Indeed the rumors were true, Microsoft took the stage this week at the Surface event in New York City to unveil the Surface Pro 3 and not the Surface mini as many of us were expecting.
The new tablet looks amazing, it’s a 12-inch with a choice up to a Core i7 processor. The Surface Pro 3 has a screen resolution of 2160 x 1440 pixels (at 216 ppi reasonably larger than 208 ppi found in the Surface Pro 2) with a 3:2 aspect ratio, which is unusual for this Microsoft device. It’s only 9.1 mm thick and weighs only 800 grams.
The new Surface Pro 3 is really thin, super silent, and large. But one feature the company has improved is the kickstand, which now includes a canvas mode of 150 degrees that the company says improves “lapability”. Basically now can set the kickstand at 22 degrees and from there it can go to any angle up to 150 degrees. As for the battery life of this new powerhouse tablet, users can expect “up to nine hours”, according to the company.
Natural handwriting was also a big part of the presentation, as the new device comes with a Bluetooth pen that also includes a button at the top that allows users to wake the device and go straight to OneNote even when locked. Of course, if the device is already on, pressing the button will just open note-taking app.
The pen it supposed to come included with the device. There will also be a docking station with many ports and support for 4K displays, and new type covers with many colors to choose from (the covers will also feature a pen holder, to take digital inking everywhere).
As with the previous generations, Surface Pro 3 aims to be the answer to bridge the gap between a tablet and laptop. And this week’s event the company showed that they are headed in the right direction.
The Surface Pro 3 have three varieties of Intel processors: Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7. Pre-orders are available starting today, May 21th, at the Microsoft Store website with a price tag of $799 up to $1,949 for the max-out Core i7, 8GB or RAM, and 512GB of storage. Shipping for the Core i5 starts on June 20th; Core i3 and i7 models won’t ship until August 31st.
Surface Pro 3 pricing
- Intel Core i3, 64GB, and 4GB of RAM: $799
- Intel Core i5, 128GB, and 4GB of RAM: $999
- Intel Core i5, 256GB, and 8GB of RAM: $1,299
- Intel Core i7, 256GB, and 8GB of RAM: $1,549
- Intel Core i7, 512GB, and 8GB of RAM: $1,949
Surface Pro 3 accessories
- Surface Pro Type Cover: $129.99
- Surface Pen: $49.99
- 36w Power Supply: $79.99
- Docking Station for Surface Pro 3: 199.99
- Surface Ethernet Adapter: $39.99
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].