History according to Peter

It turns out the G75 we’ve been using here has a few tricks up it’s sleeve…

First, the LCD panel will pump out frame rates up to 110Hz (9.1ms).  You need to force the setting, but it’s rock solid.  This is of course a huge jump over the standard 60Hz (16.7ms).  If you’re a twitch or competitive FPS gamer, you know what I’m talking about (looking at you here Brian). I haven’t tried it with 3D Vision yet, but it should function normally using the standard USB transmitter at 100Hz, which some say is better than 120Hz anyway.

The CMO1720 panel hits 110Hz with some tweaking. We leave this one at 100Hz so as not to tempt fate.

Secondly, the 660M Kepler silicon overclocks like gangbusters.  The stock speed is 850MHz but we’ve bumped it as high as 1350MHz (not a typo!) with no artifacts, on top of a memory overclock to 3150MHz (stock is 2500MHz).  I suspect it will go higher still, but I’m reluctant to push it any further.

Together with the high-speed panel hack, that’s an easy $500 worth of ‘free’ upgrades, with performance handily surpassing the $2000 DS73-3D model (670M and 120Hz panel).

Note that doing either of these tweaks may void your warranty.  If you’re trepidatious that way, we recommend staying at 100Hz on the panel, and also staying within the firmware-supported overclock range on your GPU, which is still a respectable 970MHz.  This range of overclock will still give you bragging rights as it beats it’s $2000 big brother on the benchmark scale.

For the monitor tweak we used ToastyX’s Custom Resolution Utility, and for the GPU scaling we grabbed Nvidia Inspector.  As always, read up on the topic before you start overclocking, and make sure your fire insurance is paid up!

Republic of Gamers.

What an unfortunate name to shackle an entire product line with.  It’s akin to naming your child Lou Stooles or Ben Dover.

But what’s in a name, right?  Asus’ latest RoG linup – the G75 series – is a masterwork of both form and function, and a solid kick aimed squarely at the collective groins of Alienware, Origin and Eurocom.

I’m going to give you the last line of the review right up front:

“The Asus G75VW-DH71 is hands-down the fastest, most flexible and best looking 17″ laptop I’ve ever used.”

This 17″ goliath is the polar opposite of the Surface Pro we’ve been plugging away on here at liska.ca.  While the Surface pushes the limits of ‘small desktop’, the Asus laptop pushes the concept of ‘portability’.  It is an absolute BEHEMOTH – weighing in just under 9 pounds (4kg) and with a girth too big to fit in a standard laptop backpack or attache.

There is indeed some junk in my new girl’s trunk… chumps need not apply.

The noble marketeers at Asus want to tell you this is a “gaming” laptop.  Sure, the included Kepler silicon will pump out high frame rates, but who wants to waste time gaming when this lady is eager to satisfy your most intimate (computing) desires?  Let’s take a closer look at some of my new girl’s special talents:

• Intel 3630QM:  Workstation-class performance for video encoding, content creation and virtualization
• 12GB RAM:  (Easily expandable to 16GB) More than enough for myriad productivity suites and even for mocking up clusters.
• Blu-Ray Drive:  Rips Blu-Ray like a boss.  Surprisingly convenient to have a portable BD player with HDMI output.
• Full-Sized KB:  Chicklet-style a la MacBook Pro, but with more ample supporting keys and a full-sized numpad.  It’s not missing anything, and typing is a dream.
• Dual HDD’s:  Easily swappable, and upgradable, ships with a massive 1.5 TB storage.
• 4x USB 3.0 ports: For additional high-speed storage and expandability
• GeForce 660M:  Super-smooth gaming even at full resolution
• 17″ true 1080p non-glare screen:  I can’t stress what a difference the matte screen makes when working near windows or other light sources.

NOTE:  There are several versions of the G75VW, with fairly wide variance in specs (CPU, Vid Card, Display, HD’s, RAM, etc).  We’re basing this article on the G75VW-DH71 which retails at time of writing for about $1500.  More on this at the end of the article.

What all these specs add up to is a true no-compromise portable workstation.  It’s hard to think of an intense computing task that this beast would have trouble chewing through with ease … HD vid encoding?  Check.  Cluster design?  Check.  Diablo III?  Hellz yeah!

Productivity and Daily Use

As mentioned above, the keyboard and screen are superb.  A rubberized wrist-rest and slight incline to the keyboard make protracted typing sessions comfortable and fatigue-free.  A hotkey to disable the touch-pad means no frustrating cursor bounces while hammering away at the keyboard.

At 1920×1080, one might worry the text would be getting smallish for long-haul sessions, but where that is certainly true on 15″ 1080p panels, this screen is just big enough for squint-free operation at native size.  Tiled, side-by-side windows are large and clear and easy to interact with.

Tiled windows are large and legible. Side-by-side document transcription is natural and comfortable.

Asus broke with tradition on this laptop by shipping with a non-glare, matte LCD panel.  We can’t help but take this as a nod to the productivity crowd using the machine as a day-to-day workstation – the glossy, reflective screen on most entertainment-positioned laptops becomes a heavy yoke when trying to research, write, or crunch numbers in a spreadsheet.  While we expected typically muted colors and dim display, the included panel is bright, vibrant and a pleasure to use.

Aside from the obvious portability problems, battery is a major concern for computing on the go.  You should plan to be near a power outlet for longer-term work, as you’re only going to net about 2.5 hours out of the included battery.

Overall, if you are OK with lugging around the large form factor and don’t need all-day battery, you can be confident in knowing you have a truly high-end productivity station at the ready wherever you go.

Virtualization and Multi-Boot

Many techies (and those who use a Mac) need access to more than one operating system.  The old way to do this was with a dual- or multi-boot installation so one could fire up, say, a legacy version of Windows or a Linux desktop for build/testing.  Nowadays, most people who need an extra OS find their solace within a virtual machine.

If you’re that kind of person, you should know that the 3630QM supports both VT-x and EPT virtualization in hardware, but not VT-d, so no PCI passthrough to the 3D accelerator.  That means that just about anything that does not require 3D graphics will run at native or ‘bare iron’ speeds inside a VM.  Our benchmarking here showed less than a 2% difference in performance between virtual machines and native intalls.  That’s some extraordinary VM power.

Virtual Machines run at native “bare iron” speed (3D aside) on the 3630QM.

Still, if you need a native environment for legacy or cross-platform 3D content creation (read: gaming), the G75 will multi-boot easily, though it requires a bit of foreplay to set up the hard drives.

In fact, the G75 this article was penned on actually has four native-boot operating systems:  Windows 7, Windows 8, OSX 10.8.2 and Ubuntu (thanks to the dual HD’s).   Each OS shares a writeable 600GB partition on drive 2 for virtual machine images, large files and of course a shared Steam install repo.

That’s maybe not as flexible as a full tower case with a half-dozen bays, but wow, what a serious leap forward in truly mobile power computing.

Just FYI in case you plan to do the same:  Ubuntu 12.10 picks up almost all the hardware seamlessly (you’ll need to install Nvidia drivers only) and OSX is a complete pain, but possible.  The laptop ships with a full suite of drivers for Win 7 and Win 8, and VMWare 9.0.1 picks up the USB 3 ports without issue.

Maintenance and Upgradeability

Hard drives, RAM and fans are easily accessible for the enthusiast or the curious.

Asus knows that a good chunk of their target market for the RoG line is gear-heads and enthusiasts.  A single screw on the underside unlocks a huge panel which gives access to both hard drives and 2 of the 4 RAM slots, as well as one of the fans for cleaning (another screw gives access to the other fan).  The computer actually ships with a spare pair of easily-swappable metal intake filters, so you’ve got ‘one for wash, one for wear’ as it were – it even ships with a software utility that reminds you when it’s time to swap filters.

Many of the components are accessible and upgradeable without too much trouble, including the screen, provided you don’t mind following a tear-down video or two.  Even the video card is on a standard MXM slot, so it’s open for upgrading down the road if you REALLY need that next-gen GPU.

Aesthetics and Build Quality

With a near endless mosaic of laptop designs available to consumers, aesthetics have become an important selling point.  Function is pretty much a given on most models… so form is allowed to have a moment in the sun.

Good looks are also very subjective, though I would personally say this is the best looking large-format laptop I’ve used.  The matte, midnight finish, tapered lines and angled corners give it a ‘stealth’ look, which is perfectly complimented by the dark brushed-aluminum accents.  This laptop definitely turns heads.

Now about build quality… You know what? Asus surprises me sometimes.  They seem to have a bad case of the Dell:  quality is all over the map, but usually residing somewhere in the the ‘cheap and plasticy’ realm.  But once in a while they unleash a truly solid, elegant device unto the masses, and this is one of those rare moments of brilliance.

The feel of quality is not something you can easily convey on paper – you really need to get your hands on this device to experience the hinges, the fingerprint-resistant rubberized shell, solid, brushed-aluminum keyboard tray…  Luckily, some models of G75 are regular stock at Staples and BestBuy, so you should be able to pop into your local retailer for some hands-on.  Try it next to a MacBook Pro.  Try it next to a Sony.  Put it next to any laptop you can find, and you’ll likely come to the conclusion that Asus has delivered a top-tier build with this device.

If you were expecting the junky feel of one of Alienware or MSI’s workhorses, you will be very pleasantly surprised.

Accessories and Software

Though not explicitly listed as included accessories on the various retailers sites, the G75 we ordered (and apparently all G75’s) shipped with a gaming mouse and an appropriately-sized Targus backback.

We were all pleasantly surprise at the included RoG gaming mouse.  It samples at up to 5000 DPI and 1000Hz (1ms) polling rate.  If you’re doing really intricate work like pixel-by-pixel editing in Photoshop or maybe some desktop publishing, you’ll really appreciate the precision of this mouse.  Quality is getting close to par with some of the higher-end Razer pointers, which is high praise in my books.  It was certainly not the $5 swag mouse we expected.

The included bag is pretty reasonable.  Perhaps its best feature is size – externally, it’s about as small as possible given the size of its contents, while still managing to offer a few extra pockets for papers, a notebook, pens, tools, etc.  It’s probably a $40 accessory – rough and ready and functional.

Unfortunately, Asus preloads the computer with an absolute metric ass-tonne of useless bloatware.  OK, so it’s not in the same realm as HP, but wow.  What a surprise given the otherwise excellent design and build.  I don’t think any of the software is actually ‘value add’ – games are addware, and 3rd-party software is trail-only nagware.

It’s easy enough to remove the junk though.  Here’s what you’re going to want to leave on the machine (or put back on if you’re doing a fresh install):

• Live Frame (it includes the webcam driver)
• ROG Mouse software – use the one on the Win 8 software CD even if you’re running Win 7
• USB Chager Plus
• Asus/Cyberlink DVD if you plan to play BluRay video directly
• Hotkey Manager
• VIA HD Audio Deck (required to enable the subwoofer)

When all is said and done, a full clean Windows 7 Pro install including MSSE and all drivers boots to about 60 total processes running.  That’s not terrible, and the extra utility of things like hotkeys and OSD are worth the extra TSR’s.

Other Variants

The 17″ G75 line comes in a pretty wide array of configurations.  Be sure to check the detailed spec sheets very carefully before you buy, as not all models sport the features we’ve listed here.  Here are some variations to keep an eye out for:

• 1600×900 screen (this screen is terrible by the way)
• 120Hz 3D-ready screen (extraordinary screen, but $$$)
• 8GB vs 12GB vs 16GB RAM (all expandable to 16GB easily)
• Single vs Dual HDD’s.  We believe all models will hold 2 though
• Blu-Ray:  Some are DVD-only, others BD-ROM, and some BD-RW
• Video Card:  Many variants
• CPU:  Many variants

Since RAM and HDD are so easily accessible, it’s a good deal to skimp on those and upgrade with OEM parts from your local supplier.  Do not skimp on the 1600×900 screen unless you will be using an external monitor almost exclusively.  Only buy models with the 1080p screen, and get the 120HZ model if you can afford it.

Final Word

There’s really not much wiggle room here:  do we recommend this laptop?  An unequivocal “Yes”.  It’s simply the most solid, capable and just plain enjoyable 17″ laptop we’ve laid hands to.  Even given the outrageous size, we think this is a good buy for people looking in the 14″ and 15″ market: the extra screen real estate and flawless, sprawling keyboard more than ‘outweigh’ (heh) the benefits of some added portability.   Compared to a similarly-spec’d Alienware/MSI/Eurocom rig, you’ll still save a few hundred dollars, and you’ll look dead sexy doing it.

Need more info?  Drop a note in the comments and we’ll clarify where we can.

Oh, and like we promised:  “The Asus G75VW-DH71 is hands-down the fastest, most flexible and best looking 17″ laptop I’ve ever used.”

Microsoft’s new Surface tablet with Windows 8 Pro delivers phenomenal cosmic powers…  in an itty bitty living space.

It’s speed and responsiveness are even surprising  as one taps and clicks away expecting the same experience as other ultra-portable devices.  But like any physical device, portability comes at the expense of screen and keyboard real estate.  Computing power likewise is inversely proportional to battery life.  This device is a best-in-class ultraportable, but is it the best device for you?

And that, dear reader, is the question I hope to help you answer with clarity and certainty.

The journey to this answer begins with honesty and introspection.  It’s easy to be wooed by marketing and succumb to the compulsion to buy…  Understanding your own real-world usage patterns is key to making the right buying decision.  Let’s start with some important considerations – bear in mind that some are specific to the Surface Pro, and some are common across the whole ultraportable range:

Computing Power

Only the most demanding applications will require more juice than the Surface can deliver.  Photoshop, Illustrator and other design and productivity run as smoothly as you would expect on a regular desktop.  If you are re-encoding HD video, you’re going to want a different class of machine, though the Pro tablet still managed to surprise me even with x.264 encodes in Handbrake.

3D Graphics/Gaming

Don’t expect to play anything modern or demanding with Intel’s HD4000 graphics.  The Surface will disappoint if you expect a mobile gaming rig.  You’ll definitely need to look into a different class of machine for your LAN party excursions, usually starting in the $1500 range (see our upcoming review on such a machine next week).

Portability

Best in class, hands down.  If you need your full computing environment with you everywhere you go, this will be the easiest computer to tuck under your arm, or into your purse or attache.

Meetings and Presentations

Again, this is a top-flight product as the Display Port can output (via passive adapter) to nearly any type of projector.  The ability to draw on slides in real-time should not be underestimated, and for impromptu presentations the small but extremely sharp screen’s viewing angles will not leave your audience squinting.

Students/Note-Taking

Coupled with the quiet Type cover, the Surface’s small footprint allows intense note taking in varied settings.  Also, the ability mentioned above to hand-annotate slides and PDF’s is a game changer.  The only caution for students would be the battery life, which can range from 4 to 9 hours depending on usage and power settings.

Data Entry/Transcription

One major drawback with the ultraportable form factor is the screen size.  If you deal with multiple text documents and spreadsheets simultaneously, you will want more screen real estate in the shape of an external monitor.  Programs like VirtuaWin can mitigate this limitation quite dramatically, but if you’re frequently generating reports from multiple document sources, there’s nothing that beats a very large, high-res monitor.

“Entertainment” Tablet

As a tablet, the Surface Pro is capable, but very heavy and unwieldy.  For bedtime reading and surfing, you will be better served with a light/thin tablet (iPad, Nexus) or e-reader.  The only place the Pro may be at the head of the pack is for stationary use such as on a treadmill, where the swipe features for web and book navigation really shine.  Additionally, the built-in kick stand makes for great impromptu YouTube viewing.  Otherwise, this device’s heft takes it out of contention as a comfortable, lean-back entertainment device.

Large File Management

Our tablet-come-notebook lacks the large storage capacity of a traditional hard drive, bearing only about 90GB of usable storage out of the box.  That limitation is offset by the Micro-SD slot (up to 64GB) and the USB 3.0 port, which gives the option of attaching a high-speed 2TB drive.  Not the best solution, but the tradeoff is portability – you’d be carrying that weight anyway with a traditional laptop, no matter how you slice it.

Handy Summary for the Lazy

Bottom Line

The bottom line is that if you spend all day in front of a computer screen, you’re going to want to pair the Pro with an external monitor, and possibly a keyboard with numpad.  Of course this is true of any computer with an 11″ or smaller screen, but the difference here is that the Surface delivers the power to be your primary machine pretty much anywhere with very little compromise.  If you are an on-again-off-again computer user, especially someone who is out and about, this new rig could be the magic bullet you’ve been waiting for.

CRTC Chair J.P. Blais calculates a reasonable-sounding response to consumers that will not jeopardize his future Board position at Bell.

We’re into the second day of public hearings on a proposed wireless code to regulate Canada’s extremely profitable cell phone industry, and put some control back into the hands of the consumer.

CRTC Chair Jean-Pierre Blais (pictured left) really wants to hear what you have to say about the new code, though his response to concerns so far sounds more like a marketing spin penned inside Rogers cell division.

Despite a public uproar against 3-year contracts, the CRTC has seen fit to leave that hot potato in the oven, rather than address it in the (draft) code.  Public reaction of course is borderline incredulity.

Blais was also quick to sweep under the rug a proposal to give consumers a 15-day window to terminate their contract should they find that signal and service are not on par with what the telcos advertise.

The people still have one champion inside the CRTC, and he may end up having more clout to enforce rules than industry-puppet Blais is comfortable with.  The Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services, Howard Maker may become man who can drop the hammer when wireless telcos decide you owe them more than you expected.  Ol’ Howard has felt your pain:

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve torn my hair out – sometimes waiting on hold; sometimes being told different things by the same company depending on what rep I speak to,” – Complaints Commissioner Howard Maker

We’ve all been there, and it sure is good to have a guy on the inside who actually sits in the same queues and red-tape sloughs as you and me, rather than paying his lackey to deal with it.

Howard Maker: our last, best hope for responsible telecom providers.

The smaller industry players such as Mobility, Wind and Public Mobile stand behind the push to grant Howard’s agency, the CCTS, more powers to enforce the rules, and to put a collar on the big dogs when they step out of line:

Wind Mobile, meanwhile, also wants CCTS to publicly name offending carriers, and says too many consumers simply capitulate and eat disputed charges “in order to move on and avoid a protracted battle which could impact their credit rating.” – Globe and Mail coverage

It is said that justice is poor-mans food, seldom served to the rich or powerful.  Though Blais’ puppet show wraps up it’s week-long engagement Friday, it will be months before consumers have any idea of the outcome – months for industry money to massage and re-arrange the code before it’s put into place.  Don’t expect a miracle, but at least there is one guy on the inside who wants the public to still have *some* say in how the use of those publicly-owned frequencies are used.

This Saturday, Feb 9, Microsoft will unleash it’s hotly anticipated Surface Pro tablet.  While this will not be a make-or-break product for MS like the new BB is for RIM, it’s success or failure will have serious repercussions for the company – and for the future of the entire PC industry.

The Surface Pro is priced, spec’d and positioned to compete head-to-head with industry darling Apple’s MacBook Air – an extremely light-weight and portable but fully capable notebook.  Though sometimes dismissed as a ‘netbook’ by naysayers, the MBA (MacBook Air) delivers enough power and connectivity to easily replace a standard desktop, and then some.

Ultrabooks from manufacturers like Asus, Fujistu and Lenovo have matched spec and size with MacBook Air for a few product cycles now, but none of them have had that ‘je ne sais quoi’ – that design flair and touch of elegance that has left the MBA perched alone and aloof on top of the pile.

But a worthy challenger approaches, finally, and he’s just as lean, mean, and backed with green as the current champ.  No computer in this market space has been this revolutionary – or this anticipated – since… well, maybe since forever.

So what can we expect from this clash of the microtitans?  This “Rumble in the (urban) Jungle”?  Lets be clear on something right now – the Surface Pro may have a detachable keyboard, but this is not a ‘tablet’ like the iPad or Nexus 7.  This is a full, ultraportable desktop replacement with a beefy CPU, full x86/64 Windows 8 and expansion capabilities just like your desktop/laptop.  This is not an “iPad killer”.  The iPad isn’t just in a different weight class, it’s not even competing at the same sport.

The official weigh-in chart below lays out the raw specs of the two contenders.  For the sake of comparison, to keep things fair, when we compare the MBA to the Surface Pro, we’re going to be looking at equivalent models – namely, same screen size (11″) and storage space (128GB).  For price, weight and dimensions, we’ll be talking about the Surface with a keyboard attached, as that’s how you’ll be using it day-to-day.

Both units sport, at their core, the 3rd-gen i5 3317U CPU at 1.7MHz.  They both also feature 4GB DDR3 RAM and a 128GB SSD drive.  So from a performance standpoint, all things being equal, you’re going to land roughly the same benchmark scores and 3D performance on both devices.  The odds are pretty even going in.

Note that the 3317U supports low-level virtualization with Intel’s VT-x, EPT and even VT-d.  This architecture is a dream come true for tech professionals and testers that rely on virtual environments – a feature that has always been a lynchpin and expensive option in mobile computing.

Our combatants look quite similar on paper, and in many regards they are.  This fight will be decided by those major differentiators that lie outside the core hardware.

Round 1: Operating System

Well, one can’t really say anything about operating systems without starting a holy war, but this comparison is for you, dear reader, and I will bear the insults and jeers so you may make an informed decision.

Most people who own computers (including businesses) will have spent some amount of money on software for those computers.  If you’re one of the 92% of the world running Windows as your desktop, then you can expect good backwards compatibility with Windows 8.  Mac has excellent virtualization and dual-boot options, so you’re not out in the cold, either should you want to switch platforms – assuming you’re OK with either re-purchasing software or spending a lot of time in a VM environment.

But VM’s and dual-boot aren’t perfect…

Here’s a real-world example:  I had a customer last week who purchased a shiny new MacBook.  When she got home she realized it would not (natively) run her already purchased copies of MS Office, QuickBooks, Simply Accounting, Photoshop and Illustrator.  Her options were to either re-purchase Mac-native versions of each of these (and a few others – totaling just under $3000 CDN) or to run them in a VM or dual-boot environment.  The software cost was as show-stopper, and when she realized she would be spending 90% of her time in a Windows environment anyway, she returned the Mac and picked up a Sony laptop running Windows which allowed her to install everything without (much) trouble.  Buyer be warned:  if you decide to make a platform shift, and the sales people have convinced you how easy it is to migrate because of VM and dual boot, run the numbers first and sleep on that decision before you commit.

If you’re already a Mac owner, and have your day-to-day software on Mac, then switching to Windows will be even harder, as Apple will not allow you to run OSX in a VM under Windows.  You certainly *can* do it – it’s technically very easy to setup, but it’s against the Terms of Service and will make Tim Cook’s puppies cry.  Again, you’ll be facing the same platform-hopping headaches and costs, so unless you *really* want or need to switch to Windows, it’s better to stay where you are.

In short, the Surface is going to natively run what most of the world already runs at home/office, while the MBA offers better virtualization and multi-boot options (thanks to Microsoft, ironically).

Scorecard:  Draw

Round 2:  Display Resolution/Density

The MacBook’s 1366×768 screen is really, really nice, beating most others in the same class.  But 1920×1080 (standard 1080p) at 208PPI (pixels per inch) is going to make your eyes pop.  It’s still short of Mac’s Retina display on some other models, but oranges to oranges here, the Surface Pro definitely has the upper hand.  Couple this screen with a nice media player and server (see the guide on our site!) and you’ve got a stellar portable movie player for sojourns on the treadmill at home.

Be warned that controlling more pixels takes more CPU/GPU cycles and is also more of a battery drain.  The MBA and Surface pro have the same pixel pushing guts, so if you’re gaming at native resolution, the MBA will give you better frame rates at the cost of some display quality.

Scorecard:  Surface Pro

Round 3: Detachable Keyboard vs Fixed

Both contenders have strengths and weaknesses in this area.  On a regular tabletop, The Surface is stable and functions like any notebook.  But on your lap, even with the more rigid Type cover, it’s shaky and difficult.  This could be a problem for people who want to type things out while, say, commuting (if there is no tray at their seat).

The MacBook Air is of course as easy to use on your lap as any traditional notebook, but you can’t remove the keyboard for comfortable reading or surfing, or as mentioned watching a show while on the elliptical machine at the gym (Cook will tell you to buy an iPad for that).

The lap usage could be a deal breaker for a some,  but let’s be realistic here: the Surface can act as a tablet or notebook equally well, while the MBA can not shed it’s buttons at a whim.  Points to MS for giving us the option.

Scorecard:  Surface Pro

Round 4: Usable Storage

Microsoft is facing a lot of bad press over the amount of usable space on their new lineup – and with good reason.  The “128GB model” loses almost 35% of its native storage to the OS and pre-installed apps – including a recovery partition.  Though Apple is not faultless here for the same transgression, it offers a full 10% more available storage space out of the box on it’s 128GB model (92GB usable).  That’s significant.

Scorecard:  MacBook Air

Round 5: Battery

On paper, the Surface Pro seems to have an advantage here weighing in at 42Wh vs MBA’s 35Wh.   However it’s higher resolution screen will be a significant source of increased battery drain.  We know better than to simply accept manufacturer’s numbers for battery life, so we’re calling this a draw until we can spend enough time with the Surface Pro to fully exhaust the battery in real-world conditions.

Scorecard:  Draw

Round 6:  Price

Again, when you look at the fancy flyers, Surface Pro seems to have an advantage here ($899 starting price). But those sneaky marketers at Microsoft forget to tell you their base price doesn’t include a keyboard.  It would seem they’re happy to call this device a tablet when it’s convenient to do so.

We promised you a fair comparison, so we’re holding the 128GB MacBook Air, up against it’s counterpart the 128GB Surface Pro plus a detachable keyboard (at >$100).

When you do the math mangoes to mangoes, Surface’s price point actually works out to 2% higher than the MBA.  That’s not enough to decide the round one way or the other, but shines a light on what Microsoft wants you to think is a win for them.

Nice try, MS, but we’re not falling for that move.

Scorecard:  Draw

Round 7: Expansion

Both devices offer the capability of easy mass expansion through USB 3.0.  You can plug in your 64GB thumb drive or even attach a 2TB external hard drive.  Of course, these are not considered ‘internal’ storage as you’ll have something hanging out of your computer while that memory is accessible.

The Surface bumps up the bar here significantly, and offers a MicroSD slot (like you find on tablets and smartphones) which allows you to add up to another 128GB of usable internal+removable storage.  This is a huge benefit, and the inclusion of this slot is often a make-or-break feature for cellphone and tablet purchases.  Gamers will love that they can install to an SD card without using up precious SSD space (though load times could be painful if you cheap-out on a slow chip).

Scorecard:  Surface Pro with a knockdown

Round 8: TouchScreen and Stylus

This round is a no-contest – MacBook offers no touch interface so Surface takes this scorecard on a technicality.

It remains to be seen, however, just how much the touch interface and especially the stylus will change how you interact with your computer.  If you ask them about the iPad, Apple will tell you touch is the most important thing in the world.  When you talk about OSX devices, their story predictably changes to “pff – completely unimportant”.  With Microsoft marrying the world of tablet and desktop into one device, it’s still very much up in the air what kind of paradigm shift we’ll see (if any) as touch capability proliferates across all computing devices.

After working in/on the Surface RT for several weeks, and almost always with a mouse attached, I have to say that I do see “touch” changing everything in how we interact with our PCs.  Even with a trackpad and mouse at the ready, some interactions I naturally just reach for the screen – sometimes it’s simply more intuitive and feels more natural.

Scorecard: Surface Pro

Round 9:  External Bus

The MacBook Air graces us with a multi-function Thunderbolt interface, which of course can work like a Display Port output to drive a projector or monitor, but also works as a high-speed bridge to the PCI-E bus.

Surface sports a Display Port connector only, with no external bus capabilities.  Whether this was simply a cost-cutting move or a technical decision, it still closes the door to a whole realm of expandability.  Given the forward-thinking approach MS took with the Surface, this is a surprising and disappointing oversight.

There aren’t that many Thunderbolt devices out there (yet), but it’s potential is huge.  In light of the current dearth of Thunderbolt devices, we can’t score a knockdown for the MBA – it’s just not a feature that will affect most users in the short term.  Still, kudos to Apple for planning ahead and including it for those who may need the connectivity.  This is a strong win.

Scorecard:  MacBook Air.

The Decision

Lets face it – the MacBook Air is a beautiful sub-notebook.  It’s powerful, elegant and as capable for business as any desktop.

But it’s nothing new.

It’s moves are practiced and fluid, but predictable.  It doesn’t deliver anything all the other contenders in its class now deliver (except maybe Thunderbolt) – it’s simply the best at what it does.

But Surface Pro is shaking up the game:  it’s added new moves like touch and a stylus, and it’s changing the landscape with a detachable keyboard, kickstand and ‘tablet mode’.

And for the first time, it does everything else just as well as MacBook Air.  Our champ the MBA is blindsided by a flurry of new features and out-of-the-box thinking.  Didn’t this used to be Apple’s hallmark style – unexpected?  Game changing?

Microsoft, long known for copycat tactics and iterative, yawn-worthy releases, has completely burst out of the corner with the Surface Pro, dominating Apple – maybe for the first time – with true innovation, build quality and flexibility.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new champ.

Check back on release day for a full, in-depth review of the Surface Pro.  Find out why we’re calling this device a game changer, and the milestone for a fundamental change in personal computing.