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MicroStation on Surface Pro 3

I am considering moving to a Surface Pro 3 for working computer. Does anyone have experience using MicroStation on a Surface Pro 3? I would also like to know which model you have used.

Thank you,

Paul 

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  • Hi,

    I have no hands-on experience, but based on reviews and what a couple of friends told me (but they use Surface Pro not for CAD work):

    I guess the issue can be graphic card. There is only integrated Intel HD available, depending on processor type it can be HD 4200 / 4400 / 5000. All they support DirectX 11 I guess, so it would be fine, but it's not dedicated card with optimized HW architecture and own memory, so especially in 3D the performance will be not extra high. Despite of Intel has enhanced HD graphics a lot in last few years, they are more optimized to general business and multimedia usage and are roughly equal to basic destop gaming cards.

    There are some others limitations also: Display size, how external monitor(s) can be attached (there is Mini DisplayPort, not HDMI), memory (I guess 8 GB is max and you have to dedicate some from it to graphic card), limited HD capacity etc. Of course what Reginald wrote about Windows version support is also valid.

    You did not write for what type of job you want to use MicroStation on Surface Pro 3. If it's about 2D drafting with some references and rasters attached, it would be fine. Especially if you travel a lot and you need to work with drawings on site, portability is more important than limited performance. But if you work with large datasets (e.g. plenty of aerial pictures), in 3D or you even make some visualizations, Surface Pro 3 is not good enough tool in my opinion.

    With regards,

    Jan
  • Jan gave an excellent summary. I see it the same. Note: We have one, and face trouble to update Grafics Driver for the Intel HD. It requires a firmware update, which conflics with the Company image build for this device. (Maybe someone has gone through this?)

    Additional facts: Touchscreen Gestures and Bentley Tools - how does that match? But ok, you can use Keyboard and mouse.

    No GPS included. So it is not location aware.

    No LTE/UMTS Access built in. Wifi the only option (or plugging in a LTE Stick).

    So this is more of an Ultrabook than touch tablet, and things like "anywhere use" or "Augmented reality" is hard. Tablet features are mor for surfing on the couch.

    But it is the most portable and flexible "Notebook" to own. And it really can run the variety of applications.
Reply
  • Jan gave an excellent summary. I see it the same. Note: We have one, and face trouble to update Grafics Driver for the Intel HD. It requires a firmware update, which conflics with the Company image build for this device. (Maybe someone has gone through this?)

    Additional facts: Touchscreen Gestures and Bentley Tools - how does that match? But ok, you can use Keyboard and mouse.

    No GPS included. So it is not location aware.

    No LTE/UMTS Access built in. Wifi the only option (or plugging in a LTE Stick).

    So this is more of an Ultrabook than touch tablet, and things like "anywhere use" or "Augmented reality" is hard. Tablet features are mor for surfing on the couch.

    But it is the most portable and flexible "Notebook" to own. And it really can run the variety of applications.
Children
  • Hello
    Must admit I was tempted by the Surface Pro 3. Overall it looks a very impressive piece of kit, ....... for general office use.
    But I do a lot of 3D and after much reading up/checking reviews, concluded that you still need a dedicated graphics card for that.
    For mobility then, you could go for the touch screen laptops if you really want the touch screen features. Some of these will have fairly top end graphics cards (with top end prices usually)
    If you want the tablet 'experience', from what I can see (after much reading up), there seemed to only be about 3 options. HP do one (the 360 something, but watch out, some of them only have integrated graphics), I think an ASUS one, and there are 2 or 3 versions of the Lenovo Yoga series that have dedicated graphics (mainly the Nvidia 820/840 and 920/930/940). Though these are all actual laptops (2-1 one devices) and are typically in the 2kg range as opposed to around 1kg for the Surface/tablet offerings. 2kg isn't really suitable for using it held in 1 hand
    I'm leaning towards the Lonovos at this point, but will leave it for another few weeks. Read someting about the intel 6 series CPUs now coming out. If you can wait, maybe in the next few months the price of the previous gen intel based touchscreen models will come down. Or, as the new range of portables with the new gen 6 come on line, some of them might have suitably powerfull dedicated graphics

    Regards

    Danny Cooley

    Freelance AEC CAD/BIM Technician Architecture, MEP & Structural  ..... (& ex Low Carbon Consultant, ..... because they weren't that bothered!)

    OBD Update 10, Windows 10 Pro, HP Z4-G4, 64Gb, Xeon 3.6GHz, Quadro M4000