Yes! Logos 5 Runs Great On A Tablet!

Mike Childs
Mike Childs Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭
edited November 2024 in English Forum

I received my new Surface Pro 2, which I bought for the purpose of running Logos 5.  After about 4 hours of running Logos, I can only say wow!

There is a slight learning curve (for me) as I adjusted from my 17 inch laptop to the smaller Surface Pro.  Deciding the best layout took a little time.  Getting a bit more used to the Surface Pro takes a bit of time.

But there is no compromise.  Logos runs quicker and better on my Surface Pro than it ran in my i7 processor laptop, which also had 8 GB of ram.  Searches are fast.  Language tools work fine.  And it is a joy to read from - even Personal Books.

It is not cheap, but I think it is the best way for me to run Logos.  I sure the transition from a full size laptop will have a bump or two.  But absolutely no regrets at this point.


"In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church," John Wesley

Comments

  • Paul-C
    Paul-C Member Posts: 1,896 ✭✭✭

    Michael, thanks for the feedback.  I'm really pleased it's working out for you! [Y]

  • Bill Anderson
    Bill Anderson Member Posts: 603 ✭✭

    I received my new Surface Pro 2, which I bought for the purpose of running Logos 5.  After about 4 hours of running Logos, I can only say wow!

    Michael,

    Which version of the SP2 did you get?

  • Jeff Miles
    Jeff Miles Member Posts: 59 ✭✭
    I have had the same experience. Logos 5 runs great on the Surface Pro.
  • Mike Childs
    Mike Childs Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭
    I got the 256 GB with 8 GB /RAM. My laptop has a 3rd gen i7 processor, and I suppose the Haswell processor in the SP2 makes a difference.


    "In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church," John Wesley

  • Scott S
    Scott S Member Posts: 423 ✭✭

    But there is no compromise.  Logos runs quicker and better on my Surface Pro than it ran in my i7 processor laptop, which also had 8 GB of ram.  Searches are fast.  Language tools work fine.  And it is a joy to read from - even Personal Books.

    Did you build the index from scratch or copy it from your laptop?  I'm curious about how SP handled the heat from extended demand on the CPU.

  • Mike W
    Mike W Member Posts: 277 ✭✭

    I got the 256 GB with 8 GB /RAM. My laptop has a 3rd gen i7 processor, and I suppose the Haswell processor in the SP2 makes a difference.

    How is heat and fan noise on this?   I'm guessing the Haswell processor is a big improvement over the previous version and they are finally including enough disk space.  Is this cool and quiet enough that you can actually use it as a tablet? These are listed as out of stock in my area until mid December so I'm not able to check one out personally until then.

                                                                                                                                                                                   Thanks

                         

  • Deacon Steve
    Deacon Steve Member Posts: 1,608 ✭✭✭

    I got the 256 GB with 8 GB /RAM. My laptop has a 3rd gen i7 processor, and I suppose the Haswell processor in the SP2 makes a difference.

    Hi Michael,

    Thanks for the encouraging report.  No doubt the 4th generation Haswell processors are a boost.  Based on my positive experience with Windows 8 and 8.1 I would also say there is a very nice performance improvement in the operating system software itself.  As I had mentioned in other posts, my low end 3rd Gen Intel laptop running Win 8 seems more responsive than my older generation Intel quad core processor running Win 7.

    Even though it does not run Logos 5 and there is no mobile Windows version of Logos at the moment, it makes the Surface 2 at $450 with MS Office and all the other apps a very nice option in the tablet market.  The Surface Pro 2 makes a equally compelling argument as a laptop replacement for those looking in the ultrabook class space...as small as a MacBook Air 11" plus a touch screen.

    Congradulations!

    [:)]

    Steve

  • Bill Anderson
    Bill Anderson Member Posts: 603 ✭✭

    I got the 256 GB with 8 GB /RAM. My laptop has a 3rd gen i7 processor, and I suppose the Haswell processor in the SP2 makes a difference.

    That seems to be the sweet spot. If they offered an 8 GB RAM/128 GB SSD I would be tempted. The 256 GB model is out of stock everywhere. Although the 512 GB is in stock at BB, it is just too expensive for what you get. They should have thrown in a Core i7 for that price.

  • Mike Childs
    Mike Childs Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭

    I built the index from scratch. Have noticed no heat problems, but I have so far mostly used it on a small table with the Type 2 keyboard, except for reading a few hours. But if there is a heat problem, I haven't found it.

    Let me add a comment about the heat.  When I read for an hour or so holding the tablet, I do feel the warmth on the right rear side.  However, it is not hot or uncomfortable.  It doesn't bother me.  

    Prepared my first sermon on it with Logos and Microsoft Word. Other than the expected things that I want to do differently, like the layout, I had no real adjustment to make. It quickly became natural to use the touch screen. I did adjust the resolution of the screen down a step for bigger fonts - my eyes are not the best.

    My experience with the Surface Pro 2 and Logos has been great. I don't know if the Surface Pro 2 will be a big success for Microsoft or not, but what matters to me is that it works for me.

    Scott S said:

    But there is no compromise.  Logos runs quicker and better on my Surface Pro than it ran in my i7 processor laptop, which also had 8 GB of ram.  Searches are fast.  Language tools work fine.  And it is a joy to read from - even Personal Books.

    Did you build the index from scratch or copy it from your laptop?  I'm curious about how SP handled the heat from extended demand on the CPU.


    "In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church," John Wesley

  • Mike Childs
    Mike Childs Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭

    I got the 256 GB with 8 GB /RAM. My laptop has a 3rd gen i7 processor, and I suppose the Haswell processor in the SP2 makes a difference.

    That seems to be the sweet spot. If they offered an 8 GB RAM/128 GB SSD I would be tempted. The 256 GB model is out of stock everywhere. Although the 512 GB is in stock at BB, it is just too expensive for what you get. They should have thrown in a Core i7 for that price.


    I agree completely, Bill. No way I could afford $500 for the 512 GB, though I would have loved the extra space on the HD. But that is the only difference. As far as I can tell, the Haswell i5 processor seems more than adequate.



    I picked up a 1 TB USB 3 HD in case I want more space. But you can also add a 64 GB mini SD card and not fool around with an external drive. So the 256 GB seems the best buy to me, if Logos is the primary reason for the purchase.



    It is expensive and I struggled with the idea of spending the money for the Surface Pro. I was going to have to replace my laptop because the screen was going bad, but I could have done it cheaper than $1299. But I took the plunge, and do not regret it.



    With a little getting used to, I am going to like Logos much better on the Surface Pro 2. It is nice to just pick up the screen as an ereader and read anything in my Logos Library, and then just it set it down on the keyboard and type. That is a great experience.

    The Surface does weigh about 8 oz more than an iPad, but I really don't notice the difference when holding it. <\P>


    "In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church," John Wesley

  • Scott S
    Scott S Member Posts: 423 ✭✭

    I built the index from scratch. Have noticed no heat problems, but I have so far mostly used it on a small table with the Type 2 keyboard, except for reading a few hours. But if there is a heat problem, I haven't found it.

    I have been following your SP posts with interest in recent few weeks and I'm glad to see that it is meeting your expectations and that you have a good report for use with L5.

    If it's not too much trouble, please post screen shots of display layouts that you like for Logos.

    Thanks,

    Scott

  • Bill Anderson
    Bill Anderson Member Posts: 603 ✭✭

    Scott S said:

    If it's not too much trouble, please post screen shots of display layouts that you like for Logos.

    Thanks,

    Scott

    Scott, see this link where I show my a couple of screenshots with my original SP: Do you like Logos 5.0 on Your Surface Pro?


  • Simon’s Brother
    Simon’s Brother Member Posts: 6,822 ✭✭✭

    Glad to here this is working great.  i'm half over the line, specially if the docking station in Microsoft store was available.  Price is what's holding me back  .

  • Scott S
    Scott S Member Posts: 423 ✭✭

    Scott, see this link where I show my a couple of screenshots with my original SP: Do you like Logos 5.0 on Your Surface Pro?

    Thanks Bill. I can see the high resolution preserves the features of even very small text. Very nice.  With the text that small (~ 6 point), do you hold the display close and read with magnifiers? I do that with my iPhone.

    Edited.

  • Mike Childs
    Mike Childs Member Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭
    Scott S said:

    Scott, see this link where I show my a couple of screenshots with my original SP: Do you like Logos 5.0 on Your Surface Pro?

    Thanks Bill. I can see the high resolution preserves the features of even very small text. Very nice.  With the text that small (~ 6 point), do you hold the display close and read with magnifiers? I do that with my iPhone.

    Edited.

    Not Bill, but I dropped the screen resolution one step. It gives me a little bigger fonts. I am blind in my right eye, and a bit near sighted in the other. But I am having no trouble reading the text. Not using magnifiers, nor holding the display particularly close.

    I am going to use a monitor in my office with the Surface Pro 2. I did so today. In that case, my Surface pro becomes my mousepad. As I move the cursor on my Surface pro 2, it moves it on the monitor.

    But it really is no problem to use the Surface Pron2 and the Type 2 keyboard without any other helps.


    "In all cases, the Church is to be judged by the Scripture, not the Scripture by the Church," John Wesley

  • Bill Anderson
    Bill Anderson Member Posts: 603 ✭✭

    Scott S said:

    Scott, see this link where I show my a couple of screenshots with my original SP: Do you like Logos 5.0 on Your Surface Pro?

    Thanks Bill. I can see the high resolution preserves the features of even very small text. Very nice.  With the text that small (~ 6 point), do you hold the display close and read with magnifiers? I do that with my iPhone.

    Edited.

    For tablet-holding use, yes, I hold it close, especially with my over 50 set of eyes. The only magnifiers are my bifocals.[:)] Like Michael, I do bump the text size up to read it when it's propped up on a table in laptop mode.