Microsoft’s “small gathering” event yesterday didn’t really
turn out the way most people were expecting. While everyone was hoping for the
unveiling of a Surface Mini, the Redmond company instead did the opposite by
announcing a bigger Surface Pro 3 tablet.
Just like its predecessors, the Surface Pro 3 is designed to
be a replacement for the laptop offering superb performance in a tablet form
factor. But unlike the first two Surface Pros, it looks like Microsoft has
finally did it and created something that can possibly replace the laptop with
a convertible.
The tablet is powered by Intel’s fourth generation Core
processors (from i3 to i7) with 64GB to 512GB SSD and either 4GB or 8GB of RAM.
It also comes with a bigger and brighter 12-inch ClearType screen that has a
resolution of 2160 x 1440 pixels, which according to Microsoft says the new
screen is 38% bigger and has 50% more pixels than its predecessor.
Microsoft has also improved the Surface Pro’s kickstand. In
contrast to the last year’s model that has a two-stage kickstand, the Surface
Pro 3 uses a multi-position kickstand featuring a friction-hinge that lets
users adjust the angle of the stand up to 150 degrees. There’s also a full-size
USB 3.0 port, a Mini DisplayPort and a microSD card reader.
The new Surface Pro 3 also utilizes a new fan technology that
is 30% more efficient than previous cooling solutions. This new cooling system
has also allowed Microsoft to make the tablet even thinner than its
predecessor.
Lastly, the accessories department is also getting some
upgrades. For starters, the new click-in keyboards now come in five different
colours and have 63% bigger track-pads. There will also be a docking station
that will go on sale in the coming months as well as a Surface Pen.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 will be available starting
tomorrow in the US and into other markets including Australia, different parts
of Europe and Asia for around $799.
