Surface Pro 3 launched - 12" tablet, 9mm thick, 2160x1440

[beq]

^ Heh The Verge said "The updated Surface Pro Type Covers will also house the stylus in a little sleeve" but it turns out to just be a loop?

Man good thing I didn't buy more of the SP2 units (had bought four of the 256/512GB units for my family). It's taken me forever to configure all the units, and investigate bugs and wait for patches, before being confident enough to actually offload them to family members. So they've barely started using the SP2's, and now they'll see the thinner/lighter/bigger-screen SP3, bummer

Am having gadget envy for that top-end i7 512GB SP3, price be darned! (Learned my lesson as the current 256GB SP2 turned out to be too small capacity for a family member.)

 

[beq]

But I agree that the N-Trig is a question mark. IIRC the pen uses a battery (and thus able to do the top-button-click to wake up the SP3, and other tricks)? And can't hover like the Wacom?

At least the new stylus appears to have two side buttons, plus the top button.

But does it need to be recharged, or use replaceable battery?



Also curious about the new Type Cover. Does the touchpad use a non-fabric material?

EDIT: Oh the new touchpad now physically clicks?

 

[Atomic Walrus]

OK, found the full specs:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/download/presskits/surface/docs/Surface3ProFS.docx

It still uses the HD4400 chip and same i5 processor as before, only the i7 is faster. So it's basically slower at the same price point as running a 2160x1440 resolution on the same exact HD 4400 compared to the 1920x1080 screen of the SP2. I guess i'm waiting for the SP4.

Also the N-Trig Pen Digitizer only supports 256 levels of pressure. The Wacom Digitizer in the SP2 supports 1024 levels of pressure, while the Wacom Cintiq Companion supports 2048 levels of pressure. It might seem trivial, but for Artists this face in the SP3 is a deal breaker

The loss of a Wacom digitizer is definitely a deal breaker for me. Aside from the announced 256 levels of pressure, I've used N-Trig devices before and the experience has never been even remotely satisfactory. Very unfortunate as I have been looking forward to upgrading my SP1 for some time and it's now impossible (though I'll probably try to pick up an SP2 if they go on deep discount like the SP1 did).

The reasons are pretty obvious: While the Wacom digitizer made the SP a popular portable option for artists that's a very small market (how many SP reviews completely ignored the pen aspect?). Obviously they can save some money by throwing us under the bus and counting on the fact that most people only ever used the pen for a few notes, if even that. There's also zero chance Wacom will ever agree to sell their higher end digitizer technology to 3rd parties as they now produce devices (Cintiq Companion) that directly compete with the SP in the portable art device market. They're way too heavy, expensive, and outdated (Ivy Bridge CPUs?), but they have the current version of digitizer tech seen in the Cintiq line.

Anyway it's a huge disappointment for me and a handful of people who were using the SP as a portable Cintiq. I doubt the majority of the market will notice or care. I would comment more on the other changes, but as the device is now completely off my radar there's no point. I guess I can hope that Wacom will make a non-terrible portable device someday?

 

[beq]

How does the SP3's 12-inch (3:2) 2160x1440 ppi density compare to the SP2's 10.6-inch (16:9) 1920x1080?

The SP2 comes out of the box set to 150% scaling in Windows 8. Curious how would the SP3 fare for older family members needing to read small text and whatnot, and if it would really stress Win8's dpi scaling flexibility?

 

[Guybrush]

It seem a great device. I love the new stand, maybe that is the only thing I really envy about SP3... I like also his case, It's seem better quality built against scratch paint, the icore7 will be faster... but curious about real battery life... the new digitizer may disappoint someone but most of people doesn't real need 1024 pressure levels... at the end I'm glad about the SP3 is different form factor, 12" probably was the most request feature but personally I still love sizes of my SP2, and I'm not thinking about change it.
The trackpad of new type cover seem cool too.it

 

[kozak79]

Thanks for the link. 9 hours of web-browsing battery life sounds good! This means that most likely doing other stuff (primarily on Office) would result in longer battery life.

We don't know if the 9 hours are with an i3 or i5 or i7 processor. I'm guessing they would list the i3 battery life, without telling you specifically which it is, technically still being correct.

 

[beq]

Here's a thought. Can we just close our eyes to the SP3, and hope there will be a Broadwell SP4 later this year? Kinda like skipping every other generation of the iPhone?

Curious about how the new OneNote integration works. It opens right on the lock screen by pressing top stylus button. And it supposedly syncs to the cloud in real-time as you write.

But the current OneNote (both desktop and Metro app) already defaults to saving on OneDrive cloud, so how will it be different?


P.S. The power cable connector looks very different...

Also they mention a full-size SD slot (instead of Micro SD)?? But I assume the SD card will stick out of the slot instead of sitting flush?


BTW I wonder how the folks behind the FreedomCase are taking this news?

 

[Guybrush]

I don't think its possible 9hours using an i7, 8gb ram and that form factor... lets wait first real benchmark... anyway I think SP3 will have more success of SP2

 

[javispedro]

Here's a thought. Can we just close our eyes to the SP3, and hope there will be a Broadwell SP4 later this year? Kinda like skipping every other generation of the iPhone?

I am, but it's going to be really bad if the SP4 is N-Trig and 12'' too. I guess SP2 is both first Surface I buy and last one too for me then.

Curious about how the new OneNote integration works. It opens right on the lock screen by pressing top stylus button. And it supposedly syncs to the cloud in real-time as you write.

But the current OneNote (both desktop and Metro app) already defaults to saving on OneDrive cloud, so how will it be different?

I think he mentioned this "top stylus button" OneNote mode works even while the Surface is off. Which I'd personally say is stupid, as what they should have done is enable the fscking Connected Standby support already.

So that I could choose whatever note taking application I wanted, instead of having hardcoded OneNote.

 

[beq]

I am, but it's going to be really bad if the SP4 is N-Trig and 12'' too. I guess SP2 is both first Surface I buy and last one too for me then.

Just occurred to me, is Microsoft now basically committing to a 6-month Surface product cycle (more akin to Android device makers) rather than an annual cycle like Apple? Or is the SP3 cycle timeline just an anomaly?

...what they should have done is enable the fscking Connected Standby support already.

I forgot about that! I too also really wanted the Surface Pro line to get Connected Standby. Would make alarm apps more usable too...

 

[javispedro]

This is offtopic, but..

I forgot about that! I too also really wanted the Surface Pro line to get Connected Standby. Would make alarm apps more usable too...

Well, the Surface Pro 2 has a fully working realtime clock that is capable of not only waking the device from suspend, but even turning it on at a programmed time. It works without a problem under GNU/Linux.

So the reason the Windows 8 Alarms programs doesn't support alarms on the Surface Pro 1/2 is ... laziness on part of MS. There would be no additional battery consumption by enabling this (the RTC is obviously already ticking even when off).

I suspect it would be not be inconceivable to make a desktop app that "enabled" this feature.


Man, I really hope they're not "finished" with firmware upgrades to the SFPro 1/2.

 

[MCube74]

I bought my Surface Pro2 256gb with the i5 4300u CPU last week. I got it with 2 yrs extended warranty and accidental damage coverage.

I got it for my business as I wanted something for traveling.


The surface pro 3 looks amazing but my only worry is the size. I was already feeling that Surface Pro 2 is slightly bigger than the iPad and now the Pro 3 is even bigger. If I need a big tablet then I might as well just carry a notebook. Yes the pro 3 can be used as a tablet and like a notebook but somehow the size is a concern. Weight is less than the Pro 2 but not that much. About 0.3 pounds lighter?

I am hoping that Microsoft will release a new tablet later this year to replace the Pro 2 with a new CPU and with LTE support. I am starting to get used to the 10.6" screen and I kind of like it.


I have a feeling Surface Pro will be phased out later this year and Pro 2 will replace it and there will be another surface Pro with 10.6" display.

Surface Pro 3 is great for those who like big screens.