Ditch your notebooks, the Surface Pro 3 is a true notebook killer

If at first you don't succeed....

Microsoft’s Surface tablets are company’s first attempt at integrating its own Windows software within hardware that it has designed itself. The move was seen as a risky one and the first generation Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets were not well received.

The Surface RT was a flop that caused Microsoft to take a US$900 million write-down and offer massive discounts in a bid to clear inventory. And while we thought the Surface Pro was a good alternative to existing ultra-portable notebooks, it was unpopular with consumers, presumably because of the confusion between it and the Surface RT.

Since then, Microsoft has taken steps to simplify and reposition its Surface offerings and to also improve on their usability and capabilities. And just earlier in May this year, we had the chance to get a hands-on with their latest Surface tablet, the Surface Pro 3.

Based on our extensive hands-on session, the Surface Pro 3 looks as if it has the best chance of succeeding. This can be attributed to its new design and hardware. The changes are slight, but this is a classic case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. The little changes add up to have a profound overall impact on how the Surface Pro 3 works and as we have mentioned in our hands-on, the Surface Pro 3 looks mighty promising.

Here with us now is a proper review unit of the Surface Pro 3, which helped us spend more time with it and more importantly, put it through our benchmarks to see just how well it performs. So here it goes. 

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So what's new?

The new Surface Pro 3 is markedly different from the Surface Pro 2. Perhaps most noticeable of all is its larger 12-inch display. The larger display also translates to a higher display resolution and pixel density - 2160 x 1440 vs. 1920 x 1080 pixels and 216 ppi vs. 208 ppi. Larger display size aside, the Surface Pro 3 also has a more sensible 3:2 aspect ratio. Its predecessors’ 16:9 aspect ratio displays made sense for watching videos and using Windows 8.1 apps, but was often criticized for being too narrow to be used effectively for productivity tasks. The Surface Pro 3's display is bright and sharp, but it is very glossy and prone to catching reflections from surrounding objects.

Elsewhere, the Surface Pro 3 has a similar look and feel to that of its predecessor. The chassis is crafted out of magnesium and has a nice light gray matte finish. It feels solidly built and exhibits no signs of flexing, and almost feels like a solid slab of metal. Even so, despite the outstanding build quality and the larger display, the Surface Pro 3 is actually thinner and lighter than the Surface Pro 2. At 9.1mm thick, the Surface Pro 3 is 4.4mm or a whopping 32% thinner; and weighing in at 800g, it is a good 100g lighter than its predecessor.

Also new to the Surface Pro 3 is the friction hinge kickstand, which can be adjusted to any angle within its 180-degree range. This flexibility makes it more comfortable to use whether it is on a table or your lap, and makes us wonder why the Surface Pro 2’s kickstand only had two measly positions in the first place. More importantly, the hinge has a nice firm yet smooth action that speaks volumes about the Surface Pro 3’s excellent build quality.

Another new feature of the Surface Pro 3 is its pen - not stylus. Clicking the pen opens Microsoft OneNote and lets users quickly take notes, which can then be saved to their OneDrive account. It can also be used to quickly grab screenshots and annotate them for later reference. The pen also features pressure sensitive technology and palm block technology, which means you can write as you would on normal paper and the Surface Pro 3 would be intelligent enough to disregard your palm inputs. All in all, the writing experience of the Surface Pro 3 easily rivals that of the Adonit Jot Script Evernote Edition Stylus and the Penultimate app. The pen also works with other apps such as SketchUp and Adobe Photoshop. You can also use the pen as a regular input device if you think you are too clumsy with your fingers.

Other improvements include the front and rear cameras. The Surface Pro 3 now gets 5-megapixel front and rear cameras that can shoot videos at Full HD resolution. In the Surface Pro 2, these cameras could only shoot 1.2 megapixels shots and record video at 720p. Network connectivity has also been improved because the Surface Pro 3 supports the latest Wireless-AC standard, so if you have a compatible Wireless-AC router, expect to have a better wireless experience.

Finally, while the Surface Pro 2 was available only with a Core i5 processor, the new Surface Pro 3 can be spec'ed with a Core i3, Core i5 or Core i7 processor. In total, there will be five configurations to choose from - a single Core i3 configuration and two Core i5 and Core i7 configurations each. The Core i3 system comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of capacity. The less expensive Core i5 configuration comes with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage; whereas the more expensive one gets 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The two Core i7 configurations differ only in the amount of storage they have, one with 256GB and the other has 512GB. The Surface Pro 3 also has a microSD card slot for users who need additional storage.

As for graphics, the Surface Pro 3 relies on Intel integrated graphics and the Core i3 models are powered by the Intel HD Graphics 4200, whereas the Core i5 and Core i7 models are powered by the Intel HD Graphics 4400 and Intel HD Graphics 5000 integrated GPUs respectively. Bearing all this in mind and the points that we made earlier with regards to its dimensions and build quality, the Surface Pro 3 is undoubtedly an impressive piece of kit and is something of an engineering marvel.

Here’s a table that quickly summarizes the various configurations:

Our review unit here is equipped with a Core i5 processor and has 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. We were also supplied with the Surface Pro Type Cover keyboard. This keyboard attaches magnetically to the base of the Surface Pro 3 and transforms it into a bona fide notebook. It is about 5mm thick and weighs around 300g, so it does add some heft to the device, but even so, the Surface Pro 3 with the Type Cover keyboard attached is still one of, if not the thinnest Ultrabook around.

Expectedly, the keys are a little shallow, but they have a positive 'clickety' action and we got used to typing on them just after a short while. The trackpad is a little narrow, but it is accurate and responsive enough that we could forgo using a mouse. What’s more, the keys are also backlit, so no worries about typing in dark environments - like on a plane, for example. Also, the new Surface Pro Type Cover keyboard has a double-fold hinge that allows it to attach to the lower bezel of the Surface Pro 3. This elevates the keyboard at an angle, which makes it more comfortable for typing. Unfortunately the Surface Pro Type Cover is an optional accessory that must be purchased separately at a considerable price of S$183. But if it is any consolation, it is available in a variety of colors including cyan, red, blue, purple and black; and can also be folded to double up as a protective cover.

The Red Type Cover is probably one of the best new color additions made to the stable of Surface Pro Type Cover color options and we would highly recommend it. It is however a Microsoft online store exclusive, so you'll have to order it online. On another note, if you do own older Touch or Type Covers from your older Surface devices, it will work perfectly fine with the Surface Pro 3 - with the exception of the size mismatch because the older Surface devices were smaller than the 12-inch Surface Pro 3. So if you do have an older cover lying around, you could try saving some cost by giving it a try first. In any case, the purpose-made Surface Pro Type Covers are still superior and a better match for Surface Pro 3.

Performance Benchmarking

We will be testing the Surface Pro 3 using our usual suite of benchmarks. And as for comparison, we will be including results from recently tested Ultrabooks including the HP ZBook 14 and ASUS Zenbook UX302. Other contenders include the HP EliteBook Folio 1040G1 and the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro, the winner of our Tech Awards 2014 Best Ultra Portable Notebook category. Here is the list of benchmarks used:

• PCMark 8
• 3DMark 2013
• Tomb Raider
• Far Cry 2

And here is a quick look at how the Surface Pro 3 compares against the other Ultrabooks.

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PCMark 8

We begin as we normally do with PCMark 8 and the Surface Pro 3’s scores on this benchmark seemed generally underwhelming. Its scores on the Home, Creative, Work and the Adobe apps scenarios were noticeably below average. It did pick itself up on the Storage scenario, thanks to its quick SSD.

However the key distinction here is that the compared notebooks all have far better processor and memory components that clearly make up for the gulf in benchmark scores. Had Microsoft supplied us with speedier variants, it should easily match up to the compared Ultrabooks the carried high-end configurations. Unfortunately at this point of time, test units are limited and all efforts are going into stocking up adequate inventory for its imminent launch. As such, our sub S$1,400 specced unit can't quite match up with most of the others that are priced around S$2,000.

3DMark 2013

The Surface Pro 3’s performance on 3DMark 2013 was not encouraging either as it recorded the lowest scores. Granted, its Intel HD Graphics 4400 integrated GPU was never going to raise any eyebrows, but even against systems with similar graphics hardware like the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro, the Surface Pro 3’s scores were over 12% poorer. Given the slower processor companion and that 3DMark computes its final score based on the performance of both the CPU and GPU subsystems, it was only inevitable that the Surface Pro 3 test unit was able to churn out less than comparable results. This shouldn't have been the case if we were supplied with a better specced configuration.

Far Cry 2

Despite the Surface Pro 3’s disappointing showing on 3DMark 2013, it managed better on Far Cry 2 and recorded frame rates that were on a par with the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro and Acer Aspire S7, both of which rely on the Intel HD Graphics 4400 integrated GPU for graphics processing. Clearly, the Intel HD Graphics 4400 is ill-suited for gaming at such resolutions.

We also tried running at the Surface Pro 3’s native resolution of 2160 x 1440 pixels and managed just 19.12 fps on Medium settings and 11.23 fps on Very High settings.

Tomb Raider

Since Tomb Raider is a fairly new addition to our suite of benchmarks, we could not include results from some of the older Ultrabooks. However, it is clear that the Intel HD Graphics 4400 integrated GPU could not cope with the demands of this game. At Full HD resolution, the Surface Pro 3 could only manage a paltry 11.1 fps and even when we turned the resolution down to 800 x 600 pixels, it struggled to get 30 fps. Judging from what we have seen here, a mid-range discrete GPU is required for a game like this.

We also tried measuring the temperature of the Surface Pro 3 as it was running Tomb Raider and found that the case at the back of the device reached a maximum temperature of around 43 degrees Celsius. It feels toasty for sure, but it would't cause a burn. Still, its a respectable reading considering the Surface Pro 3’s svelte dimensions and the fact that its cooling is almost completely dependent on a single small blower fan embedded deep within the unit.

Battery Life & Power Consumption

With its 42Wh battery, the Surface Pro 3 managed to last a respectable 3 hours in our battery test. This is decent, but not fantastic considering comparable Ultrabooks managed to last around 45 minutes to an hour longer. In terms of power consumption, the Surface Pro 3 comes it at just above 14W, which is actually one of the slightly higher figures - this explains its below average battery life. Its high resolution screen is partly to blame for the increased power consumption, but it is a necessary trade off that one has to make.

Portability Index

Our Portability Index factors in battery life, weight and volume so you can see which notebook is the most worthwhile to carry around. Surprisingly, the Surface Pro 3 scored well even with the Type Cover on. As we mentioned earlier, the Type Cover adds significant thickness (5mm) and weight (around 300g) to the system. But even so, its score was the best amongst its competitors. However, if you are well adapted to typical tablets with the on-screen keyboard, the Surface Pro 3 on its own achieved a very high score of just above seven points, easily double that of its competitors.

At this point it is also worth noting how compact the power adapter is. It weighs only about 150g and the adapter itself even has a USB port to help charge your other devices such as smartphones, tablets or mobile battery banks. With a slim notebook like the Surface Pro 3, its pro Type Cover and the compact power adapter, you would easily shave a lot of bulk and heft from toting around conventional notebooks and their accessories.

Three's a Charm

If you need any indication that Microsoft is serious about making its own Windows hardware, consider this: This is the third-generation Surface Pro device in under two years. Companies rarely get things right on their first try, but the speed at which Microsoft has worked to improve its device is impressive and we are happy to say that the Surface Pro 3 finally gets it right and it is their best device yet.

That said, even though there are many things to like about the Surface Pro 3, the device is not perfect (though it comes close). But before we delve into our analysis, the tl;dr version of our conclusion is this: Yes, the Surface Pro 3 is a true notebook killer. If you are looking for something to replace that notebook that you have been lugging around for work or school, your search is over - stop reading and go out and place an order for this now. But what if you need a notebook more than just for work and school? Then read out and find out what we have to say.

To begin, the Surface Pro 3 is nothing short of an engineering feat considering that it is both thinner and lighter than its predecessor, and yet sports a larger display and can be outfitted with a more powerful processor. It is also very well-built and feels like a premium product.

That aside, these two improvements have had a profound overall effect in our experience with the Surface Pro 3. The larger display and more sensible 3:2 aspect ratio makes it easier for users to tackle productivity tasks on the device. Previously, the narrow 16:9 aspect ratio display of the first two generation Surface Pro devices made it frustratingly clumsy for work, especially when it came to spreadsheets and long documents.

The thinner and lighter form factor also makes the Surface Pro 3 much more portable and manageable. In fact, one of the complaints leveled at its predecessors was that it was too unwieldy to be used as a normal tablet, but now that it is thinner and lighter, we did not have any problems using it like any other tablet. Of course, it is not going to be as handy as an iPad, Nexus or Galaxy Tab, but it is still portable and comfortable enough to use it around the house or even outside. Furthermore, its light aluminum pen input companion works very similarly to a traditional pen and is a seamless companion to the Surface Pro 3 for jotting down notes, sketching and much more.

Performance is not the Surface Pro 3’s strong suit, as we can see from the results of our benchmarks. Additionally, the Intel HD Graphics 4400 integrated GPU is also lacking the required graphics horsepower needed to play games without significantly dialing down the settings. Despite this, the Surface Pro 3 felt responsive enough for the productivity tasks, web browsing and the occasional photo-editing - tasks which matter the most for its intended audience. Also, note that the model we've tested had much lower specs than the comparisons we've wielded. If you opt for a beefier version of the same unit, the benchmark figures should easily match the high performance Ultrabooks.

Perhaps, the Surface Pro 3 would have been better served if Microsoft had decided to stick with a Full-HD display instead of going for an ultra-high resolution 2160 x 1440 pixels display. While it does look nicer and crisper, the problem with such high resolution displays is that not all apps are not optimized for it and those that are not often end up looking worse. Chrome, for example, is notorious offender - not only do text look pixelated, websites are often not displayed correctly as well (this was a non-issue on Internet Explorer, the default browser). Even so, this is just a minor niggle that we are sure will get resolved in time to come as ultra-high resolution displays become more common and applications are updated appropriately.

As capable as the Surface Pro 3 is, it is still most comfortable when used as a secondary device or as a notebook for users who are always on the go. It would be unfair to think that it can replace your primary system because it has some shortcomings. Most importantly, it has only one USB port, which can be restrictive. We can think of a number of scenarios.

For instance, its lone USB port was not enough to power our external DVD drive and we had to plug the Y-cable of the drive into the Surface Pro 3’s power adapter to get more juice. And if you are the type of user who cannot live without a mouse, a Bluetooth model is a necessity unless you want to use up that lone USB port for a wireless receiver. And since it does not have an Ethernet port, staying at a hotel that only offers Internet connectivity via Ethernet would require a USB Ethernet adapter, which would again use up the lone USB port. Copying photos from cameras can be tricky too if you did not save them up on a microSD card, since that is the only memory card reader that the Surface Pro 3 has. What about external storage devices? Even with the top-of-the-line 512GB model, that is hardly enough storage for all your music, videos and photos. We could go on.

Fortunately, this shortcoming can be overcome by purchasing the Surface Pro 3 docking station. When docked, the docking station provides the Surface Pro 3 with a Gigabit Ethernet port and three additional USB 3.0 ports and two more USB 2.0 ports. That's a total of 5 USB ports. Furthermore, it also gives you a Mini DisplayPort, 3.5mm audio input/output jack and its own power input jack to continuously keep the device charged. However, it comes at a price - S$288, to be exact, and it will be available in the middle of September. For those wondering how portable it might be, it weighs 650 grams and it's design is fixed, which means it doesn't allow you to collapse it for ease of transport.

If you don't plan on planting the Surface Pro 3 at any one place, perhaps the most immediate accessory that you need is a USB 3.0 hub which will greatly increase what you can do with the device simultaneously. You can get one of those at almost any IT/electronics retailer.

Since we are on the topic of price and value, the Surface Pro 3 will be available from S$1108 for the entry-level Core i3 model with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The model we have for testing comes with the Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB and costs $1348. Here’s a table summarizing the different configurations and their price points.

In terms of pricing, the Surface Pro 3 is priced competitively against its rivals. Our model with a Type Cover keyboard will ring up to around S$1,531, markedly less than most premium Ultrabooks, which typically cost around S$2,000. The more desirable Core i5 model with 8GB RAM, 256GB of storage and a Type Cover will come up to S$1,911, which is still attractive in our books, considering the Surface Pro 3’s design and capabilities. And even if you factor in the additional cost of the docking station, we still think the Surface Pro 3 is good value for money considering its breadth of abilities.

However, its fiercest rival would arguably be Apple’s MacBook Air. Although the two are fundamentally different because of their OS and form factor, their purposes are about the same, and the MacBook Air has become something of a yardstick when it comes to ultraportable notebooks. And to be sure, the MacBook Air is more affordable - starts at S$1328 for the 13-inch 128GB model and rises to S$1618 for the 256GB model - but the Surface Pro 3 has arguably better capabilities. It is still tough to call between the two and it really depends on individual preferences. If you already have a primary device (a desktop or more powerful notebook), we would lean towards the Surface Pro 3.

In the end though, with the Surface Pro 3, Microsoft has finally delivered on its promise of a notebook killer. The Surface Pro 3 is really a tablet that can replace your notebook, and its vast breadth of abilities deserves to be celebrated. At the end of it all, the Surface Pro 3 is a very capable mobile device and sets the benchmark for Windows 8 tablet/notebook hybrid devices. For its accomplishment, capabilities and engineering that has gone into making the Surface Pro 3 a reality, we're bestowing it our Editor's Choice Award, Innovation Award and a solid 9 out of 10 rating.

Well done Microsoft.

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