Microsoft Introduces Thinner Surface Pro 3 with 12" Display Starting at $799

[skaertus]

Thank-you for the update on the TypeCover 3 weight.

You are welcome.

I used a different screen aspect ratio calculator (which came out with different results), but if what you say is true then the 12.1" screen is indeed larger (though not "much larger"). Any maths experts here?

Going by skaertus' calculator the 13" MBA has a screen as much larger than the SP3's screen is larger than the 11" MBA.

If you take a look at the DisplayWars website (http://www.displaywars.com/11,6-inch-16x9-vs-12,1-inch-3x2), then the areas would be as follows:

11.6-inch MacBook Air: 57.5 square inches
12.1-inch Surface 3 Pro: 67.57 square inches

I am assuming the Surface Pro 3 has a 12.1-inch display (and not 12.0-inch as I previously thought). According to these calculations, the Surface Pro 3 has 17.5% more area in the screen than the 11.6-inch MacBook Air.

 

[uknowimright]

Image

Interesting that in Microsoft's use of a "scientific balance scale", that they have not included the TypeCover 3 which would make it a fair comparison.

The current TypeCover 2 weighs 0.56 lbs, which would bring the true weight of the Surface Pro 3 up to 2.31 lbs in it's "ultrabook mode".

The 11" MBA weighs 2.38 lbs, which is indeed slightly heavier. However, it may be interesting to note that the 11" MBA has a 10% larger screen than the 12" Surface Pro 3.

(Surface Pro 3 12.1" screen @ 3:2 aspect ratio equals 52.78 square inches vs. MBA 11.6" screen @ 16:9 aspect ratio equals 57.43 square inches.)

there you go

 

[solarguy17]

Honestly what they should do is drop the 64GB price to $699 and market like this

"the Surface Pro 3, a tablet to compete with the MacBook Air but at the iPad Air price."

----------

Image

there you go

I think he also said what you picture showed.

 

[zipa]

Actually if you're interested in a specific product from a manufacturer, namely the Surface Pro 3 since you've done nothing but talk down Apple and promote the Surface since yesterday... ....then you should care if Microsoft's tablet is selling.

Well, I don't. I'm buying this, that is the extent of support I need. I'm guessing this will last me 3-4 years or so, when it's time to renew it, I'll re-evaluate the situation based on what is on the market at that time.

 

[WhySoSerious]

99% of you here are clueless. None of you actually WATCHED the MS keynote because if you did, you wouldn't be making all these comments that are inaccurate.

Example: during the keynote, the presenter DID put the type cover on the surface pro while it was on the scale with only the MacBook Air (he removed the iPad). The surface pro was still lighter.

This is just one example. I don't have time to educate all of you. Go watch the keynote before you guys leave any more stupid comments.

 

[IbisDoc]

What percentage of Surface Pro 3 users will use it strictly as a tablet?

When comparing to a MBA, the fair comparison remains the Surface Pro 3 in it's "ultrabook mode".

That's the point. It's both. And its lighter with or without the keypad, and if you throw in two accessory 5MP cameras on the macbook, the difference would be even greater. Oh yes, I forgot, ultrabook users don't need cameras, so that should not be included in the weight comparision.

 

[Michael Goff]

Was that part of the MS presentation?

Yes, it was. It was a small percentage, something like 5% or something. I forget.

 

[MyopicPaideia]

Then is the man lying when he says that the Surface Pro 3 shows more content than a 13" MBA?

No he is not, but that has less to do with the nearly equal aspect ratios of the screen and more to do with the respective screen resolutions:

MBA 13.3" 1440x900
SP3 12.1" 2160x1440

The surface area numbers that guy gave are wrong as well.

 

[AppleScruff1]

It's not having actually gotten a virus that concerns me when I run Windows, but the fact that they're out there. How safe do you feel shopping, banking, etc. with a Windows machine? They get new keyloggers, etc. all the time. If your virus checker hasn't added it, you could be the one that gets screwed. Compare that to OSX that has never had more than trojans and worms and very few of those. You can talk about risky online behavior, etc., but I'm talking about feeling secure. That's harder to put a price on.

I feel perfectly safe shopping, banking etc with a Windows machine, and I'm certainly not in the minority. I use NIS and have for several years now. It upates automatically, I set it to do a full system scan weekly plus it does quick scans daily. I set it and forget it and go about my business without concern. I don't use IE on the XP machine, IE 8 sucks IMO and that is the latest version that you can use on XP. Windows 7 and 8 are better and more secure than XP.

 

[Mac Heretic]

No more Wacom, but N-trig instead. This blog says so.

I don't blame Microsoft. Wacom's tech is presumably not so cheap to lisence. And Wacom obviously hasn't been so eager to really reinvent the pro market which they have owned for so long. They have been doing merely cosmetic changes. Wacom Cintiq starts to feel like a device from 10 years ago. The other solutions like Ipad are capable of many great things, but toys for drawing.

So hail the new tech. If it works. There are some things to consider, as explained here: the ink flow may be even better, but there are now 256 pressure levels instead of previous 1024. And being new and minor, N-Trig has lacked software support. What is the status nowadays, are f.ex. Photoshop CS6 and Manga Studio really usable with N-Trig?

(Btw, Macrumors' site seems to be really impatient. If writing takes a bit and when it is finally ready to be sent, the connection will be closed without warning and the written text is lost before it get sent, forcing to write it again. That is a real nuisance. How do people cope with that…)

 

[MyopicPaideia]

Thank-you for the update on the TypeCover 3 weight.



I used a different screen aspect ratio calculator (which came out with different results), but if what you say is true then the 12.1" screen is indeed larger (though not "much larger"). Any maths experts here?

Going by skaertus' calculator the 13" MBA has a screen as much larger than the SP3's screen is larger than the 11" MBA.

Weird, I get the exact same number from both calculators. You must have simply entered it wrong, but it shouldn't have made sense to you in any case, as 3:2 (15:10) will always be bigger than 16:9 at the same diagonal length, so a 16:9 that has a smaller diagonal could never be bigger than a 3:2 screen with a larger one...

 

[HenryDJP]

Well, I don't. I'm buying this, that is the extent of support I need. I'm guessing this will last me 3-4 years or so, when it's time to renew it, I'll re-evaluate the situation based on what is on the market at that time.

Well good on you. Since you've made up your mind on what YOU want/need, please allow others to make their own minds up here rather than you acting like Microsoft's affiliate sales guy. Even though this article is about the Surface this is still an Apple-Enthusiast board and I'd like to think that the people that come here and register know a thing or two about computing and can decide for themselves.

 

[prowlmedia]

Dual Apps... Simple!


Surface Pro:
Tablet mode = Metro UI + Metro Apps

Notebook mode = Desktop UI + Windows Apps
+ AutoCAD, 3Ds Max, Photoshop, XBMC, Steam Games-HOTAS, PS3/XBOX controllers... 2.5" External hdd 500/1/2 TB + External Blu-Ray player/recorder...

*for the brave ones; hackintosh OS X on 2nd partition or external hdd!

How is that simple at all?

They don't talk to each other properly and it eats up tones of memory. 8.1+office apps = 50gb!!!!!

And don't get me started on the clusterf*&k that is the registry.

 

[linuxcooldude]

The ipad can't compete with this new tablet. This is clearly a laptop replacement device. Now IF apple can put full blown OSX on an ipad, then there would be competition. I like my ipad but will seriously consider this new tablet to get rid of my laptop and tablet. OK apple. Your up. Can you compete?

I don't see Apple looking to compete in this market, at least until major problems are solved. Its too niche, its too expensive for the average consumer. Too many trade offs in battery life, clunky interface for a desktop operating system.

 

[LordVic]

Time will tell on the kickstand durability. So far I have read that the Surface kickstands have been very sturdy and durable. Hopefully they continue that way. Face it, all of us who love tech get mad when something we recently bought gets updated or a new, improved model comes out. It was terrible in the pre-smartphone days and in the Windows PC market too. Everything was updated on a quicker cycle. No matter when you buy, something better is in the works and just around the corner. We suffer either way, waiting for Apple when the update cycle gets too long, or some of the other manufacturers who update more frequently. I guess it keeps things interesting and the tech forums alive. I like to see new stuff, even if it's something I won't buy.

nah, I recently bought the Surface Pro 2 last month. I'm not feeling miffed at all. I would like it to be thinner and lighter, but I don't want a 12" device. to me, there's very little upgrade between the Pro 2 and Pro 3 except the size. if Anything, Microsoft should keep both the Pro 2 and Pro 3 around to hit 2 different price points and product sizes.

 

[slash7844]

Hahaha... "Sold"... How many of those are comprised of OEM installs? How many of them are from those $50 sales MS has had to have? How much did they lose by having to provide the 8.1 update at no cost?

lol. Following your logic, how much did Apple lose by distributing Maverick for free? And yes, MS gives service packs and .xx updates for free. Do Apple charge for them?

 

[IJ Reilly]

I'll say they haven't found it. It's still too heavy.

When this thing is as light as an iPad Air and has the same 12 hour battery, then I'll say they've found it.

Using your own arbitrary tech specs as a way of deciding if the product will be successful is entirely missing the point. The market will decide what is important, not you or me.

 

[HenryDJP]

lol. Following your logic, how much did Apple lose by distributing Maverick for free? And yes, MS gives service packs and .xx updates for free. Do Apple charge for them?

Actually it's called Maverick(S) and you're not taking into account that (aside from the cheapskate hackintoshers) every Mavericks freebee gets installed on a Mac and Apple has already made money from their customers on the hardware.

 

[Michael Goff]

No he is not, but that has less to do with the nearly equal aspect ratios of the screen and more to do with the respective screen resolutions:

MBA 13.3" 1440x900
SP3 12.1" 2160x1440

The surface area numbers that guy gave are wrong as well.

Thanks.

 

[576316]

Why would that be? How do you suggest should I use a laptop while sitting comfortably on my sofa?

I dunno. Like get a lap table or something.

 

[slash7844]

Name some

And no my definition of industry is not small and mom-and-pop stores. That would be point of sale and Apple has that covered. I'm talking about real work critical systems, BMS systems, life safety systems.

The software to run big corporations don't exist for Macs period. SAP, great plains, MAS 90, Aura... I have yet to meet a client /3rd party (includes investment bankers, actuaries, lawyers, accounting /finance professionals) using Macs to do their work. Do you think HQ of Exxon Mobile, GM, JP Morgan Chase, Ford.. Etc.. runs Macs for day to day operation? lol How about their backbones?? Servers running osx?? Get real.

 

[Val-kyrie]

No he is not, but that has less to do with the nearly equal aspect ratios of the screen and more to do with the respective screen resolutions:

MBA 13.3" 1440x900
SP3 12.1" 2160x1440

The surface area numbers that guy gave are wrong as well.

I think I would still prefer the greater height the 13" MBA screen offers (900 pixels) vs the SP3 (720 pixels x2 for clarity).

Or have I missed something?

 

[HenryDJP]

The software to run big corporations don't exist for Macs period. SAP, great plains, MAS 90, Aura... I have yet to meet a client /3rd party (includes investment bankers, actuaries, lawyers, accounting /finance professionals) using Macs to do their work. Do you think HQ of Exxon Mobile, GM, JP Morgan Chase, Ford.. Etc.. runs Macs for day to day operation? lol How about their backbones?? Servers running osx?? Get real.

It's not that the "Mac" that's not supported it's OS X. If a person wants to use a Mac and they are in a Windows environment they can simply install Windows on it for those needs. They don't need use a physical Windows machine, let alone a Surface.

 

[TraceyS/FL]

I'll say it (i'm only up to page 15 in the comments), Microsoft is on the right track.

The iPad upped the anty for mobile computing, and MS took that, reworked the tablet side of their game - and evolved it. Sure tablets/slates have been around - but it took the iPad to show the masses they "needed" such things.

I'm a Mac, but Windows 8.1 appeals to me and is the first version of Windows I have bought in 10 years. As of today we have:

1 32gb iPad Air on t-mo (mine, love it - it replaced my iPad 1 a couple of months ago)
1 32gb iPad Mini - the kids gaming/edu app/video/facetime machine
1 iPhone 4
1 iPhone 4s
4 iPod touches (2 4th gen, 2 3rd gen)
2 Mac Minis - one mine, one the kids share
2 Dell Venue 8 Pro tablets - kids 1 & 2 use for school daily
1 Dell 11" touchscreen laptop - new in the last week

Would I have loved to have bought an 11" MBA? Sure... could I have? No, not for at least another year. Do I actually use the touchscreen part? Yes, because it is easier to reach up and swipe over trying to remember how to do it on the blasted trackpad.

But the blending of the tablet form, with the full computer AND A PEN, well, it is a hit here. I hope that Apple puts their touch on such a product - but I know that my budget will NOT be its target market.

Which is sad, because I really prefer OSX.

iWatches and such are not going to be enough for Apple in the coming year, they need to do more in the computer area... but i'm not sure they will. I'm curious to see what WDCC brings to the table.

 

[MyopicPaideia]

I think I would still prefer the greater height the 13" MBA screen offers (900 pixels) vs the SP3 (720 pixels x2 for clarity).

Or have I missed something?

I think you missed something. Will have to double check, but I'm pretty sure you are making the mistaken assumption that the SP3 pixel doubles like Apple retina products. It doesn't do that HDPi by default.