Surface Pro 4 Review after 5 months

A couple of notes: 
The devices tested for this review:

• 4gb/128gb i5
• 8gb/256gb i5

I am a very amateur reviewer, I'm basically writing my opinion of this device. I am in no way a professional, so please take everything with a grain of salt. 

Onward to the review!

Hardware

This is one of the nicest pieces of hardware that I've ever used.  I have actually owned multiple SP4 devices and every since one has been very well crafted. All I can say is that Microsoft really went all out to make these devices. That doesn't mean that they're perfect though. Let's take a look at the device.

The screen resolution is superb, and you can see everything very well. I have a SP3 in house, but my personal device was a SP2. Honestly, 1080p is more than enough for me. But the SP4 has a screen with a resolution of 2736 x 1824. This is very high resolution. To give you an idea, the SP3 has a 2160x1440. The SP2 had a 1080p, so as we can see, MS has upped again the screen.  This leads us to another issue that most people have been having prior to the 2016 lots : light bleed. I had on ALL of my devices a small amount of light bleed, except with one which had A LOT and another one which had nearly none. Light bleed is only noticeable when turning on the Surface Pro 4 from a boot. So, that's OK. I never noticed it in my every day usage.

The only issue I've seen with this screen is that Microsoft has made the glass thinner, so you can see it "wobble" a little when using the pen. When pressing down you can see how the screen touches the LCD panel and "rainbows." I've confirmed this with every SP4 I had and with many followers. I don’t think it's a big issue, but it certainly could have been made thicker, but then the device as a whole would have been made thicker as well. Y

The Surface Pro 4, spec wise, comes with the latest generation Skylake processors. At the time of this publication there are multiple issues with this processor. I've also checked other devices as a replacement for the Surface Pro 4 (such as the HP Spectre x360, with the Skylake processor as well and the Dell Inspiron 2-in-1, also with Skylake processor) - all the devices have issues.

The current issues that can be found with the Surface Pro 4:

• Sleep battery drain.
• Light bleed.
• Battery drain while having the keyboard attached and shutting down.
• Screen flicker at lower power settings.
• Chrome crashes (probably Google's fault, but nevertheless, an issue).
• Short battery life.
• The device takes a few seconds more than most other devices to come out of sleep mode - a known issue, Microsoft is working on it.

Other than that, this device has been a pleasure. One of the 6 devices I've had had a physical defect, which is probably just bad luck. The device wouldn't connect to the projectors or monitors I use my devices with. I even went out of my way to try new adapters and cables, neither of which were the issue - it was the actual device - Returned.  With all the other devices I haven't had any hardware issues.

Performance
Speeds are very good on the SP4. But we have to take into account that this is still a portable device. I owned a Surface Pro 2 before, but I never really used it at home. I only used it as a work computer (which meant connected it to the projector at work or another monitor, and that's it). I always used my desktop computer. My 2011 desktop computer is an:
Intel i5 2500K 3.3 ghz 1155
Intel SSD S530 series 240GB drive + 1TB WD Black HDD
8GB internal memory
Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 Ti

In PC Mark my desktop got:

While my SP4 got

As you can see, my desktop that is now nearly 5 years old is faster than my 2015/2016 Surface Pro 4. But that doesn’t mean that the Surface Pro 4 isn't a great device, because it is. It's a very good device that has a lot of power. Basically, in my sub 800 gram device I have 2/3rds the power of my desktop for basic processing power.  I just don't think a laptop can replace a desktop just as of yet for those more power hungry users. But for casual users, we've reached that point a few years ago…

Gaming is another story. I can play some games on my SP4 that I install off of steam, which all play well on the lowest settings. I mostly played indie style games, so nothing intensive. I also played hearthstone. If you turn down the settings to their lowest settings you can also get away with NO fan noise! Yes, that's correct - no fan noise. That's incredible.

On most of the devices the fan noise was at a minimum, except when doing a lot of downloading or syncing - then noise was more noticeable. For the majority of time though the fan was completely silent, just the way I like it.

SSD Performance was very good on the 256 model. Read speeds are superb on both devices, but the 128gb model has some rather slow write speeds. This is a common issue with all the Samsung SSDs that HP, Dell and MS are using. But the good news is that read speeds are very speedy and I'm Microsoft saw this to be the most important aspect in picking the right drive - faster reads = faster load times. In general, speeds have been good.

The good thing about the Surface Pro line is that you can expand the storage with a Micro SD card. Up to 2TB, yes, up to 2 TB! Of course, right now you can put up to 200GB. I have been using the same Micro SD card for the last 3 years in my laptops and surface devices - all I can say is that it works well.

SSD performance on Surface Pro 2 i5 128gb:

SSD Performance on Surface Pro 4 i5 128gb:

SSD performance on the Surface Pro 4 i5 256gb:

As you can see the performance speeds for the 256 model outshines the 128gb model. It's basically double the speed, since it has double the storage. It would be funny to open it up and see 2 - 128gb drives.

The Pen

I love the pen. This is by far the best Surface pen they have released to date. I also have a few other digital pens that I used with other tablets I had owned, and this one just feels right. It sits very well in the hand. It magnetically sticks to the surface so you don’t lose it. Here's a tip, point the nibs toward the top, for some reason the magnets are stronger in this arrangement.

Regarding the nibs, my partner got me a pack of the extra nibs (10 dollars, or 10 euros standard, or 9 dollars or 9 euros with a student discount), and I REALLY love them. They fit many different situations and it really helps if you have a screen protector on the screen. They're fantastic and I would totally invest in a set of them because they allow you to change how you write. Does it physically change the way you write? No, but it does offer you a different feeling while sliding across the screen.

The eraser on the top is very useful for correcting mistakes. Taking notes on it or digitally drawing is a real pleasure. As for art, I use Art Rage, which is a very user friendly and intuitive program. I highly recommend it. It supports pressure sensitivity, which is really nice for those who want to doodle around.

Battery life

Battery life is a big issue for a lot of people. There are many models to pick from when you look at the Surface Pro line.

• m3
• i5
• i7

Being fairly active on the forums I've seen that the i7 has been having worse battery life than the i5 model, since it has the same battery size but the CPU is clocked at higher speeds. The m3 model has a smaller battery, but it also has a slower processor which sips battery.  As of right now there is an issue with the Skylake processors that don't allow them to go into the deepest sleep mode. This drains the battery while in sleep mode, which is probably one of the worst things a professional could ask for.

Then there is the issue that either Windows 10 or the Skylake processor isn't being efficient. Basically, what it's doing is letting an application throw it into turbo mode when it isn't necessary, therefore jumping from, for example, 5W drainage to 15W… This can be remedied quite easily by limiting your processor maximum speeds. I've seen some people say by limiting it to 99%, others to 90%. Personally, I have created 2 new power plans

CPU 50% always, even if plugged in. This means that the CPU has a maximum of 50% usage when on battery and when plugged in.
The CPU can go to 100% while plugged in, which will give best performance unless you get to the point where it's being throttled thermally, not usually my case. But when you unplug it, it goes to 50% maximum which is great for when you have to do some work. I can tell you that that at 50%, you're getting just slightly less than M3 speeds (I'm sure if you boost it to 60%, you'd see M3 speeds). But this is WAY more than enough for your day to day stuff like:

• Browsing the web
• Emails
• Editing documents
• Making PowerPoint presentations
• Watching videos on Youtube

Without the registry change, I was getting 5-6 hours of usage. With the change to the registry I'm getting between 7-9 hours. In both examples, I find it more than acceptable. This device weighs under 800 grams and has very good specifications.

If you'd like to know how to limit your CPU then scroll down to the very bottom.

Keyboard

Sold separately, it's not cheap either. But it's very comfortable to use. I wrote this entire thing on my lap while sitting on my sofa using just my Surface Pro 4. The trackpad is lightyears ahead of the SP2's fuzzy trackpad and is larger and better spaced over the SP3's.  It comes in many different colors, so pick the one you like the best. I don't recommend getting the Sp4 without the keyboard, though. It SHOULD come in the package, but it doesn't. Get ready to fork over some more cash to get this!

Gaming

I don't game on my Surface device much. I did install a few games during Christmas break while I was travelling. I really enjoy indie style games, like Terraria, Rogue Legacy, etc. These games run just fine. If you play for a little while the fan might come on. I know this isn't a gaming machine, and I'm not much of a mobile gamer to be honest.

Final Thoughts

I was looking to replace my dated Surface Pro 2 because it was very heavy, and I didn't much like the keyboard over the last few years. The Surface Pro 4 seemed like the perfect upgrade. While I like it, it isn't for everyone. If you're just the casual user who looks at a document every now and then, browse the web and check email, you can get practically any device. The Surface Pro 4 is a very sleek, well built, and gorgeous looking device. It definitely competes, lookwise, with the other ultrabooks and Macbook lineup. It's not cheap, it doesn’t do anything perfectly, but it's light, it has a pen, it runs Windows 10 directly from Microsoft, it has plenty of configurations (anywhere from m3 processor with 4gb ram and 128gb ssd to an i7 with 1tb ssd and 16gb ram, with many configurations in the middle).

Who is it for? I guess for anyone who needs a powerful device to do mobile computing that's very portable. I plan on taking this bad boy with me everywhere I go! It's powerful enough to run Photoshop, Fireworks, and other programs, and light enough to throw in your bag and hardly notice it.

I'd totally recommend getting the keyboard. It's very worth it. It's a very nice upgrade over the Surface Pro 2 keyboard, and a slight improvement over the SP3 keyboard.






If you'd like to know how to limit the CPU, then here are the instructions:

Start the registry editor (regedit.exe).Move to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power.Double-click CsEnabled and set to 0, then click OK.

Then you can go into the power settings and create a new profile. Be aware, turning CsEnabled to 0 will remove SLEEP MODE on your device. Make all the changes you want, and then put CsEnabled back to 1, and you will have sleep once again, and it will keep all the changes you had made to your power plans.

Surface Pro 4 Urban Armor Gear case review

I've had this case for a few weeks now and I have been testing it out. I must say that this is, probably, one of the most rugged cases you can get for your Surface Pro devices. UAG makes them for multiple devices, including phones and other computers and tablets, but sadly I have only tried this for the Surface Pro 4.

You can get it in a few different colors. Check out their website.

UAG got this case out to me to test out on my review SP4, but in the end I ended up buying myself a SP4 because I love this darn thing so much. The last thing I'd want is to have it fall or get scratched. Usually I don't mind the body, but the screen is so important.

The first thing you'll notice is how nice and well built it is. It certainly feels like a premium product, and it is! Especially for the price, you should be expecting something that feels good in the hand, feels solid while using, and feels like it'll outlast your device. I got a UAG Cobalt colored case, and it is indeed very nice.

On my SP4 I keep a screen protector, not a glass one, but rather a plastic one. But I don't know if it will be 100% necessary anymore because there is a lip on this UAG case that raises the SP4 up from the ground. So you can place this on the table and there could be little specks here and there, but since it is raised, the screen won't physically touch the table. This is very good news of course, but you must always be careful because a large enough piece of sand or something sharp could reach the screen, and this goes the same for any case or device - so just be careful. 

This case is quite easy to put on, and very difficult to take off. The best way I've found to do this is by using the bottom right or bottom left to wedge it out first, and then go to the opposite side of the bottom, and then after that you can practically slide it out. I did have some trouble while figuring this out and felt like I was going to break the Surface while trying to get it out of the UAG case. This is both good and bad, good because it means it won't fall out or come out accidentally; and bad because it's not a case you'll slap on like your phone in 2 seconds.

Let's talk about the angles: The UAG doesn't have as wide of range as the original kickstand, see images. As you can see in the pictures there are multiple angles with the mechanism. They are not like the SP4 stand, which you can put anywhere between the minimum and the maximum. Here are there are little pegs that ride up and down - this means you can put it on any one of the little pegs and have it stand there without any issue - it's a very firm stand. Keep in mind though that you won't be able to hit the lowest angle like we do with the SP4 (for example, for writing or taking hand written notes in class or in meetings). Here is a picture of the lowest angle:

And here are some images of the kick stand compared to the SP4's original in the minimum and maximum. As we know and love, the SP4 kickstand doesn't have a minimum - you just unfold it and you can place it in any angle, but I put it in this angle which is one of the lowest I could put my SP4 standing up (of course I wouldn't leave it at this height just in case, if I were to touch the screen it would probably fall over.

The stability of the kick stand is very good! I mean, very, very good! The kickstand is very firm, held in place by plastic pieces that snap into place. Neat mechanism, but isn't as good as the original SP4 stand mechanism of course. It won't be switching angles on its own any time while pressing down. The actual stand is made of a kind of metal which is very cool to the touch. I'd be worried about scratching the table if you have a very easily scratched surface (meaning table, not device haha). The bottom of the stand isn't actually sharp by any means, but it feels ultra-sturdy, which is a great feeling to have. But I'd rather air on the side of caution and not let it sit on any dark IKEA furniture.

If you were to place your device closed and case down on the table, would it slide? The case itself is rubbery plastic, but the kick stand, being made of metal, could slide. But it's a lot less slippery than if the Surface Pro 4 were on the table without a case; in that situation the SP4 would slide without any doubt since it's so slippery. So it's great to know that you could place this, case side down of course, on the table or glass and not have it slide away. The texture and design really help the case grab on to the surface of the table.

Let's talk about some specifics:

Can you fold the keyboard back all the way? No… You can't sadly. What happens is this - the keyboard detaches. This is due to the thickness of the case, and there are some trade-offs of course to having such a rugged case. This is fine. Most of the time I have my bag with me and if I need to disconnect the keyboard, I just throw it in my bag and continue with what I was doing. I know this isn't the ideal situation for most people though.

The inside of the case is a textured honeycomb design, and I'm sure there's a reason for it. You can't see it from the outside, so it's not for design purposes. The inside of the case is made from a rubbery, hard plastic material. So it'll cushion and hold tight - too tight sometimes (I'm mentioning this again because there are no instructions on how to put it on or take it off in the box, but when removing, take off a lower corner by bending it a little bit. If you try and take it off the entire case at once by bending both corners, for instance, you might hear a crack or two! Not good! So go slow, and do one lower corner at a time. After you get the two bottom corners off you can slide the device out very easily).

All the ports are accessible and something that is fantastic this time around is the charging cable - this time you can put it in either direction! So no need to keep it in only one position like previous versions (I can't speak for the SP3 case since I didn't get to review it, but I can speak about the SP4 case and the SP2 case - the latter didn't have that option and could only be placed in one direction). Going back to the ports is the fact that they are all accessible but you must be wary of the headphone jack - it's likely that angled headphones won't fit, but you can go ahead and try! Most straight headphone jacks will.

The pen has a holder at the top, and it is also reversible, but there is a design at the top that "recommends" how to place it. But I've placed it numerous times in both directions and there were no issues. It grabs on to the pen VERY well. Also, the pen is still magnetically able to be locked on to the device, but since the case is so thick, it loses some of its strength. So it's really good that if you're at the desk you can just plop it on the side again all the while if you're going to toss it in your bag or move around a lot with it, you can attach it physically and very strongly to the top of the case.

There is a flap for the keyboard which holds it in place, which is a nice touch. The SP4 doesn't have this by itself and only the bottom (where it attaches to the computer) is magnetically locked in, so it can flap open. Now it can't and won't! It's just a piece of elastic with a thumb with the UAG logo, but believe me, it's great that it's there. 

So in the end, what do I think? I think this is a fantastic case for those who want to take care of their device and don't mind the added weight or thickness. Once again, this isn't a case you'd slap on in 20 seconds, if you put it on, you'll want to keep it on for a while. It's great for drop protection, even though I'm not willing to test it out! But just due to the design and how it's made you can tell that it's VERY well put together and thought out and the corners are thick! So I'd much rather have this case on my device than not if I know I'm going to take it around a lot. So basically, if you're going to keep your SP4 as a desktop, there is no need to get this case (check out the ESR case I reviewed), but if you're going to travel around a lot and take it everywhere you go, then it's a great idea to invest in a good case. 

Pros:

+Your device is very well protected

+Very portable

+A lot of thought has clearly been put into the device

+Angles are good, but not the greatest
+Great design and very stylish! Surely an eye catcher for many (myself included)

Cons:

-Heavier than going with no case, obviously

-Thicker

-Less angles on the kickstand

-Hard to take off
-Pricey, but again you're also paying for the brand, R&D and droppability

Check out the UAG website
Cost: around 70 USD

ESR Case for Surface Pro 4

This case was purchased from Amazon and I believe it to be a very good case. I got it from Amazon Japan for 3,200 yen, or 27 euros. Here in Spain though, on Amazon, the same case was 95 euros - strange, right? There are other colors which were more affordable. So hunt around for the best price!

 

Now onto the review.

I have been using it for a few weeks now. I must say that I am in love with it. It does take the weight up quite a bit, but it definitely screams quality.  It took me a day's use to learn how to properly open it and get the keyboard to open on right in front of me, but that's it.

To insert the SP4 into the case you must slide it in from the bottom and have the top slide in to the notches on top. Then you open the kick stand a little and snap the kick stand into each of the place holders for it. It's very simple to remove it from the case, unlike the UAG case (review to come, another very nice case). But it was very simple to remove just by reversing the process - unclip the kick stand and then slide the top out through the bottom.

I've been using it for well over a week, and I have been using it 24 hours a day 7 days a week. I use my Surface for about 7-8 hours a day for work reasons and this case has been on it ever since.

It's a case, so it's there to be abused since it's what gets thrown into my bag - that way the case takes the abuse and not my shiny Surface Pro 4.

One of my favorite things is that it uses the already awesome kick stand mechanism of the Surface Pro 4, which means you can get almost every angle that the SP4 does. The keyboard can no longer be folded back though, bummer. But the case actually offers VERY good stability while sitting on a plane, train, bus since it essentially mimics a laptop dynamic, all the while keeping the heat off your lap :). 

It has a magnetic clasp which will help it stay closed, I say help because it won't lock it in place. It'll just give you an idea that it's there and won't open by itself in your bag, but it's VERY simple to open.

The device can still be charged with the case on, even with my custom 3D printed cable protector. It also has a pouch on the inside for business cards or a sheet of paper or something like that. I honestly don't see the use of it.

The pros

+ It's elegant

+ It's stylish

+ It's affordable

+ It's easy to put on and take off

+ Pen is securely locked in at the top.

The cons

- Keyboard can't be folded back

- Easily scratched

- Depending on where you are, it's expensive.

Enjoy the picture gallery!

ESR SP4 Case