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[InspectHerGadget]

I did my two weeks almost on the i7/256G SP3 before returning it to Microsoft.

I loved it. The i7 was amazingly fast in comparison to my i5/8G/256G SP2. A Norton scan would complete in 52 seconds rather than 2 minutes, web pages would load in 1/3 the time. The trackpad was good enough I didn't need my Arc Mouse Surface Edition and the extra screen real estate was welcome.

What was missing was the Wacom EMR layer and the passive pen. The new Active pen technology is a pain in the arse with the major problem palm rejection or lack of it. I just replied to a new thread on the same subject with a new SP3 user complaining of this. Yes, I tried full screen. I also didn't enjoy actually handwriting as much on the SP3.

You may think it unreasonable but I write notes several times a day at least and I'm using it more and more every day. I had the SP2 for about three weeks, having bought it second hand before buying the SP3. Yes, it is squat, ugly, the finish is crap and it scratches easily but it all works! The pen also attaches magnetically into the recharging slot, as you know and it feels therefore that the pen belongs.

I am just so glad I didn't sell the SP2. Honestly though many Surface users don't use the handwriting part of it. If so then I can't recommend the SP3 enough! I had no heat or other issues.

 

[jnjroach]

I ink everyday, over 100 pages a week...all on the SP3 without issues. I found the SP2 much more frustrating with the 16:9 making it unusable in portrait.....

 

[Moonsurface]

I guess everyone is different and it's a shame you couldn't get on with inking on SP3.

I have no experience of inking on anything other than the SP3 but I was inking today for 2-3 hours taking notes in a meeting - my first proper use of this featureand I found it to be excellent, palm rejection worked perfectly for me and I enjoyed the feel and accuracy of the SP3 pen. Which feels perfectly like a real pen in my hands. The only thing I had to do was turn the tablet upside down in portrait mode as I did find the way I was resting it on my lap I did occasionally knock the windows button, not a problem at all when turned up the other way though.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

Well, I guess I was very happy already with the SP2 and I really enjoy using it.

I read all the reviews and forums before buying the SP3 but nothing compares to owning one and using it for hours every which I did.

Anyone reading these threads will be completely confused by contradictory experiences.

Remember too I had the SP2 and SP3 side by side at times doing things although I used the SP3 as my work and play device for probably eight hours a day for over a week.

I would strongly suggest that anyone buying an SP3 buy it from Microsoft directly as I did. I was able to make my own mind up and was able to return it for a full refund. Microsoft sales staff were very helpful, listened to what I had to say and quickly organised the return.

I'm impressed with Microsoft and will be keen to buy the next version of the Surface. I just feel in this version they broke something that worked near flawlessly in the SP2.

I should add too that I'm left handed. This introduced a serious issue with Palm touch causing pages to change in modern OneNote. I'm also wondering if this caused other issues.

 

[Moonsurface]

Yes that may be an issue if you are a leftie.. I wonder if software updates might help that.

 

[malberttoo]

I should add too that I'm left handed. This introduced a serious issue with Palm touch causing pages to change in modern OneNote. I'm also wondering if this caused other issues.

I've only used Modern OneNote a handful of times, because of this exact reason. I MUCH prefer the radial interface, but was constantly messing things up as I would lift the pen to move somewhere else on the screen, and then all of a sudden my palm would register and open some page or random note.

What's really inexplicable about this, is that in Desktop OneNote, there's actually an option to pick which side of the page you want your tabs on. They're all on the right by default, but you can switch it all to the left. I can't imagine why they didn't include it in Modern.

So I use Desktop OneNote mostly.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

I like using the modern OneNote. It seems to be best for doing simple stuff like writing notes which is what I used it for. The desktop one has more features though but this isn't necessary for me.

The basic issue is that palm rejection and pen sensing is built into the screen on the SP2 so palm rejection not working is never an issue whereas this is an issue in the SP3 and some people it causes more of a problem than others. I also had some other issues with the pen, some are to do with if it hovers above the surface it can misbehave. I can't rule out either that this happens more with the modern OneNote than the desktop OneNote, although this is likely to be to do with the pen and associated drivers.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Philtastic]

I didn't like writing on the SP3 (haven't extensively used; demo'ed at Best Buy) because of apparent palm rejection problems due, however, to my palm hitting the glass before it detected the pen. The Sp3 starts detecting the pen a mere 1 cm from the screen whereas the SP2 starts at 2 cm: this resulted in many instances where, attempting to write and move my hand naturally, my palm would beat the pen to the punch on the SP3, thus I am not a fan of the pen changes.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

I didn't like writing on the SP3 (haven't extensively used; demo'ed at Best Buy) because of apparent palm rejection problems due, however, to my palm hitting the glass before it detected the pen. The Sp3 starts detecting the pen a mere 1 cm from the screen whereas the SP2 starts at 2 cm: this resulted in many instances where, attempting to write and move my hand naturally, my palm would beat the pen to the punch on the SP3, thus I am not a fan of the pen changes.

I think you may be right about the pen. The palm rejection is heaps better on the SP2 and I like the feel of the pen as well. The lack of batteries is a positive too. I also like the feel.

I carry mine SP2 under my arm with the pen attached, not in a case. It is actually better thought out from the is point of view too as the pen has a holder in the charging port.

 

[Moonsurface]

It sounded to me like Microsoft did a lot of work to improve the feel and accuracy of the pen on the SP3 - was that wasted in your opinion then?

I can't compare as I never used SP2, but I'm happy with writing on the SP3 - but I find the fluidity of the ink "flowing" from the actual physical tip of the pen and the accuracy of it, the feel of the pen itself gives me a very familiar feeling like writing on, albeit very shiny hard, paper. Yes I have noticed that the pen needs to be quite close to activate but I guess I adapted how I use it pretty quickly as I didn't have any problem with the palm rejection. I guess as a newbie to inking I was worried anyway about my palm making marks and automatically went pen-tip first as I would have on any device with a stylus - not expecting palm rejection to work. Everyone is different though and if you're used to, and happy with SP2 then that's the way you should go

 

[InspectHerGadget]

It sounded to me like Microsoft did a lot of work to improve the feel and accuracy of the pen on the SP3 - was that wasted in your opinion then?

I can't compare as I never used SP2, but I'm happy with writing on the SP3 - but I find the fluidity of the ink "flowing" from the actual physical tip of the pen and the accuracy of it, the feel of the pen itself gives me a very familiar feeling like writing on, albeit very shiny hard, paper. Yes I have noticed that the pen needs to be quite close to activate but I guess I adapted how I use it pretty quickly as I didn't have any problem with the palm rejection. I guess as a newbie to inking I was worried anyway about my palm making marks and automatically went pen-tip first as I would have on any device with a stylus - not expecting palm rejection to work. Everyone is different though and if you're used to, and happy with SP2 then that's the way you should go

It isn't the palm making marks, it is taking you somewhere else as the palm rejection is all about deactivating touch.

Some people like the feel of the SP3 better while others such as me prefer the feel of the SP2 during writing.

Whether Microsoft really did a lot of work on this or not is hard to say. If they did, they didn't test it enough. The palm rejection is certainly nowhere near as good as it was on the SP2, so I certainly had to take greater care to avoid this issue. I also found a few instances where the pen would either not work for a short while or it would start to come back leaving lines and marks rather than full lines. It would do this only occasionally though. I need it for work though and this 10 month old SP2 simply never lets me down in this area. I also in some ways prefer the size and shape of the SP2.

 

[javispedro]

I agree with Philtastic, I think the worse palm rejection experience comes from the shorter maximum stylus-digitizer distance. It was already barely enough on the SP2 compared to my older Lenovo...

I love the SP3 aspect ratio though, just wish it was a bit smaller and went back to a Wacom. Or at least some other sort of battery-less pen. I'm too used to the Wacom-like friction/feedback...