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[chickdigger802]

Did you use it as a tablet without the keyboard attached? It weighs in at 800 grams or the same as an iPad with a case. I was very skeptical of the tablet experience, coming from iPads which just work (otherwise I'm Android and Windows for all my other machines and devices), but the size and aspect ratio won me over when reading comic books and page-sized PDFs... absolutely love that. Less a fan for video and web media consumption because it gets hot and the fan kicks in which is unpleasant in a tablet.

Now if you're talking about an iPad Air, the weight difference is appreciable... but then so is the cost / value proposition / screen size (12" to 9.7" for reading is big, for surfing less so, which is why 7" is so popular).

well im currently rolling with an ipad mini retina so the weight is quite different, also the best buy one was kinda tethered down which probably didn't help.

I think if the keyboard was a bit better i'd probably would have gotten this when i was in college.

 

[Future]

played with one at best buy, trying to use it as a tablet is still too heavy and big, and the 'laptop mode' still isn't optimal due to the keyboard still not ideal (its getting there though!).

maybe next year

Compare to the mini tablets I agree. But it is comparable to my old ipad 2 with case, with more real estate and capability. I find on the couch in tablet mode I can chill with it in landscape mode pretty easily with it resting on my arm. I did the same with the old ipad as well so it's not much different.

Still, I think this is trying to be a laptop more than a tablet .... Which is perfect for me. I use it far more as a productive laptop then I do a tablet, and I did the same with the ipad. I was the guy with the keyboard case for ipad trying to get stuff done. I always did this cuz I tend to pull my phone out more when simply browsing and pulled the tablet out when I needed screen real estate, which usually only came when I was trying to be productive

Now I have a home setup with a second monitor. Might consider bluetooth keyboard, but honestly the type pad has been good enough for my typing. I do use a regular mouse though when I can

On the road I carry this in the same ipad bag I used to carry around and it feels exactly the same weight. Honestly digging this a lot more than I expected. If I had any concern, it's the battery life. Don't know the exact amount of hours I'm getting, but I do "think" about the battery now when I never did that with the ipad. Always have to remember to charge it at night or whenever I can, which is more of a hassle than the ipad due to the power brick. But like I said, this is more of a laptop than a tablet

 

[Laconic]

I got pen jitter when drawing slow lines, even with a ruler. I also had a problem with bursts of phantom touches and swipes in the upper third of the screen, where the system would appear to be channeling the spirit of an invisible Van Cliburn. I'm going to return my unit and wait for the next iteration.

I'm of a mind with you, on this. It's crazy that I can get such faster, better work done, once more removed, on an Intuos.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

To Pro3 owners, is there a way to get high power mode enabled and does it boost performance in games?

There's this article implying that there's a way. However my friend who is looking into the SP3 wants to play LoL and maybe a bit of Dota 2 on it. These aren't demanding games, but the SP2 does much better on Dota 2 benchmarks for example. Has anybody tested this high perf mode?

 

[TKR92]

To Pro3 owners, is there a way to get high power mode enabled and does it boost performance in games?

There's this article implying that there's a way. However my friend who is looking into the SP3 wants to play LoL and maybe a bit of Dota 2 on it. These aren't demanding games, but the SP2 does much better on Dota 2 benchmarks for example. Has anybody tested this high perf mode?

That article is wrong about the issue.

So far, no one has found a way to unlock the high performance mode yet.

 

[Pepiope]

Looking for a new laptop for school. Would anyone recommend this as a true replacement for a laptop?

 

[AlexMogil]

After using the Venue 8 Pro with Windows for a week, Microsoft would be foolish not to enter the mini market. I could see it being RT, but Dell pulled off x86, why not MS?

The browser needs to scale a bit better, but a Surface Mini and OneNote? Woof.

I wish GAF mobile worked on the Metro IE.

 

[f0lken]

After using the Venue 8 Pro with Windows for a week, Microsoft would be foolish not to enter the mini market. I could see it being RT, but Dell pulled off x86, why not MS?

The browser needs to scale a bit better, but a Surface Mini and OneNote? Woof.

I wish GAF mobile worked on the Metro IE.

Don't we all? It would be a godsend to have GAF snapped to either side of the screen.

And yes, I would recommend it as a laptop replacement, and I am only on the first Pro, I am only waiting for the 3 to come here (Mexico) or for the crazy prices they are asking right now to go down a bit to get one.

 

[TxdoHawk]

After using the Venue 8 Pro with Windows for a week, Microsoft would be foolish not to enter the mini market. I could see it being RT, but Dell pulled off x86, why not MS?

If the rumors were true that the Surface Mini was going to be RT, maybe they'll gut the thing and build an x86 version. One can dream.

The browser needs to scale a bit better, but a Surface Mini and OneNote? Woof.

Yeah, a tiny Surface with the Pro 3-style pen and OneNote support would be killer. Could be the perfect form factor for the kind of spontaneous note-taking it encourages.

 

[virtuoso88]

Was in Vegas over the weekend for EVO and brought my Surface P3 over my retina macbook and I must say the size is perfect for productivity and portability. I was able to RDP into my work machine and everything was legible and easy to work with but the machine was light enough I didn't mind carrying it with me everywhere.

I still however dislike the trackpad. Every now and then it seems like the cursor just jumps and moves elsewhere and my typing gets messed up. I swear I did not touch the trackpad. Plus the feel is not even as close to a mac's. If you could slap a magic trackpad onto the keyboard, the thing would be perfect.

 

[godofcookery]

To Pro3 owners, is there a way to get high power mode enabled and does it boost performance in games?

There's this article implying that there's a way. However my friend who is looking into the SP3 wants to play LoL and maybe a bit of Dota 2 on it. These aren't demanding games, but the SP2 does much better on Dota 2 benchmarks for example. Has anybody tested this high perf mode?

That article is wrong about the issue.

So far, no one has found a way to unlock the high performance mode yet.

There apparently is a way, according to this other article I posted a few pages back. Not owning a surface pro 3 yet, I am unsure of the consequences and procedure of turning off InstantGo. But if you know how, apparently it "unlocks" the hi perf mode. The apparent caveat (confirmed in the comments section of each article, plus in the article of the one I posted earlier) is that you lose the sleep functions of the device. I would imagine to have it behave more like a tablet (getting Skype calls and stuff). Again, I don't know the accuracy, so if someone here could test it out, that would be great.

As far as gaming boost goes, its been speculated that thermals would limit performance anyhow, so any boost in hi perf may be temporary. Maybe use it next to an AC vent?

Apparently disabling "InstantGo" will return the "high performace" Power Option. Don't own a surface pro 3 yet, but i read something about it here and here.

 

[Chums Knifeblade]

Just got my Pro 3, Loving everything about it so far. Whats the battery life you guys usually get out of it?

Also Does using you finger seem to be off? I tried using my finger on tweetdeck and it was far off what I was touching

 

[Laconic]

Whelp, I'm returning it. A couple of days ago it started showing stuck and/or dead pixels, on top of the other issues. As an artist, this is a DOA problem. Thank god it showed up after only four days. I'll wait until MS gets their ish together in another iteration, or else wait for Wacom to ditch the 16:9 nonsense.

 

[YaGaMi]

I know SP3 ain't out in all regions yet but when do you guys think SP4 will most likely come out?

 

[virtuoso88]

Whelp, I'm returning it. A couple of days ago it started showing stuck and/or dead pixels, on top of the other issues. As an artist, this is a DOA problem. Thank god it showed up after only four days. I'll wait until MS gets their ish together in another iteration, or else wait for Wacom to ditch the 16:9 nonsense.

Dead pixels happen on every device, just exchange it for one iwthout.

 

[TKR92]

There apparently is a way, according to this other article I posted a few pages back. Not owning a surface pro 3 yet, I am unsure of the consequences and procedure of turning off InstantGo. But if you know how, apparently it "unlocks" the hi perf mode. The apparent caveat (confirmed in the comments section of each article, plus in the article of the one I posted earlier) is that you lose the sleep functions of the device. I would imagine to have it behave more like a tablet (getting Skype calls and stuff). Again, I don't know the accuracy, so if someone here could test it out, that would be great.

As far as gaming boost goes, its been speculated that thermals would limit performance anyhow, so any boost in hi perf may be temporary. Maybe use it next to an AC vent?

I read that article before and did not explain how to do that. After some searches, I tried to turn on/off hyper-v with command line and did not work.

Anyways, I found the way to unlock it.

Just go to "Turn Windows Features on or off", turn Hyper-V on, and then restart.

 

[lastflowers]

yeah, turn on hyper-v and you'll lose sleep but gain Hi-perf mode AFAIK.

Happened to me when I installed the WP SDK (which turns on Hyper-V).

 

[commish]

Whelp, I'm returning it. A couple of days ago it started showing stuck and/or dead pixels, on top of the other issues. As an artist, this is a DOA problem. Thank god it showed up after only four days. I'll wait until MS gets their ish together in another iteration, or else wait for Wacom to ditch the 16:9 nonsense.

I'm not part of the SP3 Defense Force (do we have one?! maybe we should!), but I think this has been a problem with anything with a screen for years and years. Not really sure it's a MS problem.

 

[Haloid1177]

I like my SP3 fine (had it for a month), but I can still return to Best Buy (Elite+ members get 45 days) and I'm really thinking about an XPS 15 instead. Not sure, still have two weeks.

 

[Feep]

Hey, I was featured in the Microsoft Surface documentary piece...thing!

Check it out!

 

[StudioTan]

Hey, I was featured in the Microsoft Surface documentary piece...thing!

Check it out!

Awesome

I really hope more game devs support touch in the future. Some games that would work great with touch on the SP3 don't support it, like Wolf Among Us.

 

[ncsuDuncan]

Awesome

I really hope more game devs support touch in the future. Some games that would work great with touch on the SP3 don't support it, like Wolf Among Us.

I wish I could enable touch controls in FTL (since they're already in the iPad version).

 

[lighthouse777]

I have the first surface, I would like #3
but for the price

 

[StudioTan]

I wish I could enable touch controls in FTL (since they're already in the iPad version).

It's the same with The Wolf Among Us which has an iOS version but no touch support on Windows. Shame.

 

[Laconic]

I'm not part of the SP3 Defense Force (do we have one?! maybe we should!), but I think this has been a problem with anything with a screen for years and years. Not really sure it's a MS problem.

When it's their product, it is their problem. There's no excuse for that to happen within the first year or two, much less right out of the gate. It renders it straight garbage, for an artist's purposes. Which is why I had one. And if one's NOT buying a Surface for art... why get a surface, when there are other alternatives that are cheaper and equal if not better? I'm quite disappointed. And Cintiqs aren't what I want either, due to the 16:9 ratio.

I'm not part of "The SP3 Attack Force" (is there such a thing? Why would there be?), I would not have bought one, were that the case. I had 'dem high hopes. And the Surface didn't come close.

 

[f0lken]

When it's their product, it is their problem. There's no excuse for that to happen within the first year or two, much less right out of the gate. It renders it straight garbage, for an artist's purposes. Which is why I had one. And if one's NOT buying a Surface for art... why get a surface, when there are other alternatives that are cheaper and equal if not better? I'm quite disappointed. And Cintiqs aren't what I want either, due to the 16:9 ratio.

I'm not part of "The SP3 Attack Force" (is there such a thing? Why would there be?), I would not have bought one, were that the case. I had 'dem high hopes. And the Surface didn't come close.

But macs, phones, portable consoles, tablets, and in fact every other device with a screen (and yes, that includes Cintiqs) can and had had screen issues like light bleeding or dead pixels right out of the box, yours was defective like a lot of other products are and the solution is as easy as demand to hace it exchanged for another

 

[commish]

When it's their product, it is their problem. There's no excuse for that to happen within the first year or two, much less right out of the gate. It renders it straight garbage, for an artist's purposes. Which is why I had one. And if one's NOT buying a Surface for art... why get a surface, when there are other alternatives that are cheaper and equal if not better? I'm quite disappointed. And Cintiqs aren't what I want either, due to the 16:9 ratio.

I'm not part of "The SP3 Attack Force" (is there such a thing? Why would there be?), I would not have bought one, were that the case. I had 'dem high hopes. And the Surface didn't come close.

What I was trying to say that stuck/dead pixels are not rare or specific to MS. Anything with an LCD can and do have such defects...

For example, here is Apple's doc on it:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4044

Here is Lenovo:

http://mobilesupport.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/ht002800

Sony:

https://us.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/39371/c/65,66/kw/screen replacement

Generally if you get a screen with a pixel problem, you can return it for a new screen. Chances are pretty good that your next one would be better. That said, the beauty of a return policy is that you can return it and move on to a different device I'm still on the fence for my own SP3... I really do love it and it does exactly what I thought it could do, but I'm not sure the i3 version wouldn't give me all that I need for several hundred dollars less.

 

[Laconic]

But macs, phones, portable consoles, tablets, and in fact every other device with a screen (and yes, that includes Cintiqs) can and had had screen issues like light bleeding or dead pixels right out of the box, yours was defective like a lot of other products are and the solution is as easy as demand to hace it exchanged for another

Oh, I concur. But I had the wobbly pen issues on slow strokes, as well. And the wireless drop out constantly. I liked what the SP3 was trying to do, even that it was tossing aside Wacom in favor of opening up that particular range of the market with an actually viable competitor. When they get the kinks out, I'm all in. Here's looking forwards towards the SP4 being what I need.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

When it's their product, it is their problem. There's no excuse for that to happen within the first year or two, much less right out of the gate. It renders it straight garbage, for an artist's purposes. Which is why I had one. And if one's NOT buying a Surface for art... why get a surface, when there are other alternatives that are cheaper and equal if not better? I'm quite disappointed. And Cintiqs aren't what I want either, due to the 16:9 ratio.

I'm not part of "The SP3 Attack Force" (is there such a thing? Why would there be?), I would not have bought one, were that the case. I had 'dem high hopes. And the Surface didn't come close.

I don't think that you understand that your SPECIFIC device had an issue. It's not an issue with ALL devices. Exchange and try again.

So I'm sick of the WiFi not working coming out of sleep. Was there a fix for that? It's downright stupid that I have to restart to get WiFi back.

 

[commish]

So I'm sick of the WiFi not working coming out of sleep. Was there a fix for that? It's downright stupid that I have to restart to get WiFi back.

Hmmm I don't have that problem, but I didn't do anything specific to address this.

http://www.winbeta.org/news/surface-pro-3-update-rolls-out-july-16th-set-fix-wifi-connectivity-issue

This might help you tomorrow.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

I hope so. My issue isn't slow speeds after coming out of sleep. My issue is that the WiFi turns off completely. There's no connections available, and I have to restart to get WiFi back.

 

[commish]

It's possible you are being punished for being a Jazz fan. Sorry

Seriously, did you exchange your SP3 and see if that works?

 

[Jeff-DSA]

I'll see if the patch helps first. If not, I'll swap it.

 

[Hatty]

So I bought a surface from the microsoft store and I received it
its okay but the thing is I still haven't been charged for it. This is my first microsoft store purchase is this normal practice as to allow quicker returns?

 

[Animator]

I read that article before and did not explain how to do that. After some searches, I tried to turn on/off hyper-v with command line and did not work.

Anyways, I found the way to unlock it.

Just go to "Turn Windows Features on or off", turn Hyper-V on, and then restart.

Wait wait what?!

Is there any downside to doing this?

 

[Tablo]

To Pro3 owners, is there a way to get high power mode enabled and does it boost performance in games?

There's this article implying that there's a way. However my friend who is looking into the SP3 wants to play LoL and maybe a bit of Dota 2 on it. These aren't demanding games, but the SP2 does much better on Dota 2 benchmarks for example. Has anybody tested this high perf mode?

Even if you can get it in High Performance mode the Surface Pro 2 will outperform it I think, more robust cooling and a thicker chassis. Physics is a bitch. Broadwell SP4 will be gaming heaven

 

[godofcookery]

Wait wait what?!

Is there any downside to doing this?

maybe thermals? anyone willing to try it out?

 

[FireFly]

http://www.reddit.com/r/Surface/comments/290hmy/hyperv_power_plans_on_surface_pro_3/

 

[Rosur]

Even if you can get it in High Performance mode the Surface Pro 2 will outperform it I think, more robust cooling and a thicker chassis. Physics is a bitch. Broadwell SP4 will be gaming heaven

Yea think I've decided to wait for the SP4 which most likely will be out next year been deciding for a while if I buy a SP3 atm but the version I want (I5 256GB) is a too expensive for me. By next year I would be able to save enough for one so thinking I might as well wait for the SP4 and gives me a bit more time to save ...

 

[LukasTaves]

Wait wait what?!

Is there any downside to doing this?

You'd probably lose connect standby, which is the coolest feature for tablet like usage (but if you want to use it as a laptop you won't be missing much)

 

[Animator]

You'd probably lose connect standby, which is the coolest feature for tablet like usage (but if you want to use it as a laptop you won't be missing much)

Is connect standby the thing where it keeps connected to wifi even on sleep? If so I don't care aout it.

Gonna switch it to HP mode now, I will let you guys know if I encounter any problems or notice extreme heat.

 

[LukasTaves]

Is connect standby the thing where it keeps connected to wifi even on sleep? If so I don't care aout it.

Gonna switch it to HP mode now, I will let you guys know if I encounter any problems or notice extreme heat.

Exactly, I think it's great due background downloads and updates, plus playing music while conserving battery, but if on a laptop it indeed is less of a necessity.

 

[KAOS]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbKQWsN7Hdk

 

[RayStorm]

Exactly, I think it's great due background downloads and updates, plus playing music while conserving battery, but if on a laptop it indeed is less of a necessity.

On the downside it only works with Metro-Apps, which might not actually be what you want to use. As I just own one of the 8inch Windows 8.1 tablets, is it at least possible to turn the screen off in desktop without the whole device going to sleep (and thus have Winamp continue playing)?

 

[ncsuDuncan]

Just installed the latest update, here's the description from the Support page:

July 2014 updates (July 16 release)

The following updates will be listed as “System Firmware Update – 7/16/2014” or “System Hardware Update – 7/16/2014” when you view your update history.

Note

When Surface updates are provided via the Windows Update service, they are delivered in stages to Surface customers. As a result, not every Surface will receive the update at the same time, but the update will be delivered to all devices. If you have not received the update then please manually check Windows Update later.

•Surface Integration (v.2.0.1038.0) further enhances system stability.
•Wireless Network Controller and Bluetooth (v. 15.68.3044.85) further improving WiFi connection and throughput scenarios.

Amusingly, I realized the update was ready to install when my Bluetooth mouse connection dropped and wouldn't come back. Works fine now.

 

[KAOS]

Any info on sp3 i7 performance?

 

[LukasTaves]

On the downside it only works with Metro-Apps, which might not actually be what you want to use. As I just one of the 8inch Windows 8.1 tablets, is it at least possible to turn the screen off in desktop without the whole device going to sleep (and thus have Winamp continue playing)?

I do that by setting up the power plan to turn the screen of after a few minutes, but never put the laptop to sleep.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

I hate how it tells me that it has found an update and that it will be updated "soon." Is there no way to just force an update right away if it's available?

 

[dLMN8R]

I hate how it tells me that it has found an update and that it will be updated "soon." Is there no way to just force an update right away if it's available?

Of course you can force updates right away. Click "view details".

 

[RayStorm]

I do that by setting up the power plan to turn the screen of after a few minutes, but never put the laptop to sleep.

Good, so that works as it always has (in Windows) with a Surface3. I can't begin to tell you how much in annoys me with my Toshiba Encore that I can't have the screen turn itself off without the whole desktop going to sleep.