So I finally got around to buying my Microsoft Surface Pro, but within a few days, I discovered there were a number of problems that made it not work for me, so I ended up swapping it out for the Levono Yoga.
The problems with the Microsoft Surface Pro for me were:1) It gets hot. There's a reason it has a kick stand, it gets way hotter than our old ipad. They made it small, without a fan to cool it, and it has more mass storage and ram, so it gets too hot to just lay on your lap and use it. I hear the 3rd and 4th generation ipads get hot too.
2) I don't like the floppy keyboard, and I had to use a book to keep it up if I wanted to use it on the couch or anywhere other than on a desktop surface. It is awkward to set up and take down as often as I want to. If I wanted to be tethered to a desktop, I wouldn't be buying a tiny portable computer. I also type a lot, and Best Buy only had the soft Surface Pro keyboards. I dont' know if I would have liked the hard typepad better, but I didn't have that option.
3) I really didn't like how small everything looked on the tiny screen. I don't have any problems with the ipad, but since the ipad is truly portable, I can hold it wherever I want it. And I just use it to surf, read, and play games. To be honest, the kids really use it the most after the novelty wore off. I usually have too much work to sit around and play on the ipad.
I was trying to use the Surface Pro as a work computer. I bought it to work at home in a portable way, wherever I want, like my old laptop, but I wanted something lighter to just slip into my bag to take to clients. I wanted something small and light enough that it wouldn't cause me to break into a sweat every time I take the stairs two-at-a-time while I'm carrying it.
I was really lucky, a Microsoft Consultant just happened to be at Best Buy when I went in and she recommended the Lenovo Yoga to me. It was the convertible ultra notebook that she was using. Best Buy didn't even have one on the floor as a demo, but she brought hers in from her car for me to play with and Best Buy ordered it for me.
The Lenovo Yoga has a 13.5" screen that is rock solid, better than the Dell XPS, with the screen that flips in a frame. Knowing my lifestyle, which includes blogging in bed at midnight or 5 am, helping the kids with the homework, dealing with the dog, and cooking in between managing email lead nurturing campaigns and publishing on social media, I thought I would destroy that delicate Dell XPS in a matter of months.
The Lenovo Yoga works like a traditional laptop, but the screen also flips backwards to make it into a tablet, and standing backwards it can be used for presentations using Windows 8 and touch screen technology. I used it to demo Hubspot software, works like a charm, but it also has a full-size connector for a projector if I want to use one. The projector connector on the Surface Pro is so small that it requires an adapter to use a projector.
The Lenovo is 3.3 lbs and the Microsoft Surface pro is 2.5 lbs., so I get a lot more functionality for only a tiny weight increase.
Why the Lenovo Yoga Works Better for Me
The screen on the Lenovo Yoga is big so it's easy to edit video and photos, but the Yoga isn't big, the screen goes all the way to the edge of the device and it's ultra thin. It has a full size keyboard that is a lot easier to type on than the Surface Pro. It is sturdy and stands alone so I can use it on the couch, at the kids activities, or in the car. It's larger and has a fan, so it stays cool. The Yoga has Intel's fastest I7 processor and a 256 Gig hard drive for just a few bucks more than the Surface Pro.
I really thought I would like the Microsoft Surface Pro, but I'm glad I was able to swap it out within the 14-day grace period that Best Buy allows. For me an ultra notebook convertible like the Lenovo Yoga just makes a lot more sense. I take it everywhere I go and work wherever I want. It doesn't slow me down in any way which is really what I'm looking for in a business tool.
I hope you find the right machine for you too.
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