Microsoft Surface Pro 3

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is a Surface-series Windows 8.1 tablet (sometimes being referred to as laplet) produced by Microsoft. It was announced on May 20, 2014, at a New York City event and the first models were released on June 20, 2014 in the U.S. and Canada. The Surface Pro 3 will be launched in 25 additional markets on August 28th.

Microsoft's Surface lineup just keeps getting better and better, with an improved screen for desktop use and an upgraded Type Cover for the road.The company has been hammering away at what it considers is a problem with tablets for years. Since the launch of the Surface Pro, Microsoft has sought after the ultimate mobile computing device, one that could replace the laptop with a tablet-first approach.

All five versions of the Surface Pro are available now in the US. They are: 64GB / Intel Core-i3 ($799), 128GB / Core-i5 ($999), 256GB / Core-i5 ($1,299), 256GB / Core-i7 ($1,549) and 512GB / Core-i7 ($1,949). Microsoft has now confirmed that the devices will to hit the shelves in the UK, Australia and 25 other markets on August 28.

Microsoft bumped the Surface Pro touchscreen from a tiny 10.6 inches to a far roomier 12 inches. In the process, the pixel count has been upped from 1920 x 1080 to 2160 x 1440 The result is a modest boost in pixels per inch – 207 ppi to 216 ppi – given the increase in screen real estate.

More important is Microsoft's interesting choice in aspect ratio. Rather than sticking with the Pro 2's 16:9 or glomming onto the iPad's 4:3, the firm went with a 3:2 aspect ratio. The company claims that, with this aspect ratio, this 12-inch screen can actually display more content than the MacBook Air's 13.3-inch panel at 16:10. The move was also made to make the tablet feel more like your average notepad when held in portrait orientation.Wrapped in a bright, silver-colored magnesium shell that's cool and smooth to the touch, the Surface Pro 3 feels premium in every regard. The tablet keeps the trapezoidal shape of its predecessors, but manages to come in both thinner and lighter than before. Plus, the tablet's upper half is beset by vents on its edges to better dissipate heat pushed out by its fan.

The tablet wouldn't be much of a laptop replacement without a keyboard, and the Surface Pro keyboard was in desperate need of a boost. Luckily, Microsoft sent the Type Cover back to the drawing board, and what came back is the best version yet. From keys with deeper travel and stronger feedback to a wider glass trackpad that actually clicks, nothing was off the table.

But the most important improvement is the brand new double hinge. Equipped with a strong magnet that latches onto the Pro 3's lower bezel, the Type Cover can now rest with just a portion of it touching your lap or desk. This proved to make writing on my lap much more stable than with previous Surface devices. (Plus, the plush cover comes in five colors: red, blue, cyan, black and purple.)

Tucked beside the Type Cover is also the newly improved Surface Pen. Microsoft made a point of calling its stylus that, because the firm wants it to be seen as and feel like the writing instrument we've all grown up with. With an aluminum finish and a useful clicker up top, the Surface Pen is weighted to better feel like a pen. Using Bluetooth and powered by N-trig, the stylus tracks closer to its physical position than ever before, thanks to some major improvements to the Surface screen.

Specifications:

Size: 11.5” x 7.93” x 0.36”(292.1mm x 201.4mm x 9.1mm)

Weight: 1.76lbs (800 grams)

Display: Screen( 12” ClearType Full HD Plus), Resolution( 2160 x 1440), Aspect Ratio( 3:2), Touch(Multi-touch).

Battery Life: Up to 9 hours of web browsing4

Storage2/RAM: 64GB or 128GB storage with 4GB RAM

                              256GB or 512GB storage with 8GB RAM

Processor: 4th generation Intel® Core™ processor family (i3, i5, i7),

                      TPM Chip for enterprise security.

Network:Wireless (Wi-Fi 802.11ac/802.11 a/b/g/n)

                  Bluetooth® 4.0 Low Energy technology

Location: Digital Compass

Ports: Full-size USB 3.0

             microSD™ card reader

             Headset jack

             Mini DisplayPort

             Cover port

Software: Windows 8.1 Pro

Cameras, Video and Audio: 5.0 megapixel rear-facing camera

                                                     5.0 megapixel front-facing camera

                                                     Stereo microphones

                                                     Stereo speakers with Dolby® sound

Sensors: Ambient light sensor

                  Accelerometer

                  Gyroscope

                  Magnetometer