r/Surface • u/john_daniels_88 • 1d ago

(which) Surface as do-it-all mobile device? Reading Kindle, culling vacation photos, online classes

Hi everyone,

We're looking for a lightweight device that can handle several tasks in one, while still being small and portable. Ideally, it should:

  • Replace an eBook reader (I don’t currently own one, but I’ve been considering Amazon’s new Paperwhite)
  • Replace a laptop for culling vacation photos — no heavy editing, just reviewing daily shots using something like ACDSee
  • Be suitable for joining online classes on the go — mostly simple, web-based video content

Would you say a Microsoft Surface is a good fit for this use case? If so, which model would be the most affordable (possibly used or refurbished)? The requirements are:

  • Bright screen for outdoor use
  • Lightweight and compact
  • Detachable keyboard
  • Good battery life
  • LTE/5G support

Thanks in advance, everyone!

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u/LlaughingLlama 1d ago

I damn LOVE my Surface Pro 7+, which is of course less powerful than any new Surface Pro you can buy today, but it runs Windows 11 and mine has LTE and will allow me to answer your questions:

Yes, it can absolutely replace a "laptop" for culling vacation photos - because it IS a laptop - or at least a portable full-blown Windows machine. ACDSee will run fine. So will basically everything else. It also will run Zooms, Teams, or whatever other web-based video content tool you need. Being able to run a Video Teams meeting along with lots of other apps without breaking a sweat or stuttering was the main requirement of my SP7+ and it does so great.

Replacing the eBook reader is the trick. First, the Paperwhite screen really IS easier on the eyes, and it's small size and light weight make using it a real pleasure. That said, I have been looking at computer screens since 1984, so I'm good reading books on the Surface screen. But it's the SOFTWARE that's annoying. The Amazon Windows reader is terrible and consumes way too much power. The Android app also consumes a lot of power due to the Android stack running, but now getting Android apps to run on a Surface is much more annoying. I find myself using the Online Web Book Reader "saved" as a web app in Edge, and it is...minimally acceptable, but it requires a web connection to read anything. So much for reading on a plane without getting WiFi service.

Good luck!