Surface Pro 3

[loyukfai]

Let's get it started.

Cheers.

[twistero]

12-inch 3:2 screen SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY

[pianowizard]

It's probably the most exciting tablet ever. I am buying one, though I always refuse to pay full price which means I'll probably be waiting until at least this Black Friday. However, I may want to first get a pocketable 8-inch Windows tablet that has micro-HDMI output.

[ZaZ]

It looks impressive and I like the 3:2 screen, but I'm not sure I'm sold. It starts at $800, but that's with a 64GB SSD. To get the 128GB you've got to spend an extra $200, then add the keyboard of course. The first and second Surface were not easy to use in your lap. They said the 3 is better, but I'm not sure how this is accomplished.

[loyukfai]

The first and second Surface were not easy to use in your lap. They said the 3 is better, but I'm not sure how this is accomplished.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/05/ ... on-my-lap/

BTW, have seen reports say that the digitizer is N-trig.

Cheers.

[loyukfai]

According to this (http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/microso ... hread.html)

Configurations (Processor, RAM, Storage):

i3 / 64GB / 4GB - 4th Gen i3-4020Y/1.5 GHz Intel HD 4200
i5 / 128GB / 4GB - 4th Gen i5-4300U/2.9 GHz Intel HD 4400
i5 / 256GB / 8GB - 4th Gen i5-4300U/2.9 GHz Intel HD 4400
i7 / 256GB / 8GB - 4th Gen i7-4650U/3.3GHz Intel HD 5000
i7 / 512GB / 8GB - 4th Gen i7-4650U/3.3GHz Intel HD 5000

Cheers.

[ZaZ]

Even with new kickstand, I'm not so sure it would be comfy. I'd have to try it out before making a decision.

I wish the i3 came with a 128GB of storage.

[pianowizard]

I wish the i3 came with a 128GB of storage.

An easy solution is to add a 64GB microSD card. And of course, there is always cloud storage.

[A31]

According to this (http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/microso ... hread.html)

Configurations (Processor, RAM, Storage):

i3 / 64GB / 4GB - 4th Gen i3-4020Y/1.5 GHz Intel HD 4200
i5 / 128GB / 4GB - 4th Gen i5-4300U/2.9 GHz Intel HD 4400
i5 / 256GB / 8GB - 4th Gen i5-4300U/2.9 GHz Intel HD 4400
i7 / 256GB / 8GB - 4th Gen i7-4650U/3.3GHz Intel HD 5000
i7 / 512GB / 8GB - 4th Gen i7-4650U/3.3GHz Intel HD 5000

Cheers.

Good to see there's a spec to suit most people. That's nice to see.

No doubt it'll be expensive for a tablet though, but it is quite a powerful tablet and well-built. It's a lot more powerful than the majority of tablets out there, so I guess the cost is justified.

Since I work on the IT team at school, I'll be getting one of their Surface RTs to own for 2 years, so that will be fun to play with.

[Temetka]

I'd want the i5 with HD500 GPU. But it doesn't exist, so i'd have to get the i7.

However since my 2012 Galaxy Note 10.1 is handling all my tablet needs just fine, I see no reason to get one.

That being said if one fell in my lap, I would be a very happy camper (which I already am).

[loyukfai]

Teardown: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Microso ... down/26595

Spoiler: Repairability 1 out of 10 : )

Cheers.

[loyukfai]

Notebookcheck's review: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Microsoft- ... 170.0.html

Cheers.

[twistero]

I actually bought one. i5-4300U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD.

First, the bad:
The type cover has a barely passable keyboard and utterly terrible touchpad.
Wireless may not work after waking up. Lots of similar complaints over at TabletPCReview forums.
Writing on the glossy glass screen doesn't feel as natural as writing on my X60t with felt tip pen.
The pressure curve of the pen is way too flat: the force required to register full pressure would almost certainly rip through real paper with a real pen, and create significant ripples on screen. (My X60t's pressure curve felt very similar when using the default hard plastic nib in the pen, but the felt tip makes it much better. No replacement tips for the N-trig SP3 pen, though.)

Now, the good:
Weight. It's so much lighter than the X60t.
Screen size and resolution. In portrait it's as usable as the X60t's 12.1 inch 4:3 screen, in landscape it's better.
Battery life. Haven't timed it, but it easily last through a day which the X60t couldn't have.

[Temetka]

Yeah,

Writing on my Note 10.1 doesn't feel as nice as my X61T and the Note has a glossy screen as well. It doesn't surprise me that writing on the Surface screen would be somewhat the same as my tablet. I wonder if there are 3rd party pens available for the Surface that might help a bit.

[loyukfai]

AFAIK, all N-Trig pens will work.

However, there seems to be only one type of nibs available, unlike Wacom which you have a number of options.

Have been awaiting the successor of Helix, but now that Broadwell is further delayed. Maybe it won't arrive until 2015?

Cheers.

[twistero]

I would put my bet on a screen protector instead of 3rd party pens for a better writing feel. So far, nothing yet.

[loyukfai]

Do you mean no special cut screen protectors or no 3rd party pens?

If latter, I personally don't think there will be any, the N-Trig market doesn't seem large enough for such to happen, and there could be patents involved, among other things and in the foreseeable future.

There are other N-Trig devices out there and the stylii are compatible, AFAIK. A list of Windows-based boxes is available below, and there are Android devices as well.

One thing I'd like to know, does the unrepairablility concern you guys?

Cheers.

http://www.n-trig.com/Content.aspx?Page=Windows8

[pianowizard]

One thing I'd like to know, does the unrepairablility concern you guys?

A tiny bit, but it's something I am willing to sacrifice in exchange for mobility. This device is not user-repairable because screws have been replaced by glue. If it had screws and lids, this thing would weigh well over 2 lbs and no one would buy it.

[loyukfai]

How about the potential successor of Helix or X-series Tablets? Do you think we'll see one?

Cheers.

[twistero]

Do you mean no special cut screen protectors or no 3rd party pens?

Both. I haven't looked really hard yet, but a quick search at TabletPCReview forums doesn't turn up any reviews for screen protectors.

As for 3rd party pens, AFAIK even with Wacom, there were only "pens for other tablet PC models" and one or two of Wacom's own offerings, and they are all basically the same pen on the inside. Even the nibs were all interchangeable.

One thing I'd like to know, does the unrepairablility concern you guys?

I take good care of my electronics, and so far haven't broken anything, so hopefully I will never need the repairability.
The lack of upgradability does irk me somewhat, but the SP3 is the most powerful computer I have right now, so it's not a big concern either.

[loyukfai]

That's my understanding as well, they're basically the same thing inside with different exterior designs.

As for screen protectors, came across this thread (http://www.reddit.com/r/Surface/comment ... ss_screen/) on Reddit, what do you think?

With regard to the unrepairability, one concern is that the price difference between different storage space (128GB -> 256GB, 256GB -> 512GB) seems quite taxing, and the lack of user serviceable parts make it less than ideal.

Cheers.

[pianowizard]

With regard to the unrepairability, one concern is that the price difference between different storage space (128GB -> 256GB, 256GB -> 512GB) seems quite taxing

It's indeed outrageous that the 256GB i5 model costs $300 more than the 128GB i5 model. But the microSD card reader helps a little bit: if you want to save money, opt for the 128GB model and put in a 128GB microSDXC card. In the States, a 128GB microSDXC card can be had for just over $100 shipped. A couple weeks ago I bought a used one off eBay for $75 shipped. There aren't 256GB microSDXC cards yet but I bet they are coming soon, since 256GB SDXC cards have been around for a while.

[Nickolai]

I like Surface Pro 2 better: same hardware as "3", Wacom digitizer and smaller size that I waited for ThinkPads to deliver for a long while!

Unrepairability does concern me, but I'm considering finding a company that could take it aprat, re-solder with another CPU and upgrade SSD (there's 1TB SSD which are not offered as an option by MS, at any price) and put it back. I know they do repair iPads (e.g. replace the supposedly non-replaceable batteriy), this one should be just a little bit harder: Surface Pro 2 got 1 out of 10 iFixit repairability score, lower than Macbook Air (4) and iPad Air even! (2).

[Eric Giles]

I pre-ordered the i5/4GB/128GB model and received it the day of release. I previously had the original Surface Pro, and sold it to help pay for the cost of the new setup. After over a month of using it daily, it has become by go-to laptop/tablet. Firmware updates have fixed most of the early issues, although some of the issues never affected me. I absolutley love the 3:2 ratio, high resolution screen-so much better than the 16:9 ratio tablets/laptops that are so common these days. I have been working with some large spreadsheets lately, and I have more than enough screen real estate for them.

The keyboard is a big upgrade over the previous versions-much better touchpad, and the key feel is better. Still no Thinkpad by any means, but very useable now. The N-Trig pen setup works well,l although I would have to give the nod to the Wacom being superior. The N-Trig gets the job done, but the Wacom just performed better overall.

Performance is very good-I don't notice any slowdowns. Heat hasn't been a problem with mine, and the fan hardly ever comes on for me. It weighs a bit less than a first generation iPad, and is much easier to hold than the original Surface Pro tablets. The new kickstand works very well, and is a huge improvement over the first generation. It can hold the Surface at almost any angle you need and keep it there without moving.

Overall, it's an expensive device-but really there isn't anything else out there quite like it. I would definitely buy another one if I had to.

[twistero]

As for screen protectors, came across this thread (http://www.reddit.com/r/Surface/comment ... ss_screen/) on Reddit, what do you think?

I wonder whether writing on this "tempered glass" screen protector feels any different from writing on the bare glass screen. Someone in that reddit thread said they will post their own experiences, but apparently never did.