henke on 19/6/2012 at 12:01
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http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/4828/microsoftsurfaceprowind.jpgI get a lot of use out of my iPad 1. It might a bit heavy but so far I haven't been swayed to upgrade to a newer version. Neither the newer iPads nor Samsung's alternatives seem like huge leaps forward. At the top of my wishlist for a new tablet is proper controls for games. A touchscreen just doesn't cut it for much besides puzzlegames. So when I read about Surface earlier today I got properly excited. The Surface Pro is basically a Win 8 PC in tablet-form AND it has USB ports! If this thing is as good as it sounds and I can plug in a gamepad and play games from my Steam library then this will likely be the next tablet I buy.
From the (
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/06/19/microsoft-surface-pc-gaming/#more-112773) RPS article:
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[The Surface Pro is] toting an Intel Core i5, Ivy Bridge-based CPU. That means integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics (same as in my laptop, which can just about cope with the likes of Skyrim and DXHR on lowest settings). That means support for all manner of existent x86 applications. Its USB ports mean mice, gamepads, headsets and the like are good to go.
There's still a lot of questions that need answering, like how open it will be, how long the battery will last when playing high-end PC games on it, how much it'll cost... but so far I'm cautiously optimistic about this.
SubJeff on 19/6/2012 at 12:20
Why bother? Don't you have a PC or a laptop? I don't get why you'd want to plug a gamepad into a tablet. Touch screen games are fine, but its less portable if you start bringing a pad.
I just don't get the niche that this supposedly fits into.
Briareos H on 19/6/2012 at 12:24
What good is a tablet if you need to put it on a table stand and plug a gamepad to play your games? Why not use a cheaper, more powerful laptop?
It's not that I don't get the concept of tablets, I'm absolutely fine with touchscreen gaming, although it is rather limited and impractical for many games, shooters, racing, sims and platformers all feel way off or laughably dumbed down; and grossly under-used for the rest of games which had potential on tablets like adventure games and puzzlers.
What kind of "proper gaming" which wouldn't be better on a small laptop are you talking about, exactly? What makes this different than marketers trying to create a consumer need out of nothing again?
Koki on 19/6/2012 at 12:35
Quote Posted by henke
The Surface Pro is basically a Win 8 PC in tablet-form AND it has USB ports!
USB PORTS? DOES IT HAVE COLOR DISPLAY AS WELL?! HOLY PANTS IT DOES!!!
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There's still a lot of questions that need answering, like how open it will be
it's a laptop(actually it's a tablet which is even worse than a laptop)
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how long the battery will last
it's a laptop(actually it's a tablet which is even worse than a laptop)
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playing high-end PC games
it's a laptop(actually it's a tablet which is even worse than a laptop)
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how much it'll cost
it's a "gaming" laptop(actually it's a "gaming" tablet which is even worse than a "gaming" laptop)
jay pettitt on 19/6/2012 at 12:41
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I just don't get the niche that this supposedly fits into.
Everybody said the same about the Ipad. The consumer electronics niche I guess.
Proper PCs are pretty horrid over complex legacy devices if you're not a computer nerd.
Personally I'd want something that can run Linux for day to day stuff - but it looks like it might be nicely done. Seems like a fairly logical evolution for the PC as a thing for the home / manbag / girlbag.
deathshadow on 19/6/2012 at 12:48
HD 4000... gaming... :confused:
For what? WoW or Quake 3 engine on LOW?
henke on 19/6/2012 at 13:50
Quote Posted by Subjective Effect
Why bother? Don't you have a PC or a laptop? I don't get why you'd want to plug a gamepad into a tablet.
I have a desktop PC. But for instance when I go on a trip or visit the folks over a weekend I like to bring the iPad along. Bringing along a gamepad as well wouldn't be a big hassle.
Quote Posted by Briareos H
Why not use a cheaper, more powerful laptop?
I just prefer tablets over laptops. More comfy. When I
do buy my next tablet it will be used for the same things I use my iPad for primarily, eg. surfing from the comfort of my sofa/bed/lawnchair. I also like the keyboard that doubles as a smartcover, sure it looks a bit flimsy but it'll almost certainly be more pleasant to type on that the iPad's screen. I'd rather keep my number of devices down to a minimum so if MS cranks out something that I can use as a tablet, a laptop,
and a serious portable gaming-machine I would be delighted.
Jason Moyer on 19/6/2012 at 14:43
Quote Posted by deathshadow
HD 4000... gaming... :confused:
For what? WoW or Quake 3 engine on LOW?
Or you know, Source engined games at 40-50 fps.
Koki on 19/6/2012 at 15:55
I hope you're not implying that Source engine games look good.
SubJeff on 19/6/2012 at 16:25
How do you manage to stay so boring?
henke - is it just the gamepad possibilities that you like? Can't you use a gamepad with an iPad?
