The driver updates Microsoft released yesterday, July 14, 2016, have corrected the stroke tapering and smoothing issues Brad identified in this video. Check out SurfaceProArtist.com for more info.
That taper effect is also known as the shoestring or shoelace effect, it's a problem I've had with intuos drawing tablets in the past, messing around with pen settings should be able to fix it. Try reducing the sensitivity on the lighter end of the pressure spectrum, so you have to press slightly harder to get it to register your ink.
I just purchased a used Surface Pro 4, and im so excited for it to ship. Im upgrading from a 2006 Fujitsu Lifebook T5010, which is. VERY old. I went out of my way to get a surface pro 4 with the i7 processor and 8 GB of ram so im hoping it runs everything SUPER smooth
when i get my sfp3, i thinked about cintiq. Then, my friend told me they just use cintiq watch videos LOL. But thank you, you are such a good video maker in the same time you are a good at knowing all the softwares. Thank you so much!
Worst purchase of my life so expensive when I look at it and especially if I compare it s lifetime with the hp spectre who was réalise in the same time the only good part is for drawing and even that it s not the best for it definitly a scam
You have earned my subscription. Loved the review, really opened my eyes! Been needing to find a way to use a little machine to use for drawing so I don't have to keep setting up my Wacom Cintiq. Got all my answers in this video that I was worried about!
Your needs for the Type Cover seems to all be covered by this app on the Windows Store called Tablet PC Mouse (the v2 of it, currently in beta though). It's a key missing part of Windows touchscreen experience and offers pro artists like you the option to create custom onscreen controls to your liking...you really should give it a try.
I'm a 13 year old artist and i'm planning to start saving up for the Surface Pro 4. I'm guessing it's going to take a few years, but my question is, is it worth it? (I guess it depends on how well I draw right now, but I think putting a link to my artwork would be spam or unwanted advertising) Thanks :)
I'm sensing a pattern here with your Surface reviews. by the time the Surface pro 7 rolls around you'll be rocking a full on Gandalf beard. thanks for the review
I really appreciate your review and demonstration of the surface pro 4 and iPad pro as for me those two devices are most appealing to me for art work creation
Dude, look for the softwar in windows store called tablet pc mouse manager, is awesome to create custom buttons that works with touch, excelent to use for photoshop, or painter, no need to carry the keyboard. search for it, cost only 10 dollars, and i must say its brilliant. Nice video.
ReadyBoost can speed up your computer by using storage space on most USB flash drives and flash memory cards. When you plug a ReadyBoost -compatible storage device into your computer, the AutoPlay dialog box offers you the option to speed up your computer using ReadyBoost . If you select this option, you can choose how much memory on the device to use for this purpose.
I’m still using this Surface Pro 4 for my cartooning. The only thing I can complain about is the battery. It doesn’t last but only 3 hours at most. The other thing that doesn’t work anymore is the keyboard. Other than that, this machine still does all of my artwork. I bought it used back in 2018 and 5 years later it’s still running great.
Sorry, but I think it would also work fine with just a small bluetooth keyboard, you don't really have to buy the expensive keyboard that belongs with it. Oh and with the photoshop lag, did you have the laptop plugged in to the charger? because I notice lag almost always when I don't have my charger plugged in, because the laptop goes into saving energy mode. anyways, I am not really interested in the 4gb one, I can afford the 8gb one, so that would be my pick.
+YOLO KunaiLOL you can easily buy or make a little case for the surface, so it is protected against scratches or damage. I'm just trying to save money :)
You can also change the power plan when unplugged. It's always limited to about 50% of CPU power when unplugged. My old Core M version (Asus Zenbook) struggles to play a 1080p video with 60fps and it's very laggy but after changing the power plan it's no longer laggy.
Really good and honest review, no fanboy BS, like always. :) I was very pleased when you covered the software-side slowdown and calibration problems. A lot of reviewers don't seem to understand, that the "brush stroke slowdown" or "lag" is usually 99% because of the software (not hardware, not OS, but the application) you're drawing in. Especially Photoshop has ALWAYS been notorious for that (I can easily make my i7, 16gb ram, SSD rig to "cough" with PS + Cintiq, so...). This is the reason I'd always recommend people who use PS a lot, to go for the biggest amount of CPU+GPU+RAM possible, even though you can probably make it crawl nevertheless. :) And it's also the reason I don't draw that much anymore in PS, well, that and the price. Manga Studio/Clipstudio for example costs a fraction of what PS costs and IMO has easily a better brush engine, at least for my needs. Also Krita, it's FREE. Also: I recommend trying Mischief for drawing. It runs so damn smooth on my SP4, the exact same model. And it has really changed the way I sketch nowadays digitally, it really has. Try it, might do some mindblowing. :)
What a great review Brad ! Thank you very much for your job on this video ! I will buy an SP4/i7/16Gb/256Gb when it release in my country. Good continuation ! PS : Your drawings are beautiful !
YESSS Thank you so much for this! I'm about to buy the surface pro 4 i5/8gb version and i was nervous about how it would run illustrator or photoshop - Now i'm totally sold!
Awesome review! Subscribed!! Could you try out two monitors with the surface and photoshop at the time please? I am about to buy surface 4 pro. I am a web designer... Thank you a lot and I am looking for the next reviews!
This is a great and informative review, thanks so much. I have a surface pro 2 with a broken touchscreen and I'm thinking about picking up a 4. My main concern is have they fixed the cursor going super wonky at edges and corners?
I really enjoyed this review! I love your humor! I wish I could buy this product but because I'm just a hobby artist, already have a really good working laptop and really DON'T have the money for it right now. I will just wait and maybe replace my old laptop with this in the future (or a surface pro 5 one if they have come out with it). Very nice and to the point review! Also I like your art style, keep up the great work!
thanks for your review since I need another tablet that is more portable than my cintiq and I just don't think the wacom mobile studio is worth it for the price anyway. If I purchase the Surface Pro 4 that have 256 gb Intel i5 8gb ram would that be enough to run my three drawing programs like : Paint Tool Sai, Medibang, and Clip Studio Paint? I only plan to use this for drawing purposes since I already have a laptop
+Edgar Patlan from the looks of it, he converted the lines into shapes then used the first icon (of the 6 available) in the pathfinder tool section to break the shapes into sections and then used either the eraser part of the windows pen to tip those shapes and ultimately erase them or he used the black arrow (V) and clicked on the sections and then deleted them. Its just a guess though
+It's Magic. I Ain't Gotta Explain Shit. Rewatched it: Must have used the (V) tool and bound a button on the windows pen to delete (del).But I don't know if the windows pen hast a bindable button to be honest :)
Best video ever! I am wondering if you could give a comparison between surface pen and apple pencil on the topic of LAGGING. I am kind of crazy to find a pen with no lagging or the least lagging. Thanks.
+Brad Colbow. I'm using a 16GB/i7 SP4. The tapering does not happen when I use Sketchbook Pro with my custom brushes. Perhaps your nib has a tiny factory fault?
No the tapering only happens in Photoshop and the pen options where you can draw in that little thingy. I haven't had this issue in any other drawing program so far
Tom Bombadil yes, it can of course run Photoshop but it's absolutely not worth it considering the latency, it looks to be 0.5 s, which is really really high for any product, and probably borderline of usability.
LEEMUR yea it's because of the load, and he had a blank canvas too. Imagine what the performance will be like if you've got a 8mp image open or have lots of layers. It's weird since there's a decent hardware spec on it. But I guess if you're buying it just for basic note taking or presentations, it could be useful, although to me it makes no sense to advertise a high pressure, axis tilt detection pen and specialized screen if it can't be used with PS.
Since the Surface 4 was announced I've been wondering how the M3 model would perform for drawing with Photoshop and similar apps so this review was immensely useful. Thanks! I think I'll go for the i5, but it's really good to know that if my budget won't allow it I'll still get a ton of productive use from the base model. Great review.
Brad, what are the settings (canvas size, dpi of the current document and other open tabs) you're using in Photoshop at 6:53? I haven't yet encountered such serious lag nor seen those brush stroke aberrations. I'm going to try to reproduce them here. Did you have anything else open in the background? How are your pen pressure settings (firm, default or something else)? Do you have Wintab installed? Have you installed all the Windows updates? I'd like to get as close to your configuration as possible.
+Rick Rodriguez I do have a sizable file open in a tab there that is probably responsible for the slowdown. Here is some more granular info for you - I'm not positive on the file resolution, probably 2,736 x 1,824 because I was doing a lot of screen captures over the weekend. - The brushes I was using are from this site: gumroad.com/l/DqhZ - Specifically his Inkbox brushes in that set. - I did install the Wintab drivers on Sunday, may have been after I took this video, but it didn't help the tapering (I just installed the drivers, is Wintab an actual app?) I think that about covers it.
+Brad Colbow Ok, I'm going to try to reproduce tonight. Wintab is just the driver. Remind me, does PS have a switch to select between Wintab and RealTimeStylus (what CSP calls TabletPC)?
I was running CC on it and it worked better than I expected. The catch is that the lowest end version starts to slow down if you have Illustrator or Photoshop open at the same time. Or if you work with really large files you will notice too. If you do work with larger files or like to run a lot of programs at once it's worth springing for one with more ram and a better processor.
Love love love these videos! I'll be basing my purchase of the iPad pro based on your review. I'm looking for a drawing pad that can replace my old toshiba tecra and save my leg hair from third degree burns.
I have the i7 model with 512 gb ssd and run photoshop, adobe flash (animate), and a web browser and it does not slow down BUT one problem is it becomes hot when you have it plugged in. Something interesting I used by accident is using three fingers on the screen use one finger move side to side and it activates the undo in photoshop but is a bit inaccurate after 50 mistakes. also no tapper effects.
My only problem with drawing on the SP4 is that the stylus touches the screen differently than a normal pen/mechanical pencil (the angular side of the nib touches the screen, and not the tip) since I'm used to drawing right handed and holding the drawing instrument at a cursive angle. Needing to draw accurate curves with this design oversight becomes a trouble for traditional artists like me who are transitioning into digital.
Great review! But I disagree on needing the type cover. Yes, if you need to work on your lap or deploy and close your Surface often, that seems like a good fit. For doing illustration I find that using a bluetooth keyboard is much better for the work flow. The best thing about this setup, is your keyboard does not have to be right in front of the screen where your hand will be when you're drawing. You can easily place it on the side of the Surface for all the "ctl z" and short cut keys you need. Bonus, you don't have to keep buying type covers when you upgrade your Surfaces.
+dzus Sounds like my setup albeit not on a Surface at this moment in time. I like the added flexibility with a Bluetooth keyboard, to put my tablet in portrait mode for certain tasks / designs - something you can't do with a physically-attached keyboard.
It would be nice if you could try the free drawing program KRITA on this tablet. I use that program on my laptop with a Wacom Intuos 4, but I am getting more and more interested in getting the Wacom Companion or the Surface Pro 4.
My feeling is that the base model SP4 won't quite cut it for me. I'd opt for i5/8GB/256GB. Here's the dilemma; the iPad Pro Pencil looks to perform better than the Surface Pen. Yet I don't think I want to give up the versatility and functionality that Windows provides. Do you think once Microsoft sorts out the driver issues, the Surface Pen will offer comparable performance to the Apple Pencil?
Thanks for the review Brad. I have the SP3 and the only thing I want from the SP4 is the pen improvements. Can you tell us if the new pen magnetically sticks to the SP3 as well as the pen and eraser working properly? I'd love to get the new pen if it helps out with the drawing jitters the SP3 pen has. And unlike the SP3 pen, which Microsoft offers no purchasable nibs for, there's a nib kit for the SP4 pen that includes several weights. Thanks!
Hei, Brad, try the new 2H tip, I think it works much better than the rubber ones. Much like a Wacom Pro Pen experience from Cintiq. The Rubber usually mess up the pressure sensitivity.
MS should send you a Surface Book with GPU. I am considering one and your review would have helped me choose between it or keeping my MacBook Pro and adding an iPad Pro.
I got a surface Rt a few christmas' ago for school uses, but im looking to upgrade to a surface that will let me do basic work (word, powerpoint etc) with drawing on the side as a hobby, would the Surface 3 (non-pro) with the S4 Pen work well? Not trying to spend too much money on one
Great review. I am wondering how useable are these without the keyboard? For example using sketchbook pro, can you zoom in/out, rotate and undo using hand controls and pen only? Can you also use these as an input device connected up to a pc?
Hi nice Review! -> one question: can u test the performance with ac power plugged in? Perhaps there is less lag - if this is the case try to change the powersettings! - greetings!
The iPad Pro blows this away. ZERO lag, incredible pressure sensitivity allowing nearly pixel-thin line precision, angular thickness adjustments. A SERIOUS tool. For Visio, the SB4 is probably ok. For artists? No way.
+John B iPad Pro also has lag. I have both iPad Pro and SP4. If you look for it, it's there. But it depends on the app. Wacom Bamboo Paper on iPad Pro is the ONLY app I discovered that has no lag.
How would Photoshop cs3 perform on the surface pro4? I've been thinking that being a lighter version than the cs6 it would run a bit better... but I guess I'm wrong...??
Fiiiiiinally a man who knows what he's talking about. I sub'd
i like the humor and details of product in review
The driver updates Microsoft released yesterday, July 14, 2016, have corrected the stroke tapering and smoothing issues Brad identified in this video. Check out SurfaceProArtist.com for more info.
❤️. Thank you
That taper effect is also known as the shoestring or shoelace effect, it's a problem I've had with intuos drawing tablets in the past, messing around with pen settings should be able to fix it. Try reducing the sensitivity on the lighter end of the pressure spectrum, so you have to press slightly harder to get it to register your ink.
Why did you leave RUclips
And animation I'm 🧐 curious
Best RUclips ever love the art style the way you describe everything and how amazing your voice sounds it’s so satisfying I legit almost feel asleep
Tapering seems to be fine now on photoshop. Looks like they fixed it.
Yep they fixed it in a mid-summer update.
Brad Colbow what does that mean?
I just have to say, you have made some brilliant content with these reviews. Thanks so much!
you actually illustrate the issues you have about instead of just bashing its specs which is refreshing
I just purchased a used Surface Pro 4, and im so excited for it to ship. Im upgrading from a 2006 Fujitsu Lifebook T5010, which is. VERY old.
I went out of my way to get a surface pro 4 with the i7 processor and 8 GB of ram so im hoping it runs everything SUPER smooth
5:02 I loved how quickly you went from "POTATOS!' to 'not potatoes...' lmao
This reviewer is a liar, I pressed my eraser 3 times and my tablet didn't self destruct.
Oops, I didn't think anyone would actually try it.
hahaha
bruh this video is fukin old, they fixed that bug awhile ago.
Omega he's not a liar he just has like no subs lol
CatLovingGamer it's satire
you've sold me, I'm gonna go by a Surface Pro 4 (maybe 5 if out) in January. Chears Mate
when i get my sfp3, i thinked about cintiq. Then, my friend told me they just use cintiq watch videos LOL. But thank you, you are such a good video maker in the same time you are a good at knowing all the softwares. Thank you so much!
How is it doing after 2 years now? Did the PC slow down? Did updates improve the drawing or did it get worse?
Worst purchase of my life so expensive when I look at it and especially if I compare it s lifetime with the hp spectre who was réalise in the same time the only good part is for drawing and even that it s not the best for it definitly a scam
You have earned my subscription. Loved the review, really opened my eyes! Been needing to find a way to use a little machine to use for drawing so I don't have to keep setting up my Wacom Cintiq.
Got all my answers in this video that I was worried about!
Rewatching this again in 2020 beacause finally I can afford it now.
Did you unchecked "use graphic processor" in photoshop? It used to slow things down on intel HD cards.
I've been looking for a video like this for SO. LONG. Thank you!
Your needs for the Type Cover seems to all be covered by this app on the Windows Store called Tablet PC Mouse (the v2 of it, currently in beta though). It's a key missing part of Windows touchscreen experience and offers pro artists like you the option to create custom onscreen controls to your liking...you really should give it a try.
I'm a 13 year old artist and i'm planning to start saving up for the Surface Pro 4. I'm guessing it's going to take a few years, but my question is, is it worth it?
(I guess it depends on how well I draw right now, but I think putting a link to my artwork would be spam or unwanted advertising)
Thanks :)
Was it worth it ? Im 15 and i'd like to start drawing and i was thinking about buying one
Gotta say you add excellent humor spots to the video and I dig your review well done!
I'm sensing a pattern here with your Surface reviews. by the time the Surface pro 7 rolls around you'll be rocking a full on Gandalf beard.
thanks for the review
I really appreciate your review and demonstration of the surface pro 4 and iPad pro as for me those two devices are most appealing to me for art work creation
Thanks for the review, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the iPad Pro!
the best review ever.. now i know all what i wanted to know about the surface pro 4 .. thanks a lot ✨
Dude, look for the softwar in windows store called tablet pc mouse manager, is awesome to create custom buttons that works with touch, excelent to use for photoshop, or painter, no need to carry the keyboard. search for it, cost only 10 dollars, and i must say its brilliant. Nice video.
ReadyBoost can speed up your computer by using storage space on most USB flash drives and flash memory cards. When you plug a ReadyBoost -compatible storage device into your computer, the AutoPlay dialog box offers you the option to speed up your computer using ReadyBoost . If you select this option, you can choose how much memory on the device to use for this purpose.
I’m still using this Surface Pro 4 for my cartooning. The only thing I can complain about is the battery. It doesn’t last but only 3 hours at most. The other thing that doesn’t work anymore is the keyboard. Other than that, this machine still does all of my artwork. I bought it used back in 2018 and 5 years later it’s still running great.
Microsoft 2.0: "We are now a hinge and magnet company!"
Antphoneigh LOLz
That was one of the best reviews I have ever watched! Thank you!
Thanks Brad. Very helpful video in considering price, features and performance for an on-the-go digital art tool.
Sorry, but I think it would also work fine with just a small bluetooth keyboard, you don't really have to buy the expensive keyboard that belongs with it.
Oh and with the photoshop lag, did you have the laptop plugged in to the charger? because I notice lag almost always when I don't have my charger plugged in, because the laptop goes into saving energy mode. anyways, I am not really interested in the 4gb one, I can afford the 8gb one, so that would be my pick.
That's a good point, and a good way to save money.
I'll have to pay attention to that. I usually use in when it's not plugged in.
Sure, you can neglect the Type Cover, but remember, you are opening your Surface up to a whole new level of vulnerability
+YOLO KunaiLOL you can easily buy or make a little case for the surface, so it is protected against scratches or damage. I'm just trying to save money :)
You can also change the power plan when unplugged. It's always limited to about 50% of CPU power when unplugged. My old Core M version (Asus Zenbook) struggles to play a 1080p video with 60fps and it's very laggy but after changing the power plan it's no longer laggy.
if you're going to do that just get on the iPad Pro
the best review!!!! for those who draw a lot!!
Really good and honest review, no fanboy BS, like always. :)
I was very pleased when you covered the software-side slowdown and calibration problems. A lot of reviewers don't seem to understand, that the "brush stroke slowdown" or "lag" is usually 99% because of the software (not hardware, not OS, but the application) you're drawing in. Especially Photoshop has ALWAYS been notorious for that (I can easily make my i7, 16gb ram, SSD rig to "cough" with PS + Cintiq, so...). This is the reason I'd always recommend people who use PS a lot, to go for the biggest amount of CPU+GPU+RAM possible, even though you can probably make it crawl nevertheless. :) And it's also the reason I don't draw that much anymore in PS, well, that and the price. Manga Studio/Clipstudio for example costs a fraction of what PS costs and IMO has easily a better brush engine, at least for my needs. Also Krita, it's FREE.
Also: I recommend trying Mischief for drawing. It runs so damn smooth on my SP4, the exact same model. And it has really changed the way I sketch nowadays digitally, it really has. Try it, might do some mindblowing. :)
*I just found an ace reviewer!!!!! thank you so much!*
What a great review Brad ! Thank you very much for your job on this video ! I will buy an SP4/i7/16Gb/256Gb when it release in my country. Good continuation !
PS : Your drawings are beautiful !
YESSS Thank you so much for this! I'm about to buy the surface pro 4 i5/8gb version and i was nervous about how it would run illustrator or photoshop - Now i'm totally sold!
Very accommodating review, most reviews of the digitizer were either really vague and lightly touched up on or were reviewed by non-artists.
You are amazing. 😃 Thanks for these lively & entertaining, but still informational, reviews. Very helpful.
Awesome review! Subscribed!! Could you try out two monitors with the surface and photoshop at the time please? I am about to buy surface 4 pro. I am a web designer... Thank you a lot and I am looking for the next reviews!
Thanks for putting in the time to provide a quality review - very helpful
Excellent review, Brad. And thanks for the laughs.
hi i wanted to nw if this would be good for a animation student ?
sanna hussain Yes his should be.
Steve Han his? u mn this ? ok thanks 😊
***** yeah, oops lol. This hint has a touch screen, so it should be ideal for animation :)
Steve Han ots cool and thank u :)
Might want to get the i5 and 8gb instead of the M3 and 4gb if you want to animate.
I love the review. can you tell me if you know a way to turn off hand or finger recognition on sketchbook pro for the surface pro?
This is a great and informative review, thanks so much. I have a surface pro 2 with a broken touchscreen and I'm thinking about picking up a 4. My main concern is have they fixed the cursor going super wonky at edges and corners?
I really enjoyed this review! I love your humor! I wish I could buy this product but because I'm just a hobby artist, already have a really good working laptop and really DON'T have the money for it right now. I will just wait and maybe replace my old laptop with this in the future (or a surface pro 5 one if they have come out with it). Very nice and to the point review! Also I like your art style, keep up the great work!
can't wait for your review on your iPad pro
Love love love these videos! I'll be basing my purchase of the iPad pro based on your review.
thanks for your review since I need another tablet that is more portable than my cintiq and I just don't think the wacom mobile studio is worth it for the price anyway. If I purchase the Surface Pro 4 that have 256 gb Intel i5 8gb ram would that be enough to run my three drawing programs like : Paint Tool Sai, Medibang, and Clip Studio Paint? I only plan to use this for drawing purposes since I already have a laptop
+Brittany Penman (Animevenus16) Yep, that will be a good configuration for running those apps. If you go with 8gb of ram you will be in good shape.
Have you used the pen in Animate CC yet? I'd love to know if there are any pressure issues in. Good review.
this^ please anwser :p
a question on the way side: How did you erase the lines at around 09:00 ? :)
+Tor Ivan Boine That's what I wanted to know also!
and it is more around 8:50-8:55
+Edgar Patlan from the looks of it, he converted the lines into shapes then used the first icon (of the 6 available) in the pathfinder tool section to break the shapes into sections and then used either the eraser part of the windows pen to tip those shapes and ultimately erase them or he used the black arrow (V) and clicked on the sections and then deleted them. Its just a guess though
+It's Magic. I Ain't Gotta Explain Shit. Rewatched it: Must have used the (V) tool and bound a button on the windows pen to delete (del).But I don't know if the windows pen hast a bindable button to be honest :)
Best video ever! I am wondering if you could give a comparison between surface pen and apple pencil on the topic of LAGGING. I am kind of crazy to find a pen with no lagging or the least lagging. Thanks.
Looking forward to that Drawing on the iPad Pro review.
Hmm, even your Clip Studio demo looked laggier than what I'm seeing. You have other stuff opened in the background?
+Rick Rodriguez It does look laggy in the video but in real time Clip Studio felt great.
+Brad Colbow Did you used beardify ?, your beard just looked so funny, lol
Fantastic review. I would love to know how Modelling software runs on this.
Never laughed harder in my entire life. Thank you for your review.
How did you get your photoshop interface looks so adequate? mine are too small to even create a new file
Change the UI size in Photoshop settings
+Brad Colbow. I'm using a 16GB/i7 SP4. The tapering does not happen when I use Sketchbook Pro with my custom brushes. Perhaps your nib has a tiny factory fault?
No the tapering only happens in Photoshop and the pen options where you can draw in that little thingy. I haven't had this issue in any other drawing program so far
6:50 wow how do you handle that kind of latency?
your 6.50 just prevented me from ever buying one of these. My Samsung galaxy note 4 mobile phone provides better drawing experiences than this...
24yrukdesigner tell me. About how you can run adobe photoshop on your note 4? :)
Tom Bombadil yes, it can of course run Photoshop but it's absolutely not worth it considering the latency, it looks to be 0.5 s, which is really really high for any product, and probably borderline of usability.
VanillaSnake21 if you actually watched the video the latency was because he was on photoshop but on other applications it was alright
LEEMUR yea it's because of the load, and he had a blank canvas too. Imagine what the performance will be like if you've got a 8mp image open or have lots of layers. It's weird since there's a decent hardware spec on it. But I guess if you're buying it just for basic note taking or presentations, it could be useful, although to me it makes no sense to advertise a high pressure, axis tilt detection pen and specialized screen if it can't be used with PS.
Hi, Great Review. Just wondering does the pen have tilt detection
Since the Surface 4 was announced I've been wondering how the M3 model would perform for drawing with Photoshop and similar apps so this review was immensely useful. Thanks! I think I'll go for the i5, but it's really good to know that if my budget won't allow it I'll still get a ton of productive use from the base model. Great review.
6:30, you really should go for the I5 with 8 GB... I think you are the first reviewer to use the lighter version. Good review thought!
Hey Brad,
You probably already heard about LazyNezumi, but I think it can be used to fix that tapering problem
Brad, what are the settings (canvas size, dpi of the current document and other open tabs) you're using in Photoshop at 6:53? I haven't yet encountered such serious lag nor seen those brush stroke aberrations. I'm going to try to reproduce them here. Did you have anything else open in the background? How are your pen pressure settings (firm, default or something else)? Do you have Wintab installed? Have you installed all the Windows updates? I'd like to get as close to your configuration as possible.
+Rick Rodriguez I do have a sizable file open in a tab there that is probably responsible for the slowdown. Here is some more granular info for you
- I'm not positive on the file resolution, probably 2,736 x 1,824 because I was doing a lot of screen captures over the weekend.
- The brushes I was using are from this site: gumroad.com/l/DqhZ - Specifically his Inkbox brushes in that set.
- I did install the Wintab drivers on Sunday, may have been after I took this video, but it didn't help the tapering (I just installed the drivers, is Wintab an actual app?)
I think that about covers it.
+Brad Colbow Ok, I'm going to try to reproduce tonight. Wintab is just the driver. Remind me, does PS have a switch to select between Wintab and RealTimeStylus (what CSP calls TabletPC)?
hey buddy do you think this model will handle adobe cc, only reason why i'm asking is I'm not sure what version of adobe you are running.
I was running CC on it and it worked better than I expected. The catch is that the lowest end version starts to slow down if you have Illustrator or Photoshop open at the same time. Or if you work with really large files you will notice too. If you do work with larger files or like to run a lot of programs at once it's worth springing for one with more ram and a better processor.
Brad Colbow thank you. really appreciate your reviews. Brad's words take like gospel. keep the reviews coming.
Love love love these videos! I'll be basing my purchase of the iPad pro based on your review. I'm looking for a drawing pad that can replace my old toshiba tecra and save my leg hair from third degree burns.
I've tested the Surface pro 2, 3, and 4; and honestly, I'm happiest with the SP2. Is that just me?
you are great dude ! you deserve way more subscribers. I subscribed today :)
I have the i7 model with 512 gb ssd and run photoshop, adobe flash (animate), and a web browser and it does not slow down BUT one problem is it becomes hot when you have it plugged in. Something interesting I used by accident is using three fingers on the screen use one finger move side to side and it activates the undo in photoshop but is a bit inaccurate after 50 mistakes. also no tapper effects.
My only problem with drawing on the SP4 is that the stylus touches the screen differently than a normal pen/mechanical pencil (the angular side of the nib touches the screen, and not the tip) since I'm used to drawing right handed and holding the drawing instrument at a cursive angle. Needing to draw accurate curves with this design oversight becomes a trouble for traditional artists like me who are transitioning into digital.
+Eraezr Then totally go for iPad Pro, if you are ready to adapt to new apps and iOS. Is definitely not a problem for me...
Great review! But I disagree on needing the type cover. Yes, if you need to work on your lap or deploy and close your Surface often, that seems like a good fit.
For doing illustration I find that using a bluetooth keyboard is much better for the work flow. The best thing about this setup, is your keyboard does not have to be right in front of the screen where your hand will be when you're drawing. You can easily place it on the side of the Surface for all the "ctl z" and short cut keys you need. Bonus, you don't have to keep buying type covers when you upgrade your Surfaces.
+dzus Sounds like my setup albeit not on a Surface at this moment in time. I like the added flexibility with a Bluetooth keyboard, to put my tablet in portrait mode for certain tasks / designs - something you can't do with a physically-attached keyboard.
Me too, I like to put my in portrait mode when I'm doing some typing, somehow it works really well
It would be nice if you could try the free drawing program KRITA on this tablet. I use that program on my laptop with a Wacom Intuos 4, but I am getting more and more interested in getting the Wacom Companion or the Surface Pro 4.
Has the tapering issues with the pressure sensitivity been fixed? Seems like a driver issue?
My feeling is that the base model SP4 won't quite cut it for me. I'd opt for i5/8GB/256GB.
Here's the dilemma; the iPad Pro Pencil looks to perform better than the Surface Pen. Yet I don't think I want to give up the versatility and functionality that Windows provides.
Do you think once Microsoft sorts out the driver issues, the Surface Pen will offer comparable performance to the Apple Pencil?
have you found a way to deal with the slow pen/angle stroke jitter on screen in drawing apps?
Thanks for the review Brad.
I have the SP3 and the only thing I want from the SP4 is the pen improvements. Can you tell us if the new pen magnetically sticks to the SP3 as well as the pen and eraser working properly?
I'd love to get the new pen if it helps out with the drawing jitters the SP3 pen has.
And unlike the SP3 pen, which Microsoft offers no purchasable nibs for, there's a nib kit for the SP4 pen that includes several weights.
Thanks!
Hei, Brad, try the new 2H tip, I think it works much better than the rubber ones. Much like a Wacom Pro Pen experience from Cintiq. The Rubber usually mess up the pressure sensitivity.
I'm still trying to figure out which version to get of the Surface Pro for adobe lightroom and cc?
do you have a suggestion how to change a function of CTRL. shift and alt key on keyboard if we are not using type cover?
Please can you compare it with a cintiq companion 2?
I'm in doubt about what to buy.
Thanks in advance
did you tested all the different pen tips?
MS should send you a Surface Book with GPU. I am considering one and your review would have helped me choose between it or keeping my MacBook Pro and adding an iPad Pro.
I got a surface Rt a few christmas' ago for school uses, but im looking to upgrade to a surface that will let me do basic work (word, powerpoint etc) with drawing on the side as a hobby, would the Surface 3 (non-pro) with the S4 Pen work well? Not trying to spend too much money on one
I believe keyboards from Surface Pro 1 still work on all versions of the Surface! haha. Save your money!
Great review. I am wondering how useable are these without the keyboard?
For example using sketchbook pro, can you zoom in/out, rotate and undo using hand controls and pen only?
Can you also use these as an input device connected up to a pc?
+Barry Hawkes You can do all of that with a Cintiq 13HD on Sketchbook Pro - so I see no reason why not on a Surface Pro 4.
Thank you SO MUCH for this amazing review!! Could anyone please tell me how do you call the magic thing happening at 8:56? Thanks a lot!
Did you get the sp4 ? How's it working for you?
Hi nice Review! -> one question: can u test the performance with ac power plugged in? Perhaps there is less lag - if this is the case try to change the powersettings! - greetings!
Compared to a wacom companion 2, do you notice a lack drawing quality? im deciding between those two to buy
Thank you your reviews! Is there an app where I can draw by lightly touching the pen or paint when pen is hovering on the screen?
The iPad Pro blows this away. ZERO lag, incredible pressure sensitivity allowing nearly pixel-thin line precision, angular thickness adjustments. A SERIOUS tool. For Visio, the SB4 is probably ok. For artists? No way.
+John B ehh it just depends on your needs. I can't do my work on iPad Pro. It looks great for other things. It's not all black and white.
+John B iPad Pro also has lag. I have both iPad Pro and SP4. If you look for it, it's there. But it depends on the app. Wacom Bamboo Paper on iPad Pro is the ONLY app I discovered that has no lag.
Excellent review, thanks
subscribing. Thanks for the badass review man! Definitely going to look into buying one now!
would you recommend buying the surface pro 3 and the sp4 pen?
paint tool Sai is for surface Pro 4 ?
Yes, it runs on the SP5 ruclips.net/video/fp_fQGBjxoo/видео.html&lc=z12yer0pwrvpfnkx304cdtr5fpz4gbop5l00k
to a I do not understand why it is necessary to unload the driverses memory of surface 3
mine did.
My pen pressure sensitivity won't work on any of my art applications. You have any idea how to fix that?
I did ask on your first review but I will ask on this one too whether you have tried using corel painter to see if it would work with this model?
Has the line pressure tapering problem resolved?
were you able to find any apps for on screen shortcuts? like shift and ctrl Z?
Since it runs on win 10 you can run any desktop programs right. Like obs for twitch?
How would Photoshop cs3 perform on the surface pro4? I've been thinking that being a lighter version than the cs6 it would run a bit better... but I guess I'm wrong...??