Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Hits Stores: 3 Cautions - InformationWeek

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Comments
Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Hits Stores: 3 Cautions
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glenbren
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glenbren,
 User Rank: Ninja
6/29/2014 | 10:48:29 AM
Re: iPad is still Surface's competition
A 12-inch screen won't be a problem if you've been lugging around a laptop and are getting this to replace it. It looks like a good option to me, but I'm not an Apple fan.
DDURBIN1
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100%
DDURBIN1,
 User Rank: Ninja
6/23/2014 | 10:18:58 AM
iPad is still Surface's competition

Its good to know the product components and comparisons but I don't think the MacBook or iMac are Surface's competition.  It's still the iPad Air particularly since Microsoft now provides Office for the iPad.  The only advantage the Surface Pro 3 has is screen size but many will think a 12" screen is too big for most mobile usages.

DDURBIN1
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100%
DDURBIN1,
 User Rank: Ninja
6/23/2014 | 10:09:38 AM
Re: I find myself amused for some reason
Microsoft is like our political parties, you can't believe a word they say.  This makes for very poor confidence in their products particularly when the truth comes out if you can find the truth that is.  Like our politicians, it doesn't seem to bother Microsoft that they were caught lying about the facts to make them look better than reality.
SaneIT
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SaneIT,
 User Rank: Ninja
6/23/2014 | 7:36:04 AM
Surface 2
What bothers me is that it seems like Microsoft is moving so fast with the Surface Pro line that the previous models are going to be left to rot.  I have a Surface Pro 2 that I love aside from the keyboard cover.  I was hopeful that as the Surface line matured that I would eventually be able to get a better keyboard cover option but the way they are jumping generation to generation so quickly I guess I'll just have to deal with it until I upgrade my Surface to a later model.
Michael Endler
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Michael Endler,
 User Rank: Author
6/20/2014 | 2:41:25 PM
Re: I find myself amused for some reason
@Brandon,

If you have a chance to leave a comment later, after you've taken the device for a spin, I'd be curious to know how you like it.
Michael Endler
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50%
Michael Endler,
 User Rank: Author
6/20/2014 | 2:39:58 PM
Re: I find myself amused for some reason
It's hard to know how big a deal pre-orders are. If you really want the device, pre-orders a big deal, since they're the only surefire way to secure a unit as soon as possible. But otherwise, tough to say.

Microsoft claimed certain Surface Pro 2 configurations sold out almost instantly-- but that was mostly PR spin. Now that the company's financials from that period are public record, it's clear Microsoft simply didn't make that many Surface Pro 2s to begin with. On the one hand, this strategy makes sense-- Microsoft produced more first-generation devices than it could sell, to paraphrase Steve Ballmer. On the other hand, a sold-out debut doesn't mean much if Microsoft artificially limits stock.

That brings us to the Pro 3. Shipping dates slipped for late pre-orders, which suggests decent initial demand. But again, we don't know much about Microsoft's manufacturing strategy, so it remains to be seen how much demand there actually is.

All that said, I wouldn't be surprised if this is the best-selling Surface by a big margin. It's certianly the best of Microsoft's tablets, and one of the best Windows hybrids.
Michael Endler
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Michael Endler,
 User Rank: Author
6/20/2014 | 2:32:34 PM
Re: CPU note
@Brandon,

 

Good point on the CPU speed. For what it's worth, I've found the Surface Pro 3 to be very speedy for general use, and quite capable for more advanced tasks, like editing photos. I'm curious, though, to see how far the i7 version can be pushed. I'm also curious how much more power future devices of this form factor might have (as opposed to just enery savings) with the upcoming Broadwell chips.
BrandonLive
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50%
BrandonLive,
 User Rank: Apprentice
6/20/2014 | 2:20:15 PM
Re: I find myself amused for some reason
No price incentive. I pre-ordered mine and it's on a UPS truck for delivery today. Apparently if you waited and go to order one now, they're back-ordered until the 30th. Since they don't charge you until it ships, and you can cancel at any time, pre-ordering seemed like a reasonable way to go for me, and I am happy that I don't have to wait an extra 10 days (or try my luck standing in line).
progman2000
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50%
progman2000,
 User Rank: Ninja
6/20/2014 | 2:09:46 PM
Re: I find myself amused for some reason
Just curious, what were the benefits of pre-ordering?  Is there any kind of price incentive?  Or is it strictly that you are guarenteed to be one of the first owners?
BrandonLive
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50%
BrandonLive,
 User Rank: Apprentice
6/20/2014 | 2:08:15 PM
Re: I find myself amused for some reason
progman2000 - Other factors aside, you're not going to get the same sort of crowd camping out for a product in this price range. People don't camp out for the Macbook Air either, which is the main competitor for the Surface Pro 3. Some people do still pre-order such things though, as I did :-)
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