dear lisa, i wanted to take the time to thank you for the good reviews you do. I been poring over you videos for well over a year. I shopped and shopped and shopping then would look over your videos again and again and in may i finally got a pro surface 1 in may 2014. So far happy with it. Just get alittle frustrated with the keyboard. 4000 graphics kinda sucks but other then that i love it. great for kitchen and if im watching sports on tv I can browse sites and scores. best wishes.
When I get mine, I will be using my SP3 as a desktop with the dock, a nice mechanical keyboard, a wireless mouse, and two 27 inch monitors. Then later, when I travel to visit my clients, I will attach my type cover for a great power/portability ratio that is unmatched thus far in the tech industry. Later that evening I will kick off my shoes, climb into bed, detach my type cover and stream a movie or read a book before bed. Yes, the SP3 is the computer I have been waiting for.
the type cover folds back to become a tablet. its magnetically attached to the back and will disable itself too. its been like that since original surface pro. excellent machine.
Also, as an artist, something I found interesting about the pen is that the cursor seems off when you hover over the screen. But it seems to get closer right when your up on the glass. and when you touch the glass the cursor is exactly on the tip. so its a little wonky.
I've never had a Surface tablet before but I think this one might just be my first one! My laptop has been going strong for 3 years now and it's starting to show some wear and tear, so I may need a replacement. Great review Lisa!
Very, VERY well done review, Lisa. Have had the Surface 1 since Day One and have enjoyed. Had a 3.5 hour layover at MSP, so took light rail to Mall of America and visited the MS store. Took a few tries to locate a sales rep with YOUR product knowledge to demo the Surface 3. MS really did a correct job at correcting the weak points on an already adequate design. What made it easy to take one home was the vastly improved keyboard experience and the 3:2 aspect ratio. I use an arcane PROGRAM (not an "app") that scales much better at the new ratio. Battery life (even planes have AC these days), connection dongle, kickstand extension, thin-ness are really great, and taken together, justify the upgrade from S1. I'm surprised that no reviewer has mentioned the decrease in weight of the S3 AC charger, a key consideration for road warriors. I'm sure it's a couple of ounces less than the S1 and definitely thinner. If I'm not mistaken, MS is missing a key marketing point here. As you say, in your wonderful review, it all depends on what you're going to do with it. For frequent business travelers who use the display port to plug into a Hilton/Sheraton/Mariott LCD panel and do useful work with PROGRAMS (not "apps"), this is a nice device. Aspect ratio and improved (night light!) KEYBOARD made it impossible to ignore. Tolstoy would have invented the blog if he'd tried the keyboard while trying to write W&P, but it's more than OK for e-mail. Thanks for the review, Lisa! Faux Paws (NC)
many thanks Lisa. The review helps me a lot. Lots of pondering to do though, specially when you have the smackdown between the surface and lenovo yoga pad.
***** yeah, i saw them on ebay too. i'm just wondering if i should spend the extra money and get the i7 -- I'm not sure the speed difference between the the i5 & i7 but the i5 is much cheaper..
Most thoughtful review I've seen, and I've now seen about 30 of 'em. Great job! You covered a number of aspects that didn't get covered in significant detail by most of the others.
You have to understand what the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is for, it is a mobile product first and foremost and therefore it is for someone who wants a very mobile product that is very light to carry on and that first can act as a tablet and, if needed, that also can do the tasks that are usually reserved to ultrabooks such as using Photoshop, video editing, and many more specialised and advanced programs. And it is also for someone who wants to be able to use the MORE THAN FOUR MILLIONS programs (not apps!) that run on Windows and that he also uses on his desktop computer. Theses are the main ideas behind this product. Taking into account these ideas behind this product, the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is simply amazing and it certainly fulfills these ideas many times over. The new aspect ratio 3:2 and its 2160 x 1440, 12" amazing display make this product stand out compared to most other tablets. It is perfect to use in portrait mode, having a similar size to an A4 sheet of paper.
Even though the logo (windows key, home key) it is located on the bottom of the tablet (portrait) it is in a landscape position, so I guess, meant to be used in landscape mode.
As a right hander I use my left hand to hold my tablet on my Pro 2 and navigate with my dominant hand. I don't know if other right handers do that, but it wouldn't bother me.
Great review Lisa!. In terms of portability, is there much difference with the new Lenovo ThinPad 10? I mean, The Surface feels too big? And what about the noise of the cooler? is too high? And if this tablet is on a table and a glass of water spills, the liquid could enter through the vents? My purchase decision is between these two tablets.
Lisa, looking forward to your smackdown between the SP3 and the Lenovo TP10. One area that I hope you'll mention is the difference between the rear cameras on the two devices. For a "flagship" product, the SP3 seems to have a very poor camera (fixed focus, low resolution, no Panorama feature in the Camera App)
I'm really tempted by the Pro 3, but the battery life works out worse than my Pro 2, and until the thermal throttling issues are sorted, my Pro 2 is more powerful in practice. That said, I cannot wait until Broadwell drops and the Pro 4 is out, I'm sure it will be great!
If you have the surface pro 2 already, there's really no need to get the Pro 3 seeing how the specs are roughly the same. The only difference would be the size and resolution and personally I would wait until Intel releases Haswell-e to upgrade your current Pro 2.
See detailed battery analysis at AnandTech review: www.anandtech.com/show/8077/microsoft-surface-pro-3-review/4 So probably battery life slightly better but there's more throttling. I'd think there will be an update eventually to allow custom power plans so you can adjust it.
Update, Microsoft says that the I7 and I3 models will ship by August 1. They have already put a hold on my card. In an act of supreme cruelty they have actually already sent me the type cover part of the order!
Great review. I really appreciate a long, detailed review. Liked how you spent a lot of time using the pen. Considering how it has a pressure-sensitive pen, full version of OneNote, if the price of the next Surface Pro 4 drops down a lot, it could be the end of laptops and paper notebooks for SERIOUS ACADEMIC notetaking, like for fast-paced Calculus courses for example.
Nice review Lisa. Been waiting for this one. I'm getting one. Do you think the performance of the i7 version will be a lot better? I may wait for that version. Not sure which version I should get. Maybe I'll have to wait for your i5 vs i7 comparison review.
I almost hate to call it a tablet just because it is better in every way when compared to my old laptop no longer am I stuck with a 1 ghz processor and 2 gigs of ram
I have 2 issues why wouldn't have those Terga 4 or mobile graphics card in this to play games beside store games? and why no magnet underneath the touch pad so it would stick to the top of the tablet ( up by the cam port ) attaching /keeping it closed so it doesn't flop open and or when the kick stand is out you can just lift up and attach the type pad to the top. Just makes sense to me
most of the complaints on SP3 is the lapability seeing that the Type cover is an option, why won't microsoft make two designs, one as it is and one like the Asus Transformer, so people who wants more lapability can go with the latter, and one who doesn't, buy the original one.
Three years later and the i5 8g of ram model is 580$ on Amazon, kind of makes you wonder what's the actual production cost of the device if they are still making a profit at $580
This looks like a great device. Microsoft has addressed a lot of the issues that kept me from buying one of the first two models (thickness, screen size, fan noise etc). I think that I could even use it to read. The problem I still have with Windows tablets in general is that they never really work as well as a tablet as an iPad or Android tablet, just like those device can never really work as full laptop replacements. For example, it always thinks it is a host device which means that you can't connect it to your desktop to sync files which seems like a reasonable thing to want to do since these devices do not have much storage. Also, the bluetooth disables when the device goes to quickstart sleep if you are not using one of the built in Microsoft metro apps so while it would seem great to use iTunes to listen to music through a bluetooth headset or my car, but I have to leave the screen on all of the time.
Also unsure why everyone dings the Sp3 on points when it comes to the Type pad for not being bundled and on the cost. When this isn't new to M$ as they didn't bundle and the cost were similar with the Sp2 typepad. Also I guess M$ has dropped the Touchpad at the waist side for this model /overall?
Thank you very much for that complete review of all the most important features of the Surface Pro 3. I'm really looking forward for the i7 version in august to take on my desktop PC, my digital drawing tablet, my netbook and my small mobile OS tablet likewise. I hope the new docking station by Microsoft with additional ports and charger will be available this autumn, too, so I can connect all my peripherals when i'm using it as a desktop solution.
curious why M$ never had this pen be able to stick in the port like it did on the Sp2. It would have been more feasible to have a separate port on the opposite side and have it charge when plugged in. I'm still also waiting for the new "Docking Station? and kinda bummed there is no Blu tooth wireless bar with this new Type pad ( unless the old one will work with it. I was considering getting this 12 inch Type pad model and get the blu tooth bar and use it with my desktop
Great Review! I was definitely one of the people waiting for this review. I'm now waiting for my 256 i5 to ship. I do photoshop and a lot of instant messaging/blogposting so it was a tricky decision. Because own an Intuos I know palm rejection is such a blessing in Wacom, I've never even thought it could be a problem till I started watching your reviews. It's unfortunate that the Surface Pro 3 doesn't have the palm rejection quite as down as devices that use wacom, but I think I will adjust, especially if I paint while in kick stand mode instead of holding it close in my hands. I'm also a student and take notes in almost every class, so I'm looking forward to getting accustomed to taking notes digitally, pretty sick of carrying all my notebooks to class, and not having my notes on my computer when I need them. I saw your Thinkpad Yoga review when it came out and was seriously considering it, back then due to screen size I was also considering the Viao Flip 15. I ended up leaving both of those and turning my eyes to Surface Pro 2 when I saw someone take notes with it in class, it looked soo convenient and portable. When I started looking into buying again I saw SP3 coming out so I totally jumped to buy it, in the end the deciding factor for me was the portability, the Surface Pro 3 I can just pick up and go to the other room and use. I can use it AS I WALK, lay down there and continue to use it. That to me is a big deal as it lets me be connected more. Also I plan to have a large monitor (maybe touchscreen?) + Bluetooth keyboard/mouse setup in my room to hdmi the SF3 to. That way when I'm in my room I can have the full ergonomic wide-screen desktop experience. I do have a question though. Can the surface pro keyboard be flipped behind the device to start using it like a tablet? Ofc it would be silly of me to expect key locking mechanism, but is the position even possible? does it deactivate? I was just thinking if I'm going to have the stray keyboard laying around often.
Does it support Java Script if you are using Wi-Fi for business, mapping and satellite tracking for vehicle movement of public transportation for city-wide buses?
How natural is it to flip the Type Cover to the back and hold it that way? I noticed it kinda forces against being flat on the back so I'm wondering if it's not just better to remove the keyboard when you want to hold it that way.
I got a SP3 and a type cover last year. Barely used the type cover and recently noticed that the "space key" is not functioning well. If I type on the center of the Space Key, it is fine, however, if you type off the center, using either your left or right thumb, it is NOT responding at all. Very Annoying. Not sure if this is common problem, but do pay attention to this before you buying the type cover.
Good review. Surprised that the battery lasts shorter than my Pro 2 (8 and a half hours). Did you do the testing with Chrome or Internet Explorer? If the former, that's why.
Excellent Review. First time viewer for your channel. Thank you for your clean and very informative review. My boss and I have been using the 1st gen surface pro for a year now and is brilliant. No complaints, but obviously room for improvement. I had a Lenovo ThinkPad Tab 2 last year and that was not soo good. The running joke around the office is "it's an $800 Frisbee." Your channel, definitely a keeper!! Could you do a review on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 smartphone?
The concept is really cool with SP3, but I am on the fence about purchasing one. I am actively looking for a laptop to bring back and forth to work that I will also be using for some online classes I am taking. My concern is that this will not suite my work needs. Would the SP3 i7 or i5 handle Excel spreadsheets that are 50 MB or bigger with macros, lookups, pivot tables, etc.?
Hi Lisa, great video, but you haven't said anything about battery life. What should we expect from this? if I use it for web browsing, and for watching youtube videos, can it go over 7 hours of battery life?
***** Think 9+ hours is very optimistic, even MS advertise it as 'up to 9 hours' of video playback, and after a chat with a Microsoft online adviser, the video playback test was done with a standard definition video, not HD. The Surface 3 seems amazing, looks great, full PC, but the battery life is still an issue for me. I'm waiting for some i3 version reviews.
hi, i am user of programs like manga studio and photoshop. generally i use many many layers and i'm keen on how clear an image is. i noticed you had manga studio as well as being knowledgeable on photoshop and was wondering how well they works for you and if it's affecting your work flow any? i'm deciding between the surface 3 pro/ 512GB or a standard laptop like the hp pavilion or a asus and a cintiq for my graphic needs. i'd really appreciate any input you'd have. :)
Very nice and would more than meet my requirements. High resolution, the pen and keyboard, light, well built - what's not to like? Would slip nicely into my shoulder bag. Thanks.
Hey Lisa, how will this be for a student? I'm doing my masters and would like to get one. I'd be doing some intensive work with software like CAD, hypermesh etc. I'm looking to purchase the core i5 version. I just wanted to know if this will hold out for such stuff. Thanks for the info.
Hello Lisa, Is there any good alternative to Surface 3 coming to market in new future. I had Surface Pro 2 and I liked it but looking for something new. Don't really care for pen input but definitely need a built-in card reader I will mostly be using for checking photographs during travel.
dear lisa, i wanted to take the time to thank you for the good reviews you do. I been poring over you videos for well over a year. I shopped and shopped and shopping then would look over your videos again and again and in may i finally got a pro surface 1 in may 2014. So far happy with it. Just get alittle frustrated with the keyboard. 4000 graphics kinda sucks but other then that i love it. great for kitchen and if im watching sports on tv I can browse sites and scores. best wishes.
When I get mine, I will be using my SP3 as a desktop with the dock, a nice mechanical keyboard, a wireless mouse, and two 27 inch monitors. Then later, when I travel to visit my clients, I will attach my type cover for a great power/portability ratio that is unmatched thus far in the tech industry. Later that evening I will kick off my shoes, climb into bed, detach my type cover and stream a movie or read a book before bed. Yes, the SP3 is the computer I have been waiting for.
the type cover folds back to become a tablet. its magnetically attached to the back and will disable itself too. its been like that since original surface pro.
excellent machine.
You do some of the best tech reviews in the entire internet.
Older type and touch covers work with this model too. They may look weird, but they function perfectly fine if people are trying to save money!
Writing this comment on my new surface pro 3 and I love it!!10/10 !:)
I'm so jelly
ME THREE ;D
:D
Lisa Gade, the gold standard in unbiased, thorough reviews.
Special thanks for commenting on the brightness in all your reviews I've watched, including the "nits".
Also, as an artist, something I found interesting about the pen is that the cursor seems off when you hover over the screen. But it seems to get closer right when your up on the glass. and when you touch the glass the cursor is exactly on the tip. so its a little wonky.
Actually just heard. The i3 and i7 versions will start shipping on August 1st.
I've never had a Surface tablet before but I think this one might just be my first one! My laptop has been going strong for 3 years now and it's starting to show some wear and tear, so I may need a replacement.
Great review Lisa!
Lisa please do a review of a PRESTIGIO MultiPad 4 Quantum 9.7 Really interested in your opinion on that tablet.
Very, VERY well done review, Lisa. Have had the Surface 1 since Day One and have enjoyed. Had a 3.5 hour layover at MSP, so took light rail to Mall of America and visited the MS store. Took a few tries to locate a sales rep with YOUR product knowledge to demo the Surface 3. MS really did a correct job at correcting the weak points on an already adequate design. What made it easy to take one home was the vastly improved keyboard experience and the 3:2 aspect ratio. I use an arcane PROGRAM (not an "app") that scales much better at the new ratio.
Battery life (even planes have AC these days), connection dongle, kickstand extension, thin-ness are really great, and taken together, justify the upgrade from S1.
I'm surprised that no reviewer has mentioned the decrease in weight of the S3 AC charger, a key consideration for road warriors. I'm sure it's a couple of ounces less than the S1 and definitely thinner. If I'm not mistaken, MS is missing a key marketing point here.
As you say, in your wonderful review, it all depends on what you're going to do with it. For frequent business travelers who use the display port to plug into a Hilton/Sheraton/Mariott LCD panel and do useful work with PROGRAMS (not "apps"), this is a nice device. Aspect ratio and improved (night light!) KEYBOARD made it impossible to ignore. Tolstoy would have invented the blog if he'd tried the keyboard while trying to write W&P, but it's more than OK for e-mail.
Thanks for the review, Lisa!
Faux Paws (NC)
many thanks Lisa. The review helps me a lot. Lots of pondering to do though, specially when you have the smackdown between the surface and lenovo yoga pad.
Great review. One update/correction: I noticed core i3 and core i7 models are now shipping earlier at August 1st.
it's a laplet or a tabtop
Excellent Review. Your Reviews are the best. Your very thorough and cover everything we need to know. Thanks for Sharing.
***** yeah, i saw them on ebay too. i'm just wondering if i should spend the extra money and get the i7 -- I'm not sure the speed difference between the the i5 & i7 but the i5 is much cheaper..
***** When your package comes in, I would record myself opening it - in case of fraud. There's a lot of scammers out there.
***** hmmmm not bad,,thanks for sharing...my co-worker just got one..OMG this is sooo awesome..and big too..it's not small people...lol
@Cooper yes. Theoretically it can read up to 2tb
Typing on my Surface Pro 3 and loving it! Great review!
Most thoughtful review I've seen, and I've now seen about 30 of 'em. Great job! You covered a number of aspects that didn't get covered in significant detail by most of the others.
There's an "experimental" setting in the photoshop preferences that makes the tools larger.
@Quantum Myst Of course it is... Only the covers and the docking stations is extra
7:34 you get 9 months out of the pen's battery, how long have you had the surface pro 3 for? Thought it was just realised....
Best review I've seen on the surface pro 3!
You have to understand what the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is for, it is a mobile product first and foremost and therefore it is for someone who wants a very mobile product that is very light to carry on and that first can act as a tablet and, if needed, that also can do the tasks that are usually reserved to ultrabooks such as using Photoshop, video editing, and many more specialised and advanced programs. And it is also for someone who wants to be able to use the MORE THAN FOUR MILLIONS programs (not apps!) that run on Windows and that he also uses on his desktop computer.
Theses are the main ideas behind this product. Taking into account these ideas behind this product, the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is simply amazing and it certainly fulfills these ideas many times over.
The new aspect ratio 3:2 and its 2160 x 1440, 12" amazing display make this product stand out compared to most other tablets. It is perfect to use in portrait mode, having a similar size to an A4 sheet of paper.
Even though the logo (windows key, home key) it is located on the bottom of the tablet (portrait) it is in a landscape position, so I guess, meant to be used in landscape mode.
As a right hander I use my left hand to hold my tablet on my Pro 2 and navigate with my dominant hand. I don't know if other right handers do that, but it wouldn't bother me.
Lisa, you do the best reviews!
Great review Lisa!. In terms of portability, is there much difference with the new Lenovo ThinPad 10? I mean, The Surface feels too big? And what about the noise of the cooler? is too high? And if this tablet is on a table and a glass of water spills, the liquid could enter through the vents?
My purchase decision is between these two tablets.
Great coverage on the Art Programs especially!
As always, Lisa this is a great review...
Great review! I love the Surface Pro 3 if only it was cheaper. Any chance of it ever going down in price?
Lisa, looking forward to your smackdown between the SP3 and the Lenovo TP10. One area that I hope you'll mention is the difference between the rear cameras on the two devices. For a "flagship" product, the SP3 seems to have a very poor camera (fixed focus, low resolution, no Panorama feature in the Camera App)
I'm really tempted by the Pro 3, but the battery life works out worse than my Pro 2, and until the thermal throttling issues are sorted, my Pro 2 is more powerful in practice.
That said, I cannot wait until Broadwell drops and the Pro 4 is out, I'm sure it will be great!
Half Life picture, buys Pro 3, Half Life 3 confirmed.
I can neither confirm nor deny.
If you have the surface pro 2 already, there's really no need to get the Pro 3 seeing how the specs are roughly the same. The only difference would be the size and resolution and personally I would wait until Intel releases Haswell-e to upgrade your current Pro 2.
martinnbafiba1 ARM is about to get completely pooped on.
See detailed battery analysis at AnandTech review:
www.anandtech.com/show/8077/microsoft-surface-pro-3-review/4
So probably battery life slightly better but there's more throttling. I'd think there will be an update eventually to allow custom power plans so you can adjust it.
Update, Microsoft says that the I7 and I3 models will ship by August 1. They have already put a hold on my card. In an act of supreme cruelty they have actually already sent me the type cover part of the order!
Great review. I really appreciate a long, detailed review. Liked how you spent a lot of time using the pen. Considering how it has a pressure-sensitive pen, full version of OneNote, if the price of the next Surface Pro 4 drops down a lot, it could be the end of laptops and paper notebooks for SERIOUS ACADEMIC notetaking, like for fast-paced Calculus courses for example.
Thank you for the demo of the different graphic software. Very informative.
Why does the quality of the video be only up to 360p but later it allows it to be 1080p?
Hmm let me think... TH-cam video processing?
***** lol it can't be my pc
Because it probably hadn't finished uploading the higher resolutions.
This is normal, takes time for full quality to process.
~Magic~
Only thing Surface PRO 3 is missing is an option for integrated LTE 4G mobile data! Other wise its a good platform.
Can you make a comparison video on surface pro 3 and pro 2 please? ??
As always I love your reviews!
Just bought it. Love it. Very happy with it.
I kinda wish they would put a magnet at the top so when you close it, it diffidently stays closed.
Thanks for the great review! And nice drawing! =] I do love the parallax accuracy of Ntrigs.
is this still good for 2016?
What about 2020?
What about 2024?
Hi,
If I installed AutoCAD ? still works the Surface PRO3 does not hang?
Nice review Lisa. Been waiting for this one. I'm getting one. Do you think the performance of the i7 version will be a lot better? I may wait for that version. Not sure which version I should get. Maybe I'll have to wait for your i5 vs i7 comparison review.
I almost hate to call it a tablet just because it is better in every way when compared to my old laptop no longer am I stuck with a 1 ghz processor and 2 gigs of ram
Sounds amazing, definitely buying this :D
I have 2 issues why wouldn't have those Terga 4 or mobile graphics card in this to play games beside store games? and why no magnet underneath the touch pad so it would stick to the top of the tablet ( up by the cam port ) attaching /keeping it closed so it doesn't flop open and or when the kick stand is out you can just lift up and attach the type pad to the top. Just makes sense to me
The iCore processors are much stronger than the Tegra's.
Of course they are I mispoke in my example I meant Nvidia or AMD graphics wise not processor
Andrew Brown Size and thermal constraints, that's why.
really? I guess your not aware of what they are putting into ultrabooks now adays or tablets or phones!
Andrew Brown Ultrabooks as thin and as cool as the SP3? I don't think so.
Lisa the keyboard is compatible with other Surfaces, although it looks weird due to the size difference.
most of the complaints on SP3 is the lapability seeing that the Type cover is an option, why won't microsoft make two designs, one as it is and one like the Asus Transformer, so people who wants more lapability can go with the latter, and one who doesn't, buy the original one.
Exactly! Oh how I wish...
Exactly! Oh how I wish...
Exactly! Oh how I wish...
Three years later and the i5 8g of ram model is 580$ on Amazon, kind of makes you wonder what's the actual production cost of the device if they are still making a profit at $580
This looks like a great device. Microsoft has addressed a lot of the issues that kept me from buying one of the first two models (thickness, screen size, fan noise etc). I think that I could even use it to read.
The problem I still have with Windows tablets in general is that they never really work as well as a tablet as an iPad or Android tablet, just like those device can never really work as full laptop replacements.
For example, it always thinks it is a host device which means that you can't connect it to your desktop to sync files which seems like a reasonable thing to want to do since these devices do not have much storage.
Also, the bluetooth disables when the device goes to quickstart sleep if you are not using one of the built in Microsoft metro apps so while it would seem great to use iTunes to listen to music through a bluetooth headset or my car, but I have to leave the screen on all of the time.
Also unsure why everyone dings the Sp3 on points when it comes to the Type pad for not being bundled and on the cost. When this isn't new to M$ as they didn't bundle and the cost were similar with the Sp2 typepad. Also I guess M$ has dropped the Touchpad at the waist side for this model /overall?
Thank you very much for that complete review of all the most important features of the Surface Pro 3. I'm really looking forward for the i7 version in august to take on my desktop PC, my digital drawing tablet, my netbook and my small mobile OS tablet likewise. I hope the new docking station by Microsoft with additional ports and charger will be available this autumn, too, so I can connect all my peripherals when i'm using it as a desktop solution.
surface 3: "MacBook ain't got shot on me "!
curious why M$ never had this pen be able to stick in the port like it did on the Sp2. It would have been more feasible to have a separate port on the opposite side and have it charge when plugged in. I'm still also waiting for the new "Docking Station? and kinda bummed there is no Blu tooth wireless bar with this new Type pad ( unless the old one will work with it. I was considering getting this 12 inch Type pad model and get the blu tooth bar and use it with my desktop
Hey Lisa. Could you please do a smackdown with this and the either the macbook air or pro? I am confused on which one to get
Is it good for gaming?
Can you please make a review for the new Microsoft Surface 3. Thank You
Does the pen come included? I'm looking at this as an avid artist and student so the pen is quite important.
So the surface pro 3 does not come with office like the surface 2 does?
Would it be possible to hook up a portable hard drive to it
Another awesome review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great Review! I was definitely one of the people waiting for this review. I'm now waiting for my 256 i5 to ship. I do photoshop and a lot of instant messaging/blogposting so it was a tricky decision. Because own an Intuos I know palm rejection is such a blessing in Wacom, I've never even thought it could be a problem till I started watching your reviews. It's unfortunate that the Surface Pro 3 doesn't have the palm rejection quite as down as devices that use wacom, but I think I will adjust, especially if I paint while in kick stand mode instead of holding it close in my hands. I'm also a student and take notes in almost every class, so I'm looking forward to getting accustomed to taking notes digitally, pretty sick of carrying all my notebooks to class, and not having my notes on my computer when I need them. I saw your Thinkpad Yoga review when it came out and was seriously considering it, back then due to screen size I was also considering the Viao Flip 15. I ended up leaving both of those and turning my eyes to Surface Pro 2 when I saw someone take notes with it in class, it looked soo convenient and portable. When I started looking into buying again I saw SP3 coming out so I totally jumped to buy it, in the end the deciding factor for me was the portability, the Surface Pro 3 I can just pick up and go to the other room and use. I can use it AS I WALK, lay down there and continue to use it. That to me is a big deal as it lets me be connected more. Also I plan to have a large monitor (maybe touchscreen?) + Bluetooth keyboard/mouse setup in my room to hdmi the SF3 to. That way when I'm in my room I can have the full ergonomic wide-screen desktop experience.
I do have a question though. Can the surface pro keyboard be flipped behind the device to start using it like a tablet? Ofc it would be silly of me to expect key locking mechanism, but is the position even possible? does it deactivate? I was just thinking if I'm going to have the stray keyboard laying around often.
For photoshop, go into experimental settings, and you can increase button and iconsizes to 150%
How does the i7 variant compare against to the zenbook nx500 ?
Some of these features are similar as of to the MacBook. Magnetic Charger?
Does it support Java Script if you are using Wi-Fi for business, mapping and satellite tracking for vehicle movement of public transportation for city-wide buses?
+Ronnie Jones
The Windows tablets are far better in my option as they are capable of being both laptops and tablets.
Thank you for the review, very objective. :) However when it comes to using it for presentations, you need a micro HDMI to be able to project yes?
do you think this would work well using Second Life? You mentioned several games, and that Second Life has various graphics options, so I was curious
Lisa, as usual, great job. you're amazing.
Great review as usual.
How natural is it to flip the Type Cover to the back and hold it that way?
I noticed it kinda forces against being flat on the back so I'm wondering if it's not just better to remove the keyboard when you want to hold it that way.
I got a SP3 and a type cover last year. Barely used the type cover and recently noticed that the "space key" is not functioning well. If I type on the center of the Space Key, it is fine, however, if you type off the center, using either your left or right thumb, it is NOT responding at all. Very Annoying. Not sure if this is common problem, but do pay attention to this before you buying the type cover.
I want one. Awesome review.
Good review. Surprised that the battery lasts shorter than my Pro 2 (8 and a half hours). Did you do the testing with Chrome or Internet Explorer? If the former, that's why.
thank you for going in depth lisa
Thanks Lisa I've been waiting for this review.
Love the review AND the fact that you have Civ V! =)
Excellent Review. First time viewer for your channel. Thank you for your clean and very informative review. My boss and I have been using the 1st gen surface pro for a year now and is brilliant. No complaints, but obviously room for improvement. I had a Lenovo ThinkPad Tab 2 last year and that was not soo good. The running joke around the office is "it's an $800 Frisbee." Your channel, definitely a keeper!! Could you do a review on the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 smartphone?
@Erik Mieke Of course
The concept is really cool with SP3, but I am on the fence about purchasing one. I am actively looking for a laptop to bring back and forth to work that I will also be using for some online classes I am taking. My concern is that this will not suite my work needs. Would the SP3 i7 or i5 handle Excel spreadsheets that are 50 MB or bigger with macros, lookups, pivot tables, etc.?
What about al the driver and wifi problems???
Would this be recommended for work?
Excellent review!!
In your description, and on Microsoft's website says it has a "microSD card" reader/slot. Where is it? Does it have one?
Under kickstand
Hejsvejs142 Ah ha, thank you.
Hi Lisa, great video, but you haven't said anything about battery life. What should we expect from this? if I use it for web browsing, and for watching youtube videos, can it go over 7 hours of battery life?
***** thanks, I've missed that bit.
***** Think 9+ hours is very optimistic, even MS advertise it as 'up to 9 hours' of video playback, and after a chat with a Microsoft online adviser, the video playback test was done with a standard definition video, not HD. The Surface 3 seems amazing, looks great, full PC, but the battery life is still an issue for me. I'm waiting for some i3 version reviews.
hi, i am user of programs like manga studio and photoshop. generally i use many many layers and i'm keen on how clear an image is. i noticed you had manga studio as well as being knowledgeable on photoshop and was wondering how well they works for you and if it's affecting your work flow any? i'm deciding between the surface 3 pro/ 512GB or a standard laptop like the hp pavilion or a asus and a cintiq for my graphic needs. i'd really appreciate any input you'd have. :)
Would you recommend this for a university student studying engineering? Also, can you attach an external memory to it?
Very nice and would more than meet my requirements. High resolution, the pen and keyboard, light, well built - what's not to like? Would slip nicely into my shoulder bag. Thanks.
Nice preview. Does it run exe files?
does one note have lines for note taking
How many Bluetooth devices can you connect at the same time? Cause I thint it's best to use Bluetooth keyboard and mouse at the same time.
What do you prefer? IPad Air or Surface pro 3
Nice machine. Good to see tablet / laptop hybrids are going well. The 128 SSD sounds big for a machine like this, which is nice too.
Hey Lisa, how will this be for a student? I'm doing my masters and would like to get one. I'd be doing some intensive work with software like CAD, hypermesh etc. I'm looking to purchase the core i5 version. I just wanted to know if this will hold out for such stuff. Thanks for the info.
Can't wait for August 31st! I want to get the 8gb i7 model
Hello Lisa,
Is there any good alternative to Surface 3 coming to market in new future. I had Surface Pro 2 and I liked it but looking for something new. Don't really care for pen input but definitely need a built-in card reader I will mostly be using for checking photographs during travel.