Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Review Roundup
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As you all know, Microsoft announced Surface Pro 3 device at a press event last week. This 12-inch device scales at 1.76 pounds, but packs all the power and performance of a premium laptop in a thin and lightweight design. It also comes with the all-new Surface Pen which delivers a natural writing and drawing experience. You can read the reviews of Surface Pro 3 device from various tech blogs. Here is a roundup of them.You can pre-order the device from Microsoft Store now.
Engadget:
Pros
- Remarkably thin and light for a machine with laptop guts
- Easier to use as a standalone tablet
- Fast performance
- Gorgeous, high-res display
- Keyboard can be propped up at a more comfortable angle
Cons
- Flimsy keyboard is inferior to what you’d get on a proper laptop; worse, it doesn’t even come in the box
- Not that comfortable to use in the lap
- Middling battery life
ConclusionThe Surface Pro 3 is Microsoft’s biggest and best tablet yet, but it needs a better keyboard to truly replace your laptop
Read full review here.
The Verge:
The Surface Pro 3’s hardware is undoubtedly impressive. Although Microsoft calls it a tablet, it’s better to think of this Surface as a full-fledged PC that can work as a large tablet in a pinch. More than anything else, the Surface Pro 3 is the ideal physical form for Windows 8.1. Both the OS and the hardware feel like a computer with some (occasionally great) tablet features tacked on top. It’s as though the bits that make up Windows prayed really hard and created a physical version of themselves.
The Surface is so PC-centric, it’s hard to even think of it as being in the same category as the iPad. Instead, Microsoft is very clearly taking aim at the MacBook Air, but beating the most popular laptop on the market is a very tall order. Taking everything into account, the hardware is now very competitive between the two. So whether you think the Surface Pro 3 is a better alternative depends almost entirely on what you think of Windows and the Microsoft ecosystem.
It took three iterations for the hardware to live up to Microsoft’s original vision for the Surface, but now it finally does. If you believe that Windows 8.1 hasn’t taken off because the hardware hasn’t been good enough, the Surface Pro 3 removes that argument from the table. It’s simply hard to identify areas where it can get radically better. If the Surface Pro 3 can’t get consumers on board with Windows, Microsoft is going to need to seriously rethink its software strategy at a fundamental level.
Read full review here.
CNET:
The GoodThe Surface Pro 3 is thinner and lighter than the previous two versions, despite having a larger 12-inch display and higher screen resolution. A new kickstand makes it easier to set up and use, and the keyboard cover remains a best-in-class example. The Surface Pro 3 is now optimized for a digital pen, which is included.
The Bad That excellent keyboard cover is not included in the base price, and its improved touchpad still doesn’t measure up. The chassis lacks pen storage, and even with tweaked kickstand and keyboard hinges, the Surface Pro 3 still doesn’t fit perfectly on the lap.
The Bottom LineWhile the new Surface Pro 3 is Microsoft’s best PC to date, it’s more successful as a tablet than a laptop replacement.
Read full review here.
Ars Technica:
Surface Pro 3 is the closest Microsoft has come yet to producing a laptop-killing tablet. But the laptop will live on to fight another day. This time around, the third iteration isn’t the one that gets it right.
The good
- Beautiful design
- Beautiful screen
- Packs so much into so little
- Neat OneNote integration
The bad
- The dearth of USB ports
- The touchpad remains mediocre
- Some people will find it expensive
The ugly
- It’s still the best laptop replacement that can’t actually replace a laptop
Read full review here.
PCMag:
Pros : Clear, bright, 12-inch, 2,160-by-1,440-resolution display. 10-finger multi-touch support. Infinitely adjustable, full-friction kickstand. Pressure-sensitive stylus included.
Cons: Heavy and bulky for a slate tablet. Type Cover costs $130 extra. Integrated pen storage is flimsy. Only one USB 3.0 port. Kickstand still digs into your legs when used in your lap. Doesn’t work with last-generation Surface accessories. Performance is not better than that of the previous iteration.
Bottom Line : With its 12-inch, high-resolution display, full-friction kickstand, and Surface Pen, Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 tablet aims to be the only mobile PC you need. But will you ditch your laptop? We’re not so sure.
Read full review here.
Yahoo Tech:
Do you need this beast?
That said, there are legitimate reasons to pass on the Surface.If all you need is a tablet, get a tablet; you’ll save money, weight, and thickness. If all you need is a laptop, get a laptop; you’ll save money, you’ll probably have more storage, and your machine will be more rigid and secure when it’s in your lap.
And, of course, if you prefer Apple’s unified, attractive universe of machines that work wirelessly together, well, then a Windows machine isn’t for you.
But if you own or carry around both a tablet and a laptop, then the Surface is calling out your name. There’s nothing like it.
It’s so much better than the sales figures would indicate. We, the buying public, are not giving it a fair shake.
If this marvel of engineering doesn’t lift the Microsoft hardware curse, I don’t know what its designers are supposed to do. Maybe join a self-help group with Cassandra and Sisyphus
Read full review here.
