Advice on Accessories

[mrbails]

I just got a Surface Pro 3 to use for my main work device. I will be getting the docking station and would like to have a dual monitor setup with a bluetooth mouse and full size keyboard.

1-Which monitors should I look at? I'm doing mainly office-type stuff - outlook, internet, documents, etc. No gaming or video stuff. Should I get the Dell 4K monitors at the Microsoft store for $299 each or something else?

2-Advice on keyboard and mouse? I don't know that I'm 100% sold on the Surface bendy mouse. I don't see myself traveling with a mouse, and if I do I don't necessarily need it to be real small.

3-Is the surface keyboard cover a necessity? How does it work, say on the couch sitting on your lap?

Thanks for any advice!

I should add, I use a virtual desktop at work that runs Windows 7. I don't know if that would matter or not.

 

[B'midbar]

I just got a Surface Pro 3 to use for my main work device. I will be getting the docking station and would like to have a dual monitor setup with a bluetooth mouse and full size keyboard.

1-Which monitors should I look at? I'm doing mainly office-type stuff - outlook, internet, documents, etc. No gaming or video stuff. Should I get the Dell 4K monitors at the Microsoft store for $299 each or something else?

2-Advice on keyboard and mouse? I don't know that I'm 100% sold on the Surface bendy mouse. I don't see myself traveling with a mouse, and if I do I don't necessarily need it to be real small.

3-Is the surface keyboard cover a necessity? How does it work, say on the couch sitting on your lap?

Thanks for any advice!

I should add, I use a virtual desktop at work that runs Windows 7. I don't know if that would matter or not.

On the Dell P2815Q, at 3840x2160 you are capped at 30Hz, even over a DisplayPort 1.2 interface. 60Hz only at 1920x1080. There's a real good review over on Tom's Hardware. That said, the sweet spot seems to be 27-28" WQHD these days for $300-500, unless you really want a lot of screen real estate. If I were going 4K I'd pop the bucks and go for a ASUS PB287Q over this guy, but I went for the horizontal real estate of 2560x1080 on a 29" AOC Q2963PM with 21:9.

Keyboards and mice are a matter of personal reference, but "sitting on your lap," "yes," you'll want the keyboard cover.

 

[ptrkhh]

1-Which monitors should I look at? I'm doing mainly office-type stuff - outlook, internet, documents, etc. No gaming or video stuff. Should I get the Dell 4K monitors at the Microsoft store for $299 each or something else?

It depends on the size. If you could afford it, 27" is the best for productivity. You just have larger canvas to work with.
But theres something important beside that, its the ppi number. ppi stands for pixel-per-inch. Its how much pixel you have in every inches square of your monitor. Its super important to have a screen where you wont be limited by the pixels.
Think of a display like it consists of many tiny displays. If you want larger size, you put more tiny displays. Each tiny display is the pixel. If you want larger sized monitors, you should get the ones with more pixels. Otherwise you just stretch everything up.

4K monitor at 27" is almost 200 ppi, so I would say its quite acceptable. The SP3 is ~220 ppi, and the retina iPhone is ~330 ppi

Hence, I would say that 4K is a must for 27"

2-Advice on keyboard and mouse? I don't know that I'm 100% sold on the Surface bendy mouse. I don't see myself traveling with a mouse, and if I do I don't necessarily need it to be real small.

That's my problem with BT mice as well. Theyre all too small compared to standard mice. I couldn't recommend a BT mouse, but from what Ive heard, the Microsoft Arc mouse (is it the bendy mouse that you were talking about?) is not really better than a normal BT mouse. Its just more portable since you can make it thin

 

[PCAnyWhere]

Monitor - pick your favorite one. I really like this one: ASUS PB278Q 27-Inch WQHD LED. It is 2560 x 1440 and I find that to be perfect. but again it all depends on what you want to get out of the monitor and how many you want. I also like a good 24" LED LCD with another slightly smaller monitor in portrait mode beside it. so I can read documents in full page if I want.

Keyboard - sounds like you aren't moving places so a good typing keyboard like a mechanical will do the trick if you don't mind the cost. Otherwise anything that lets you type smoothly. some people like 10-keyless keyboards and others like the full number pad. I tried without the number pad and I find it too useful at a desk. so ergonomics are the choice here. At my client site I use a cheap USB wired keyboard and 24" FHD monitor with my surface. I take the type cover off and just use it as a second monitor with a USB hub. I would have gone for the dock if I was less mobile.

Mouse - I have tried a lot of different mice and I still go back to desktop and wired mice. My only exception the Logitech Performance MX mouse. Its USB dongle is ok with the USB 3.0 hub and I like the ergonomics of the mouse. For portable I am testing out my old MadCatz RAT M mouse and so far it's just ok. Just not for long term use.

Type-cover: 1) it protects the screen 2) it gives you a fantastic keyboard if you need it on the go 3) it has a track-pad that I have to say is quite decent 4) you get some style points if you pick up a cover with color that accents your style (great when going to meetings). it works alright on your lap; but I have a big enough belly that I tried this just this week at the airport and found that I could do it with the kickstand at about my kneecaps but really the Starbucks table about 5ft away was MUCH better to work on when you are in a hurry. but in a pinch and then some the type cover is a great keyboard. As one reviewer put it - he has never seen a key travel so far down into this shallow cover. Microsoft engineers must have engineered it into another universe!

if you plan on being docked all the time then you might have needed a Surface Pro 3 at all but if you are toting it between office and home or other office then you setting up a good work station at each location (as it seems you are doing) is so nice to work on!