First look at the Microsoft Surface Pro 3

First look at the Microsoft Surface Pro 3
Harold 26 Jun 2014 [11 pages]

Notebooks are probably the best partner for the mobile worker in the past. Meet Surface Pro 3, the tablet (with attachable keyboard) that will replace your traditional heavy notebooks that require special backpacks to carry around.

Microsoft’s 3rd incarnation of the Surface, Surface Pro 3 is the next big thing for Microsoft as it improves on the earlier design with adjustable kickstand that transforms it immediately into a “laptop”.

Weighing only 800g and just 9.1mm, this tablet/keyboard hybrid packs itself with a 12 inch 2160×1440 2K colour display with multitouch input support. The storage ranges from 64GB, 128GB, 256GB to 512GB memory and they are paired with various Intel Core i3, i5, i7 processors for best performance and 8GB of RAM.

It also has USB 3.0, microSD port and a Mini DisplayPort for connecting peripherals like external displays. It also has a GbE port.

Powered by Windows 8.1, the device can be used as a tablet with the stylus called Surface Pen. A click of the Surface Pen open the OneNote application which you can scribble, save or collaborate with your team mates.

On the multimedia front, it has a 12 inch ClearType Full HD Display with Dolby Audio 45% louder compared to previous edition. It also has 2 5 megapixel camera for capturing stills and videos.

We tested our the prototype and find it smooth running. As we quite used to the point and click Windows 8.1, working on a tablet only Windows 8.1 requires some practising. Videos we saw ran smoothly in Full HD and it has a wide viewing angle. The audio seems to be rather soft and you would probably require an external speakers to boost it up.

Although there is mini DisplayPort, I think a HDMI port would probbaly be a better option for most for connecting it up to the home TV. Things get a bit complicated if you want to stream your video collection to your TV set wirelessly.

Microsoft should have included a 3G/LTE chip for data. I am not sure if they intend to bundle in a Nokia phone for data sharing while on the move.

Overall, I like the fact it is a lightweight alternative to traditional notebooks.

Pricing for USA USD 999 onwards (AMAZON)

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 4GB/128GB – MQ2-00001