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Microsoft Surface Pro 3 - 256GB / Intel i5

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#1 ·
Microsoft Surface Pro 3 - 256GB / Intel i5

Description:
12-inch Full HD+ touchscreen displayWindows 8.1 Pro operating systemIntel i3, i5, or i7 4th Gen availableNew Surface Pen included

Details:
DetailValue
BindingPersonal Computers
BrandMicrosoft
EAN0885370758061
FeatureMicrosoft Surface Pro 3 i5 8GB/256GB - PS2-00001
LabelMicrosoft
ManufacturerMicrosoft
ModelPS2-00001
MPNPS2-00001
PublisherMicrosoft
StudioMicrosoft
TitleMicrosoft Surface Pro 3 - 256GB / Intel i5
UPC885370758061
Item Height7.93 inches
Item Length11.5 inches
Item Width0.36 inches
NumberOfItems1
Package Height1.8 inches
Package Length15.9 inches
Package Weight3.39 pounds
Package Width10.2 inches
PackageQuantity1
PartNumberPS2-00001
ProductGroupPersonal Computer
ProductTypeNameNOTEBOOK_COMPUTER
UPCList - UPCListElement885370758061
Item Weight1.76 pounds
OperatingSystemWindows 8 Pro
 

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#2 ·
The best mobile productivity device I've ever used

review by bigmack70

NOTE: This review is for the core i5 / 256 GB SSD / 8GB ram variant of this tablet, with the type cover. In my opinion, this is the sweet spot configuration and the minimum config necessary to use the Surface Pro 3 as a full laptop replacement. Total cost after tax was $1527 at time of purchase.


Here is the TL;DR version, and my conclusion about this device: The Surface Pro 3, when configured optimally, successfully achieves Microsoft's vision of a no-compromises laptop/tablet hybrid and can successfully replace both devices in one excellent machine. Only a sky-high price and a few minor issues hold the device back from perfection.

The Good
* Performance on the Surface Pro 3 is excellent. For all general productivity, the core i5 used here is very fast, and because the storage is all ssd, the system is snappy and responsive; it's definitely comparable to the better ultrabooks on the market, and never feels sluggish or slow.

* The screen is excellent. The 3:2 form factor really is a home run design choice here. At 2160x1440, you have more than enough screen space to work comfortably on the device, and it makes reading or browsing the web in portrait mode a very enjoyable experience. I prefer this screen to any tablet or ultrabook I have seen to date. I was able to actually shrink the text size one setting from default and still use the PC easily, but your mileage will vary on that based on your eyesight (my wife prefers one size larger than default).

* Stylus functionality is absolute perfection on this device. Clicking the pen wakes the device from sleep and immediately takes you to One Note; the process takes less than 2 seconds, and it enables this device to fully replace pen-and-paper notes. This is, in my opinion, the main selling point for the Surface, and its main advantage over an ultrabook in terms of functionality. The pen is accurate, easy to write with, and a thoroughly pleasant experience. You can also use the pen on the touchscreen in desktop mode for more precise touch input than your finger.

* The type cover keyboard is quite good for its size and form factor. I would not want to write a 20 page paper on it, but for general use (such as typing this review), it's really quite competent. Better than most cheap laptop keyboards I've used, and vastly superior to the old netbook keyboards that used to occupy the 12" and under space. I was surprised how easy I found it to use since I've got fairly large hands. The trackpad is decent.

* The build quality and physical form factor are excellent. This device is sturdy, well built, very light, and very thin. I didn't think I'd care about form factor, but after carrying this around with me for a week, I'm sold. I could never go back to carrying around a laptop again - even an ultrabook. It's really amazing.

* The kickstand is very good. Every review will tell you this, and it's true. I think this is as good as it can really get for a device like this - it's comfortable to use in your lap or on any surface, and you can angle the device as needed.

* Inclusion of a mini-DP port and a USB 3.0 port is an excellent feature, and both are necessary to ensure that the device can replace a laptop. USB 3.0 makes it easy to use an external storage device if the included SSD isn't enough space for you. It also ensures that you can always install any old programs you may have on CD/DVD, provided you have an external CD/DVD drive.

* Windows 8.1 Pro is really an excellent OS for this device. This is Windows 8.1 at its very best; it's a hybrid operating system, designed to bridge the worlds of tablet and desktop, and that works really well on this device. On a normal desktop, I find Windows 8 clunky and offensive, on the Surface Pro, it's intuitive and a must have over Windows 7, given the enhanced touch screen capabilities. I do still recommend enabling the boot-to-desktop feature and installing Classic Shell, though.

* Wireless performance is excellent. This device has great wifi connectivity and the throughput is better than any other device I own (laptop/desktop adapter/smartphones/xbone/x360).

* NO BLOATWARE!!!! This is the first time I've ever bought a laptop that didn't come loaded with so much crapware that you spend your first hour or two with the computer uninstalling things. Kudos, Microsoft.

The "Meh"
* You have to manually use the power shell command to enable "High Performance" mode in the power options GUI. This is necessary if you want to prevent bandwidth throttling on your WIFI when in battery mode. The command to do this (courtesy TekSyndicate) is powercfg -setactive 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c

* There's a few design choices I don't like with the type cover keyboard. I wish the Function key were left of the spacebar instead of on the right, and I wish that it were a toggle between the special functions and normal F1/F2/F3/etc buttons. I also wish there were a printscreen button somewhere, and I find that it's a bit too easy to accidentally press two keys at one time. These sorts of compromises are often unavoidable on a small form factor keyboard, but I do wish these particular things were changed.

* I really wish there were two (or heck, three!) USB 3.0 ports. Having one of them is mandatory, but I really wish there were two or three. The fact that there's only one makes me think that Microsoft just wants to sell more of their Surface docking station, and strikes me as greedy given the high cost of this device already.

* Windows 8.1 still comes with an unnecessary and at times steep learning curve for anyone who is not very tech savvy (e.g. my wife). I doubt many OCNers will have any issues, but if you're getting this or recommending it for a friend/family member, be aware they might have more problems than you.

* No good way to physically store the stylus on the device. The little cloth flap to attach it to the type cover is poor and I don't recommend using it. Best option IMO is to just carry the stylus with you in a pocket, but it would be nice if we could get integration in the device as in the Galaxy Note tablets, for example.

* The trackpad is just OK. It's not bad, but occasionally it will fail to register some gestures, and it's not particularly sensitive, which can make precise control even more frustrating than usual. I'd say it's about an average trackpad for a Windows laptop.

* I wish that the type cover magnetically adhered to the rear of the Surface Pro when you fold the keyboard all the way open and are using the device as a tablet. As it is, it's better just to remove the keyboard when you want to use the device as a tablet and then re-attach it later. I also wish that the device had a sensor that prevented you from waking it from sleep when the type cover is closed.

* The screen is a bit too glossy for me - results in more glare than I personally like.

The Bad
* PRICE. PRICE. PRICE. This thing is absurdly expensive. Don't let those entry level configurations fool you: If you get this device with 4GB of RAM or less than 256 GB of storage, I promise you will regret it down the road. Those compromises are not just feature compromises, they compromise the core laptop functionality of this device. As such, I do not consider any configuration under this one viable, and that means your ENTRY price point is $1299. Also, MICROSOFT, WHY DO YOU NOT INCLUDE THE TYPE COVER?? This is an asinine decision almost certainly driven by greed, as the type cover is mandatory for this device at every configuration level. That means that this device is minimum $1430+tax. In my mind, that's $400 too expensive to be an easy sell. -1/2 star for this, particularly due to the need for purchasing a type cover separately.

* Windows 8.1 DPI scaling is still bad. It's not a huge issue, but some of your programs will have blurry text and half-broken UIs depending on your DPI scaling setting. This isn't an issue with the Surface Pro, per-se, but you will run into this problem here.

* Battery Life. It may surprise you that I'm putting this down as "bad", but let me explain: Your real-world usage on this device is going to be 5-7 hours depending on what you're doing. Microsoft's claims of 9 hour battery life are bogus. You'll never see that in real-world use. This means that you will NOT be able to just charge the Surface overnight, use it for your work all day, and then charge it again at night. The form factor and extreme portability of the Surface Pro suggest that you *should* be able to accomplish this, but the technology just isn't there yet. Certainly, 5-7 hours of battery life is comparable to other ultrabooks/tablets/etc on the market, but I think that real world battery life needs to get up to the 9-10 hour mark before the real-world experience reflects what this form factor is capable of. Here's hoping that in another couple generations of Intel's CPUs, we might be able to see that happen: one overnight charge and never needing to carry your charger is the holy grail of usability for a device like this, and I will grade down on battery life until we get there.

The Verdict
* The overall user experience really is that of a device which can seamlessly transition between full-fat laptop, tablet, and pen & paper replacement, all within just a second or two, with no meaningful compromises in any of those areas. I love it, and I could never go back. This is easily my favorite mobile device for work that I've ever had, and it's worth every overpriced penny of the $1527 I spent on it. I do think that the price and battery life hold it back from being an easy sell to every user, though. It's a hybrid laptop-tablet, but it costs as much as a good laptop and an average tablet COMBINED. It really needs to get a complete midrange configuration WITH TYPE COVER down from the $1430 mark to the $999 mark to be an easy sell to most people. I also think that the battery life needs to improve, and it could use a little more USB connectivity, if it were to suffice as a true all-in-one replacement for all your computing needs.

However, I do think the Surface Pro 3 has achieved Microsoft's stated design goals which they set out to accomplish with the original Surface Pro, and it really is the best-in-class option if you have use for a device that combines all 3 aspects of pen & paper / tablet / laptop.

ProsCons
Performance, Form Factor, Build Quality, High quality functionality as both tablet and laptop, Excellent Stylus integrationPrice, Type cover not included, Battery Life, Windows DPI scaling issues, ... did I mention price?

Ratings
Overall4
 
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