Microsoft announced today the next-generation tablet that will be able to act like a laptop when you need it to: the Surface 3. Of course, it is another iPad competitor, and Microsoft was careful to highlight the features that make the Surface 3 outstanding compared to the most popular tablet, the iPad.
The latest Microsoft tablet-laptop hybrid is priced at $499 USD (639 CAD) and incorporates Intel’s latest quad-core Intel Atom x7-Z8700 processor (2 MB cache, 1.6 GHz with Intel Burst technology up to 2.4 GHz), alongside a nice battery life of up to 10 hours (of video playback).
The Surface 3 features a 10.8-inch full HD display with a resolution of 1,920 × 1,280 pixels. It will be available in two storage options (64 GB and 128 GB), and users can choose between a WiFi model and a cellular model (the latter is USA only, as of the writing of this article).
Microsoft has done its homework, so the Surface 3 comes with multiple ports: a USB 3.0 port, Mini DisplayPort, microSD card reader, headphone jack, micro USB charging, and three-position kickstand. The hybrid also features a 3.5 MP front and 8 MP rear camera, both capable of shooting 1080p video.
Since it runs a full version of Windows 8.1, the Surface 3 runs desktop apps as well, and to make it more attractive, Microsoft is offering a free upgrade to Windows 10 when it becomes available and a free one-year Office 365 subscription with every purchase.
The 64 GB version of the Surface 3 will cost you $639, while the 128 GB WiFi-only model (4 GB RAM) is priced at $769 (Canadian prices) and will ship on May 5. US buyers will be able to purchase the cellular version on June 26, but there is no official pricing available yet.
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Brutal, but the price difference is justifiable. $499USD in CAD is $632 right now.
Yeah, it ain’t pretty right now with our dollar no longer on par.
Wow, Microsoft actually has me interested. If Windows 10 is more like 7 and less like 8; I may pick one up.
I tried the preview. It’s like 7 with all the optimizations of 8.1 plus a bunch of added features. Basically all the metro apps are windowed, resizable, and don’t take control of the whole screen like in 8.