Microsoft Bills Surface Pro 3 as Business Laptop Replacement

by Pedro Hernandez

Panos Panay, head of Microsoft’s Surface division, called the Surface Pro 3’s 12-inch, 2,160 by 1,440 touch-screen a “pixel-fee” display. Indeed, individual pixels are tough to discern. The downside: Reading tiny text practically requires a magnifying glass.

The two-position kickstand, while a handy feature, has given way to a “continuous kickstand.” Now sporting a friction hinge, the Surface Pro 3 can be propped up at practically any angle. That’s one way of improving the tablet’s “lapability.”

Since its debut with the original Surface, Microsoft’s innovative Type Cover proved to be a much better cover than a keyboard. The non-touch cover that Microsoft supplied with the Surface Pro 3 offers backlit keys and a responsive keypad, a vast improvement.

The fourth-generation (Haswell) Intel Core i5 processor in the Surface Pro 3 evaluation unit made app loading and switching a snap. Undoubtedly aided by the internal solid-state drive (SSD), the chips provide a fast and fluid computing experience. Plus, it assures that the Surface Pro can run x86 Windows software. A win-win.

One of the most dramatic portions of the Surface Pro launch event was watching Microsoft’s Panos Panay click the top of the included stylus and seeing the tablet spring to life with OneNote ready for action. The Bluetooth-enabled, aluminum-encased stylus is comfortable to hold and has a premium feel, perfect for digital note-taking.

Microsoft’s OneNote note-taking app is deeply integrated with the Surface Pro 3. Combined, the stylus, OneNote app, accurate pen input and cloud sync features make a compelling case for ditching paper note pads.

When it comes to rivaling the iPad in the design department, Microsoft’s Surface is the closest contender. While the Surface has more seams, connectors, vents and kickstands than the iPad, it remains an eye-pleasing device that feels solid in-hand.

This one bears further testing, but Microsoft promises that the Surface Pro 3 will last 10 percent longer than the Pro 2. If it can outlast a transcontinental flight, with a delay or two, then the new Surface is sure to win over a lot of professionals.

It’s a small thing, and not new to the Surface Pro 3, but the USB 3.0 port is infinitely reassuring. Sure, it shatters the pristine tablet aesthetic to have a USB drive hang out the side of the device, but that flexibility comes in handy when it’s the only file-sharing option.

Surface Pro 2 ships with Windows 8.1, not Windows RT. Apps are great, but often, nothing gets the job done like a full video editing suite, desktop business application or developer toolset. Surface Pro 3 delivers that freedom on the go.