Why the Surface Pro 4 is better than the Surface Book

On Oct 6, Microsoft unveiled a number of devices namely the Lumia 550, Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL, Band 2, Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book. The Lumias are phones and the Band 2 is a smart band. The Surface Pro is a tablet while the Surface Book is a laptop of sorts. However, the way Microsoft has pitched these two devices presents an antithesis. When the third generation of the Surface Pro was released, Microsoft pitched it as the tablet that could replace your laptop but with the Surface Book, Microsoft is telling us it is the laptop that could become a tablet when you need it to be. Despite these confusing statements, there are some similarities and important differences between the two.

The Surface Pro 4 consists of small but good improvements over its predecessor, the Surface Pro 3. It has a slightly larger screen, newer processors, longer battery life and more storage space. The new stylus has has a magnetic strip on one of its sides thus allowing it to 'stick' to the tablet's side. The Surface Book on the other hand has a 13.5 inch ultra-high-res screen ): , faster storage (NVMe), faster processors and in some configurations, a discrete nVidia GPU. The Book’s calling card is its dynamic fulcrum hinge. It allows the screen  sit further away from the actual keys on the keyboard and also allows it to be detached from the base portion (keyboard). Detachables are nothing new as Asus, Lenovo and HP offer several models. The unique feature of the Surface Book is that in addition to being detachable, it is also ‘foldable’. When detached, the screen can then be fixed to the base portion the other way around. While foldables are also nothing new, I don’t recall any single laptop that is both detachable and foldable. Like the Pro, it also comes with the pen/stylus). However, the Book does its folding better than any other hybrid I know of. - The screen folds over the face of the keyboard. With the hybrids from other OEMS, the face of the keyboard becomes the base of the tablet.

Despite these fancy features, I consider the Surface Pro the better device. Here’s why.

The keyboard cover on the Surface Pro is optional. Though having it would make typing and UI navigation easier, you can get by without it. With the Surface Book, the keyboard (base) is included as standard (remember this is being pitched as a laptop). However, you REALLY CAN’T do without it for the following reasons

(i)            The USB ports and SD Card ports are on the base and not on the tablet like they are with the Surface Pro.

(ii)          The ‘main’ battery is in the base and only a small battery is in the screen/tablet. According to Microsoft, using the using the tablet without the base provides just three hours of battery. With the Surface Pro, the whole battery is in the tablet.

(iii)         The screen eject mechanism requires power for the eject operation. The Surface Pro doesn’t need power.

(iv)         You need to press a button before ejecting the screen. The Surface Pro doesn’t use a button; it uses magnets and you simply pull the screen off the keyboard cover.

(v)          On the Surface Book, the keyboard is the stand while the Surface Pro has a built-in kickstand at the back. – this is not a deal breaker but it’s a peeve all the same.

All the promo videos and photos show the power cord at the base portion. Whether the
tablet can be charged independently of the base portion remains to be seen. It will be
hugely inconvenient if it can't.

One other potential problem is the location of the screen eject button.

It is in the midst of other keys. A better and more intuitive location would be the top center of the base portion just ahead of the function keys. Such an intuitive location would in my opinion, also lessen the probability of users that are familiar with the Surface Pro from simply pulling it off like they are used to.

Microsoft also pitched the Surface Book as a digital clipboard. It looks like it would do this rather well. The Surface Pro can also be used as such albeit with less finesse.

I love Windows tablets for the simple fact that I can use full Windows in a tablet form factor with the choice of ditching the keyboard you don't need it. With the Surface Book, you can't do without the keyboard. Ultimately, the Surface Book looks good as a laptop and a foldable but ultimately fails as a tablet mostly because you lose access to your memory card, USB port and decent battery life. That said, I can’t wait to see it in the flesh.