Surface Pro 3 Vs. World: Mobile Smackdown 2
Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 hybrid tablet has ambitions that cross product categories. How does it compare to top mobile devices from Apple, Samsung, and others?
![](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt69509c9116440be8/blt0369a749d83ecff9/64cb5807e2a1d866523b55fd/6D3B5219.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Surface Pro 3: The tablet that can replace a laptop?
Microsoft touts the Surface Pro 3 as the tablet that can replace a laptop. The company said the same thing about earlier Surface Pro models, none of which sold well enough to justify the claim. But thanks to a bigger screen and other improvements, the Pro 3 largely lives up to its billing.
Earlier Surfaces are interesting as small laptops, but with a 10.6-inch screen, cramped keyboard accessory, and limited kickstand, the Pro and Pro 2 were ultimately too small. As tablets, the devices handled awkwardly, hampered by their relative heaviness and landscape-centric 16:9 shape. The Surface Pro 3 corrects these problems. It has the screen real estate of a legitimate laptop, and though heavier than pure tablets at 1.76 pounds, it's lighter and thinner than earlier models. In fact, the Pro 3, though not as light and ergonomic as an iPad, is surprisingly easy to hold for long periods, thanks to its unique 3:2 aspect ratio.
The Pro 3's included Surface Pro Pen adds a superlative stylus experience to the mix. Out of the box, it offers a deeply integrated experience in apps such as OneNote and Fresh Paint, and will soon boast optimized third-party apps from major vendors such as Adobe. Using the pen isn't quite like applying ink to paper, but it comes close -- close enough for electronic notes and drawings to feel second nature after only a little practice.
The Surface Pro 3 is a terrific device, but it's still not an optimal choice for everyone. When he introduced the Pro 3, Microsoft corporate VP Panos Panay repeatedly compared it to both an iPad and a MacBook Air, arguing that it can replace both. He's right; the Surface Pro 3 can serve as a user's sole laptop and sole tablet -- but that doesn't necessarily mean it should.
If you're looking for a pure tablet experience, the Surface Pro 3 isn't as mobile, light, or easy to hold as an iPad, and it costs a hell of a lot more than the vast majority of Android and Windows slates. Then again, the newest Pro is one of the few tablets to effectively integrate a pen into the experience.
As a laptop, it's a topflight device, but arguably less befitting a "Pro" moniker than Apple's MacBook Pros, which are heavier but offer more raw power. The MacBook Air is a better comparison. It lacks the Pro 3's touchscreen hybridity, but as a conventional laptop, it's hard to beat and a big reason why Macs traditionally rule the market for $1000+ PCs. Its new kickstand allows the Pro 3 to sit on your lap better than its predecessors, but it still requires some fiddling to get going. More conventional designs such as the Air's require less fuss.
Even if you're a fan of 2-in-1 designs, the Pro 3 might be too pricey for what it offers. Few Windows hybrids are more complete and compelling, and fewer still can match the Surface Pro 3's luxurious build quality. But these perks will matter more to some users than to others, and if your basic goal is to squeeze a laptop and tablet into one device, there are cheaper ways to do so.
Ultimately, how much you get from the Surface Pro 3 depends how you use it. The device resists comparisons because it is fairly unique, but also invites comparisons because it includes elements found in other devices. Is it as good a laptop as the MacBook Air? As productive a tablet as the Galaxy Note Pro? A better hybrid than other Windows slates? Do you get more for $800 from an iPad Air or a Surface Pro 3?
If your requirements fall within the Pro 3's strengths, it's an outstanding option. But if you're not motivated by the device's unique combination of traits, you might prefer to keep your laptops and tablets separate. And even if you like hybrids, the Pro 3 is one of the pricier ways to go. Is it the right device for you? Explore this slideshow to see how the Surface Pro 3 compares to some of its main alternatives. And share your opinions in the comments field.
In terms of specs for the money, the Surface Pro 3 compares well with the 13-inch MacBook Air. The base 64-GB Pro 3 with 4 GB of RAM and an Intel i3 processor runs $930 with the optional $130 Type Cover. The Surface/Type-Cover combo hits $1,130 if you step up to an i5 and a 128-GB SSD. The 13-inch Air starts at $999 for a 1.4-GHz i5 chip, 4 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage. At the high end, you'll pay $1,749 for a MacBook Air with 512 GB of storage, a faster i7 processor, and 8 GB of RAM. The top Surface Pro 3 offers the same specs for $1,949, or almost $2,100 with the keyboard.
The Pro 3 is more expensive than comparable MacBook Airs, but the Pro 3's 2160 x 1440-pixel screen is noticeably nicer. The Air offers a decent but comparatively outdated 1440 x 900-pixel display. Microsoft's device also boasts the pen and touchscreen. That said, the MacBook Air still offers a pleasing touch experience via its track pad, and if you're focused on the laptop experience, the pen might not be an issue. The larger track pad on the Pro 3's Type Cover is a step above most Windows offers, but it's not in the same league as Apple's industry-leading tech. The Air also enjoys better battery life, promising 12 hours to the Surface Pro 3's nine. The Pro 3 is slightly thinner and lighter, however.
At its most expensive, the Pro 3 costs more than some MacBook Pro models. The base 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display, 4 GB of RAM, a 2.4-GHz i5 processor, and 128 GB of storage is $1,299. Its 2560 x 1600-pixel screen boasts even higher resolution than the Pro 3's. Even the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro with a 2.0-GHz quad-core i5 chip, 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GM of storage is cheaper than a fully decked-out Pro 3.
Essentially, it comes down to needs. As a pure laptop, the Pro 3's merits, such as its light weight and excellent screen, could make it preferable to comparable MacBooks. But if you don't care about hybridity, MacBooks are exceptional machines. Microsoft is charging a premium for the Pro 3's unique abilities. If you don't want them, save the extra cash.
Microsoft's Surface Pro 2 remains on the market, though its current prices don't make it much of an alternative to the Pro 3. A 128-GB model with 4 GB of RAM and an Intel i5 processor costs $999, for example -- the same price as a Pro 3 with the same specs. Microsoft dramatically lowered prices on the original Surface RT and Surface Pro, however, so the Pro 2 could see a price drop once the Pro 3 begins shipping June 20.
Essentially, the Pro 2 is a smaller, less-refined version of the Pro 3. It's heavier, thicker, has a smaller screen, less flexible kickstand, and still comes without a keyboard. Its stylus also isn't as nice as the Pro's pen. Unless Microsoft reduces prices, it's hard to justify the Pro 2 over the Pro 3.
Introduced earlier this year, Samsung's 12.2-inch Samsung Galaxy Note Pro boasts a 2560 x 1600-pixel display, squarely in the same class as the Surface Pro 3. It also allows split-screen multitasking, one of Windows tablets' alleged advantages over iPads. On smaller tablets, this sort of multitasking isn't particularly useful, but on a device with a 12-inch screen, it's much more powerful.
Note Pros can't run Windows applications, in split-screen mode or otherwise. But legacy software is more of a laptop concern, and if you're considering the Note Pro as a Surface Pro 3 alternative, you're probably more interested in touch apps. In that regard, Samsung's tablet, which ships with Android 4.4.2 KitKat, arguably has the edge, though Microsoft is picking up steam and will launch Modern UI versions of Office later this year. Like the Surface Pro 3, the Note Pro also includes a stylus. The Galaxy boasts 4G LTE connectivity, however, while the Surface does not. Samsung initially launched its tablet at Pro 3-level prices, but they've fallen off in recent months. The 32-GB model is available online for as little as $650.
Among iPad models, only the iPad Air is in the Pro 3's price range. Even then, to reach the Pro's cost, you would have to buy the most expensive WiFi-only Air, which offers 128 GB at $799, or one of the pricier LTE-enabled models, which start at $629 for a 16-GB device and run up to $929 for the 128-GB version.
The Surface Pro 3 offers a lot of functionality for the extra money, of course. It also boasts a larger screen and is surprisingly only a little heavier. Both handle well, though the iPad is easier to hold for long periods.
If you buy a Pro 3, you're not getting a highly polished, iPad-like tablet experience that also happens to include desktop productivity tools; rather, you're getting a very capable laptop that, depending how much you use the pen, is also a decent-to-good tablet.
But the iPad's greatest strength is arguably that it doesn't try to be more than it is; it's a tablet, not a laptop, and for mobility, ease of use, app availability, ergonomics, and aesthetics, it's tough to beat.
Coming in late June, Toshiba's new Satellite Click 2 Pro starts at $1,028.99. An Intel-powered tablet with a full-HD, 13.3-inch display, the Click 2 Pro comes with a keyboard, unlike the Surface Pro 3. The Pro 3's laptop mode also relies on its kickstand, whereas the Click 2 Pro is designed to click into the sturdy keyboard base, which some users might prefer. The Click 2 Pro's keyboard offers two USB ports -- double the number available on the Pro 3. Toshiba also plans to launch a version with a premium keyboard for $1,279.99. The stepped-up model will include an additional battery and hard drive.
Toshiba's devices don't match the Surface Pro 3 in areas such as screen resolution. It also remains to be seen if the Click 2 Pro can match the Pro 3's build quality, or offer intangibles to match the Surface Pro Pen. But those who value 2-in-1 hybridity first and foremost might find the Click 2 Pro a compelling alternative to Microsoft's newest device.
Released last fall, the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro kept its predecessor's highly flexible hinged design, which allows the user to position the unit as a conventional clamshell laptop, or to flip the screen away from the keyboard to enable tablet mode. The screen itself offers a monstrous 3200 x 1800-pixel resolution, outpacing virtually everything in its price range.
At just over three pounds, the Yoga is heavier than many competitors. That said, it offers up to nine hours of battery life and more ports than the Surface Pro 3. Depending when and where you buy the Yoga 2 Pro, prices vary. An i5 model with 8 GB of RAM and a 256-GB SSD runs around $830 online, offering more impressive specs than the $799 base Pro 3. The top-of-the-line Yoga Pro 2 runs over $1,500 but offers an i7 chip and more than half a terabyte of storage.
Released last year, the Venue 11 Pro comes in a variety of configurations, including cheaper models that use Intel Atom processors and frankly aren't in the same class as devices like the Surface Pro 3. But the pricier Venue models offer another option for those who value laptop-tablet hybridity. Dell's slate offers a 10.8-inch 1920 x 1080-pixel screen, 4 GB of RAM, a 128-GB SSD, and an Intel Core i3 chip for $799 -- roughly in line with the Surface Pro 3's specs at the same price, albeit with a smaller screen. The cheaper versions don't come with a keyboard, but Dell offers an i5 version with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage that is bundled with a keyboard for $1,050. Otherwise, keyboard options include a thin model that runs $110 and is somewhat like Microsoft's Type Covers, as well as a $160 version with a sturdier base and extra ports. Like Microsoft, Dell also offers other accessories, including a stylus and a docking station for attaching the tablet to an external monitor.
Released last year, the Venue 11 Pro comes in a variety of configurations, including cheaper models that use Intel Atom processors and frankly aren't in the same class as devices like the Surface Pro 3. But the pricier Venue models offer another option for those who value laptop-tablet hybridity. Dell's slate offers a 10.8-inch 1920 x 1080-pixel screen, 4 GB of RAM, a 128-GB SSD, and an Intel Core i3 chip for $799 -- roughly in line with the Surface Pro 3's specs at the same price, albeit with a smaller screen. The cheaper versions don't come with a keyboard, but Dell offers an i5 version with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage that is bundled with a keyboard for $1,050. Otherwise, keyboard options include a thin model that runs $110 and is somewhat like Microsoft's Type Covers, as well as a $160 version with a sturdier base and extra ports. Like Microsoft, Dell also offers other accessories, including a stylus and a docking station for attaching the tablet to an external monitor.
-
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like