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

I commend TheVerge for getting a review out so quickly. Still, I've noticed Paul Thurrott taking it one aspect at a time e.g price, kickstand, tablet, portability, etc. that are slowing building up to make a complete review.

I'm waiting for Anandtech and thanks for the earlier link that showed the Surface Pro 2 getting a boost from a firmware update. +7 hours for video playback sounds fine for me.
 
Ok, after thinking more about it I think why they might be advertizing the Surface Pro 3 against iPad & MacBook Air.

They are trying to justify the higher cost in the eyes of the consumer market. Perhaps saying you can afford it if you buy this rather then the iPad/MacBook Air combination. I think its priced ok for a Tablet PC but will be better served targeted toward power users & Enterprise.
 
PinkyMacGodess said:
It's not a 'replacement for a laptop', it IS a laptop.
Click to expand...

Exactly, but a much better (for me) form factor. Can't wait to get one.

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tdale said:
An idea. Option to buy a MBA with no screen, and the iPad Pro had the ability to clip to the screenless MBA. More expensive than an SP3, but more complete as a laptop mode and as a tablet mode. It would be a real laptop and a real tablet. With the added capability of the iPad iOS for productivity. Food for thought.
Click to expand...

I don't want the tablet to be gimped with running only iOS. Nor would I want a thick and heavy keyboard base. That wouldn't be any better than getting a MBA and an iPad as two separate items.

No, give me an iPad Pro running OSX and an emulation layer for iOS with a 12" screen and proper stylus capabilities and you'll get my money over the Surface.
 
Eidorian said:
I commend TheVerge for getting a review out so quickly. Still, I've noticed Paul Thurrott taking it one aspect at a time e.g price, kickstand, tablet, portability, etc. that are slowing building up to make a complete review.

I'm waiting for Anandtech and thanks for the earlier link that showed the Surface Pro 2 getting a boost from a firmware update. +7 hours for video playback sounds fine for me.
Click to expand...

http://www.penny-arcade.com/news/post/2014/05/23/surface-pro-3

Review from Gabe of Penny Arcade. The guy has used the Surface Pro to create some of his comic strips. Key takeaways:
- New N-Trig hardware is as good as WACOM. New pen is better
- Using the same i5 to drive a larger resolution screen has made things laggier
- Moving the Windows button to the side = a problem for artists who rest their palm on that bezel
 
smoledman said:
So with The Verge's battery test it got 7h 50min compared to 7h 33min for the SP2. Not impressive at all. Think about it - the 13" MBA Air gets you anywhere from 11 to 13 hours. For most people having the higher resolution is not that important and touch on a laptop is non-essential.
Click to expand...

Nevertheless, you're comparing apples to oranges. The MBA has a much-much smaller-resolution screen; probably this is why it has a much better battery life. Compared to the MBA, the hi-res screen of the SP3 is a big plus if you don't mind the lower battery life.
 
Liquorpuki said:
- Moving the Windows button to the side = a problem for artists who rest their palm on that bezel
Click to expand...

its... on the horizontal side... if you're right handed... flip it 180d and have the button on the left side..

if you're left handed, flip it 180 and put the button on the right side.

seems like a silly point... though I wonder fi it's better there than at the bottom. where I often hit the one on the SP2
 
LordVic said:
its... on the horizontal side... if you're right handed... flip it 180d and have the button on the left side..

if you're left handed, flip it 180 and put the button on the right side.

seems like a silly point... though I wonder fi it's better there than at the bottom. where I often hit the one on the SP2
Click to expand...

He said he relies on the Kickstand to prop it up at an shallow angle. If he flips it 180, he can't use it
 
Liquorpuki said:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/news/post/2014/05/23/surface-pro-3

Review from Gabe of Penny Arcade. The guy has used the Surface Pro to create some of his comic strips. Key takeaways:
- New N-Trig hardware is as good as WACOM. New pen is better
- Using the same i5 to drive a larger resolution screen has made things laggier
- Moving the Windows button to the side = a problem for artists who rest their palm on that bezel
Click to expand...
Microsoft HAD to move the Windows button because of the TypeCover3's ability to "snap up" for an angle and greater rigidity. The keyboard in that position would obscure the button.
 
zipa said:
No, give me an iPad Pro running OSX and an emulation layer for iOS with a 12" screen and proper stylus capabilities and you'll get my money over the Surface.
Click to expand...

I dont disagree but I cannot see Apple making an iPad Pro that replaces sales for an MBA, or a MBA/iPad combo. They don't do cannibalisation IMO
 
sracer said:
Microsoft HAD to move the Windows button because of the TypeCover3's ability to "snap up" for an angle and greater rigidity. The keyboard in that position would obscure the button.
Click to expand...

Panos Panay said they moved the button to the side because they wanted to emphasize portrait mode. That button is basically a tablet home button to bring you to Metro

And I don't really think it makes a difference if the typecover covers the button. If you're hooking up a typecover, you have a windows button on the keyboard which does the same thing anyway
 
Very Good reviews so far.

Liquorpuki said:
He said he relies on the Kickstand to prop it up at an shallow angle. If he flips it 180, he can't use it
Click to expand...

In his review he also mention a way to disable the capacitive windows home button, but not the pulse from touching it. Sounds like an easy enough software fix in future updates especially since the guy is in direct communication with Microsoft. I was also very happy to read that N-trig works very well.

Here's another interesting review from a windows 8 naysayer who actually loves it.

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/if-you-had-to-be-a-tragic-mythological-figure-86496376264.html
 
Liquorpuki said:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/news/post/2014/05/23/surface-pro-3

Review from Gabe of Penny Arcade. The guy has used the Surface Pro to create some of his comic strips. Key takeaways:
- New N-Trig hardware is as good as WACOM. New pen is better
- Using the same i5 to drive a larger resolution screen has made things laggier
- Moving the Windows button to the side = a problem for artists who rest their palm on that bezel
Click to expand...
Thanks for that link.

I really wonder what the issue is driving that panel.
 
I would actually buy one of these if it was designed by Apple and ran OS X.


Until then I will wait. Honestly I think Apple should just take this idea and do it right. I am all for a tablet/computer in one device.... I just don't like windows that much to make it the only system I use.

Still not as powerful as a Macbook Pro either.
 
Burning Radio said:
I would actually buy one of these if it was designed by Apple and ran OS X.


Until then I will wait. Honestly I think Apple should just take this idea and do it right. I am all for a tablet/computer in one device.... I just don't like windows that much to make it the only system I use.

Still not as powerful as a Macbook Pro either.
Click to expand...

Will "do it right" mean just running your preferred OS then? If that's the case what is wrong about it?

Also why would a $799 tablet need to compete with a $1999 laptop?
 
Last edited:
Burning Radio said:
I would actually buy one of these if it was designed by Apple and ran OS X.


Until then I will wait. Honestly I think Apple should just take this idea and do it right. I am all for a tablet/computer in one device.... I just don't like windows that much to make it the only system I use.
Click to expand...

this is exactly what I was going to say, except one thing, Apple should make a surface pro type of product that runs both OS X and iOS in tablet mode. That'd be the ultimate killer product. Hopefully that's exactly what the 13 inch iPad Pro is going to be.
 
Benzy said:
this is exactly what I was going to say, except one thing, Apple should make a surface pro type of product that runs both OS X and iOS in tablet mode. That'd be the ultimate killer product. Hopefully that's exactly what the 13 inch iPad Pro is going to be.
Click to expand...

No if Apple ever does this it will be 10" max and 4:3 ratio.
 
Benzy said:
this is exactly what I was going to say, except one thing, Apple should make a surface pro type of product that runs both OS X and iOS in tablet mode. That'd be the ultimate killer product. Hopefully that's exactly what the 13 inch iPad Pro is going to be.
Click to expand...

That will never happen because it will impact their laptop line. Why create a product that won't increase sales but steal sales from their other products.

I don't think its a good idea for apple to have a tablet that runs osx, there's no need for it. The iPad has so many apps that allow you to do just about anything you want. While OSX is more flexibly, powerful and open I don't see that making a better tablet.

MS is in a different predicament, They're not relevant in the tablet market and are trying a number of different approaches (like the rt flavor), some good approaches some not so good (like the rt flavor). I think for a windows machine having a tablet that can run windows and designed to replace a netbook and some laptops is a good move for them. I don't think apple needs to follow suit given their strong product offerings.
 
maflynn said:
That will never happen because it will impact their laptop line. Why create a product that won't increase sales but steal sales from their other products.
Click to expand...

Because if you don't, someone else will and then you'll actually lose sales instead of diverting them elsewhere. And the iPad is already eating away laptop sales, but that didn't stop Apple from launching it.

maflynn said:
I don't think its a good idea for apple to have a tablet that runs osx, there's no need for it.
Click to expand...

Lots of need expressed in this thread alone.
 
Don't get me wrong, I want an SP3, but I think there's a difference between MS and Apple in this case.

I think its a mistake for apple to do it because they already have products that are very successful where as MS does not.

I don't buy the argument they better because someone else will. So far someone else has - Microsoft and so far their Surface Pro line has not impacted Apple's bottom line. True the SP3 is their best offering to date.

Apple saw greater sale opportunities with the iPad and while it may have impacted their laptop sales they probably had no idea at how popular it was going to be, since all prior tablet attempts were huge failures and this was geared to all people, not just apple laptop users.

An OSX based tablet will not cater to all folks just a segment and that segment typically spends 1,500 and up on MBPs

What price point would apple set for such a tablet because right now you can spend almost a thousand for an iPad or a MBP or MBA. There's really no room for such a product in their lineup without watering down what they already have.

Back when Steve first came back from apple he took a chainsaw to their product line because they had so many computers that over-lapped each other they were tripping over themselves trying to sell a confusing jumble of products. I don't see apple falling into that trap again.
 
Lets see what Apple will do. There were rumours for both a 12'' iPad Pro and for a 12'' retina MBA - putting them together you get a device like this - a 12'' laptop/tablet convertible.

In any case, there is more innovation here than what Apple has been doing recently - buying a headphone company and increasing the screen size on the iPhone is not exactly ground-breaking.

I'm still not sold on the kick-stand + attachable keyboard solution. Hopefully the creative geniuses at Apple found a better solution!
 
Surface Pro 3...come on iPad

Hi everyone,

Has anyone seen the Surface Pro 3?! if you have not you can check it out right here http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/23/surface-pro-3-review/

I must say I am really impressed with this piece of hardware that Microsoft will be coming out with next month. My biggest gripe and a little frustrating about this device is that I wish my iPad had was that pen. That active digitizer is money and I don't know if anyone has used the Surface Pro 2 as far as writing goes I think it is awesome! And with the Surface Pro 3 it is like writing on a legal pad. It is almost like writing on paper and the precision of the tip of the pen is unbelievable. Especially for someone that takes notes for business or school.

Although Windows 8.1 in that tablet form factor works well, I will take IOS or OSX over Windows any day. I just wish or hope in the future we can see an active pen technology we can use with our iPads for the same purpose that the Surface Pro has to offer.

Does anyone else feel the same way?
 
Yes. Look at the variety of capacitive styluses that are sold for iPads as proof that many of us wish that the iPad had a better pen solution.
 
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