Microsoft new Surface Studio has to represent a strong temptation. Why is that? The pull needs to be strong in order for its target audience to invest almost $3000 into the device. Let’s see what does it offer and what are the innovations.
New Surface Studio – the looks
This piece of technology looks cool, there’s no doubt. Designed for the creative process, the workstation slash computer, comes in an elegant gray. It has a slim shape, nevertheless it inspires power. The marketing campaign pushes this image of boldness, tech-based creativity.
Yet it is not far-fetched to say that Microsoft is going this time for the Apple iMac clients. Just look at the picture of both the devices together, here. Don’t they look like relatives? TrustedReviews mentioned that the Surface Studio shows “less character to its design, but perhaps a more modern look as a result”. This is due to it being incredibly slim.
And we delve into comparing the new Surface Studio and Apple iMac…
The design prompted this comparative view. Sorry, Microsoft lovers, but there is just too much resemblance. In fact, 9to5Mac published an article in which it calls Surface Studio the “answer to Apple’s iMac”.
Poket Lint went deeper and analyzed the differences. The standard price of an Apple iMac begins from $ 1,799, so the cost difference should include a few amazing Surface extra features.
It seems like Microsoft went over the top in giving potential customers reasons to choose their product. More flexibility, a slighter bigger display. The touch-screen display. The touch-screen display! This deserves to be said twice. Seemingly, Apple still does not want to bring touch-screen to their macOS. Yet un-reviewed professional grade visuals. The 192 DPI PixelSense Display really amazed the users. Surface Studio’s 10-point touch is a big plus. One might even say a radical plus. Another display design element is the hinge that allows the device screen to become a creative drawing surface, by laying almost flat on the table.
Hardware-wise, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M (2GB GDDR5) or GTX 980M (4GB GDDR5) GPUs coming inside the new Surface is the amazing extra we are looking for. TrustedReviews played a bit with the configurations and found out that a $3149 iMac is actually more powerful than the $3000 Surface Studio specs.
Connectivity-wise, the reviewers we mentioned don’t see radical differences. TrustedReviews thinks otherwise. The HD Webcam supports Windows Hello and allows users to biometrically authenticate. Face recognition just got imported into an all-in-one next-gen computer.
Businessinsider even put the new Apple MacBook Pro against the new Surface device. Their conclusion? This time, Microsoft upstaged Apple. That is even taking into consideration Apple’s fresh touch-screen Touch Bar that acts as a Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
The background shift that goes unnoticed
If professionals that used to employ Apple products switch to the new Surface, what should they expect? In terms of changes and readjustments, not in terms of usability. (We hope we could offer a few glimpses, usability-wise, in our above summary).
Besides all the cool new features, the new design and hardware, they will have to change the operating system. Yes, they will be getting Windows 10 instead of iOS. Now, while for some this is an insignificant change, there are others who might find this idea unpleasant. It’s a conceptual difference, maintained by marketing and by a certain tradition that divided the market between Apple and Microsoft products. The Apple users were branded for years as the ones that think different. More bohemian, more creative, perhaps unwilling to preoccupy themselves with upgrades and settings.
How will newcomers adapt to being Windows users? We could call this a background shift or even a challenge. It would be interesting to see a testimonial on how going from one OS to another feels like.
Comparing the new Surface Studio with other devices
Endgadget captures part of the Windows reluctance in their designer-reaction oriented article. One of the creatives they interviewed mention how he feels concerned about “Windows 10’s stability with demanding software”.
The temptation might be big with Surface Studio, but creatives are currently employing other devices besides Apple’s. Even more, they are somehow reluctant on adopting the new gadget. As another creator said: “It doesn’t offer nearly enough improvements over the machines we have, and even if it did, indie comic creators like us just don’t have that kind of disposable income to throw around”.
The main thing here would be breaking old habits. One designer explains how they are depending on the keyboard for multiple actions. Using the new Surface Dial instead would mean a radical change. He reckons it will take more time to use the Dial than tapping the familiar keys.
The interviewees do not exclude the idea of Surface Studio catching on with younger creatives that form their habits on the device itself. But for now the Microsoft computer is not motivational enough to disrupt their tradition. Especially for $3,000 – to quote Endgadget.
