Microsoft Surface Pro

[NicholasR]

I am currently looking at Microsoft Surface Pro to use out in the field for data collection with Field Maps.  While I have a workstation in the office, I would like to be able to utilize the Surface for use of ArcGIS Pro.  I am aware of the specs recommended for use of the program, which include 16gb of RAM or more and a dedicated graphics card.  From my understanding, the Surface Pro does not have a dedicated graphics card but can be configured to up to 32gb of RAM.

Can anyone here provide me with real world use of the Surface tablets in conjunction with ArcGIS Pro.  And if so, can you provide me with the specs that you have?

If you have other suggestions for hardware, please feel free to add those as well.  Thanks!

[DanPatterson]

I have used Surface Books since V1.

It has 2 graphics devices.  When you are using it in laptop mode and one for tablet mode.

Tablet is fine, but novelty of splitting the Surface in two soon wore thin.  I have used it in laptop mode since.

They are great machines but if you don't need the tablet, then you could probably look at other Surface options to save some change, but whatever you do, get the full ram option

This is the Can you run it results for Pro

[JeremyWright]

Just gonna chime in here and note that Surface NOTEBOOK that Dan provided specs for above is different from the "Surface PRO" series - it  actually does have a discrete GPU (GTX1660Ti).

The latest Surface Pro (Surface Pro 😎 contains 11th-generation Intel Core processors, which have an upgraded integrated GPU called the Intel Iris Xe, which does provide better performance vs. previous integrated GPUs. 

Anecdotally: I have a machine (not a Surface Pro) that contains Intel Iris Xe GPU as one of my daily driver machines (working on developing ArcGIS Pro) and in testing it performs admirably for an integrated GPU, but without dedicated video memory you are going to want to configure your system with MORE system memory - because the integrated GPU takes system memory to use as video memory.  That means potentially getting the top-end config Surface Pro - which has 32GB memory.

Just my 2c!  FWIW when we were first developing ArcGIS Pro 1.0, my daily driver was an original Surface Pro, and it worked OK.

One last thing to note: if you want to use Deep Learning tools, those require CUDA acceleration, which is only available in NVIDIA GPUs.  This requirement is enumerated in https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/get-started/arcgis-pro-system-requirements.htm

[NicholasR]

Jeremy & Dan,

Thank you all for the information!  I realized after I posted this that Field Maps does not currently work on a device like a surface, which would be my main use.  I appreciate you all taking the time to give me some real world use scenarios, though.

[DanPatterson]

Whatever Surface you get... you should get Arc Mouse... it folds flat

PS no association with other "Arc" products 😉

[MervynLotter]

Do take note that the ArcGIS Field Maps app only runs on Android and iOS (Apple) devices. So it won't run on a Surface Pro. 

[NicholasR]

I realized this after I posted this - back to the drawing board.

[EmberRiver]

Hi, To resolve the surface laptop wont turn on, you need to check surface charging cable. In case your Surface doesn't turn on when you plug in, the charging cable may be broken. The simplest way to tell if the charging cable is broken is to look for the white LED light on the end of the cable that links to the side of the Surface. When the cable operates correctly, the LED lights up as soon as it's plugged into the Surface. In case the light fails to turn on, there are some ways through which you can fix it like by checking the cable for faulty wiring. Then bend the cable a bit in various areas. In case the charging light flickers on as you move the cable, it's broken and requires to be changed.