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MacBookPro vs. Surface Book
- ZanyProgrammer 10y agoI once got my former employer to get me a Surface Book for a laptop upgrade. It was...okay, nothing to write home about (and bear in mind I worked in a Windows shop). Normally I'd think it's not a close comparison, but at least MSFT didn't get rid of the damn function keys (I know they're still sorta there but come on). The magic touch bar thing still pisses me off.
- Klathmon 10y agoThat's interesting. I got a surface book several months ago, and it's kept me on windows. I was one more shitty laptop away from jumping ship to a macbook pro and linux desktop, but the surface showed me that a windows laptop doesn't need to be trash. They finally nailed the hardware, and while it had a rocky start (the first month or so was pretty iffy with bluescreens and I did have to return one due to the latch not working right) it's been smooth sailing ever since. Pretty much all of my complaints about it have to do with windows the OS at this point (the most annoying one being that sleep is still absolute trash compared to macos. I was fucking floored when i closed a macbook once, left it on my desk unplugged for 2 weeks, and when I opened the screen it was right back where i left it within a second with like 40% battery left. Not booting up, not an image of what it was before while it started, literally right where I left it.)
- BrandonLive 10y agoJust FYI the sleep experience should be the same on the Surface Book. If you close and open it should resume immediately. If you close for two weeks and open, it willl have dozed to hibernate and should resume from hibernate in about 5 seconds to exactly where you were, with most of its battery left (hibernate uses no power).
- Klathmon 10y agoIf i have it closed for more than an hour, i need to hit the power button to wake it (opening it won't wake it up). If it's closed for less than an hour, if you hit the power button it re-sleeps the device while it's waking up. So i need to stare at a black screen for a few seconds to see what it's going to do. (the macbook is literally on by the time it's fully opened)] But even then I also have problems where the device will restart while it's hibernating or sleeping, or where it will tell me it needs to restart for an update literally minutes after I start it up. It's a minor thing, but it's one of the examples of where the Apple side of things has prioritized that stuff working more than not, and it's clearly a "checkbox to check off" on the Windows side. I never felt that it was a problem until I used a macbook. I had assumed that sleep and things like it just sucked with computers. It sucks on linux, it sucks on windows. I figured it just was doomed to suck. But when I started using a macbook every now and then, it blew me away when I could just open the lid, and have the computer there and running instantly every single time.
- AdmiralAsshat 10y agoHN hug of death seems to have thrown it offline. Anyone have a cache? EDIT: Found one: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:eG1Z2oYkPegJ:codeclimber.net.nz/archive/2016/10/28/MacBookPro-vs-Surface-Book.aspx+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:eG1Z2o...
- i336_ 10y agoThis server is in leave-the-crockery-on-the-floor mode, too. Debug mode OFF! (Although the level of detail could be much worse.)
- codemac 10y agoThis link already has too much love. Here is the google cache link: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://codeclimber.net.nz/archive/2016/10/28/MacBookPro-vs-Surface-Book.aspx https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http:/...
- weitzj 10y agoAdd a cache:// in front of the URL, e.g.: cache://codeclimber.net.nz/archive/2016/10/28/MacBookPro-vs-Surface-Book.aspx
- nathancahill 10y agoWow, had no idea. How did Google score that protocol?
- Someone1234 10y agoI assume it is built into Chrome and is just a redirect.
- awinder 10y agoBecause they also control the browser, only works in chrome
- weitzj 10y agoIt works for me in Safari macOS Sierra
- nathancahill 10y agoIt works in Firefox too, but I guess that's because I have Google set to my default search engine. Good trick.
- karlding 10y agoIt's a Google Search feature [0]. Add "cache:" in front of the URL you search on Google to try and view the cached version. Since most browsers nowadays implement an "omnibar" with Google as the default search provider, it appears seamless and performs the redirect. [0] https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/2466433?hl=en https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/2466433?hl=en
- baq 10y agoTLDR it's a wash. the guy went with apple because he's got an iphone and an apple watch.
- ch_123 10y ago> probably for a developer the touch bar is better. Each to their own, I guess?
- nixgeek 10y agoI'm hoping the Surface Pro 5 vs. MacBook Pro 13" (Late 2016) will be a more interesting comparison next year, but this conclusion seems to say "It's a wash" (he bought MBP, because he's invested in that ecosystem).
- savvyraccoon 10y ago'Server Error in '/' Application. Resource ID : 1. The request limit for the database is 30 and has been reached. See 'http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=267637' http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=267637' for assistance.' that says it all :) Are you running you site from Surface Book?
- cptskippy 10y agoIt smells of SQL Express.
- scoj 10y agoSQL Azure sounds like.
- BrandonLive 10y agoIt is impossible to know just from the fact that it's using SQL...
- simonech74 10y agoPage in error says it's Azure http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=267637 http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=267637
- tempuserzz23 10y agoNope, it's Azure all right. See -> https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/sql-database-resource-limits/ https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/sql... The error page points you to this URL.
- BrandonLive 10y agoAh I see.
- nakedrobot2 10y agoAs a happy android user, generally disliking the iPhone, I am not part of the Apple ecosystem really. However, Windows 10 is such a total dumpster fire - privacy nightmare, usability nightmare, unprompted upgrades without the ability to opt out, and so on... I can't bear to use a windows 10 laptop. I do in fact have one. It cost $2000 and the trackpad is basically unusably bad. So... I will with some reluctance upgrade to another macbook, simply because the alternative is truly horrifying.
- Peaker 10y agoMy XPS 13 9350 came with Windows 10. The trackpad was awful. I installed Ubuntu on it, and the trackpad is great now.
- cptskippy 10y agoI have never understood how Synaptics touchpads can suck so bad running on the vendors own drivers but are amazing running on drivers probably reversed engineers by some guy over a weekend in his basement.
- BrandonLive 10y agoOh, if you can, stick to trackpads without custom drivers ("Precision Touch Pads" in Windows). Surface trackpads all fall into this bucket.
- ubercow13 10y agoXPS 13 is a MS precision touchpad. I agree with GP, it sucks in Windows. Under Linux it's much better.
- BrandonLive 10y agoBetter how? You definitely get way better scrolling and zooming under Windows.
- matt4077 10y agoI got all warm and fuzzy from this idea: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CwC8SNvW8AQgeWN.png:large https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CwC8SNvW8AQgeWN.png:large Basically, using the touch bar as a context-sensitive test runner. I'm spread across too many different editors and environments it's terribly annoying to try to find a set of keybindings that work in all of them.
- arsenico 10y agoFat finger issues - one of the reasons Bloomberg sells keyboards for the terminal. You will definitely have the same on a touchscreen.
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- ommunist 10y agoThat I like: "Server Error in '/' Application. Resource ID : 1. The request limit for the database is 30 and has been reached. See 'http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=267637' http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=267637' for assistance. Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code. Exception Details: System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException: Resource ID : 1. The request limit for the database is 30 and has been reached. See 'http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=267637' http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=267637' for assistance." Website owners should really consider to reassess their application architecture.
- cakeface 10y ago.NET framework version 2! That's old!
- mtmail 10y agoIt's someone's personal blog with less than one post per month. You can read the blog post here http://feeds.feedburner.com/codeclimber http://feeds.feedburner.com/codeclimber
- ommunist 10y agoThank you, got the cached one. Good comparison.
- schwarrrtz 10y agoI recently got a Surface Book after many years using a MBP. The Book definitely looks nice, the keyboard is excellent, performance is good, and the reconfigurable touchscreen is handy for doing hand calculations, circuit diagrams, sketching, etc. There are many downsides though: the touchscreen features seen poorly supported, with many apps exhibiting weird scrolling behaviour or other bugs. High DPI support also seems patchy even after much tweaking of Windows settings. Even Windows itself seems to get confused about the touchscreen; the Start menu will occasionally stop responding to mouse clicks, at which point you have to either poke at the screen or reboot. To be honest, I wish I had stuck with Apple, at least until Microsoft works out the kinks.
- jjuel 10y agoHopefully the new Surface book has a better hinge than the previous one. That screen wobbles so much. That is a no go for me.
- DeathArrow 10y agoResource ID : 1. The request limit for the database is 30 and has been reached. See 'http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=267637' http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=267637' for assistance.
- merlin_g 10y agoLimit of 30 users?! That's pretty small.
- sickbeard 10y ago>I have a super-old MacBook Pro, “early 2009” Core 2 Duo, that is still working pretty ok till now, after having boosted RAM to 8Gb and disk with an SSD. With a lifetime of 7 years and half, having kept all my previous laptop maximum 3 years, this is the longest living computer I ever had, more than twice. remember he hasn't actually used the new Macbook pro.. or the new surface book. He's just basing this on the old versions of the laptop and adding his own thoughts to it
- noja 10y agoHow do you know he hasn't used them?
- sickbeard 10y agoBecause the Macbook pro 2016 has been announced but not released and for the surface book here is what he said "Processing Power This is difficult to do a fair comparisons, especially when comparing prices later, because, while for the MacBook Pros we know exactly their clock speed and if they are dual-core or quad-core, there are no specs for the new Surface Book. I read somewhere they used the same processors of the previous model, so dual-core i5 2.4Ghz and dual-core i7 2.6Ghz. Which is more than the revamped MBP whose i5 is 2.0Ghz and i7 is 2.4Ghz, but (much) less than the new models which have an i5 with 2.9Ghz and i7 up to 3.3Ghz and even a quad-core i7 2.9Ghz for the 15”. Winner: MacBook Pro" relevant portion: there are no specs for the new Surface Book. I read somewhere they used the same processors of the previous model
- Mike_D_Brooks 10y agohttp://www.windowscentral.com/new-surface-book-configuration-core-i5-and-512gb-storage-pre-order- http://www.windowscentral.com/new-surface-book-configuration... This is one updated SKU, but by the looks of it you are right. They are using the same CPU.
- canuckintime 10y agoHis comparisons on Processing power and pricing are wrong with throws off his conclusion. Waste of time reading that until corrected
- danso 10y agoAs disappointed as I am with the latest announcement of the MBP -- I'll likely skip this generation -- the quality of the trackpad and keyboard would be what would convince me to go with the MBP, for now, though I haven't tried it on the new Surface Book. In the next iteration, next year, it's hard to say what I would choose, because a few big factors could change: 1. So many peripherals go USB-C, or I have enough such dongles, that the MBP's USB-C-only doesn't bother me as much. 2. The Bash shell in Windows is as seamless and well-supported as it is in OSX. 3. Apple adds some unpredictable game-changing feature to its laptop line. 4. Apple finally produces a new external Apple Display.
- macintux 10y ago#4 seems unlikely, since they've moved to working with LG instead. What would you want that LG isn't providing?
- danso 10y agoAh, I didn't watch the event but I did hear that LG had a new monitor. I guess I just want the Apple "It just works" guarantee that I can (usually) expect with its first-party products. I've gone through so many third-party monitors that don't quite sync with my MBP (colorspace, sleeping, brightness control, etc). But I guess if Apple is bringing up LG as a partner, then it's reasonable to expect their monitors will work as we'd hope a new Apple Display would.
- hammock 10y agoThe new MBP keyboard is shallow like the Air. I tried it the other day at the Apple store and it's not great.
- jaxondu 10y ago> Apple finally produces a new external Apple Display Right after the media event, Apple has stated they're out of external display business.
- gutnor 10y ago4. Apple finally produces a new external Apple Display. They presented a LG monitor during the event saying they partnered with LG to build it and presenting as the perfect monitor companion and ultimate dock for the MBP. That's not entirely out of character for Apple to backstab its new partner by producing its own competing model, but considering that Apple just got out of that business, that looks unlikely.
- daxfohl 10y agoI've got both (older models) and if I had to choose one I'd stick with MBP. You can run MacOS or Windows on it (I'm primarily a Windows user). 15" hi-res screen is more useful for dev work than 13" super-res screen. Touchscreen of SB is more useful than I'd have thought but far from necessary. The detachment mechanism of SB is a bit too slow and clunky to be useful, and you're still stuck carrying a keyboard around (plus Windows doesn't have much going for it in tablet mode). I'd like to see them go toward more of a Lenovo Yoga route with the next release. That said, I probably use the SB more than the MBP these days, because I mainly use a desktop for dev work, and the SB is smaller and more convenient for non-work tasks around the house. But if I'm working remotely for a long time then the MBP is absolutely the device I'd take with me.
- daxfohl 10y agoThought about it some more and realized screen size (at a reasonably high resolution) is really the biggest differentiating factor for me. So if SB had a 15" option I'd never get a MBP unless I needed MacOS. There are certainly some things I'd love to improve in the SB, but for me, screen size aside, it beats the MBP in every other aspect. I may be an anomaly though. I might even consider a 17" version with a full keyboard and number pad if they offered it. My desktop is quad monitor, two of which are 39" 4K. I just like to have lots and lots of screen space.
- localhost 10y agoDo Mac developers care at all about function keys? When I switched to a Powerbook G4 back in the day, I learned vim key bindings because of the lack of function keys (and page down/up). To address the specific complaint about the ESC key, I've been using CTRL-[ with the CAPS LOCK key mapped to CTRL for as long as I can remember. Does the typical Mac developer care at all about physical / virtual function keys given their workflow? I would imagine not, but would love to hear about others' experiences here.
- nek4life 10y agoYes I do and the escape key. I use the escape key all the time to cancel out of modal windows. I also use the function keys quite frequently when using Intellij/Jetbrains products as they have quite a few shortcuts bound to them in the default config.
- przemelek 10y agoWhen I'm using IntelliJ Idea on Macbook I use function keys very often. Having those on touch bar would mean need to look to ensure that I'm hitting F7 instead of F8 or F9 when Debugging. I'm able to change those shortcuts but I like to use the same shortcuts on OS X and on Ubuntu.
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- brahma1337 10y agoOP doesn't account for all the dongles you would have to buy, that could easily come out to about ~$200 per Macbook - which puts the price much closer to the Surface Book's with equivalent ports.
- replete 10y agoI've compared a load of new laptops on my spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nnmI9pN9rBMBJHE1gqYAPfbnfJiZFdA8voah8O2nmNk/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nnmI9pN9rBMBJHE1gqYA... Compares CPU Passmark score, GPU Flops, Display gamut Rec 2020. Might be of interest.
- bognition 10y agothe server appears to have crashed, does anyone have a mirror?