Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Recently purchased an Windows 8 Tablet and it's actually a very good device. Windows 8 is good as a touch OS and the ability to run full Windows programs on device is invaluable.

Battery life is fantastic, system is responsive, multi-tasking is real, etc.

I think this is the future of mobile computing - tablets were a good intermediary step but I think once people use these devices they won't want a compromised OS anymore.

I wonder when Apple is going to release an iPad Pro... the problem I see is that OSX has a long way to go before it is touch ready - Microsoft has a 3 year head start in that respect.
Compromised OS that makes no sense most people don't need that much computing power. You're talking about an extremely small segment of users that thinks mobile operating systems are compromised.
 
i dont see how the surface is a "tablet" as the definition of tablet to me is a lightweight streaming content machine. It's meant for games, surfing the web, reading a book, etc. Things that are inconvenient to do on a laptop because of the weight/keyboard. It's a luxury item no lie. But I truly believe it's weird to find a middle ground. What should happen in the future is that laptops get so light, they automatically become tablets with detachable keyboards, but when it becomes detached, it becomes iOS.
 
I don't think they will come out with one. Microsoft gave the reason why...
96% of people with iPads also own a notebook (specifically Macbook Air).

Apple has no incentive to reduce sales and profits by providing a device that eliminates the need to buy another (Apple) device.

I would think that a competitor coming out with a device that eliminates the need to buy two Apple products would be reason enough?
 
What's wrong with the price? It's basically $100 cheaper then the MacBook Aur with half the storage and no keyboard. That price isn't outrageous. If Apple made a MBA without and Keyvoard it would be about the same also.
These prices are pretty good and actually making the SP3 competitive with the ipadAir rather then then MBA. I mean a ipadAir with 64gb is $699 and the SP3 is argue able more usable and bigger screen for only $100 more.

MacBook Air is not cannot compete with Surface Pro 3 simply because SP3 is touch screen, higher screen resolution.

You can neither compare it with iPad Air for the simple reason, SP3 runs full fledged desktop OS.

It is superior to both, least on paper.
 
$100 more than the 11" MBA, same price as the 13" MBA.

Except the MBAs come with a free keyboard and trackpad ($130 value), a free docking station ($200 value) already integrated, and better battery life.

And lacks tiny detail called Touch Screen. You know the the thing why ppl buy tablets in the first place.

Please do not compare this to laptops that DO NOT have touch screen. It's a tablet that can ALSO be used as proper laptop. No competition in that area yet.

No matter what Cook says today, but Apple will follow. The day will come when iPad and Air are merged.
 
3. What's the battery life? if its not 12 hrs, its not a MBA replacement

Not once in my entire professional career have I had to work for over 9 hours straight with no access to an outlet. YMMV, of course, but I can't imagine that being a deal breaker for very many.
 
Not once in my entire professional career have I had to work for over 9 hours straight with no access to an outlet. YMMV, of course, but I can't imagine that being a deal breaker for very many.

Most people have a real adverse reaction to taking a step backwards in battery life, especially if we are talking a couple of hours.

Especially road warriors.

I'd be curious to see if there is a big battery life difference between i3, i5 and i7.
 
1) The kick stand isn't as sturdy as a laptop so it's difficult at times balancing the screen with the kick stand on say one leg and type using the flimsy keyboard/cover. The laptop is just more sturdy and you can adjust, easily, the angle of the screen.

That would not really be how you use it. You'd hold it in your hand or have it docked on your desk.

2) The laptop offers you more RAM and storage upgrades.

I have 128 GB HD and 4 GB RAM in my work laptop at the moment. 16 GB RAM is definitely a rare case and the Surface isn't really targeting that market.

3) I just feel using a touch screen adds extra steps when working with documents vs. using a keyboard and mouse or touchpad.

Then don't. Plug in a mouse and a keyboard, or dock it.

4) Using the onscreen keyboard basically cuts your screen real estate in half when working with documents.

This is no different on any tablet.
 
I agree (though I didn't feel compelled to upgrade from my 3rd gen iPad). But if I was a Surface Pro 2 owner I might be a little miffed.

The kickstand on the new Surface would make me a bit nervous though. Seems like it's just begging to get broken.

Image

----------



I caught that too. A typo perhaps?

I just noticed... Why would they put the microsoft logo there on a landscape device? It seems to me they're just making it look more like an iPad from a glance...
 
They seem to be missing the problem. That being one of taking the screen off or reaching up to do things, In this case with the stylus. The keyboard area needs to be touchscreen like the screen and turn on when you want to draw. That way you just pick up the stylus and draw where the keyboard was. Guess that function is in the future with hologram projection screens.
 
I would think that a competitor coming out with a device that eliminates the need to buy two Apple products would be reason enough?

Uh, I really don't think Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 will stop people from buying Apple products, in particular an iPad and Macbook Air. If people want Apple they will buy Apple, period. Secondly the Surface runs Windows and not OS X. The Macbook Air runs both OS's natively and both the iPad and the Macbook Air run Office and One Note.
And Microsoft is so arrogant. Just because a person has an iPad doesn't mean their other Apple device would be a Macbook. I have an iPad Air and an iMac. The Surface Pro 3 certainly wouldn't take the place of that combo.
 
Why does everyone keep saying "Compared to what?" Compared to a MBA of course. For $30 cheaper you get an 11" MBA with the same battery life, an i5 processor and twice the storage running OSX. Sure you lose out on 1" of display and it is marginally heavier. Compared to that, it is expensive.

Compared to a 64 GB iPad where you actually get most of the 64GB, it is maybe a wash. Window washing... I don't know, see what you can do with that.

You do know how tighyly baked OneDrive is with Windows 8 right? If you are a OneDrive user then 64GB isn't even an issue, as long as you have an internet connection of course, but you can always choose which documents are physically stored on your local hard drive.
 
On the flip side you could say the iPad is a better tablet and a MBA is a better laptop.

Sure. But then you are stuck with two devices and still have no stylus.

And I really don't have any use for a laptop per se. It spends most of its day sitting in a dock. I only bring it along to meeting rooms and customer sites, and 99% of the time a tablet with a good stylus and proper Windows would be more convenient as I'm mainly standing up and presenting/demoing things while taking notes.
 
Sure. But then you are stuck with two devices and still have no stylus.

And I really don't have any use for a laptop per se. It spends most of its day sitting in a dock. I only bring it along to meeting rooms and customer sites, and 99% of the time a tablet with a good stylus and proper Windows would be more convenient as I'm mainly standing up and presenting/demoing things while taking notes.

i hope you realize you are not the world. MSFT has not proved that this market is anything but niche.

on the tablet side: no apps no apps no apps no apps and also heavier and less battery

on the laptop side: Not as convenient of a form factor and windows 8 the jury is still out. i think samsung also proved that stylus is not the hot commodity people are saying it is.
 
i dont see how the surface is a "tablet" as the definition of tablet to me is a lightweight streaming content machine.

I don't see how the iPad is a tablet as the definition of tablet to me is a stylus-operated full-fledged productivity machine.

See how that works?
 
I don't see how the iPad is a tablet as the definition of tablet to me is a stylus-operated full-fledged productivity machine.

See how that works?

except my product sells much more than yours so i'm inclined to believe the "tablet market" is whatever the masses defined it as.
 
You are absolutely right. Personally I never saw the need for one. I have seen people drawing amazing stuff using just their bare finger on iPad. I guess SJ was right when he made his famous comment about stylus.

the 1st video on MS' newsroom shows a bit awkward usage of the touchscreen, and stylus at the same time. it's the part where the screen shows thumbnails, and the guy is marking some of them. even all the editing was not able to conceal that kind of hesitation, which needs to be used.

and again, beat me to death, i still can't imagine how it could be "natural" to draw with a pencil shaped stuff on a 60 degree tilted screen which is at least 2 ft away from your face... not to mention the rock stable support delivered by a thin foldable plastic leg and the friction between the desk and the edge of this "tabtop".

one does not simply write on a small surface with straight arms.
the part where the guy holds the tabled-shaped version in one hand, and uses the stylus to take notes is somewhat credible though. i however do not use one inch high letters while writing on a piece of paper, cause there's not much space available.

there's one thing i really think is nice: the tabled switches to the note app when you push the button on the stylus. this is pretty well implemented, and it really feels natural.
 
$1949 + $130 type cover = me opting for a retina MacBook Pro instead.

That's my dilemma. The surface is smaller and more portable so for who hates lugging a big ass laptop about its perfect.... but the MacBook no doubt more powerful and probably better built.

I have seen some clever people installing OSX on the Surface 2 and duel booting with Windows 8..... so the 3 really has my attention here. Regardless I'll be ditching the iPad.
 
OS X and that's about it.

Unfortunately, it won't. Albeit I'd love a native OS X tablet with a comparatively large, 4:3 screen, 8GB of RAM and an i5/i7 CPU and Wacom support.

----------

I have seen some clever people installing OSX on the Surface 2 and duel booting with Windows 8..... so the 3 really has my attention here.

Yup, the SP3 is most probably hackable too. It's "only" the built-in Wi-Fi that may not work, at last this was the case with the previous two SP's - that is, you'll need to use external Wi-Fi dongles while using OS X.
 
Uh, I really don't think Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 will stop people from buying Apple products, in particular an iPad and Macbook Air. If people want Apple they will buy Apple, period.

By that logic nobody needs to do nothing. If people want Windows they'll buy Windows. If people want Samsung they'll buy Samsung.

In reality, however, you will find that rational people base their purchase decisions on cost, needs and values, not the manufacturer. If Apple does not make a product that I really could have use for, but a competitor does, that's where my money is going. And if the competing device fulfills the role of some other devices, guess what, I'm not going to buy those.
 
So many mis informed or flat out ignorant comments on here

I don't want to take the time to adress them all, but I will say the Surface 3 is an amazing product and competively priced. People are quick to point out the added cost of the $130 keyboard but fail to mention all the short comings of the MacBook air. Do yourself a favor and take a more objective approach to really find out how the two stack up both in features and in price. Only then can you make an informed decision on which one suits your needs best. Keep in mind everyone's needs are different.

MacBook air 11in. $899
i5 1.4ghz
4gb ram
128gb storage
11.inch non hd screen 1366 by 768 (non touch screen)
One 720p camera
Height: 0.11-0.68 inch
Width: 11.8 inches
Depth: 7.56 inches
Weight: 2.38 pounds
Comes with keyboard
1 extra USB port

Surface Pro 3 $999
i5 1.9ghz
4gb ram
128gb storage
Height:.36 in
Width: 11.5in.
Depth:7.93in.
Weight: 1.76 lbs
Trade off for keyboard:
12 inch screen 2160 x 1440(10 point touch) vs non hd non touch
Active digitizer pen input
Gyroscope
Accelerometer
Magnetometer
Ambient light sensor
2 5mp camera(front and rear) vs 1 720p(front)
SD card reader vs (only available in 13in. MBA or higher)
$129 for optional removable keyboard

With the keyboard included in the Surface Pro 3 you're looking at a $229 price difference, but for that you're getting so much more in return. A bigger, better, multitouch HD screen, active digitizer pen support, gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetometer, ambient light sensor, 2 5mp cameras vs 1 720p, and a SD card reader.
The surface pro 3 is also lighter and thinner making it more portable and has the added flexibility of being a tablet/ultrabook. While the surface pro 3 has improved on its ability to be used on the lap its still not as sturdy as the MBA. Outside of your personal preference for OS that's really the only strong point the MBA has over the SP3. Of course this comes down to wether the extra features and portability of the SP3 is worth the price difference. I'd argue, that for many, the screen quality and pen support alone is.

Looks like Microsoft is also using a newer, higher clocked CPU from Intel adding even more value to the SP3.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/8037/microsoft-surface-pro-3-hands-on-display-performance-preview
The model they're using is the 256gb, but the CPU is the same on both the 128gb and 256gb models.
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.