Surface Pro 4, Surface Book launch with MacBook migration guide
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After three weeks of waiting, Microsoft has finally opened the doors to its latest and hottest Windows 10 computers. Now we will really see whether the initial interest that surrounded the Surface Pro 4 and the Surface Book will translate into sales. Now we will also see if these two tablet/laptop hybrids will really match the expectation that Microsoft has build up for them. But Microsoft isn't just content with selling these devices to new owners. It also wants to reel in MacBook refugees by providing a migration guide for them.
Many have praised Microsoft's press event earlier this month as one of the company's most notable public performances, both in style and in content. In particular, the new Surface tablets took center stage, demonstrating Microsoft's ability to produce quality designs, though probably also alienating is own OEM partners.
While the Surface Pro 4 was more evolutionary than revolutionary the way its predecessor was, it was a clear sign that Microsoft has more or less settled on a near perfect design for the line. Although the screen area is bigger, the tablet is actually no larger than the Surface Pro 3 thanks to trimming down the bezels. In fact, it is even thinner than the already thin Surface Pro 3. The new hybrid cooling system seems to have also solved one of the biggest complaints about the earlier tablet. And the new Surface Pen, also compatible with the Surface Book, now boasts 1,024 levels of pressure, putting it closer to Wacom standards.
Check out our in-depth review of the Surface Pro 4 to see what this "tablet that can replace your laptop" has going for it.
Perhaps more interesting, and also more controversial, is the Surface Book, Microsoft's first self-designed and self-made laptop. It will be hard to deny the strange appeal of the device though not everyone is convinced by that odd hinge and lock mechanism. But one of the biggest innovations that it offers can be found inside the keyboard dock. A discrete NVIDIA GPU sits there, ready to take on the graphics load of the device when needed. Still it has a few rough edges that need to be smoothed out.
Dive into our Surface Book Review to see the beauty and the warts of this Microsoft first.
The Surface Book in particular is one that Microsoft has explicitly poised to rival Apple's MacBook Pro. It even made the bold boast that it is twice as fast, a claim that a few are now disputing. To emphasize position even more, Microsoft has set up a web page dedicated to helping MacBook users switch over to a Surface Book. The guide includes how to migrate data as well as tips on keyboard shortcuts and the like. Of course, those tips will also work with the Surface Pro 4.
The Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book are available on Microsoft.com as well as Amazon, among other retailers carrying the devices.
BUY: Microsoft.com, Amazon (Surface Pro 4), (Surface Book)