pen only, touch calibration is perfect)
Glass Screen vs Screen Protection
The glass screen feels great. Paranoid as I am I decided to buy a Incipio Self-healing screen protector. This protector was very easy to apply, with almost no bubbles (which were easy to eliminate). The protector has a similar feel to the glass when drawing except when you're drawing slowly, you might feel a small resistance if you do. Otherwise it slips along fine.
IPS Panel
The colors are great on the Surface Pro. The 1920x1080 resolution is quite overkill though. I decided to lower it to 1600x900 with 100% zoom in windows. Art programs feels better to me because the default line widths for pencils tend to be similar to a real life 0,3mm mechanical pen nib at full resolution.
Included Pen vs Bamboo Feel Black
I bought a Bamboo Feel Black because other SP users has recommended it. After trying it I wouldn't say the difference is all too big to justify its price point. The pressure sensitivity in both pens are pretty close to one another, the Bamboo being slightly more sensitive. The Bamboo does have one great advantage, the cursor appears closer to the tip which is nice. If you get a Bamboo Feel Pen, I recommend switching to the white plastic nib which is included.
Summary
If you want a great sketchbook tablet, then go ahead! I finally got back to drawing again because it's a blast on the surface! Drawing in portrait mode is quite comfortable when you don't have a table around. I sold my Intuos 4 because I don't feel I'll ever need it again. If you have patience, I would recommend that you wait for the rumored haswell version. The Surface Pro is a great piece of hardware but it has too many issues you need to fix before you get started. All the extra hardware you might want (pen, screen protection, keyboard) makes price go up alot too.
If you want to get a Surface Pro I recommend you follow these steps to make it optimal:
* Get a 32GB USB-stick and do a backup of the factory settings. Then install a clean copy of windows 8. Follow this guide. This is a one time thing and keep the USB for whenever you want to format and reinstall your Surface Pro.
* Run Windows Update and restart. Rinse and repeat until all updates are present.
* Install the Intel HD4000 drivers (see previous guide for drivers) to add support for some art applications.
* Lower resolution to 1600x900 and set windows item size to 100% (in resolution settings).
* Turn off screen auto-brightness in PC Settings or your tablet will dim whenever your hand is close to the cameras....
* Get a screen protector from Incipio.
* Get a Bamboo Pen if you want the cursor closer to the tip.
* Get a USB-dock or hub if you want to connect keyboard/mouse/extra screen.
* Get the touch or type keyboard attachment. It's convenient.
It might look like a lot of issues, in retrospect it was worth it though. I love using it and I can't wait to have it as my study companion when I'm back at University after the summer. The Microsoft OneNote app is actually pretty damn convenient! Windows 8 is also not too bad when you use it on a touch device. I'd say W8 is the smoothest touch device OS I've used so far.
I think you'll love the Surface Pro if you don't mind the price and the initial installation procedure. It's capable, powerful and has a great feel when you hold it.
Here's the Penny-Arcade cartoon from a couple days ago being done completely on a Surface Pro. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AqRtjLzQuwE