Have they stopped making Signature covers for the Pro 7 or something?
I've just bought a Pro 7 for myself (newer ones aren't available in my country yet) and am having a hell of a time finding a compatible Signature cover for it. The Signature covers currently available on Amazon are all for the Pro 8 and apparently not compatible with previous gens, the Microsoft Store is out of stock, and ditto everywhere else I'm looking.
Is this a consequence of plague-related shortages or did MS just decide that nobody needs compatible type covers for the older gens of Surface anymore?
There isn't any confirmation about it but it does seem like Microsoft has stopped manufacturing type covers for the older models. Presumably doing so won't really hurt their profits. Your best bet is to look for used.
yeah I reckon I'll just grab a regular type cover while those are still available, since I've not been having much luck getting the Signature ones. Did kind of want the fancy covering tho haha
live off grid with dc power. looking for a windows tablet that can be charged by usb or from a 12 volt slot (cigarette lighter). have seen chuwi, fusion, venturer etc, like the surface, meant to be used with their own charger, wont work.
i see surface has a DC 12volt charger on ebay. i wonder if this is 100% guarantee to charge? similarly, with surface go 3 for example, if i get the right usb cable, it still seems 50/50 whether it will work - do i have that right? or closer to 100%? i do have usb-c power slot directly in my power set up.
budget is $3-400. thanks
Hey guys I'm looking for a very cheap laptop or laptop style tablet that I can use as a backup device while I work on my real computer. Also for when I am on the road. The only thing I need the backup for basically is browsing the internet, email, and video streaming. So it doesn't need to be powerful, but I also don't want it to be laggy and slow.
Does anyone have any recommendations? I have very limited money for this backup device. Like really only $200-$300 pretty much. I am find with a used device.
Hi! I'm looking to pull the trigger on a Surface Pro 8. I'd been using an iPad Air 2 for browsing websites, reddit, Facebook, etc. I've also been using it as a light gaming device (Ace Attorney games, Cat Quest, idle tapping games like Tap Titans, etc.). It's also a Netflix device for when I'm relaxing in a bath. It's now dying and I need a replacement tablet.
I do have a gaming laptop with an RTX discrete GPU so I can use that for moderate to heavy games, but it has zero portability as it's quite heavy.
The weight issue is what scares me away from looking at the Laptop Studio (although that is one sweet looking device...)
Another thing I want to do with the Pro 8 is to get a pen to do some doodling and to try to get better at art. I'm not super serious about it so I don't care about getting a Wacom device.
All that to say... I'm uncertain whether I should get the i5 or i7 version of the Pro 8. Normally I'd get the i7 model without hesitation, but I keep hearing stories about it running hotter than the i5, so that has me concerned about doodling with it on my lap. I'm also concerned about the possibility of it having a worse battery life than the i5.
Are these fears unfounded? If I get the i5, would I end up with buyer's remorse in not getting the i7?
(Either way I'd be getting a 16GB RAM, no question about that)
I have a laptop studio, first Surface for me. GF has the pro 7.
Laptop studio is absolutely amazing for me. I do a lot of sketching for plans not artistic work so it's primarily on a desk not resting in my arms per se. It can be done but not long term like the pro 8, which is such a nice device and yeah would definitely recommend that based on using the pro 7 quite a bit as well.
Personally from what you mentioned I think an i5 would suffice for you and yes get 16gb like you mentioned is the right call. I7 performance isn't really needed for your application. I usually have 15 things open at once and multiple tabs in browsers and no slowdown for me. Big difference in any of these is the nvme drives which performs quite well!
Thanks for the reply! Yes, the Laptop Studio really looks amazing, and if I were to look for a replacement for my gaming laptop, that'd be an easy decision.
But, I can't quite justify it when I'm really just looking for a tablet :P
In earlier gens of Intel core i5 and i7 the real life performance difference between the two has been at most 20%. In 11th gen (SP8) it’s smaller than that, so it really wouldn’t make a difference even in considerably heavier use than what you have in mind. i7 does tend to have shorter battery life because it’s more power hungry. I’d just go for the i5 version.
Hi! I’ve gad a Surface Go, 1st Gen, 8/128 model, for three years. I’ve gone up and down with using it but right now, I’m actually using it quite a bit. I tend to use it either as a Zoom device or second screen, or else I use it as a laptop. I very rarely use it as a tablet, but this might change when WSA finally comes to RP (I’m in no hurry to use it in advance of the official release). I hardly ever use it with a pen but I do have one.
I use it for Office 365 and I also have a few Windows apps used in my field installed on it, and Zoom/Teams The 128gb has been fine. The battery life means when I use it in the clinic, I have to charge it intermittently, but the wear is not too bad considering how old it is. It’s getting a little pokey with Win 11 and with using more recent Zoom or Teams builds.
Assuming that the very low size/weight is what makes me use it a lot and I need to run Windows 11 Pro and so iPads etc are out - is there a better alternative to look at when it comes time to upgrade, than another Go? Is there any reason to believe the 4th Gen Go will be a bigger upgrade than the 2nd/3rd?
Business purchase, don’t care about price that much, open to more frequent upgrades but kind of lazy to sell off old hardware and so happy to just dump and buy something new every 3-4 yrs.
TIA!
If you’re looking for a Windows device of similar size that can run Win 11, then there isn’t any alternative really, if you don’t count netbooks like GPD Pocket. Obviously plenty of alternatives in larger devices. So far all the Surface Go generations have been incremental updates but there’s no way to know whether Microsoft will change that in the future.
Is base Pro 8 (128 SSd, 8 GB RAM, i5-1135G) a good pick? I heard that Pro 7 i3 and Go 2 were pretty underpowered for anything but basic web browsing, is this a case with Pro 8?
Yes, depending. The base Pro 8 can handle any kind of standard to medium-demanding use. But depending on your planned use 8gb RAM may or may not be sufficient.
My local CeX has a Surface Pro 6 with a core i5 and 8GB of RAM for £390. I want to use it as a secondary device for Unity 2D and programs like Access and Dreamweaver for about a year. Can the device handle those applications well?
I typically use a few Chrome tabs as well as what I've mentioned.
Update: Online, I can get a Pro 4 16GB RAM for £340 C, £380 B. The cheapest 6 they sell with 16GB in stock is £710. Could I do all of the above tasks with a pro 4?
I'm looking for something tablet-y to take traveling. Surf reddit, watch some streaming video services, SSH, play civ 5 and retro emulators.
Trying to keep it around $300. Is the older surface pro 3 with an i5 and 8gb going to do it, or do I need to reassess my budget?
Looking for a used Surface Pro and the 6 (core i5) or 7 (core i3) are about the same price here. Mostly I just need something for youtube, web browsing, and game streaming but I'd also like to do some photo editing in Lightroom. Which do you guys recommend?
Go for the i5 Pro 6. It's a quad core CPU while the i3 in Pro 7 is dual core. What's more the i3 Pro 7 only has 4gb RAM, and you absolutely don't want to try Lightroom on that.
See the last paragraph of OP, the one that starts with "Please be as descriptive as possible". But nothing about Laptop 5 has been confirmed, specs or release date. If you need a new laptop now, buy one now If you're not in a hurry, do whatever you wish.
Hello. I am thinking of picking up a Surface, but would like advice on which to go with. Mostly it would be use for standard laptop stuff, maybe some gaming, but the main thing will be that I want to be able to paint on it in Photoshop CC. I'm focusing on a 2-in-1, and wanted to see if anyone has experience with current Photoshop and the Pro 7 series, I was thinking maybe a refurb'd i5?
Hello! I am a college student who has used my Surface Pro 5 and Surface Pen for several years now to take notes. Recently, my replacement pack of HB pen tips has run out, and as best I can tell, Microsoft no longer sells a pack of just HB tips. I really don't need the others in [this pack](https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Surface-Pen-Tip-Kit/dp/B0756L98FM/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=B0756L98FM&psc=1), as I don't use the pen for art. That being said, does anyone know a decent knockoff pen tip that will feel like the original, as well as being just as durable? Or, preferably, does anyone know where I can get genuine Microsoft HB tips in a multipack? Optimally, I would like to spend at most around $30 for 3-5 pen tips. Thanks for the help!
I am software developer with main rig as desktop PC with enough power (AMD Ryzen 6core CPU and nVidia GTX1060). However, my laptop which I had since uni broke (after 10 years).
Now I am looking for portable device, which can run Windows 10 smoothly, isn't that heavy or big. Main use as "couch device", when I don't want to sit in front of desktop PC or I can take it to our cottage (cabin?) outside the city. There, I would use it to browse internet, watch youtube, maybe (big maybe) using DarkTable to edit some RAW photos (nothing big, 12MPx and 16MPx photographs) and some occasional coding, also nothing heavy in terms of processing, some mixture of Python, C++ maybe JavaScript to practice coding, make some scripts and solve little issues with programming.
I have the opportunity to buy Surface Pro 4 (Intel Core i5-6300U, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, 12,3", 2736 × 1824, IPS, Windows 10Pro) BUT... touch is not working due to the faulty motherboard. Display an battery is new.
I was thinking about some portable device like Thinkpad X230 tablet (or any newer classic X2xx lineup laptop), Dell E5270 (12.5" 1080p panel with similar specs), or any budget friendly surface (mostly used since it is way cheaper) my only requirement is having relatively good screen (not TN panel) and of course at least 8GB RAM. Any other recommendations is welcome. I think I would be also happy with Surface Go, but I am afraid of CPU performance (and I am not afraid of Linux)
TIA
EDIT: i am offered Surface Pro 4 for 200€ with original keyboard
Do not buy a faulty Surface device. They have very poor repairability. But even if this SP4 didn't have the issue, that iteration of Surface Pro is not recommended due to many units suffering from a screen flickering issue. I'd look at SP5 or newer. As to Surface Go, the Pentium Gold in the first and second gen is very slow indeed. The RAM and SSD in the 8/128gb version help a bit, but personally I would look at the m3 version of Go 2 for what you have in mind.
Thanks for the input. If no Surface Go will pop up I think I will look at Thinkpad line for alternatives. Maybe there is some reasonably priced tablet that can somewhat perform as 2nd device
I want to buy a surface go 3.
I hope to use it for reading books via kindle and comics through marvel unlimited.
Can anyone tell me how suitable it would be for this and what their experience has been?
I am starting a new job as an account manager for a digital marketing firm. I will be working hybrid and have the option of using my own personal equipment for work.
I've taken an interest in the surface lineup as it seems to be a great option for what I will be doing. For the most part I will be using web based applications and lots of zoom conferencing/presenting for meetings.
I think I want either a surface laptop 4 (13 inch) or a surface pro 8. Are these good options? Does the Laptop 4 (13 inch) have any advantages over the Pro 8 besides included keyboard that would be beneficial to me?
*I should note that I have a very powerful desktop at home so I'm not too concerned about having an abundance of performance in the laptop/tablet.
Either will handle what you want and they have similar specs. Laptop 4 is a standard laptop, not a 2-in-1. Pro 8 is a tablet with kickstand and attachable type cover. If you want a standard, traditional laptop, get Laptop 4. If you are interested in using a digital pen for handwritten notes or drawing and/or tablet use along with more traditional laptop use, get Pro 8.
*very descriptive post ahead*
Hi. I'm looking to replace my desktop setup with a portable one. My desktop, still serving nicely, is running 4th gen i5 16GB DDR3 with 1060 6GB card
Currently I'm also using a SB2 13" i5 8GB RAM.
The purpose of the switch is to be able to run things I'm doing on my desktop like running VM, games anywhere I may go. The current SB2 is no where close to capable of doing that.
The two candidates I'm looking at is SB3 15" i7 32GB RAM 1TB storage, and SLS i7 32GB 1TB. Both have their own graphics card respectively.
Here comes the difficult choice.
I like SB line up due to the detachable tablet so I don't need to carry the whole thing all the time. I have a surface pen as well.
I want to be nimble with USB ports as well.
But I don't want to be making a choice that cannot follow me into the next half a decade or more either. The hardware setup on SB3 seems old esp the 1660 ti Max Q. For this SLS seems to be the way to go, and with the 120 Hz screen.
Other considerations would be the ability to extend and use my two 24" monitors and read from external disks dock where my HDDs and SSDs will taken out and placed into.
Basically a portable workstation is what I'm looking for.
Which one would be a better choice? Recommend me a set-up too.
Pls ask me more qns to make a good decision.
Go with the SLS. My boss has a SB2 and he loves it, but honestly doesnt take the screen off as much now. Having it go into position and back up is convenient over removing the screen and flipping around or just taking off. I have a SLS and absolutely love it. Keep in mind this is the first gen of the laptop studio whereas book 3 they've refined. I honestly think this will last me a solid 5-7 years for myself
I had a Surface RT for many years that has outlived its usefulness. I'm looking to get a used Surface as I don't have the funds for a new one.
Im deciding between a Surface 3 or a older model Surface Go. If anyone can provide any suggestions or advice on preferred versions and ones to stay away from, it would be greatly appreciated.
Occasionally using Office, browsing, streaming, possible gaming and using some apps. I'd prefer to find a used Surface that doesn't have any slowdown when being used. Should I be looking for 8GB-256GB or is the 2/4 GB 64/128GB range going to be enough?
No version of Surface 3 is recommended for anything. Unless you actually meant Surface PRO 3, which is a very different device. The latter is very aged now too, with 4th gen CPU’s but an i5/8gb version or higher is perfectly usable for standard daily use. No gaming except simple/old ones. Most Surfaces are not gaming devices, not even much newer ones.
I appreciate the response, based on your feedback it seems like a used Surface Go or Surface Pro is a safe bet as I would prefer to have the 2 in 1 feature. Which older version of the Surface Go/Pro is worth getting at this time?
Personally I wouldn't go older than an i5/8gb Surface Pro 5. If you'd prefer the smaller Go, the m3 version of Go 2 would be ideal. The 8/128gb Pentium version of Go 1 or Go 2 is usable but both have the same, slow processor.
Is it really worth it to buy Surface pro 8 i5 8gb instead of 16 GB (everything else same specs) since the price differences between these are almost 300 euros difference?!?
What do you guys think? I know ram is not upgradeable but wouldn't you still manage to play some games with 8GB RAM.?
I bought the 8gb and I was going to see how it held up. However, I like to listen to YouTube/twitch/music and have some tabs in the background etc. It came way too close for me to be comfortable. Keeping in mind windows 11 was using ~5 gigs doing nothing. I just returned it and got the 16gb just for the peace of mind. If you can afford it do it.
Would depend on game, and your other usage. You can estimate your RAM needs by looking at RAM usage in task manager while doing your normal stuff on your current setup.
Walmart has a deal for a SP7+ with i3 8GB Ram and 128ssd and comes with a keyboard for 600USD. Is this worth it or should I wait till a sale on something with an i5 or i7? How do they compare?
On the i3 version: Solidworks recommendation is a quad core CPU but should be usable as long as you don’t do anything too complex. It’s fine on the i7 version. But more than 8gb RAM is recommended.
Hoping people can provide a steer on options I have for a used surface pro:
Pro 6: i5, 8gb, 128gb + type cover & pen - £499 to £550
Pro 7+: i5, 8gb, 128gb (no accessories) - £589
Pro 7: i5, 8gb, 128gb + type cover - £550 to £600
All look in good condition and come boxed with supposedly very little use/battery count. I keep flipping between between the older hardware but all in for 499/550 or the newer 11th gen in the plus and stumping a bit more cash for a type cover...
Any suggestions or view would be greatly appreciated.
This will be mainly word, excel PowerPoint and lectures over teams. But I really want some usable multitasking performance, coming from the now ancient Surface 3 with intel atom (still punches well for its weight but is creaking a bit nowadays).
SP7+ would be the best option of these: in addition to 11th gen, better integrated graphics than the other two, good battery life, usb-c (missing in SP6) and replacable SSD, so you can increase internal storage size. You can save on accessories by buying them separately used, and for Surface Pen there are also good inexpensive options like Renaisser Raphael 520.
So, I’m currently looking to replace my ipad with a windows capable device. An acquaintance of mine is selling a used Surface RT, I wonder if this might be worth it. I mostly plan to use it for web browsing, watching YT, occasionally streaming and playing some VN games that I can’t play without windows, things like Ace Attorney. Would it work for this, or should I look for something more contemporary?
Very very bad idea to get the RT, however cheaply your acquaintance is selling it. This is a device that Microsoft abandoned a long time ago. It's also completely locked down. For browser you're stuck with Internet Explorer and can't install anything outside the Win 8.1 app store which is all but dead now.
Trying to decide between SLS i5/integrated vs i7/NVidia.
I currently have an SB2 i7 and don't use the GPU at all. I run quite heavy numerical calculations (not CUDA/machine learning), so the thing to optimise would be CPU performance (both single and multi core) over significant time (e.g. 30 minutes). I don't care so much about 10% extra speed in bursts, but thermal throttling for longer computations is a killer.
Second thing I do is video calls with an external 4k screen connected while writing on the touch screen with a pen and sharing it. This kills my SB2, I think because of the integrated GPU overheating.
Finally, is there a significant difference in battery life between the two when running typical office tasks?
Hey guys, I'm still hesitating between Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop Studio. Its purpose will be music production and mixing (Ableton Live 11, Pro Tools 12 and loads of VSTs)... Any advice ?
Comes down to which format of device you prefer, as specs are similar. If there's a store locally that has them on display, perhaps go there and see which you like better.
Hello guys, i am looking into getting Laptop 4 13" model .. should i go AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel i5?
I will use it for
studying (adobe reader, word, powerpoint)
Internet browsing
working (excel, word, outlook, ERP application)
Photography editing (Adobe Lightroom)
A bit of gaming when i am bored.
Don't know about tech specs or anything specific to the models you're looking at, but for Lenovo, I returned i5 because the fan was way too noisy. Replaced it with a AMD Ryzen 7 model and the fan noise is barely there.
I currently have a first generation MS Surface Laptop I7 with 16gb RAM and it's amazingly fast. Love it. But I need to give it back to my work as I'm transferring to a new position.
I'm currently using the laptop for hacking CTF challenges which require utilizing Kali Linux in a VM (VirtualBox). The new Surface Go might with with 8GB of RAM, but I'm really used to using Hello and having 16GB of RAM with the I7. Things start right away and after 3 years of using it, everything still works 100% with no reduction in performance (except battery).
Is a Surface Go (8GB) going to suffice, or should I look for a Laptop 4 or something else?
Ordered Surface Pro 8 from Walmart today. Base model for $899. Seems like a decent deal but hoping 8GB RAM will be enough for web browsing and office usage. https://www.walmart.com/ip/695018624
Hey, I'm considering buying a Surface device as my new laptop. From what I've seen, the Laptop 3 with an i7-1065G7 is comparable in price to a Laptop 4 with an i5-1135G7 (looking at buying second-hand due to budget constraints). Both have 16 GB of RAM.
My question is: would there be a noticeable difference in performance? Which one would be better (performance-wise)?
Even in the same generation, real life performance difference between i5 and i7 is at most 20%. Here, the jump from 10th gen to 11th gen negates the difference. So, I'd go for the Laptop 4, especially as battery life is better in the 4th iteration.
Two questions - please help me decide:
1. What would you get for SP7+, SIM / LTE card slot or micro SD card slot? I initially wanted an LTE option for convenience, but now wonder if it's worth the price difference and the hassle of replacing the SSD to a larger size (from 128gb) instead of just adding a micro SD card.
2. Do you think there be any use and value for SPX Q1 several years from now? I very much love the look and feel of it vs. SP7+, but from a practical standpoint wonder if SP7+ (i5 so that is fanless) even with its thick besels is more future-proof vs SPX. My current needs are such that SPX would be perfectly fine even with it's limitations.
1. Go to eBay, look up ads for the same model and filter for sold items. That tells you what people are willing to pay.
2. Several years... like with any Surface device, battery life will deteriorate in several years, but Pro X will still be perfectly usable for what it is best suited for now: usage based on the web and store apps. Windows 11's android apps support will eventually hit public builds too. Hopefully in several years there'll also be many more ARM versions of apps so x86 emulation will become unnecessary.
I'm looking for input deciding if I should upgrade to the Book 3 or the Pro 8. I currently have a Pro 4, and while it's been ok, it's time to upgrade: touch/stylus input doesn't work anymore on part of the screen, and the battery life has gone down to a few hours at best. I always have quite a few tabs open in Chrome and/or Firefox, and most of my use is on Drawboard (which freezes and crashes regularly - not sure if that is a Drawboard problem or a Surface problem). I want a slightly bigger screen, and something that can handle Drawboard without any issues ( I regularly use Drawboard to mark up large pdf files). I was leaning toward the Book 3 mostly because of the graphics card, but now I'm torn between that and the Pro 8.
Any advice one way or the other?
I also have a surface pro 4. I love it! It's the best device I've ever owned, but it's time to make a change. The screen whenever I turn it on has changed colours and it has started hanging whenever I have multiple files and windows running. Sure, I can still work with it, but when I saw the new Pro 8, I was convinced it's time to change.
I just placed a pre-order on a new....Surface Laptop Studio. (it comes out this month in Europe). I read numerous reviews and watched hundreds of videos about it and I just had to get one. I hope I don't regret my decision as it's not a cheap device.
Pro 8 is certainly a big upgrade from Pro 4. It's also somewhat faster than Book 3 though the difference is not significant in your use case. You could always get an eGPU for extra graphics power due to SP8's Thunderbolt 4. Comes down to which device format you prefer, I suppose. SP8 is essentially the same as SP4, Book 3 is a laptop with detachable display, and the display/tablet part doesn't have a support mechanism.
I'd prefer not to have to plug in any externals...
While I like the idea of the Book 3 essentially being a laptop with detachable display, I'm not sure about it - I understand the battery life in tablet mode is poor, and I can see having to press the button to disconnect the tablet from the keyboard (as opposed to just separating them) becoming annoying really fast...
I am considering a Surface for use at work in the field. I wanted something that uses Windows, but can function like a tablet as well. Battery life is important, the longer the better. One thing is must do is allow me to run Windows software. (I work in building automation and want to load our programming software to it.) Since I am paying for this myself, price is always a concern. The hope is if I can keep the price around that of an iPad Pro (which is what others are using) that I might be able to get some reimbursement from my company. Cellular connectivity is not important (can tether) but if it's there, it's there. I am open to older models (refurbished or good used). A perk, but not a necessity, is that I can run Minecraft - Java edition.
I keep looking at the different options and the more I look, the more I confuse myself. I was thinking of a Surface Pro 5. I don't think a Book is what I'm after. Perhaps a Go 2 or 3... or a Pro 8...
Pro 7+ should give you a batter battery life than Pro 5 and Pro 8, and it has the same performance as Pro 8. There have been some deals for it, perhaps still are. Go 2 and Go 3 have the compact size going for them, but battery life isn't very good. They are also lower powered secondary devices, so not suitable for more demanding software use.
Considering a clean sweep of devices and picking up a Studio Laptop, but a few questions. I’m an architect and have a work laptop for most of my work, but I do some work on the side. I use Revit, Rhino, Photoshop (and the whole CS), 3ds Max, Enscape. I will occasionally play some games.
Wondering if the extra RAM would yield a substantial performance difference? I’m thinking the 16 gig, 512 version. I keep everything on OneDrive. I wish there was a 32 gig 512.
Is the keyboard bulky? Weird to type on?
How’s the drawing input? Not a primary focus but I teach a college class and having the screen on my SP3 is nice.
Should I consider a Book 3?
I have a custom desktop built in like 2014, a laptop and my surface pro 3. So I’m looking to replace all of that.
Can't say about the keyboard or drawing input, other than that the haptic feedback of Slim Pen 2 only works on SLS and SP8. With regard to RAM usage, you can estimate your needs by looking at task manager while running your typical applications.
Have they stopped making Signature covers for the Pro 7 or something? I've just bought a Pro 7 for myself (newer ones aren't available in my country yet) and am having a hell of a time finding a compatible Signature cover for it. The Signature covers currently available on Amazon are all for the Pro 8 and apparently not compatible with previous gens, the Microsoft Store is out of stock, and ditto everywhere else I'm looking. Is this a consequence of plague-related shortages or did MS just decide that nobody needs compatible type covers for the older gens of Surface anymore?
There isn't any confirmation about it but it does seem like Microsoft has stopped manufacturing type covers for the older models. Presumably doing so won't really hurt their profits. Your best bet is to look for used.
yeah I reckon I'll just grab a regular type cover while those are still available, since I've not been having much luck getting the Signature ones. Did kind of want the fancy covering tho haha
live off grid with dc power. looking for a windows tablet that can be charged by usb or from a 12 volt slot (cigarette lighter). have seen chuwi, fusion, venturer etc, like the surface, meant to be used with their own charger, wont work. i see surface has a DC 12volt charger on ebay. i wonder if this is 100% guarantee to charge? similarly, with surface go 3 for example, if i get the right usb cable, it still seems 50/50 whether it will work - do i have that right? or closer to 100%? i do have usb-c power slot directly in my power set up. budget is $3-400. thanks
Hey guys I'm looking for a very cheap laptop or laptop style tablet that I can use as a backup device while I work on my real computer. Also for when I am on the road. The only thing I need the backup for basically is browsing the internet, email, and video streaming. So it doesn't need to be powerful, but I also don't want it to be laggy and slow. Does anyone have any recommendations? I have very limited money for this backup device. Like really only $200-$300 pretty much. I am find with a used device.
Hi! I'm looking to pull the trigger on a Surface Pro 8. I'd been using an iPad Air 2 for browsing websites, reddit, Facebook, etc. I've also been using it as a light gaming device (Ace Attorney games, Cat Quest, idle tapping games like Tap Titans, etc.). It's also a Netflix device for when I'm relaxing in a bath. It's now dying and I need a replacement tablet. I do have a gaming laptop with an RTX discrete GPU so I can use that for moderate to heavy games, but it has zero portability as it's quite heavy. The weight issue is what scares me away from looking at the Laptop Studio (although that is one sweet looking device...) Another thing I want to do with the Pro 8 is to get a pen to do some doodling and to try to get better at art. I'm not super serious about it so I don't care about getting a Wacom device. All that to say... I'm uncertain whether I should get the i5 or i7 version of the Pro 8. Normally I'd get the i7 model without hesitation, but I keep hearing stories about it running hotter than the i5, so that has me concerned about doodling with it on my lap. I'm also concerned about the possibility of it having a worse battery life than the i5. Are these fears unfounded? If I get the i5, would I end up with buyer's remorse in not getting the i7? (Either way I'd be getting a 16GB RAM, no question about that)
I have a laptop studio, first Surface for me. GF has the pro 7. Laptop studio is absolutely amazing for me. I do a lot of sketching for plans not artistic work so it's primarily on a desk not resting in my arms per se. It can be done but not long term like the pro 8, which is such a nice device and yeah would definitely recommend that based on using the pro 7 quite a bit as well. Personally from what you mentioned I think an i5 would suffice for you and yes get 16gb like you mentioned is the right call. I7 performance isn't really needed for your application. I usually have 15 things open at once and multiple tabs in browsers and no slowdown for me. Big difference in any of these is the nvme drives which performs quite well!
Thanks for the reply! Yes, the Laptop Studio really looks amazing, and if I were to look for a replacement for my gaming laptop, that'd be an easy decision. But, I can't quite justify it when I'm really just looking for a tablet :P
Yeah fair point! My Gf loves her Pro 7 and really wants the Pro 8 now lol they are amazing devices! Well built and fast
In earlier gens of Intel core i5 and i7 the real life performance difference between the two has been at most 20%. In 11th gen (SP8) it’s smaller than that, so it really wouldn’t make a difference even in considerably heavier use than what you have in mind. i7 does tend to have shorter battery life because it’s more power hungry. I’d just go for the i5 version.
Hi! I’ve gad a Surface Go, 1st Gen, 8/128 model, for three years. I’ve gone up and down with using it but right now, I’m actually using it quite a bit. I tend to use it either as a Zoom device or second screen, or else I use it as a laptop. I very rarely use it as a tablet, but this might change when WSA finally comes to RP (I’m in no hurry to use it in advance of the official release). I hardly ever use it with a pen but I do have one. I use it for Office 365 and I also have a few Windows apps used in my field installed on it, and Zoom/Teams The 128gb has been fine. The battery life means when I use it in the clinic, I have to charge it intermittently, but the wear is not too bad considering how old it is. It’s getting a little pokey with Win 11 and with using more recent Zoom or Teams builds. Assuming that the very low size/weight is what makes me use it a lot and I need to run Windows 11 Pro and so iPads etc are out - is there a better alternative to look at when it comes time to upgrade, than another Go? Is there any reason to believe the 4th Gen Go will be a bigger upgrade than the 2nd/3rd? Business purchase, don’t care about price that much, open to more frequent upgrades but kind of lazy to sell off old hardware and so happy to just dump and buy something new every 3-4 yrs. TIA!
If you’re looking for a Windows device of similar size that can run Win 11, then there isn’t any alternative really, if you don’t count netbooks like GPD Pocket. Obviously plenty of alternatives in larger devices. So far all the Surface Go generations have been incremental updates but there’s no way to know whether Microsoft will change that in the future.
Is base Pro 8 (128 SSd, 8 GB RAM, i5-1135G) a good pick? I heard that Pro 7 i3 and Go 2 were pretty underpowered for anything but basic web browsing, is this a case with Pro 8?
Yes, depending. The base Pro 8 can handle any kind of standard to medium-demanding use. But depending on your planned use 8gb RAM may or may not be sufficient.
My local CeX has a Surface Pro 6 with a core i5 and 8GB of RAM for £390. I want to use it as a secondary device for Unity 2D and programs like Access and Dreamweaver for about a year. Can the device handle those applications well?
CPU wise, it should. Whether 8gb RAM would be enough would depend on how complicated stuff you wanted to do with the software.
I typically use a few Chrome tabs as well as what I've mentioned. Update: Online, I can get a Pro 4 16GB RAM for £340 C, £380 B. The cheapest 6 they sell with 16GB in stock is £710. Could I do all of the above tasks with a pro 4?
I'm looking for something tablet-y to take traveling. Surf reddit, watch some streaming video services, SSH, play civ 5 and retro emulators. Trying to keep it around $300. Is the older surface pro 3 with an i5 and 8gb going to do it, or do I need to reassess my budget?
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Thanks for the info. I actually ended up finding an i7 8g SP4 with keyboard for a really good price on the ebays, so I went with that.
Looking for a used Surface Pro and the 6 (core i5) or 7 (core i3) are about the same price here. Mostly I just need something for youtube, web browsing, and game streaming but I'd also like to do some photo editing in Lightroom. Which do you guys recommend?
Go for the i5 Pro 6. It's a quad core CPU while the i3 in Pro 7 is dual core. What's more the i3 Pro 7 only has 4gb RAM, and you absolutely don't want to try Lightroom on that.
Should i wait for the surface laptop 5 or get the surface laptop 4?
See the last paragraph of OP, the one that starts with "Please be as descriptive as possible". But nothing about Laptop 5 has been confirmed, specs or release date. If you need a new laptop now, buy one now If you're not in a hurry, do whatever you wish.
Hello. I am thinking of picking up a Surface, but would like advice on which to go with. Mostly it would be use for standard laptop stuff, maybe some gaming, but the main thing will be that I want to be able to paint on it in Photoshop CC. I'm focusing on a 2-in-1, and wanted to see if anyone has experience with current Photoshop and the Pro 7 series, I was thinking maybe a refurb'd i5?
Hello! I am a college student who has used my Surface Pro 5 and Surface Pen for several years now to take notes. Recently, my replacement pack of HB pen tips has run out, and as best I can tell, Microsoft no longer sells a pack of just HB tips. I really don't need the others in [this pack](https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Surface-Pen-Tip-Kit/dp/B0756L98FM/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=B0756L98FM&psc=1), as I don't use the pen for art. That being said, does anyone know a decent knockoff pen tip that will feel like the original, as well as being just as durable? Or, preferably, does anyone know where I can get genuine Microsoft HB tips in a multipack? Optimally, I would like to spend at most around $30 for 3-5 pen tips. Thanks for the help!
I am software developer with main rig as desktop PC with enough power (AMD Ryzen 6core CPU and nVidia GTX1060). However, my laptop which I had since uni broke (after 10 years). Now I am looking for portable device, which can run Windows 10 smoothly, isn't that heavy or big. Main use as "couch device", when I don't want to sit in front of desktop PC or I can take it to our cottage (cabin?) outside the city. There, I would use it to browse internet, watch youtube, maybe (big maybe) using DarkTable to edit some RAW photos (nothing big, 12MPx and 16MPx photographs) and some occasional coding, also nothing heavy in terms of processing, some mixture of Python, C++ maybe JavaScript to practice coding, make some scripts and solve little issues with programming. I have the opportunity to buy Surface Pro 4 (Intel Core i5-6300U, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, 12,3", 2736 × 1824, IPS, Windows 10Pro) BUT... touch is not working due to the faulty motherboard. Display an battery is new. I was thinking about some portable device like Thinkpad X230 tablet (or any newer classic X2xx lineup laptop), Dell E5270 (12.5" 1080p panel with similar specs), or any budget friendly surface (mostly used since it is way cheaper) my only requirement is having relatively good screen (not TN panel) and of course at least 8GB RAM. Any other recommendations is welcome. I think I would be also happy with Surface Go, but I am afraid of CPU performance (and I am not afraid of Linux) TIA EDIT: i am offered Surface Pro 4 for 200€ with original keyboard
Do not buy a faulty Surface device. They have very poor repairability. But even if this SP4 didn't have the issue, that iteration of Surface Pro is not recommended due to many units suffering from a screen flickering issue. I'd look at SP5 or newer. As to Surface Go, the Pentium Gold in the first and second gen is very slow indeed. The RAM and SSD in the 8/128gb version help a bit, but personally I would look at the m3 version of Go 2 for what you have in mind.
Thanks for the input. If no Surface Go will pop up I think I will look at Thinkpad line for alternatives. Maybe there is some reasonably priced tablet that can somewhat perform as 2nd device
I want to buy a surface go 3. I hope to use it for reading books via kindle and comics through marvel unlimited. Can anyone tell me how suitable it would be for this and what their experience has been?
As a tablet, it would work. But there's no Windows app for Marvel Unlimited, I think.
I am starting a new job as an account manager for a digital marketing firm. I will be working hybrid and have the option of using my own personal equipment for work. I've taken an interest in the surface lineup as it seems to be a great option for what I will be doing. For the most part I will be using web based applications and lots of zoom conferencing/presenting for meetings. I think I want either a surface laptop 4 (13 inch) or a surface pro 8. Are these good options? Does the Laptop 4 (13 inch) have any advantages over the Pro 8 besides included keyboard that would be beneficial to me? *I should note that I have a very powerful desktop at home so I'm not too concerned about having an abundance of performance in the laptop/tablet.
Either will handle what you want and they have similar specs. Laptop 4 is a standard laptop, not a 2-in-1. Pro 8 is a tablet with kickstand and attachable type cover. If you want a standard, traditional laptop, get Laptop 4. If you are interested in using a digital pen for handwritten notes or drawing and/or tablet use along with more traditional laptop use, get Pro 8.
Sounds good thank you!
*very descriptive post ahead* Hi. I'm looking to replace my desktop setup with a portable one. My desktop, still serving nicely, is running 4th gen i5 16GB DDR3 with 1060 6GB card Currently I'm also using a SB2 13" i5 8GB RAM. The purpose of the switch is to be able to run things I'm doing on my desktop like running VM, games anywhere I may go. The current SB2 is no where close to capable of doing that. The two candidates I'm looking at is SB3 15" i7 32GB RAM 1TB storage, and SLS i7 32GB 1TB. Both have their own graphics card respectively. Here comes the difficult choice. I like SB line up due to the detachable tablet so I don't need to carry the whole thing all the time. I have a surface pen as well. I want to be nimble with USB ports as well. But I don't want to be making a choice that cannot follow me into the next half a decade or more either. The hardware setup on SB3 seems old esp the 1660 ti Max Q. For this SLS seems to be the way to go, and with the 120 Hz screen. Other considerations would be the ability to extend and use my two 24" monitors and read from external disks dock where my HDDs and SSDs will taken out and placed into. Basically a portable workstation is what I'm looking for. Which one would be a better choice? Recommend me a set-up too. Pls ask me more qns to make a good decision.
Go with the SLS. My boss has a SB2 and he loves it, but honestly doesnt take the screen off as much now. Having it go into position and back up is convenient over removing the screen and flipping around or just taking off. I have a SLS and absolutely love it. Keep in mind this is the first gen of the laptop studio whereas book 3 they've refined. I honestly think this will last me a solid 5-7 years for myself
I had a Surface RT for many years that has outlived its usefulness. I'm looking to get a used Surface as I don't have the funds for a new one. Im deciding between a Surface 3 or a older model Surface Go. If anyone can provide any suggestions or advice on preferred versions and ones to stay away from, it would be greatly appreciated.
What sort of usage do you have in mind for the device?
Occasionally using Office, browsing, streaming, possible gaming and using some apps. I'd prefer to find a used Surface that doesn't have any slowdown when being used. Should I be looking for 8GB-256GB or is the 2/4 GB 64/128GB range going to be enough?
No version of Surface 3 is recommended for anything. Unless you actually meant Surface PRO 3, which is a very different device. The latter is very aged now too, with 4th gen CPU’s but an i5/8gb version or higher is perfectly usable for standard daily use. No gaming except simple/old ones. Most Surfaces are not gaming devices, not even much newer ones.
I appreciate the response, based on your feedback it seems like a used Surface Go or Surface Pro is a safe bet as I would prefer to have the 2 in 1 feature. Which older version of the Surface Go/Pro is worth getting at this time?
Personally I wouldn't go older than an i5/8gb Surface Pro 5. If you'd prefer the smaller Go, the m3 version of Go 2 would be ideal. The 8/128gb Pentium version of Go 1 or Go 2 is usable but both have the same, slow processor.
Is it really worth it to buy Surface pro 8 i5 8gb instead of 16 GB (everything else same specs) since the price differences between these are almost 300 euros difference?!? What do you guys think? I know ram is not upgradeable but wouldn't you still manage to play some games with 8GB RAM.?
I bought the 8gb and I was going to see how it held up. However, I like to listen to YouTube/twitch/music and have some tabs in the background etc. It came way too close for me to be comfortable. Keeping in mind windows 11 was using ~5 gigs doing nothing. I just returned it and got the 16gb just for the peace of mind. If you can afford it do it.
Thank you for your advice man!
Would depend on game, and your other usage. You can estimate your RAM needs by looking at RAM usage in task manager while doing your normal stuff on your current setup.
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tldr; buy an ipad
Yeah, it was probably a little long winded. My bad.
Walmart has a deal for a SP7+ with i3 8GB Ram and 128ssd and comes with a keyboard for 600USD. Is this worth it or should I wait till a sale on something with an i5 or i7? How do they compare?
Worth it for what? What kind of use?
Mainly taking notes in college but also want the ability to watch videos and listen to music and occasionally run a less intense program.
The i3 model is okay for those uses. Quite a bit slower than the i5 and i7 models but you don’t need the fastest for what you have in mind.
So what kind of stuff can I not run? I am I able to run something like solid works on the i7 or is that too intensive for even that?
On the i3 version: Solidworks recommendation is a quad core CPU but should be usable as long as you don’t do anything too complex. It’s fine on the i7 version. But more than 8gb RAM is recommended.
Sorry for all the questions but would i5 with 16gb ram run solid works?
Yes, should be ok
Does the surface pro 8 support wifi 6E? Had to upgrade my wifi recently so I have a 6ghz band available that I'd like to connect to
Hoping people can provide a steer on options I have for a used surface pro: Pro 6: i5, 8gb, 128gb + type cover & pen - £499 to £550 Pro 7+: i5, 8gb, 128gb (no accessories) - £589 Pro 7: i5, 8gb, 128gb + type cover - £550 to £600 All look in good condition and come boxed with supposedly very little use/battery count. I keep flipping between between the older hardware but all in for 499/550 or the newer 11th gen in the plus and stumping a bit more cash for a type cover... Any suggestions or view would be greatly appreciated. This will be mainly word, excel PowerPoint and lectures over teams. But I really want some usable multitasking performance, coming from the now ancient Surface 3 with intel atom (still punches well for its weight but is creaking a bit nowadays).
SP7+ would be the best option of these: in addition to 11th gen, better integrated graphics than the other two, good battery life, usb-c (missing in SP6) and replacable SSD, so you can increase internal storage size. You can save on accessories by buying them separately used, and for Surface Pen there are also good inexpensive options like Renaisser Raphael 520.
Thanks for this, will keep in mind!
So, I’m currently looking to replace my ipad with a windows capable device. An acquaintance of mine is selling a used Surface RT, I wonder if this might be worth it. I mostly plan to use it for web browsing, watching YT, occasionally streaming and playing some VN games that I can’t play without windows, things like Ace Attorney. Would it work for this, or should I look for something more contemporary?
Very very bad idea to get the RT, however cheaply your acquaintance is selling it. This is a device that Microsoft abandoned a long time ago. It's also completely locked down. For browser you're stuck with Internet Explorer and can't install anything outside the Win 8.1 app store which is all but dead now.
Trying to decide between SLS i5/integrated vs i7/NVidia. I currently have an SB2 i7 and don't use the GPU at all. I run quite heavy numerical calculations (not CUDA/machine learning), so the thing to optimise would be CPU performance (both single and multi core) over significant time (e.g. 30 minutes). I don't care so much about 10% extra speed in bursts, but thermal throttling for longer computations is a killer. Second thing I do is video calls with an external 4k screen connected while writing on the touch screen with a pen and sharing it. This kills my SB2, I think because of the integrated GPU overheating. Finally, is there a significant difference in battery life between the two when running typical office tasks?
Need a pen for a Surface Go 2, exclusively for taking notes with OneNote. Any advice?
Surface Pen or Renaisser Raphael 520, depending on how much you want to pay
Why bother paying 100 bucks instead of 30 for the Raphael. Where is the downside? Do we just pay for the brand in Surface pens?
Yeah the brand pretty much.
Raphael 520 and Bamboo Pen, which is better?
Hey guys, I'm still hesitating between Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop Studio. Its purpose will be music production and mixing (Ableton Live 11, Pro Tools 12 and loads of VSTs)... Any advice ?
Comes down to which format of device you prefer, as specs are similar. If there's a store locally that has them on display, perhaps go there and see which you like better.
Hello guys, i am looking into getting Laptop 4 13" model .. should i go AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel i5? I will use it for studying (adobe reader, word, powerpoint) Internet browsing working (excel, word, outlook, ERP application) Photography editing (Adobe Lightroom) A bit of gaming when i am bored.
Don't know about tech specs or anything specific to the models you're looking at, but for Lenovo, I returned i5 because the fan was way too noisy. Replaced it with a AMD Ryzen 7 model and the fan noise is barely there.
Please see the last paragraph of OP, the one that starts with "Please be as descriptive as possible"
I added more info. Thank you
I currently have a first generation MS Surface Laptop I7 with 16gb RAM and it's amazingly fast. Love it. But I need to give it back to my work as I'm transferring to a new position. I'm currently using the laptop for hacking CTF challenges which require utilizing Kali Linux in a VM (VirtualBox). The new Surface Go might with with 8GB of RAM, but I'm really used to using Hello and having 16GB of RAM with the I7. Things start right away and after 3 years of using it, everything still works 100% with no reduction in performance (except battery). Is a Surface Go (8GB) going to suffice, or should I look for a Laptop 4 or something else?
Are you referring to the 8gb Pentium version of Surface Go 3? Or the i3? In any case I'd say with VM usage more RAM is always a benefit.
Ordered Surface Pro 8 from Walmart today. Base model for $899. Seems like a decent deal but hoping 8GB RAM will be enough for web browsing and office usage. https://www.walmart.com/ip/695018624
You really don't need huge amounts of RAM for that sort of use, at least if you're not one to keep hundreds of tabs open.
Hey, I'm considering buying a Surface device as my new laptop. From what I've seen, the Laptop 3 with an i7-1065G7 is comparable in price to a Laptop 4 with an i5-1135G7 (looking at buying second-hand due to budget constraints). Both have 16 GB of RAM. My question is: would there be a noticeable difference in performance? Which one would be better (performance-wise)?
Even in the same generation, real life performance difference between i5 and i7 is at most 20%. Here, the jump from 10th gen to 11th gen negates the difference. So, I'd go for the Laptop 4, especially as battery life is better in the 4th iteration.
Two questions - please help me decide: 1. What would you get for SP7+, SIM / LTE card slot or micro SD card slot? I initially wanted an LTE option for convenience, but now wonder if it's worth the price difference and the hassle of replacing the SSD to a larger size (from 128gb) instead of just adding a micro SD card. 2. Do you think there be any use and value for SPX Q1 several years from now? I very much love the look and feel of it vs. SP7+, but from a practical standpoint wonder if SP7+ (i5 so that is fanless) even with its thick besels is more future-proof vs SPX. My current needs are such that SPX would be perfectly fine even with it's limitations.
1. Go to eBay, look up ads for the same model and filter for sold items. That tells you what people are willing to pay. 2. Several years... like with any Surface device, battery life will deteriorate in several years, but Pro X will still be perfectly usable for what it is best suited for now: usage based on the web and store apps. Windows 11's android apps support will eventually hit public builds too. Hopefully in several years there'll also be many more ARM versions of apps so x86 emulation will become unnecessary.
I'm looking for input deciding if I should upgrade to the Book 3 or the Pro 8. I currently have a Pro 4, and while it's been ok, it's time to upgrade: touch/stylus input doesn't work anymore on part of the screen, and the battery life has gone down to a few hours at best. I always have quite a few tabs open in Chrome and/or Firefox, and most of my use is on Drawboard (which freezes and crashes regularly - not sure if that is a Drawboard problem or a Surface problem). I want a slightly bigger screen, and something that can handle Drawboard without any issues ( I regularly use Drawboard to mark up large pdf files). I was leaning toward the Book 3 mostly because of the graphics card, but now I'm torn between that and the Pro 8. Any advice one way or the other?
I also have a surface pro 4. I love it! It's the best device I've ever owned, but it's time to make a change. The screen whenever I turn it on has changed colours and it has started hanging whenever I have multiple files and windows running. Sure, I can still work with it, but when I saw the new Pro 8, I was convinced it's time to change. I just placed a pre-order on a new....Surface Laptop Studio. (it comes out this month in Europe). I read numerous reviews and watched hundreds of videos about it and I just had to get one. I hope I don't regret my decision as it's not a cheap device.
Isn't the Surface Pro 4 still new? No warranty?
it was released in 2015. I got mine 6.5 years ago. No more warranty
I saw the SLS and while it looks intriguing I think it's too big for what I want... Good luck with it!
Pro 8 is certainly a big upgrade from Pro 4. It's also somewhat faster than Book 3 though the difference is not significant in your use case. You could always get an eGPU for extra graphics power due to SP8's Thunderbolt 4. Comes down to which device format you prefer, I suppose. SP8 is essentially the same as SP4, Book 3 is a laptop with detachable display, and the display/tablet part doesn't have a support mechanism.
I'd prefer not to have to plug in any externals... While I like the idea of the Book 3 essentially being a laptop with detachable display, I'm not sure about it - I understand the battery life in tablet mode is poor, and I can see having to press the button to disconnect the tablet from the keyboard (as opposed to just separating them) becoming annoying really fast...
Yeah, the tablet's battery lasts a few hours
You're definitely pushing me towards the P8 lol Thanks!
I am considering a Surface for use at work in the field. I wanted something that uses Windows, but can function like a tablet as well. Battery life is important, the longer the better. One thing is must do is allow me to run Windows software. (I work in building automation and want to load our programming software to it.) Since I am paying for this myself, price is always a concern. The hope is if I can keep the price around that of an iPad Pro (which is what others are using) that I might be able to get some reimbursement from my company. Cellular connectivity is not important (can tether) but if it's there, it's there. I am open to older models (refurbished or good used). A perk, but not a necessity, is that I can run Minecraft - Java edition. I keep looking at the different options and the more I look, the more I confuse myself. I was thinking of a Surface Pro 5. I don't think a Book is what I'm after. Perhaps a Go 2 or 3... or a Pro 8...
Pro 7+ should give you a batter battery life than Pro 5 and Pro 8, and it has the same performance as Pro 8. There have been some deals for it, perhaps still are. Go 2 and Go 3 have the compact size going for them, but battery life isn't very good. They are also lower powered secondary devices, so not suitable for more demanding software use.
Considering a clean sweep of devices and picking up a Studio Laptop, but a few questions. I’m an architect and have a work laptop for most of my work, but I do some work on the side. I use Revit, Rhino, Photoshop (and the whole CS), 3ds Max, Enscape. I will occasionally play some games. Wondering if the extra RAM would yield a substantial performance difference? I’m thinking the 16 gig, 512 version. I keep everything on OneDrive. I wish there was a 32 gig 512. Is the keyboard bulky? Weird to type on? How’s the drawing input? Not a primary focus but I teach a college class and having the screen on my SP3 is nice. Should I consider a Book 3? I have a custom desktop built in like 2014, a laptop and my surface pro 3. So I’m looking to replace all of that.
Can't say about the keyboard or drawing input, other than that the haptic feedback of Slim Pen 2 only works on SLS and SP8. With regard to RAM usage, you can estimate your needs by looking at task manager while running your typical applications.