is SP3 really "in stores" - can i go check it out?

[hh83917]

A quick report from Orchard Park, NY (just outside Buffalo, NY) on 6/6/2014 @ 5:00PM EST:
...
With regard to the pen, I read an article by an artist on Penney Arcade who had an issue with the new placement of the Windows button on the right side of the screen. He said as a right-hander he would sometimes rest his hand on the button area while drawing, which resulted in a button press that exited the application. I thought this was an edge case situation, but I checked since I'll be doing a lot of drawing and writing with the pen. While testing with FreshPaint, this indeed happened and gave me heartburn. Oddly, testing in OneNote did not trigger an accidental app exit. I hope some configuration of button behavior comes about soon to avoid the complaints.

That's all I could test before returning home in time for family fun night.

My pre-order remains in place (i5/256GB) and I can't wait to get my own SP3!

-TS

Had the same experience withe that windows button on the right when I went to our local mall to try it out... I think the only way to avoid it is to disable that button...

Still impressed the new screen and the lightness compared to my SP2 though, so I preordered the i7 anyways.

 

[scfoster]

Was very impressed with it. My biggest gripe with the SP2 was the thickness. MSFT certainly solved that.. and it's light as well.

The pen experience is amazing. There is virtually no parallax so I can write as small as on a sheet of paper with ease. The "eraser" click function to launch OneNote makes this a viable "quick" note taker. Looking forward to the release.

 

[WAR]

Went to Best Buy locally. They said only their "biggest" stores would get them to display before August 22nd.

 

[BillJ]

The MS kiosk at the Cherry Hill NJ Mall has SP3 units for demonstration, along with the N-trig pen and Type Cover. The hardware met all of my expectations. The N-trig is far better than the Wacom pen for selections and writing. I love the larger, lighter display. The real winner is the new Type Cover; compared to Type2 this new iteration is improved by a multiple of 10. It is a joy to type on, and the touch pad is a true delight. Responsive, easy to find, definite "clicks". I don't know if it is "the best" touch pad ever, but it is more than good enough for me.
My new PC will be arriving June 20th...

 

[Mikeyqp]

Was very impressed with it. My biggest gripe with the SP2 was the thickness. MSFT certainly solved that.. and it's light as well.

The pen experience is amazing. There is virtually no parallax so I can write as small as on a sheet of paper with ease. The "eraser" click function to launch OneNote makes this a viable "quick" note taker. Looking forward to the release.

Thanks for the info, this has given me addition confidence in my purchase 5/256! My initial concerns were of accuracy and precision. My next concern was how thin I can make the strokes without it looking unnatural. I will mostly be using my sp3 for note taking, and I normally use 0.7mm for my primary pen size and 0.5mm for my side note taking pen.

 

[mennogreg]

I wish the control to disable the Windows button didn't also disable the volume/power buttons. Or at the very least, ditch the haptic touch and make it an actual button for crying out loud!

 

[NehemiahAdon86]

I went this afternoon to the Microsoft Specialty store in Wisconsin. They had two Surface Pro 3’s on display, all sporting the red Type Cover 3, which I think is the most aesthetically pleasing. Neither of them were docked to the display tables, like you typically see at Best Buy, which was nice because I could pick the device up and walk over to a bench and use it on my lap. I have to say that “lapability” was quite nice for me; much improved from the previous generation, (I currently own a Surface 2). I am not sure why others seem to dislike the experience. But I thought it was quite comfortable, I was even able to cross my leg over, and use it that way. Relatively speaking, since no laptop is really ever perfectly ergonomic on the lap, the experience was nice, and even comfortable.

The Microsoft rep was also surprisingly knowledgeable, which was refreshing, (a much better experience than I would get at Best Buy).
Concerning the device itself, I think it really hits the sweet spot between laptop and tablet. It seems to me to be the perfect hybrid in that respect. It was also very fast and responsive; Office apps opened noticeably faster than my Surface 2 (these devices already had Office installed; for Demo purposes only though. You must buy Office separate for the Surface Pro 3). The pen also was quite fantastic. It was really a joy to use, and is a highlight of this device, especially with the One Note integration, along with the portrait orientation with the new 3:2 screen size (the screen is beautiful as well, and seemed much more spacious than I was anticipating, which is a big plus in my book). It felt very nice in the hands (it felt light, considering this is a 12” screen), and cradles nice in the arm, especially in landscape orientation, since it cradles perfectly up against the bicep.

One thing I was anxious to try out was using the pen in canvas mode (tilting the screen all the way back as far as the hinge allows, 150°). Again fantastic. I could see however how the Windows button could be touched accidentally (for right-handers anyway) causing frustration. So I tried turning the device upside-down and using in canvas mode that way. It is not perfect, but it works. If you turn the device around, and just engage the friction point on the new hinge, the device will be in a semi-canvas mode, maybe a 15-20° difference from the true canvas mode (I could not tell for sure, others will have to try it). And since the friction of the hinge was engaged, it did not seem that it would collapse with normal writing and sketching pressure. Therefore it seemed workable, and even pleasant. Again, others will have to try it out.

In the end, I was impressed. It makes my other Surfaces seem quite old. Needless to say; I want one!

Edit: One thing I forgot to mention was that the pen seems to store just fine using the pen-clip attaching it to the keyboard. The valley just between the top most keys, and the new magnet on the Type Cover which attaches to the Screen, is a decent spot for it (when the cover is both opened or closed against the screen). It seems that it would stay there pretty well, and not fall off very easily. The display model also had the $5 pen holder, which seemed okay; it worked just fine, but there is an obvious concern over how long the tape will remain intact. (Thankfully it is not that expensive, I would probably get it). But for those who liked the old storage method of the Surface Pro 2, the pen will surprisingly attach itself magnetically in the same spot as the old one. It doesn’t engage the power port, but if you needed a place to keep it temporarily without using the cover, this is an option, albeit, not ideal.

 

[EMINENT]

I just saw the SP3 at the MS store in my area and man is it fantastic! The inking was superb, and the size is just perfect!

I wanted to see how much bigger it is. It's not that much bigger in reality, but just looking at it, it's going to be nice to have that extra real estate. The bigger screen than what I've been used to with my S2, the weight about the same, the added inking and x86 capability, and that awesome new stand! I can't wait to get my hands on mine!

 

[joudbren]

I went on Friday to see the SP3 at our local MS store as I already have an i5/256 on order. I wasn't sure what to expect but wow. Just wow. My SP2 will be up for sale the minute I have this new bad boy in hand. LOVE the new screen, the weight and how slim it is. You'll be shocked when you pick one up it's so light compared to the SP2. The only thing I'm not sure of is the kick stand.

The stand on my SP2 flicks out easily with one finger into either of the two positions. The new stand literally needs to be folded out using even pressure on both sides as it's pretty stiff to move. The stand seems thinner and flimsier than the SP2 stand as well. I guess it's a trade off for the case thickness and the new flexibility in the viewing angles so time will tell. Hopefully I don't have to worry about it getting bent.

The two position keyboard is a nice touch but I find it flexes a teeny bit when typing in its upper position. I definitely preferred the "feel" of the keyboard when it's flat on the table so thankfully it still gives you that option. I do like the flexibility of being able to move it up though as it shortens the space that the keyboard needs so I appreciate having this option. I also like the loop on the side of the keyboard for the pen. It's not a perfect solution but worlds better than the SP2 method and I'll actually use this for a change. And the new trackpad is an order of magnitude better than the old one!

Last but not least is the new power connector. FINALLY Microsoft has ditched that super finicky connector! The new one is tons better and easy to attach. No more fumbling with the stupid thing trying to get it to line up with the slot.

All in all, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be a happy camper picking mine up on the 20th. Now I suddenly have some serious regrets buying my iPad mini retina as a supplement to the SP2. I'll let you know after I get a chance to live with the SP3 but initial gut feel is that the SP3 is truly going to be a "do it all" device for me. Oh well, the iPad is new and will be easy to sell along with my SP2. Cheers!

 

[scfoster]

Thanks for the info, this has given me addition confidence in my purchase 5/256! My initial concerns were of accuracy and precision. My next concern was how thin I can make the strokes without it looking unnatural. I will mostly be using my sp3 for note taking, and I normally use 0.7mm for my primary pen size and 0.5mm for my side note taking pen.

The parallax was always a problem for me... and the lousy pen/stylus ergonomics, not only for the Surface Pro 2 but the Galaxy Note 10.1 and 12.2 that I own. All of those are going bye bye on June 20th.

The pen tip is replaceable and has a "thread" that provides just the right amount of friction to give it the feel of a mechanical pencil or pen on paper. You have to look at it up close to see what I mean. I've use Wacom products for years and have been very satisfied. The N-Trig pen works just as well with the Surface Pro 3 IMO, for note taking, annotations or mark-ups. I can't comment on artwork.

As others have mentioned, the new power connector had been redesigned/fixed FINALLY. Now it just works... no fumbling or scratching things.

Can't wait for the 20th.

 

[Odyssey]

I went to my local Best Buy to try it out, and I'm happy to say that I was impressed! Just to give you some context, I am a former Surface 1 and SP2 owner since the time they released. I use it mainly for school to take notes in OneNote, check email, and surf the web. I was heavily considering canceling my preorder and buying a MacBook Pro w/ Retina 13-inch instead (since I own an iPhone and was impressed with integration of OSX with iOS in addition to the generally good build quality of MacBooks), but my brief time with the SP3 quickly changed my mind.

The most immediate improvement is the screen. The larger size and high resolution allow you to see more on the screen at once, making the "snap" feature of having 2 windows onscreen at once actually feasible. Text is clear and easy to read, and colors appear very deep with excellent contrast. I watched a Transformers 4 trailer on Youtube at 1440p and my mind was blown.

Next, the kickstand. As expected, you can place the kickstand at nearly any angle as you please, but what surprised me the most is the firmness of the kickstand once you set it in place. You really need to apply some pressure to get the kickstand to move, so I would feel pretty confident in the stability and longevity of the kickstand.

Concerning the Type Cover 3, I just have to say WOW. It's a much improved experience from the Type Cover 2. First, the trackpad is VASTLY improved. It has a smooth surface and is large enough to be usable (however, I still prefer to use a mouse ). Because of both the additional magnet that raises the keyboard and the larger size of the Type Cover 3, you now have a palmrest! This makes the typing experience much more comfortable and does a good job of trying to mimic your regular laptop keyboard. Key travel is comparable to previous Type Covers.

The pen definitely feels better in my hand. My main gripe with the previous Wacom pen was that the magnetic button sort of forced you to hold the pen a certain way so you wouldn't accidentally press it. Not so with the new pen. You can hold it any way you want! I actually like that you have to press a button near where you are already holding it to erase! It really saves time when you're taking notes in class compared to having to turn the pen around to erase. Pen performance (in OneNote, since that is all I really use the pen for) is comparable to the SP2, which is a good thing since I enjoyed using the pen when I had to.

The charging plug is much improved as well, as it is really easy to plug it in (no more fiddling around!). The general build quality of the SP3 is also as impressive as previous Surfaces. It really is impossibly thin for a PC, which might actually encourage you to use it as a tablet! Weight wise, it feels slightly lighter than the SP2. I did notice that the physical volume buttons on the tablet are a bit more rigid than previous Surfaces, so you'll need to use a bit more pressure to press them down.

Overall, I'm really impressed with SP3, and I can't wait to receive it in less than 2 weeks!

 

[wookiee2cu]

I had a chance to play with one for about 10 minutes at the local BestBuy store on Saturday. I have never owned or played with a Surface before so I really didn't know what to expect. I was impressed with the device in all honesty. It felt snappy, the pen tracked well when hovering above the tablet, the keyboard seemed pretty responsive (I kind of expected it to feel mushy since the keyboard is so thin so I figured it would have some flex to it when I used the second magnet to give it an angle), I really like the size of the unit and the screen clarity and colors were very crisp and pleasing. Can't wait until August so I can pick up an i7 version. I did ask the 3 reps that were there about a power cover for the SP3 and they just said it is not on the official accessory list but they would be surprised if Microsoft didn't release one. I kind of hate the thought of spending $130 on the type cover only to have the power cover come out a few months later for $60 more. It's doubtful but hopefully if they are going to release the power cover hopefully it's available when the i3 & i7 models get released.