15% off Microsoft store for 2 lower end Surfaces
128GB/i5/4GB - $1274.15 = $1197.70 After Cashback
128GB/M3/4GB - $1,097 = $1031.18 After Cashback
6% Cashback with Cash Rewards on Surface
6.00% Cashback on Services and Accessories
JB Hi-Fi is cheaper if you don't have Cashrewards, but I know you do.
Type Covers for those interested:
Microsoft Store
$199.95 = $187.95 After Cashback
JB Hi-Fi
$199.95
Managed to updated it :^)
I5 model Cheaper at jb
With the cashback?
https://www.jbhifi.com.au/computers-tablets/tablets/microsof…
JB = $1269 with no cash back
Microsoft = $1197 after cashback with free delivery and free returns
Type Covers for those interested;
Microsoft Store
https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msaus/en_AU/pdp/Surface…
$199.95 = $187.95 After Cashback
JB Hi-Fi
https://www.jbhifi.com.au/computers-tablets/all-computers--t…
JB = $199.95
I would argue that it might be a worth a little extra buying from Microsoft for their flexible return/exchange policy.
I guess if you know you'll keep it then it doesn't matter but if you wanna "lock in" the price and it's kinda impulse on your end, it might be worth it to buy from Microsoft.
Can you explain further about how they are flexible in policy?
new series gonna come?
Early next year is the rumour. Using the new Kaby Lake Intel processors.
After all the issues with Skylake Microsoft didn't want to be first to deploy devices with the new procs again.
true true :)
Microsoft didn't want to be first to deploy devices with the new procs again
Microsoft either writes or helps Intel/AMD write support for new processors extensions instruction sets (into kernel and HAL), drivers for motherboard's IO devices (eg. Thunderbolt and USB 3.1) and TDP envelope profiles - so, they're always involved in deployment of new processors and chipsets on all devices - Microsoft, Dell, HP, Acer, etc.
If something doesn't work only on Microsoft devices, then that's Microsoft design fault.
What were the issues again?
I got a Skylake i5 SP4. The only thing wrong with it is battery life.
And it drops frames when I watch 1080p movies, which I didn't expect, because a weaker Android tablet/phone can handle the same video smoothly. I think W10 is not a very light OS.
Try Edge for YouTube and Potplayer for offline video.
I have the exact SP as yours and it's plenty fast - even playing Overwatch on low/mid settings without too much lag as an achievement in itself.
youre probably not using the right browser if streaming
and not the right codecs if pirating
128GB just doesn't cut it…
Even if you add SD card
You still need primery drive to be at least
256GB
Store your media on the SD card, the games on the SSD. Delete stuff when you're done with it.
I lived on 128GB SSD for my desktop for years. You learn the mentality of cutting what's unnecessary and being efficient. If you can do that for a desktop, you can do it for a tablet also. It should be easier since desktop would be your main go-to computer, where you'll be doing more things than you will on a portable.
The fact that you had to change your mentality/behavior for the device is the prove that 128Gb of storage is not enough.
Windows takes anywhere between 20~30GB alone so you are essentially left with 90GB or so of storage.
Install some basic programs, couple of 1080p MKV files, bit of MP3s and pictures and you are left with not much.
Especially if you do any sort of basic photo editing on the go with your 24mega pixel camera you are screwed.
I agree that if you've got a handful of high quality movies/photo editing that's a lot of your storage gone, but I also agree with lostn in that there's a lot of stuff that we tend to keep that we really don't need, which aren't "essential" to our usage.
I don't see what's wrong with having a 128GB SSD with a large enough SD storage to suit your needs.
The fact that you had to change your mentality/behavior for the device is the prove that 128Gb of storage is not enough.
There was no sacrifice at all.
The things that didn't require speed, I moved to the HDD. Games I didn't play, I just removed instead of keeping it for nothing. This is something I should have done anyway if I was using a HDD, but didn't because I had so much space I didn't need to.
Install some basic programs, couple of 1080p MKV files, bit of MP3s and pictures and you are left with not much.
Basic programs don't take much space. Video and music should be on SD card.
If you want to pay hundreds more for an extra 128GB of fast storage when the media you're putting on it don't even require speed, be my guest. But it's much cheaper to buy a 128GB SD (under $50 right now). You can either spend more for things that aren't necessary, with minimal adjustments, or be smart and save money.
I don't know anyone who stores their 1080p MKVs and MP3 collection on their main SSD drive (unless they spring for a 1TB SSD). That's just a waste of SSD space.
Especially if you do any sort of basic photo editing on the go with your 24mega pixel camera you are screwed.
I never do that stuff on the go, so I guess YMMV. I don't find this to be very fun on a touch screen or a trackpad.
Even if you add SD card You still need primery drive to be at least 256GB
You haven't justified why. Your examples included your large video files and MP3 collection which could have easily gone to the SD. You don't think 90GB is enough for your basic photo editing?
Just be smart about how you use it. If you've watched your 15GB movie and don't intend to watch it again any time soon, is it necessary to leave it on the drive? Move it to an external HDD and put the next movie on.
I disagree
All my files, photos, videos etc are stored on OneDrive and Dropbox - backed up to local storage
128Gb plus 128GB mSD is more than enough and way cheaper than 256Gb
Exactly.
$43 will get you an EVO 128GB MicroSD here: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/259381
To upgrade to a higher SP4 model with 256GB SSD, you have to also get a RAM upgrade to 8GB, and that's going to cost $1999 from the same Microsoft store.
You'd be paying an extra $725 for it. That is terrible value, even if you needed an extra 4GB RAM.
If you're going up a model for the storage alone, you're a tool when you can just buy another 128GB MicroSD for $43 and keep your non-speed-critical media files on it. The remaining 90GB on the SSD should be enough for your video editing and apps. If you think it's worth almost $700 extra so your videos will pop up a split second faster, I don't know what else to say. You're probably an Apple user who buys 128GB model iPhones that cost more than this SP4.
@muncan: There is, and it's a question of whether what you're storing on it needs the faster speed or not. 1080p MKVs are not going to play at a smoother framerate on an SSD, nor are you going to get better audio quality on your MP3s.
If the speed you need justifies paying $700 extra, you probably have different priorities than the typical OzB community.
The mSDs have more than adequate read speeds, which is the most important thing. Write speeds are most important when you're shooting at high resolution which you won't be doing on your SP4.
For gaming, speed matters a lot, but this isn't exactly going to be your go-to device for gaming. I play visual novels on mine and it is just fine on SD.
@lostn: I just wanted to go clutter free when editing video on my Macbook Air and do away with my 1TB portable HD. It sustains an average write speed of 80MB/s and reads at 90MB/s which is sufficient for video editing. My MicroSD on the other hand has a miserable 7MB/s average write speed (but reads fine at 75MB/s) in either the SD reader or a USB adapter. So yes my MicroSD is OK to watch movies from, but you could have almost watched the movie in the length of time it would take to copy them on there! Perhaps I should glue the portable HDD to the back of the screen :-P
The battery life on this should be considered false advertising. It barely makes the 5hr mark on 30% brightness with just using Edge and some Word. I have no idea how they quote 9h.
I have an i5 128Gb SP3 (bought on runout late last year at JB for a massive discount) and the battery life is awesome. I'll get 7-8 hours out of it watching videos, surfing etc easily
In fact, it's an incredible device. I've run PDMS 3D modelling software on it without a hitch
They probably tested it at 25% brightness or whatever is the minimum and didn't do anything with it than sit on idle.
Just using it to browse the web at 50% brightness, it was alarming how fast that battery drained.
They have a desktop grade CPU powered by a tablet sized battery. I don't play games on it, but I can't imagine the battery life when gaming.
Windows 10 is also a desktop grade OS, and is more resource intensive than Android or iOS.
This is basically a laptop but with a much smaller battery.
My M3 model definitely doesn't run for 9h when I am doing light work at uni, however I can say it does sit strong at maybe an estimated time of 7-8h? Technically false advertising, but they probably turned off everything to make it last 9h.
A reasonably big drain in battery is the Surface Pen due to Bluetooth, but unfortunately a necessity of all evils.
Can we get GST refund if we buy it from an online store?
Yes you can as long as the receipt has ABN number and your name on it. (Your name as in passport name)
Thanks. Will the receipt have ABN? Sorry another stupid question.
If you get from Microsoft. It will.
How come there is such a large price difference between i5 and i7?
For better profits quite sure ;)
I'm sure I could survive with i5, but I went with Samsung Ativ book 9+ with i7 CPU and having constantly 4 browsers and 50+ webpages open sometimes my laptop lags when I'm working with Excel.
As a former IT guy I should be able to clean everything and make things run smoothly but I'm too busy to care :P
I got Surface 3 with 4GB RAM and it's painfully slow sometimes but due to its size it fits my purpose well. And the battery life is good.
Thanks. So you would 8GB for the extra $$?
I think I could do with 4GB in my main machine but I have 8GB on my laptop and normally i have about 50% available. I run Win10.
If the price difference is not much then i'd go with 8GB for sure.
I don't do any crazy stuff with my computer, just web based work and MS Office.
My Surface is my secondary machine so 4GB is just fine.
Has this 15% off expired? Showing full price for me - is there a code to use?
Pity this has expired :-(
Store in title.