Eric_F

Adam, I just upgraded from the SP5 with LTE to SP6, when I initially got the LTE version I made compromises is specs because of the limited version available with LTE, i5 8gb 256ssd. I thought I would utilize the LTE more then I ended up using it. Then recently a coworker needed an upgrade from his older surface and he uses LTE all the time, was a great opportunity to upgrade my specs, without LTE i7, 16gb 512ssd. Also I don't recall being able to find a SP6 with LTE. FYI in Microsoft's naming convention there was a surface pro 1,2,3,4, then officially they dropped numbering for 5 so it was just the Surface Pro, then with 6 the number came back. So sometimes its referred to as Surface Pro or Surface Pro or Surface Pro 5. Here's pretty good resource on specs https://www.windowscentral.com/surface-pro-6 Dedicated hot spot or phone as personal hotspot works fine for me. I have not done speed tests but there all on the same network haven't had any problems but depends on how much you'll need LTE, what for (email or streaming video...), and what value to an additional data plan and your Budget, adding specs ain't cheap and have to consider needed accessories, keyboard, pen, and the dock is handy. Eric

Adam, I have used multiple Surface Pros (Since SP1) running CA with no real issues in the past five years. I haven't used for raytracing but plan and general modeling of roof planes, interiors, etc. without much lag. On my last CA install when at first it was running sluggish/jumpy in plan view I knew there was some simple thing I had done before so I came back to the forums and found where HamlinBC had recommended turning off the Crosshairs "Edit>Preferences>Edit and then at the top is your cross hair settings". Cross hairs off was the simple fix I needed, CA runs great on my SP6. Discussion about Bluetooth lasers is great, thanks Mark & Mike, I have a Bosch GLM100c and unfortunately (to my knowledge) Bosch doesn't have an option like Leica/Disto does to direct input to CA, no way to connect it to a windows computer, only a phone or tablet and utilize Bosch app, (have no real interest in room planner app). Its a great laser but I have never understood why they would make a Bluetooth laser that won't connect to a PC as an input device. A handful of notes I found when starting to do site measures in CA onsite if anyone is interested read on: A few years ago when I started direct input into CA on jobsite one of my concerns was not having a paper notes to go back on if something wasn't working out right, or say you go to the next room and it moves your wall then you have to go back to the other room...so when we would finish out a room I would use the Make Room Polyline tool to lock in a record all the walls surfaces in the completed room. Additionally that polyline would help define if there were some wall thickness discrepancies. On my profile drawing I would make default cad layer thicker and red and change it after field measure was complete. Small note boxes were helpful for odd and ends that didn't want to spend the time to model on site, additionally since Bosch laser didn't communicate with PC I found working in decimal inches productive. Used the Surface Pro in tablet mode without the keyboard, onscreen numpad ("numpad emulator" on sourceforge) as small as I could comfortably use it, and have the SP6 in a Blackbelt case from Kensington case for 2 reasons, fear of dropping, and hand slot great for holding with one hand while shooting laser. One thing I just acquired which will do away with taking a few hundred pics (or more) per measure and still somehow missing that one area where the soffit intersects the... is a 360 camera where I can just spend 5-10 minutes walking through site recording 360 video, walk around each room, then when I'm cleaning up the rendering later off site I can play the video, pause where ever I need to and pan around like I'm in a CA rendering and look at every visible detail of the existing structure. Eric