Microsoft Unveils $2,999 Surface Studio

In the first post, it clearly says "a desktop for consumers" so it appears not to be aimed exclusively at graphic designers/artists/architects or other professionals in that area so the comments about it being overpriced and using laptop parts does seem justified in that respect!

Obviously the main selling point (and the high price) is the 'better than 4K Touchscreen', but can the 965M/980M cope well enough with 3D content at 4500x3000 resolution? Also, are these upscaled to that resolution as the spec for 9xxM says they have a max res of 3840 x 2160?

Also, can't find a GTX964M so must be a typo in the graphic and means GTX965M.

 

For all of you shouting that the price is ridiculously high and that the hardware components are last gen. STOP FOR A SECOND AND THINK!

You guys look at the hardware but just past the fact that the monitor alone is worth $2000 alone. There is about 10 new technologies in that panel that have never been in a monitor before.

If you compare this monitor to other color accurate monitors that professional content creators use this is a STEAL. For example the Wacom Cintiq 27QHD ($2200), is the next best thing to compare the Surface Studio whit. I can bet you that the Surface Studio is like 5 time faster already.

If any of you saw the presentation (i guess almost none by the comments) they said that the focus of this product was mainly the panel it self. And i think they did a very very good job on it! But i think they missed some possibilities whit the whole concept. The monitor it self has no other hardware attached to it, everything to run the monitor is in the little box below it. If they had the possibility to upgrade the hardware in that box, or detach the box from the monitor and buy a newer model after some years that would add so much value to it.

The problem whit this product is, that people that are no artist or content creators. They don't see the value of the panel alone. Mostly you will see people that are gamers, will be hating on this product. Because they only focus on CPU_GPU_RAM_SSD and some MONITOR performance in Hz. They have no idea how expensive a very good color accurate monitor cost.

For Professional content creation use not for gaming!

 

When a company launches a product called "Studio" at a conference with a software product called "Creative Update" then has a guy stand on stage and talk about the product in relation to content creation for an hour, then rolls a sizzle reel where it shows the product in various design studio locations, then has a comic book artist come in and draw his comic on it, then rolls another sizzle reel where a bunch of artists/cad designers/designers in general all talk about how they've implementing the studio into their workflow. I think after all that, it's clearly not aimed at consumers - but content designers.

It's like complaining that an Nvidia Tesla is overpriced for gamers.

 

I wonder what the 964m is like

 

...and for the price of a Bugatti Veyron I can slap a couple of rockets on some wheels and go faster than 250MPH. There are more important thing to some people than raw performance. some folks like style and design. Now I'm with you, I'd rather spend that cash on performance but we obviously aren't the demographic this is aimed at.

 

Unless Hilberts post isn't worded correctly, it does give the impression it's for consumers too, very rich consumers mind you!!

Regardless, would still like to know if the 965M/980M can push 4500x3000 natively!

 

I would agree this is not gaming machine,this is great machine if you are in Graphic Design or in Content creation

Regarding the GPU included,GPU is good enough for most apps which you work,you will have good CUDA performance as right now "Pascal" support is still lagging and will lag until devs will get hands on new CUDA Toolkit which has been recently released

Monitor looks awesome and if you take to account how some companies will charge for such capabilities and surface dial looks like awesome bit of kit,which I'm thinking to get myself,3Dconnexion Space Navigator I've but with some SW its doesn't work as should

If you work with 3DS MAX with GTX1080 its pain in arse,with "Maxwell" based Titan X performance is pretty much awesome

But that price for i7 version is just way too much,but if something similar would develop Apple this would cost same or maybe more and people wouldn't moan at all as is Apple

Thanks,Jura

 

The GPU they have provides a custom resolution. If you actually read any of the posts in this thread you would also see that the 10xx generation of GeForces is not compatible with a lot of professional stuff yet. There is also the time it takes to incorporate another GPU (with a different socket) in a design that is probably taking at least 20 months to be finalized. But all these are of course small things for the average wise guy forum poster.

If I was making $15,000 per month, I would get one just to see my office with it, and to use that tilt for browsing and doing nothing with it (as I am useless with anything artistic). You have to realize that the base contains the parts and the power supply. The only "laptop" part is the GPU, and the main reason for it is because it's certified for use with professional software; said support will come to the 1000 series next year, yet Microsoft had to have the design finalized.

It's obvious that this GPU has been modified by Microsoft to properly support the display. You also need to realize that for 3D content used in creative applications (AAA 3D gaming excluded), most post-2011 GPUs are MORE than adequate.

Now please re-read this post:

I would like to add here that the monitors are also individually calibrated for color accuracy from the factory, and that it has a simple switch for color standards (sRGB, DC-P3 etc) which adds tremendous value by itself.

And the actual bill of materials for this one seems quite higher, percentage-wise, from any professional GPU (NVIDIA or AMD).

 

Thought i would show this announcement to my mate who does 3D work, animation, and some when he has some spare time, drawing and comics.

He wants one, like right now, he is willing to throw his tower with i7-5820K 32GB of ram and GTX 970, and his Cintiq out the window.

As far as he is concerned if this works as advertised he we be getting one as soon as he can possibly afford it.

(though... he probably wont get rid of his tower... just leave it in the other room for any rendering he doesn't want or need to farm out)

 

I'm in the same boat. This appears to be perfect for my work (ofc I'll wait for reviews from digital artists). I was saving up for a Cintiq 27QHD but this appears to be superior. At the very least I'm glad someone is going after Wacom and their monopoly in the graphics tablet market.

 

How much would a monitor comparable to this cost on it's own??
It seems to be pretty unique with it's res, aspect ratio and touch.

 

It would also be interesting to see if the monitor can be used stand alone, or the computer/psu part switched.

 

If this works as a drawing display as well as the wacom displays it's worth it. Else I ain't so sure. Cintiq Displays cost near 3000$ alone. No doubt those would be better but this might be a decent all in one solution for artists if the display is any good and if the pen is any good.

I have wanted Cintiq Display since forever. But I would rather buy a complete set if it works nearly as well.

 

Awesome Design, looks like an incredible work station. If i had the $$$ i'll consider.

 

I'm not really a designer, but Microsoft seemed to be really proud about this being a 1:1 implementation. That whatever you draw is whatever you get size-wise. The Surface plastic blob thingy also looks quite useful and much more than a simple gimmick.

 

I have a lot of doubts about this product. And if I was a designer, I would never buy Microsoft or Apple garbage. One is spyware and another lost it's sense in pricing. Microsoft proved so many times that it doesn't care about customers why would you put your hands into a fire? Read some reviews, feedback just please get educated about this kind of stuff. You'll be proud of yourself by saving yourself from many hours of frustration.
And resolution thing looks to me like upscaling, need to get more info about that. Have a nice day Guys and Gals.

 

If you were a designer you wouldn't write this post because you don't know what you're talking about. How can you be a designer and completely avoid Microsoft and Apple, please enlighten us. Just don't include the words GIMP, Freecad and Inkscape.

 

A large proportion of that cost is probably for the display.

Also, since when is buying an off the shelf computer cheaper than individual components? Gamers, especially those who build there own systems, is not the target demographic.