The case is available in both black and silver, with both having a reflective and glossy finish. On the outside you will find both sides protected in PET hard shell plastic, with ribs running across the width to offer a greater degree of rigidity, and the company name on the bottom right corner of the front of the case. The rest of the case is a fairly durable cloth such as that found on a good backpack. The case has a handle on each side of the top made of the same material, with a small amount of padding for ease of handling. The case is secured using a zip. Nothing special, but it certainly doesn’t feel cheap and flimsy. The overall design may not be for everyone, and the handles can certainly feel a little dated, or at times, unnecessary given the size of the thing. I found that I quite liked just holding it under my arm like I would a text book. Overall the finish on the exterior is of a good quality, and feels like it will survive a bit of a beating, however the styling will very much be subjective, with glossy plastic not being my personal style of choice, but hey, I don’t even like coloured type covers, I’m the type that opts for subtle and non-descript.
Once we open it up, half of the case is dedicated to the surface and keyboard, which are secured using two elastic bands across the upper corners, and a thick elasticated band running across the centre of the case that secures via Velcro tabs. In testing, this proved to offer a very secure fit, with no danger of the tablet accidentally popping out if the case were to be opened in the wrong orientation or angle. Skytab had the foresight to place the hooked Velcro tab facing up, so that the soft loops face your surface, minimizing the potential for any scratching. One negative remark about this strap is the poor quality of the stitching (see photo) but it is hardly the end of the world, and does not in any way effect the functionality of the case.
On the other half of the case, is a large mesh pocket for holding all of your odds and sods. For reasons I have yet to discover, there are also two Velcro strips on the top corners as well, perhaps for keeping papers in place. You’ll have to find a use for those yourself. The one big downside of this case design however, is that for people in the UK at least, the case will not accommodate the charger, it is simply too large and the case cannot close, see photo below. However this may not be the instance with all versions of the surface 3, where different countries may use different size or style chargers (The UK uses the rather large 3-prong socket). That aside, the pocket can accommodate the charging cable, wallet, USB stick, most things you’d need to have at hand with your surface.
Not happy to leave the protection just to the external panels, the case also features foam on both inside panels, as well as in the middle of the mesh pocket which should help to alleviate any concerns of your peripherals scratching the device.
Overall I feel that this is a well thought out and well-designed case, and offers a good degree of protection for your Surface 3, although the styling may be hit or miss for some. While this may not match up against the quality of say a Maroo case, it must be noted that this case only costs $25 at the time of this posting. At this price point Skytab are offering great value for money, and because of this, I would happily recommend this case to Surface owners. While I do not typically use cases myself, I foresee myself using this fairly regularly, not as a case to take out and about, but simply for when I’m throwing my device into a suitcase or shoulder bag, it will add significant peace of mind.
Once we open it up, half of the case is dedicated to the surface and keyboard, which are secured using two elastic bands across the upper corners, and a thick elasticated band running across the centre of the case that secures via Velcro tabs. In testing, this proved to offer a very secure fit, with no danger of the tablet accidentally popping out if the case were to be opened in the wrong orientation or angle. Skytab had the foresight to place the hooked Velcro tab facing up, so that the soft loops face your surface, minimizing the potential for any scratching. One negative remark about this strap is the poor quality of the stitching (see photo) but it is hardly the end of the world, and does not in any way effect the functionality of the case.
On the other half of the case, is a large mesh pocket for holding all of your odds and sods. For reasons I have yet to discover, there are also two Velcro strips on the top corners as well, perhaps for keeping papers in place. You’ll have to find a use for those yourself. The one big downside of this case design however, is that for people in the UK at least, the case will not accommodate the charger, it is simply too large and the case cannot close, see photo below. However this may not be the instance with all versions of the surface 3, where different countries may use different size or style chargers (The UK uses the rather large 3-prong socket). That aside, the pocket can accommodate the charging cable, wallet, USB stick, most things you’d need to have at hand with your surface.
Not happy to leave the protection just to the external panels, the case also features foam on both inside panels, as well as in the middle of the mesh pocket which should help to alleviate any concerns of your peripherals scratching the device.
Overall I feel that this is a well thought out and well-designed case, and offers a good degree of protection for your Surface 3, although the styling may be hit or miss for some. While this may not match up against the quality of say a Maroo case, it must be noted that this case only costs $25 at the time of this posting. At this price point Skytab are offering great value for money, and because of this, I would happily recommend this case to Surface owners. While I do not typically use cases myself, I foresee myself using this fairly regularly, not as a case to take out and about, but simply for when I’m throwing my device into a suitcase or shoulder bag, it will add significant peace of mind.
