Surface Pro 3: technical specifications, pricing, & details

Microsoft unveiled to the world Surface Pro 3, a thinner, lighter, and more powerful than the its predecessor Surface Pro 2. And the company touting this tablet as the first device that can actually replace a laptop on every aspect, not only because the hardware Surface Pro 3 packs inside, but also because it can run any type of applications from modern apps to any traditional desktop application (such as Photoshop, iTunes, Chrome, etc.) in a gorgeous 12-inch display. Let’s go through the tech specs and details you probably didn’t know about the new tablet:

Surface Pro 3 tech specs

Feature	Description
Dimensions	11.5” x 7.93” x 0.3” (292mm x 201.3mm x 9.1mm)
Weight	1.76lbs (800 grams)
Display	Screen: 12” ClearType Full HD Plus Aspect Ratio: 3:2 Touch: Multi-touch
Resolution	2160 x 1440 (216 ppi)
External Monitor	Surface Pro 3 with Core i5 & i7 can be hooked up to two monitors of 2880 x 1800 pixels. Surface Pro 3 with Core i3 can be hooked up to two monitors of 1920 x 1200 pixels each.
Graphics	Surface Pro 3 with Core i3: Intel HD4200 Surface Pro 3 with Core i5: Intel HD4400 Surface Pro 3 with Core i7: Intel HD5000
Storage & RAM	64GB or 128GB storage with 4GB RAM 256GB or 512GB storage with 8GB RAM Note: Surface Pro 3 with Intel Core i3 only comes with 64GB.
Available Storage	Free disk space after Windows installation: 64 GB of storage: 37 GB of free disk space 128 GB of storage: 97 GB of free disk space 256 GB of storage: 212 GB of free disk space 512 GB of storage: 451 GB of free disk space
Processor	4th generation ultra-low-voltage (ULV), dual-core with Hyper-Threading and 22nm die size technology Intel Core i3-4020Y, i5-4300U, and i7 i7-4650U TPM Chip for enterprise security Core i3 clock speed: 1.5 GHz Core i5 clock speed: 1.9 GHz and up to 2.9 GHz with turbo boost Core i7 clock speed: 1.7 GHz and up to 3.3 GHz with turbo boost Note: All versions of Surface Pro 3 feature Intel's InstantGo (or Connected Standby), technology that allows fast sleep and resume of the tablet.
Network	Wireless: Wi-Fi 802.11ac/802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy technology
Ports	Full-size USB 3.0 microSD card reader Headset jack Mini DisplayPort Cover port
Location	Digital Compass
Cameras, Video and Audio	5.0 megapixel rear-facing camera 5.0 megapixel front-facing camera Stereo microphones Stereo speakers with Dolby sound
Battery	42 watt battery with up to 9 hours of battery life doing web browsing (10% increase from Surface Pro 2)
Sensors	Ambient light sensor Accelerometer Gyroscope Magnetometer
Kickstand positions	Multiple, up to 150 degrees
Pen input	Pen (included in the box with a "AAAA" battery non-rechargeable) Pen features 256 levels of pressure sensitivity
Power Supply	36w power supply, which also includes 5w USB for charging accessories
Inside the box	Surface Pro 3 Surface Pen 36w Power supply Quick Start Guide Safety and warranty documents

Surface Pro 3 details

There is a lot that has changed with Surface Pro 3, for example the new screen is 30% bigger than Surface Pro 2 and at a screen resolution of 2160 x 1400 pixels the new tablet packs 50% more pixels. There is 3:2 aspect ratio with a portrait orientation, users will notice this when they see that Microsoft has moved the Start button to the right side of the bezel.

The new tablet features a new vent system and single fan to cool things down, though still a little bit noisy at times, for example when installing updates or using an app that needs a lot system resources. However it is quieter than the Surface pro 2.

The speakers are also louder and located in front of the device at the top-right and top-left side at the edge of the bezel.

Unlike other tablets, Surface Pro 3 features both the front-facing and back 5 megapixel camera. And also are capable of capturing 1080p video.

Another thing you might not know is that the Surface teams has done something really amazing with the screen this time around. Now the Surface Pro 3 features a Gorilla Glass screen that is fusion together with the LCD that reduces light reflection, allows the device to shave off a few microns and helps for more accurate touch, and decreases the latency or parallax effect while writing, drawing, or marking up a documents, with the Surface Pen.

Talking about the pen, the Surface Pen comes included when buying the device. It’s a Bluetooth accessory and it’s powered by a “AAAA” battery. It also features a button at the top that allows to open OneNote to note-taking even if the Surface Pro 3 is locked. This is also an “active capacitive” pen that produces an electronic field that can be used as way to control the mouse cursor on the screen by hovering the pen tip over the screen without actually touching the screen.

The kickstand has been improved dramatically, the new version doesn’t offer the only 2 modes anymore. Now it has multiple positions, so you can go from 0 to 150 degrees angle (or canvas mode) for better lapability.

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 also features a new proprietary charger that unlike previous Surface models, slides inside the slot and works as a high-speed data port too. The new docking station makes use of this high-speed that port to connect to the tablet instead of using the USB port like in Surface Pro 2.

Another important fact is that Surface Pro 3 is 50% thinner than the MacBook Pro and 30% thinner than the 11-inch MacBook Air.

Finally, this time around Microsoft will officially release an Ethernet to USB adapter for the tablet. It’s coming soon and it’ll cost $39.99.

For Surface Pro 3 pricing and availability, check out this previous article.