Is the10.6 form factor dead?

[mwsvette]

With the sp3 out is the 10.6" form factor dead? Will there be new accessories for the 10.6 form factor? I seem to remember reading that Microsoft had planned a number of add on items. Then only one I ever saw was the mix cover or will future items all be in the 12" 3:2 ratio? I have had both the sp1 and sp2 and have purchased the dock, both versions of the type and touch keyboards as well as the power cover.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

I don't think that the form factor is necessarily dead. Everyone's attention is on the SP3 or SP4, the latter of which will be the same shape as the SP3 I would say.

What about the Surface 3 though? I wouldn't be surprised if that was a Broadwell M with a pen, as an option, if not included. It would be probably called the Surface 3. It would make sense too, the smaller, low powered version but still the full operating system with a very long battery life and a pen which is popular. Being a smaller tablet it shouldn't cannibalise sales of the Pro too much.

Existing keyboards would fit such a Surface 3 of course.

 

[dougpaw57]

I don't think that the form-factor is dead, but with no more devices being released in that size, it will eventually fade because of the short technology half-life. I had a Surface Pro and Pro 2 prior to getting the Pro 3. Once I got a Dell Venue Pro, the Surface Pro 2 seemed very close in the role it played. I felt I would be more productive on the Pro 3, and I am, but the Dell is still the way to go on continuously shrinking airplane seats.

 

[Morgan]

I think that with the Surface Pro 3 the designers struck the right combination of size, format and usability. So if there's gong to be a Surface Pro 4, I predict that it will retain the form factor of the Surface Pro 3 with improved resolution and mostly internal improvements.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

I'm still quite happy with the SP2 but I think future iterations will keep to the 12 inch screen. It makes sense as it is more of a laptop replacement than a tablet although it can do both.

I still use my iPad Air as a tablet as it is the right size, light and a long battery life and I actually prefer to use it just for web browsing.

 

[mwsvette]

I have been very happy with my SP2 256 and have built an infrastructure to support it. I was hoping that there would continue to be additional accessories for the SP2.

For instance I wish someone would make a cover of VaporMg that would attach to the magnets and cover the screen.

I also would have been interested in an SP2 i7 model in the 10.6 format.

 

[GreyFox7]

IMO the 10.6 form factor is ok but it should convert to 16.10 ratio from 16:9 maybe that means a slight .1 change but could easily fit within the boarders of the device dimensions with appropriate tweaks to the bezels. for an example have a look at the Samsung Tab S 10.5 tablet... again they wouldn't need to change physical dimensions so the covers and docking stations still fit.

Once sales pick up its conceivable to offer your choice of 10.x or 12.1 maybe even an 11.x or 13.x. the partners are all over <10" devices... let them have that space.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

I like the SP2 form factor and the 1920 x 1080 matches the output of most common monitors

 

[Morgan]

Try to a use a Surface Pro 3 in side-by-side mode somewhere if you get the chance. You'll see almost immediately why they chose that form factor.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

Try to a use a Surface Pro 3 in side-by-side mode somewhere if you get the chance. You'll see almost immediately why they chose that form factor.

I had the i7 SP3 for about ten days. I did like the extra screen real estate but going back to the SP2, the only thing I really missed was the speed of the i7 version I had. In the end I didn't like the pen, it would sometimes not write and I also found I liked the feel of the writing on the SP2.

The trackpad of course on the SP2 is crap although I have a Surface Arc mouse so really that isn't a problem either.

I like the SP3, but I like the SP2 also. I think a 1920 x 1080 screen is a good choice for compatibility to the average monitor. I even found, most of the time, I would unclip the second magnet so the keyboard would sit flat as I like being able to swipe up on the screen.

 

[GreyFox7]

I could never get over the hump of the SP2 thickness and weight ... its like a patio block.
no issues with Surface 2, I like that quite a bit and still use it along with the SP3 though I would like the Surface 2 even better with a 16:10 screen in the same body.

 

[InspectHerGadget]

The SP2 profile I don't even think about, I just pick it up and carry it with me like a book with the pen clipped into it