Surface Pro 2

A few week (months) ago I became the proud recipient of a Surface Pro 2 for an evaluation to use in our school.  (I love my job!)  We wanted to know if they were better/different than other devices and if we should purchase a lab of them.

Here ya go...

Pros

• It sure is small for a laptop and easy to transport.
• "Instant" on.  That is nice - no long waits for it to start up.
• Powerful for it size - it is a full Windows 8 laptop that will run on the network and access what a "normal" computer will can.
• USB input for... you know - a USB device! (Keyboard, jumpdrive, ethernet...) DV out for a monitor.
• It has a USB charger spot on the power brick!  Great for charging my iPhone when they are both near.  No use in a school though!

Cons

• It sure is small to do any "Real Work" on.  Too small when the on-board keyboard takes up half of the screen. You can turn it portrait, but then there is no "kickstand" to support it and it must be held.
• Windows 8. Not that 8 is bad but we do not use 8 yet.  It is a little confusing switching between "Apps" and "Computer".  They work differently.
• EXPENSIVE and it needs more stuff to be effective.  Keyboard, case, screen covers.  And a cart to put them in.
• Laptops are hard to manage in general.  If they are not used often they loose their connectivity to GSD/AD and our network.  They'll need to be "worked on".  Not a bad thing but people will be mad if they take the cart and plan on using them and they do not connect!
• To small to fit in a lap.  That sounds silly but it is not big enough to be stable and there is no base.
• I have not found very many Apps that I would use productively.  
  
  

After all this... No.  I don't think we should purchase a lab of them for a few reasons.

1. Laptops in general are hard to manage.  I just dismantled a laptop lab because no one used it and we currently have over 800 student desktop computers for use.
2. Price.  Price does not include a keyboard, covers, cart or other hardware to provision them.
3. Size.  They are a great size to slip into a backpack, take to the coffee shop, or carry on a plane and have a full working laptop with you.  That being said - it makes the screen too small and also easy to misplace or walk away with.
4. There are better cheaper options.  Chromebooks to name one.  Even another windows laptop.
5. Windows 8.  I know it is coming, but, having only one portable lab of them will be discouraging for most people... Except those who have it at home and already use it.
   
   

Don't get me wrong - This Surface Pro is a great piece of hardware to use... in a pinch if you don't have a "real computer" nearby.  I have been trying to use it more and more but I do notice when I HAVE to get some work done I go to my PC with a big screen and keyboard, or my laptop.  Sure I could hook it up to a bigger monitor and keyboard - but I already have that on my regular computer!

Would I buy one? ... No.