Anyone use Affinity Designer on a Surface Pro m3 (2017)?

[ilmiont]

I'm a web developer preparing to go freelance and start my own business. I'm using Affinity Designer for all my UX/UI design work and am now looking for a new device to use at client meetings.

Surface Pro fits my needs, and as a Microsoft fan I've always aspired to one. Ideally I'd have the i5/8GB version, but I'd rather not spend >£1000 and then have to still go buy the Type Cover + Pen.

Right now, Amazon UK has the core m3 with the Type Cover in a bundle for £620 (was £600 on Black Friday). Trouble is, I can't find a demo unit anywhere, and actual reviews of the m3 unit are rather lacking.

The device really won't need to do much, besides "give the right impression" (i.e., look good) to clients. I see it mostly sitting on the desk while we discuss the brief and I share prototypes of designs. The most intensive app it will ever need to run is Affinity Designer, but even then it's unlikely I'll be doing much actual editing while I'm sitting with the client.

So... anyone here use Affinity Designer on a Surface Pro 2017 core M3 (or anything comparable to an m3/4GB combination), and how well/badly does it run? Should I see sense and admit that whatever I buy won't see much "active" use, or is m3/4GB as big a potential issue as I'm making it seem?

 

For comparison's sake, I'm currently using Affinity Designer on an i7-7700K/32GB setup, with 3440x1440 AOC 34-inch ultrawide.

[Chris B]

Hey ilmiont,

 

The m3 doesn't appear to be that far behind the i5 models from what I've researched but its 4GB RAM should see it through in theory. It has the same amount of cores and threads that you get in the i5 and i7 too.

 

We haven't got one in the office so it is hard for us to comment. I would recommend waiting to see if anyone else has experience with one before you purchase it.