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Microsoft Surface Laptop i5/128GB/4GB $879.20 Delivered @ Microsoft eBay

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Microsoft Surface Laptop i5/128GB/4GB $879.20 Delivered @ Microsoft eBay
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eug on 19/08/2018 - 10:33 ebay.com.au (6735 clicks)
Last edited 19/08/2018 - 12:23 by 1 other user
PSURFACE20

Great price for a very well-built laptop. It's basically this deal again.

Yes, you can get higher-spec'ed laptops for less. But they won't have the same quality touchscreen - the Surface Laptop's 2256x1504 screen is beautiful. Build quality is excellent, and the warranty should still be two years. Warranty service with Microsoft is excellent too.

This will suit anyone who needs a laptop for simple tasks, e.g. MS Office, browsing the web, watching Netflix/YouTube etc. Yes, 4GB of RAM is sufficient for that.

If you're a power user who opens 23 Chrome tabs and 10 Office docs at the same time, you'll want to get a higher-spec laptop.

Original PSURFACE20 deal

Computing 13.5inch Computer Laptop Microsoft

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closed Comments

    • Agret on 19/08/2018 - 13:05
      +2

      128gb is also a tight squeeze for windows 10 + a few apps. For a machine with soldered on storage and RAM I would say avoid.

      • Click_It on 19/08/2018 - 16:14

        I've survived on 128GB (Samsung 840 PRO) for several years on my desktop so it depends. But 4GB RAM, I'd be pushing that the first time I opened Chrome.

      • magic8ballgag on 21/08/2018 - 11:00

        Rubbish, if configured correctly and maintained regularly, Windows 10 will only take up ~25GB of hard drive space.

    • R00D on 20/08/2018 - 15:32

      It's an ultra portable notebook, what do you think people are going to do on them? If you buy it outside of it's intended purpose, you're foolish.
      These are really just an extension of the surface pro (tablet). For those wanting a more robust 'laptop' experience. It's not a desktop replacement / dual purpose system.

  • bender000 on 19/08/2018 - 11:29
    +8

    aaaaaand its ozbargained.

    For the naysayers, this is perfect for a casual user who wants to spend a bit more on something well built. 4Gb is fine for casual use. It will be much better build, KB and screen quality than most other ~800 dollar laptops around.

    • Joey Jo Jo on 19/08/2018 - 11:52
      +3

      Windows Vista recommended specs was 2gb RAM. They were selling 4GB machines more than a decade ago.

      • eug on 19/08/2018 - 12:28
        +1

        Windows Vista recommended specs was 2gb RAM

        That hasn't changed with Windows 10.

        • Joey Jo Jo on 19/08/2018 - 12:38
          -3

          No Vista was recommended 2gb ram.
          Win 10 is MINIMUM 2gb ram on 32bit and a MINIMUM of 4gb ram on 64bit

        • eug on 19/08/2018 - 12:58
          +2

          @Joey Jo Jo: No. If you bothered to click on the link you'll see that the minimum is 1GB for 32 bit and 2GB for 64 bit.

        • Joey Jo Jo on 19/08/2018 - 13:05

          @eug:
          I tried to upgrade my mothers laptop to Win 10 for her when the free upgrade was happening and the update refused to deploy on a 32bit win 7 machine with 1gb ram as the update detailed the computer requires 2gb.

          What kind of mad man would install 64bit Win 10 on a machine with 2gb Ram? Oh, the same kind of mad man who would buy a Surface laptop with 4gb ram in 2018 🤣🤣

    • ozdesi on 19/08/2018 - 11:59
      +3

      These days casual use applications like Chrome can be a huge memory hog if you go crazy opening multiple tabs with modern age resource heavy websites

      Even causal user's open multiple tabs nowadays.

  • R00D on 19/08/2018 - 11:30
    +6

    This is great value for $879, very tidy laptop, great quality, speakers, etc.
    It’s always the same on here, geeks complaining about specs without alternatives $ wise. Just killing time till you decide what junk food special you pick for lunch? Why comment? Fail.

    • Yaren24 on 19/08/2018 - 11:50
      +4

      I agree most ppl don't like the 4GB ram which I don't like either, but it does most of our jobs are fine, not everyone is a graphic user or gamer.

      If you want a higher spec laptop, you can get a cheap HP, they won't last, period!

      I would have bought this instead of buying a 2nd hand XPS13, great laptop.

      • Joey Jo Jo on 19/08/2018 - 11:55
        +2

        More than 4gb of ram is not for gaming or graphic users, it's for people who want to browse the web with more than two tabs open at the same time.

        • Yaren24 on 19/08/2018 - 11:57

          I am not using chrome on my XPS13, just use firefox instead, it is fine for 10 - 15 tabs opened

        • ozdesi on 19/08/2018 - 12:00

          @Yaren24: Why not Edge, MS designed this device so should be optimized for their own modern browser before they decide on the specs.

        • Yaren24 on 19/08/2018 - 12:02

          @ozdesi:

          Good advice here, sorry I am not too sure, which I just personally prefer Firefox, but Edge is good as well, I just compared the two browsers, I think Edge is bit faster.

        • R00D on 19/08/2018 - 12:18
          +2

          What rubbish. You're being sold this by the tech companies or geeks on here. What's that saying again about a fool and his money?
          My work laptop is an X1 yoga on its last legs, 2 years old 4gb. I have as many as 15+ browser tabs going at once, outlook, Spotify, plus more going. Doesn't worry it at all.

        • FabMan on 19/08/2018 - 12:23

          Why do you care so much?

          You can use a Windows system with 4GB of RAM, you can easily Internet search people doing that. Easily fine for simple tasks such as e-mailing, word processing, programming, watching videos.

          It'll even play games like DOTA, CS:GO and Overwatch. It might won't be able to play Witcher 3 well, but then it's only using an Intel HD 620 also, so what gaming would you expect with the Intel HD 620 and 8GB of RAM?

          The issue I have with this is who is going to utilise the high quality screen on this and require only 4GB of RAM? A budget laptop is acceptable for many with 4GB, but they should surely get a budget laptop and a non-touch screen with a resolution of 1080p and save even more money.

          If I had a 1080Ti with an overclocked 8700k, do I scoff at those with 1080's and slower? I could mention how my system is what everyone else should have or you'll get less fps than me. Thing is, people will get less of an experience with 4GB than those with 8GB RAM or higher, but they can still get use and enjoyment from it.

        • onlinepred on 19/08/2018 - 12:30

          I have over 50 tabs open on my 2012 MBA right now with 4gb ram. Also have Spotify and my ide.

        • serpserpserp on 19/08/2018 - 19:08

          @ozdesi:

          MS Edge is actually pretty great.

        • Joey Jo Jo on 20/08/2018 - 13:43
          -3

          @FabMan: over priced gutless laptop is barely good enough now, anyone who purchases this computer now will be needing to purchase another one in 12 to 18 months. Even after the discount the laptop is too expensive. Doesn't even have designated graphics so that 4gb RAM is even less after the machine chews up minimum half a gig just for video.

  • O15 on 19/08/2018 - 12:08

    That's a lot of money for 4GB memory, 128GB storage and a single USB port.

    Slow day for deals, I guess.

    • thatguyfromthatplace on 19/08/2018 - 14:26

      Yes, but it looks pretty. So pretty and shiny that the lack of future-proofing doesn't even matter.

    • Joey Jo Jo on 20/08/2018 - 13:45

      And then consider it doesn't have designated graphics so that 4gb of ram is even less

  • Meganinja on 19/08/2018 - 12:08

    I think it is OK for general use , I use celeron NUC 2820 , normal use I can open Chrome 4 tabs no problem

    • jesseboy89 on 19/08/2018 - 12:13
      +3

      Chrome 4 was released in January 2010 :O
      You might want to update that..!

      • Meganinja on 19/08/2018 - 12:35
        +1

        I mean open 4 tabs at a time , this is the machine I use for general browsing and downloading because low power ( powered by a small plug pack ) .

        • O15 on 19/08/2018 - 13:18
          +1

          Four tabs?? How do you get anything done with only four tabs open?

        • eug on 19/08/2018 - 18:19

          @O15: You have to realize that not everybody is like you. Not everyone cares so much about computers - some people really just want to get work done on it (MS Office, check emails, maybe watch some YouTube videos).

          Once their work is done, they switch the computer off and do things IRL. They really don't care about posting on forums, browsing multiple websites, anything like that. 4GB RAM is absolutely sufficient. Not everyone lives their life on a computer.

        • O15 on 19/08/2018 - 18:34

          @eug:

          Have you not seen Ready Player One???

          The only life you know will soon require all the RAM you can garner.

      • krisspy on 19/08/2018 - 16:21

        One tab with like 40 video previews bogs down my desktop. I can't do proper research with this!

  • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2018 - 12:12
    +1

    Great device, I use this for netflix, youtube, general browsing.. Anything more intensive the Macbook Pro is used.

    • FabMan on 19/08/2018 - 16:03

      Gotta love fanbois

      • krisspy on 19/08/2018 - 16:23
        +1

        But studies have shown that using MacBook for fb/Instagram performs better. Even better when you use it in a starbucks

        • serpserpserp on 19/08/2018 - 19:11

          I love it when people post pics on IG of them "working flat out" on their "online business" which consists of them at a café/or out in the wilderness/beach with facebook open on their latest gen MBP. No they don't work for FB!

  • Zondor on 19/08/2018 - 12:18
    +2

    Please be aware that any repairs or upgrades on these devices are extremely difficulty as you have to take the entire palm rest/keyboard off which is GLUED ON.

    • eug on 19/08/2018 - 12:38
      +4

      You don't repair these devices yourself, you send it in to Microsoft who will swap it for you instead.

      People who like tinkering should get a ThinkPad instead. They're fantastic machines too.

  • siuol on 19/08/2018 - 12:32
    +1

    Unattachable alcantara keyboard? I will say no…

  • Diji1 on 19/08/2018 - 12:37

    But they won't have the same quality touchscreen

    Um … they have in the past, I don't think MS has an exclusive arrangement with the SP5 panels.

    • eug on 19/08/2018 - 12:40

      What is the quality of the touch screens in other $8xx laptops like?

  • Manh on 19/08/2018 - 12:38

    I wonder if MS will come out with Ryzen 2 APU versions next year?

  • SDF05 on 19/08/2018 - 12:42

    Good laptop, but 4 GB RAM is a deal killer, especially at that price. 8GB should be the norm considering how many apps use RAM these days (Chrome, looking at you). Really this is for someone who only does word docs, watches a few videos here and there and does casual web surfing. Not good for video/photo editing though with those kind of specs. Also a lot cheaper than the Macbook Air which is around $1200.

    • serpserpserp on 19/08/2018 - 19:12
      +1

      "Considering how many apps use RAM these days"

      Son, apps have been using RAM since IBM XT's

      • SDF05 on 21/08/2018 - 12:20

        sorry lol, apps using huge amounts of RAM (about 2-3 GB of RAM at least for even the most simple app).

  • magic8ballgag on 19/08/2018 - 12:50
    +7

    Exhausted all of my daily negative votes in this deal alone, good work everyone!

    To all those that insist on beating a dead horse, 4GB RAM may not be enough for you, but don't apply your blanket rule to the world.

    • Joey Jo Jo on 19/08/2018 - 15:40
      -1

      People are right to offer advice. This is marketed as a laptop first not a tablet. 4gb of ram in a laptop can very easily cause performance bottlenecks while performing pretty standard laptop tasks. Purchasing a laptop today with 8gb of ram will add years to the life of your machine.

      • FabMan on 19/08/2018 - 16:05

        You stated you can't even do normal Home tasks with 8GB so how can you suggest an 8GB model. You'd recommend 16GB surely.

        • Joey Jo Jo on 19/08/2018 - 17:40

          8gb minimum requirement when buying a new computer August 2018 and beyond, 16gb if you want to invest in a PC that can still be going strong up to 8 years on.

        • FabMan on 19/08/2018 - 19:07
          +1

          @Joey Jo Jo:
          Make up your mind, either 8GB isn't enough, as you mentioned earlier or it is.

        • Joey Jo Jo on 19/08/2018 - 19:47

          @FabMan: 8gb inst enough for me which has already been concluded but 8gb should be the minimum for any new computer. 4gb is not enough for a new computer.

        • eug on 19/08/2018 - 19:55
          +1

          @Joey Jo Jo: You seem to be assuming everybody in the world uses computers the same way you do, and anyone else who uses computers differently to you is automatically wrong.

        • Joey Jo Jo on 19/08/2018 - 21:00

          @eug: no I'm just stating obvious facts. Unless you want to be forced into buying a new computer in 24 months time buy a computer with 8gb ram minimum

        • eug on 19/08/2018 - 22:44

          @Joey Jo Jo: As I said, you seem to be assuming everybody else uses computers the same way you do. Clearly you're missing my point.

        • Joey Jo Jo on 20/08/2018 - 00:01

          @eug: I don't do anything flash on my computer, I'm a normal user. 4gb of ram especially with that ram being shared for video as is the case on this deal is simply not enough for your average user in 2018 and the mediate future. There is absolutely no long term life in this product and it's shocking to consider the cost of the item pre discount.

        • eug on 20/08/2018 - 22:46
          +1

          @Joey Jo Jo:

          4gb of ram especially with that ram being shared for video as is the case on this deal is simply not enough for your average user in 2018 and the mediate future.

          Looking after a whole load of computers at work, I can tell you that you with 100% confidence that you are wrong. 4GB of RAM on a laptop like this is absolutely sufficient for basic work tasks like I described.

          The lifespan of a laptop is 3-4 years. I am confident 4GB RAM on a laptop like this will be absolutely sufficient for at least that lifespan, with the normal office workloads that I see.

          There is absolutely no long term life in this product and it's shocking to consider the cost of the item pre discount.

          If you are used to only purchasing cheap consumer-grade laptops, then I can understand your statement. But if you're used to ThinkPad or Precision prices, then even the pre-discount price ($1199) is good.

        • Joey Jo Jo on 21/08/2018 - 13:23

          @eug: nah mate, 4GB with shared graphics is not a good idea for purchasing a new laptop August 2018.

        • eug on 21/08/2018 - 13:29

          @Joey Jo Jo: For your use, possibly. It definitely isn't enough for me as well.

          But you cannot apply a blanket rule to everybody, as different people use their computers differently. You have to realize that not everything revolves around you and how you use computers.

          I have 64GB RAM on my desktop and it's enough for me. My laptop has 8GB and it's barely enough. My next laptop will definitely have 16GB.

          But I also realize that not everyone uses computers the way I do, so I do not apply one rule to everyone.

  • Samsungnote10 on 19/08/2018 - 12:55

    I love the surface, the screen, the lightweight eas.
    I just bought a 2in 1 for the same price. And would love one of these. But it would be a impractical toy :)

  • ozdesi on 19/08/2018 - 12:57
    +3

    Yes, you can open however many webpages using 4gb RAM but your user experience will be sluggish.
    Windows relies on paging when RAM size is low and many apps are open and will do a lot of disk I/O between tasks.
    Upping to minimum 8gb will surely give more room to move with minimal paging.
    But that's just my opinion and each will have their own.

    At the end of the day if you are happy with 4gb RAM and are happy with your overall experience then this is a great deal.
    What matters is if you are happy with overall user experience or not.

    Likewise, many users have upgraded to SSD not because they could get more storage size than mech drives but because it improved overall experience.

    • Samsungnote10 on 19/08/2018 - 15:09

      this is the big question for me too!

      I only use my devices for watchign movies, web browsing (multiple tabs, but not extreme, maybe 10 at the most), and maybe windows explorer open with word open

      I just dont want significant lag, changing tabs and applications.

      I know ssd helps a lot and so does 8gb

      so which is more important
      8gb ram with sata hd vs 4gb ram with ssd?

      I currently have a 8gb with i5 8250 with ssd and its glorious,
      however ive just come from a 4gb celeron with counterfeit windows so that was very painful
      and a 4gb celeron laptop with sata hdd, and that was painful too

      • ozdesi on 19/08/2018 - 16:14
        +2

        for the usage you describe it sounds like 4gb with SSD is the way to go.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2018 - 13:30
    +6

    The Apple fans are out on force.

    If you are after a Surface Laptop and are happy with the specs then buy it otherwise shut up and go away.

    Not every one who owns a PC needs mega graphic cards, several screens, 128gb Ram and 1 petabyte of storage.

    • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2018 - 14:46
      -1

      I'm not an iDevice fan boy but the surface range does not offer 'mega graphic cards, several screens, 128gb Ram and 1 petabyte of storage'

      • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2018 - 15:07
        +3

        sarcasm
        ˈsɑːkaz(ə)m/
        noun
        noun: sarcasm; plural noun: sarcasms
        the use of irony to mock or convey contempt.

        • netsurfer on 19/08/2018 - 21:47

          I want one of these, but some of comments actually helped me come to my senses and realise I don't need one (and it is not suitable for me).

  • javis on 19/08/2018 - 13:32

    Good price. But I am waiting for a decent surfacebook deal. Microsoft ebay store always has only 1 or 2 qty for promotion

  • CyberMurning on 19/08/2018 - 13:51

    Funny people here comparing 4gb ram on windows and Mac.
    Just like iOS and Android. iOS always need less memory.

    • Joey Jo Jo on 19/08/2018 - 14:59
      +2

      makes sense, the OS with less features uses less resources

      • CyberMurning on 19/08/2018 - 19:42

        Yes. So saying my 2012 MacBook with 4gb is fine, is pointless in this thread this is about Microsoft windows

  • willyroo on 19/08/2018 - 14:13
    +1

    Great deal OP. These are really good devices.
    (Typing on the 8 year old desktop with 12 open Opera tabs, Spotify, 4Gb RAM and AMD Phenom X4 955) :)

  • drumrollplease on 19/08/2018 - 14:14

    Anyone know how long this'll last? I'm thinking of grabbing it next month

    • spaceflight on 19/08/2018 - 14:32
      +1

      It's in the deal summary.

      22 Aug 3 days left

      And in the eBay page

      20% off code - PSURFACE20. Ends 22/08. T&Cs apply.

  • portard on 19/08/2018 - 14:26

    RAM aside, the port selection on this device is pretty garbage…

  • JuryWheel on 19/08/2018 - 14:27

    Does this have 1usb like the surface pro? Anyone have a good clip on solution to expand to 2 or 3 usbs..?

    • serpserpserp on 19/08/2018 - 19:15

      You might need to invest in some Bluetooth devices.

  • nk10025 on 19/08/2018 - 14:40
    +1

    The surface book is meant to be use and throw tech. 0 repairability score on ifixit
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAI6yIZI3rg

    • eug on 19/08/2018 - 19:15

      It doesn't matter - you don't repair it. Microsoft will simply swap it out for you if something goes wrong during the 2 year warranty period. After that you pay a replacement fee and they'll send you a replacement.

  • Clayton012 on 19/08/2018 - 14:50

    Can't seem to get the code to work on mobile, am I missing something?

  • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2018 - 15:09

    1 USB port ever heard of a USB Hub?

  • Pielo on 19/08/2018 - 15:34
    +1

    I find OP's description a little bit deceptive.

    You do not need to have 10 documents and 23 chrome tabs open to use all 4GB of RAM under Windows 10.

    At work, 4 chrome tabs, 1 excel spreadsheet, 1 word document and 1 other software is all it takes to max out 4GB of RAM.
    Even government agencies are moving to 8GB computers for office use.

    Our previous computers (running on 4th gen i7 and 4GB RAM) were constantly running out of memory. Google Maps was sluggish and the use of Acrobat Reader for .pdf was tedious.

    I always recommend people going to a store, find a computer with 4GB of ram, restart it, open a couple of software you would regularly use and check the memory usage. See by yourself.

    • eug on 19/08/2018 - 19:18

      You do not need to have 10 documents and 23 chrome tabs open to use all 4GB of RAM under Windows 10.

      Modern operating systems are designed to use up as much RAM as possible with cached data. It is a waste of resources to leave such high-speed temporary storage sitting there empty and unused.

      Check out this article.

  • Budju on 19/08/2018 - 15:45

    Is this laptop completely shit? Be honest

    • Pielo on 19/08/2018 - 15:49

      The surface laptop is actually a really nice machine. I would purchase it for myself or family members.

      The processor in this model is good. The solid state drive is relatively small but if you are not going to store much on it, you can get away with it.
      The major issue is the 4GB of RAM. That was enough back on Windows Vista days. For Windows 10, and all the processes running in the background, I would not recommend this particular model, like a lot of people have suggested before me.

    • ozdesi on 19/08/2018 - 16:13

      no its not but the only reason I wouldn't buy it is not because of low RAM but I don't like the glossy display. I much prefer matt display even if that means losing touch functionality.

    • krisspy on 19/08/2018 - 16:25

      Shiny turd imo. I've had 2 versions of the surface and honestly they're complete crap. One had the power button stop functioning and the other throttling issues. Can't fault the physical build but not very reliable imo. Go get a shiny hp spectre instead

      • abadacus on 19/08/2018 - 18:59

        Any particular model of hp spectre you'd recommend looking into?

        • krisspy on 19/08/2018 - 22:52
          +1

          I've got spectre x360 silver version. The newer gold ones are nice too. Same cold sharp edges as the the surface but I've never had an issue

    • bargss on 19/08/2018 - 16:46

      IMO the surface book is absolute crap. See my previous post. I have had this laptop for under a year and it has been replaced three times!! I sent the first one back within the first month to receive a replacement. The replacement malfunctioned about a month ago and that was sent back and the replacement that was provided was DOA which also needed to be sent back. On the fourth one at the moment;all in less than one year.

    • lansalot on 19/08/2018 - 17:08

      Whilst it would be nice to have 8GB in it, the 4GB RAM 128GB SSD is enough for anyone not looking to do gaming on it. People will tell you it'll bottleneck and slow down when you have heaps of tabs open but if you've been using machines in the lower price range you'd already be use to this.

      Build quality is exceptional, but it is somewhat difficult to repair. Luckily it comes with a 2 year warranty from Microsoft and they've got a reputation for swapping them out if you ever have an issue.

      • serpserpserp on 19/08/2018 - 19:17

        Lucky? It has to be covered for 2 years by law.

        • eug on 19/08/2018 - 19:19

          There is no law that states two years. All products have to last a "reasonable" amount of time. That could even be three years, although you might have to fight for that a bit.

    • eug on 19/08/2018 - 19:24

      I've bought at least 7 Surface Laptops and 4 Surface Books for myself and various people.

      I had problems with my first-batch Surface Book (first gen, first factory run), but the replacement I received has been flawless. If you don't mind not being able to open them up to replace parts yourself, I think they're excellent machines. The trackpad is excellent, keyboard feels nice, screen is excellent, battery life is great, support is excellent, build quality is top notch, etc.

    • airzone on 19/08/2018 - 21:53

      I got my wife the i5/8gb/256gb version. It's really, really nice.

  • customundo on 19/08/2018 - 16:13

    Note that you're paying for the built and screen quality.
    For sub-$900 this is an ok choice for light use (Youtube, non-4k streaming, browsing). You can get equally spec'd alternatives for under $700

    • eug on 19/08/2018 - 19:21
      +1

      If specs is all you're after, then yes, you can get more with other laptops. But you won't be getting the same build quality, excellent touchscreen, good support, and trackpad experience amongst others.

      • R00D on 19/08/2018 - 21:21

        The speakers on these are fantastic..

  • Kempe on 19/08/2018 - 17:53

    Is the keyboard backlit?

  • serpserpserp on 19/08/2018 - 19:07

    I'm sitting here thinking "yeah, I can't use 4gig in a laptop either! Gotta have 8gig!" Then I realized this laptop was a mid entry XPS13 from 4 years ago and had to double check I didn't have 4gig. Phew that could have been embarrassing.

  • Julius on 19/08/2018 - 19:20

    When GST drastically changes everyone's perception of 'Value"

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