Microsoft has just launched the Surface Pro 3 last week and promised a tablet that can easy replace a laptop. However, with the initial experience, many suggest that the device is more like a laptop that has some functionalities of a tablet. Compared to the Apple’s iPad 4, this device has several shortcomings. The 12 inch screen feels quite heavy if not big compared to the lighter weight iPad or even the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3. Users would anyway require a pricey keyboard to be able to use the Surface Pro 3 fully.
The Surface Pro 3 isn’t a tablet, it’s actually a laptop made more portable. If you look at the device as a laptop, the scores are pretty good. The highlight would be the stunning high definition screen capable of crisp and responsive video. The keyboard cover included in the package is an important accessory and makes typing easier. Some might have wanted a bigger trackpad but the current track pad area does make the keyboard less crowded and we do have a touch screen to fall back to. The device also comes with a mini-display port and USB 3.0. Including the ports did put a limitation on the thinness of the device but the advantages seem to be a sensible tradeoff.
Coming to the performance, the microsoft Surface Pro 3 is powered by Intel chips – the same one would get in high end laptops and this makes multitasking easier and smoother. You can actually work on graphic intensive editing software and another Windows program at the same time. The battery life of the Surface Pro 3 is a promising nine hours when fully charged and additionally stays cool in temperate environments. Prolonged use does create some hot spots in the corners but that’s obvious and natural.
The Surface Pro 3 does highlight the fact that Microsoft has learned well from the mistakes it had done in the past. This device comes with a redesigned kickstand allowing work at any angle. Another thoughtful addition is the magnetic strip Type Cover that stabilizes the device if you have the typing speed of a storm! The Touchscreen too is more responsive in this new device and can be said to be one of the best experience in on-screen typing. Some people have however complained that they tend to hit the home button when trying to draw on the screen and this is a concern that Microsoft has promised to look into.
Coming back to comparing the device with Apple iPad 4, Microsoft is clearly on the losing end. It’s still a long way for Microsoft to be able to catch up with Apples specifications. The iPad 4 comes with a better resolution (2048 x 1536) while Surface Pro 3 limits to standard 1920 x 1080. The camera is also better in the iPad 4 (5 MP) while Microsoft could mange just 1 MP. The storage capacity of the iPad 4 is double of Surface Pro 3 (64 GB). Finally, customers will have to pay $100 less for the Apple iPad 4 compared to Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3, costing $899.
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