Performance? Really? How about 'it works' Microsoft?

With all the hoopla surrounding the Surface 4 and Surfacebook launch and the continual Mac comparisons, I felt compelled to write a (not so) short note about my views and experience on this topic.

I had been an early Surface adopter, having recommended, used or purchased Surface 1, 2 and Pro 2 devices. I loved it for its design, portability, usability and specifically the native windows environment. I overlooked its flaws (more on those later) and truly became evangelical about it. I loved the way I could literally carry it around like a book and yet have a full desktop environment. It was solid, had good accessories (albeit priced silly for basic functionality, keyboard at $130 anyone?) and just the right amount of ports and specs for it to be a daily workhorse and a tablet replacement.

The problems started early but we (us Surface evangelicals) were a forgiving lot. The endless windows 8->8.1->(literally gigs of) windows and firmware updates (this was out of the box!). The continual UEFI (boot error) and touch screen problems (which more updates may or may not fix) or the (surface) keyboard not being recognised. The usual microsoft fixes applied: reboot, restart and update. These weren't going to become show stoppers, we loved the design and our new devices (toys), "this is microsoft showing everyone what good design should be like" - said the Surface fanboys.

We put up with the problems, both minor and major, because of the absolute lack of good and affordable choices in the windows ultrabook segment and the 'sameness' of the entire laptop segment as a whole. Lets not even stray into the windows tablet segment which is/was beyond abysmal.

Then the sleep/wake problems started. My tablet sleeve would be hot many days - the pro 2 forgot to sleep or just decided to wake up. Like an errant child or a pet, it had its moody days... "its windows native OS on its own hardware for goodness's sake!!!"

Then, support issues. Ok, we get it, its 'not a consumer device'. Its 'new hardware' (c'mon, really? 4th gen already and its still 'new hardware'). A cracked screen or non-responsive SSD means only one thing: send it to M$ for a refurb replacement (yes, you got it right, no fixing of components) for a whopping $500!!! (YMMV). WHAT???!!! REALLY???!!! Even if yours is under warranty - if its an OOW (out of warranty) repair - they don't 'repair' it, they will replace it with a refurb for that cool $500! And you can forget support if you don't live in the good 'ol US of A.

Yet we stayed faithful... hopeful... almost delusional. Much like the oft ridiculed Apple 'fan boys' - M$ had been successful in creating a cult-like following for its surface products.

The final straw - the Surface 3 & 4

The final straw had to be Microsoft's utter disrespect for and abandonment of these 'faithful' (I still know a few). 

Every generation of the surface since the 2 - the (base) specs have been going DOWN and prices UP, you're expected to buy new (overpriced) accessories, since the old ones don't fit, don't work or would look out of place. Its ridiculous now that you're expected to pay that much for something that SHOULD JUST WORK (but doesn't). And all this, for a series of devices that you'd feel compelled to upgrade every 18-24 months.

The switch:

I surveyed every Mac user I know before I made the (dreaded) "switch". Common threads: 4-5 years and running on the same machine, just right for multimedia and daily workhorse duties, excellent design, zero to minimal maintenance or support requirements, easy availability of support options, no firmware issues, no startup issues, no sleep/wake issues. Specs always ahead of the curve. Yes, theres (some) app crashes and (yearly) OS X updates - its not all peaches and cream... but nothing as abysmal as my record on the Surface(s) or any other windows machine for that matter. The worst, you could've guess it, is the office suite on Mac. I've never had native Apple apps crash (not on the Mac nor any iOS device i've owned), I could never say the same for Microsoft.

Microsoft could've blamed OEMs previously for compatibility, etc... issues with its OS and apps - but whats their excuse now? Its M$ hardware, with M$ OS running M$ apps using M$ accessories (all at their premium prices) and they still can't (won't?) get it right?

Wow! If it wasn't for them pushing it so hard, I would've thought it was all deliberate sabotage of the Surface product line.

I have no hopes for the Surface 4 or the Surfacebook. The 3 was already pushing the price barrier, but the 4 is truly in the "don't waste your money" camp. If the Surface is the best they could come up with, its a sorry attempt. And all the performance specs don't do anything for me. I need it to WORK first, everything else comes after that.