Micorosoft today unveiled the brand new Surface Pro 3. This was something of a shock. The company was widely expected to announced a new breed of Surface with a much smaller footprint. Instead, we're sitting here typing on a brand new Surface Pro 3, an upgraded version of the Surface Pro 2, which was announced just last fall. That is a crazy quick product cycle, and the way Microsoft was talking today, this is the version of the Surface Pro the company has been trying to create from the beginning. The company mentioned multiple times that this device has been three years in the making, and it does sport several improvements over the Surface Pro 2 and, of course, the original Surface Pro we saw introduced in 2012 alongside Windows 8.
Powered by Intel's Core i-series of processors, Microsoft says this is the thinnest Core machine ever made. At 9.1mm thick, the Surface Pro 3 is certainly very slim. It's also extremely light, weighing in at only 800g sans keyboard cover. Under the hood you've got a choice of Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 CPU. The screen is a 12-inch ClearType Full HD display with a 2160x1440 resolution. That's a 3:2 aspect ratio in case you were wondering. Working alongside that CPU is either 4 GB or 8 GB of dual-channel LPDDR3 RAM and Intel HD Graphics 4400, WiFi 802.11ac/802.11 a/b/g/n, as well as Bluetooth 4.0, one full size USB 3.0 port, one Mini DisplayPort, a microSD card reader, a headphone jack, ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, and up to nine hours battery. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not given us anything more specific than that, so we have no idea what kind of power is in there. We will find that out for you when we speak to Microsoft. There is also a new and improved kickstand that allows you to set the angle of the stand up to 150 degrees (so no, it does not quite flip all the way around). Microsoft is hoping this will allow users to work on their lap a bit more easily. The TyperCover also now sticks to the bottom of the device via magnets (pictured above), which is supposed to increase stability for when one is working on an uneven surface (such as a lap).
The Surface Pro 3 will be available to buy starting tomorrow and is going to start at $799. That will get you the Core i3 version with 64 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM. Pricing shoots up to almost $2,000 for the top end model, which is based on a Core i7 chip and boasts 512 GB. We have the Core i5, 8 GB model with 256 GB of storage. We will be back with hands on with the Surface Pro 3 so stay tuned for our thoughts!
Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
I got accidental coverage on my SP2. I'm trying to ascertain the likelihood of a depreciated payout however. If I'm confident, my SP2 is going to fall down the stairs when my employer gets this tablet in :D
I just don't get why these need such High Res screens. The onboard video isn't going to be able to do much at that resolution. At 12", I think 1080p is just fine.
Interested in if there are going to be smaller versions also... 12" is a little bit big for tablet, though very nice for hybrid when using the machine some real work.
