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[LukasTaves]

I can't get excited for metro apps "replacing" anything. I do too much with the file system, play too many games and do too much editing for a one-app-at-a-time thing to ever work well for me I think. Will be interesting to see how much w9 improves things though. I mostly want improvements to make Desktop work better for touch (and games) than I want improvements to Metro. There's a reason I use this instead of an iPad and it's not metro.

Oh I figured only Metro onenote was free, I'll have to try that out then.

What I meant to say is that if metro apps behave like desktop apps, have better access to the file system (like you open a picture and it see all the pictures in the folder, not just the one you chose), and become windowed it could be a worth replacement. If only for some improvements not currently available to desktop applications like package installs, auto updates and push notifications even when the app is closed.

In the current state they are too detached from the system to even be a consideration.

 

[StudioTan]

I had to go to the doctor today as a followup to a surgery I had over the summer and since they always make me sit and wait for an hour I took my SP3 with me. Long story short, I was doing some sketching on it when the nursing student came in to ask me all the questions they have before I see the doctor and she stopped to asked me if it was a laptop. I pulled off the cover and showed her it was a tablet that ran a full version of windows and showed her how the kickstand and cover worked. The thing she was actually most impressed with was the double-click of the pen to open OneNote. She said "I really regret buying my iPad now" since she said it would be perfect for school.

I felt a bit like a salesman but whatever, I like showing off the product to people who are interested.

 

[Totakeke]

I had to go to the doctor today as a followup to a surgery I had over the summer and since they always make me sit and wait for an hour I took my SP3 with me. Long story short, I was doing some sketching on it when the nursing student came in to ask me all the questions they have before I see the doctor and she stopped to asked me if it was a laptop. I pulled off the cover and showed her it was a tablet that ran a full version of windows and showed her how the kickstand and cover worked. The thing she was actually most impressed with was the double-click of the pen to open OneNote. She said "I really regret buying my iPad now" since she said it would be perfect for school.

I felt a bit like a salesman but whatever, I like showing off the product to people who are interested.

I think I've sold quite a few people on the SP3 (as a major consideration for a future purchase at least) just by using it to take notes in class. Today there was a class that the instructor was given an iPad to scribble on to teach and it was a terrible experience due to the app not really being geared for writing across pages nor there was an option to add pages or just have a blank infinite canvas. There are a few people I've seen taking notes on an iPad as well. There was one girl that was writing at a size on her iPad that could fit only a few lines of equations (due to the tip of her stylus) that it didn't seem practical at all. Few people take notes with their laptops because most of the classes I'm in are math-based classes and there's no room for both laptop and paper notes in most classrooms.

Another really handy thing I've found that it's very nice being able to just swipe to check my mail real quick or even search a definition in class while not having to reach around for another item. My main issue so far is that the battery can't last me enough for 3-4 hours of note taking over a 8 hour period and since there's no power points in the classrooms, I need to carry the charger around.

I'm also surprised being at a campus in NYC I haven't seen anyone else using one yet. I guess chalk that one for another Microsoft advertising failure.

Drawboard is pretty important alongside OneNote Metro but note taking on OneNote is just so much smoother, they really have to make those stuffs like part of Windows API or something. Both of them do crash occasionally after a good amount of note taking though which is kind of annoying because sometimes not everything you wrote is saved.

Edit: Another thing I learned is that rather than describe the prices to people, it's far easier to just say the prices are similar to a MacBook which most people understand almost immediately.

 

[Septimus Prime]

I bring mine to meetings, and people do ask about it when they see it.

 

[aaaaa0]

Wow didn't know about draw board before, that's cool.

 

[AlexMogil]

Having purchased a Pro 1, a Pro 2, and an RT, I gotta say this Pro 3 is easily my favorite computing device. It's just the right size to get real work done. The weight is just light enough so it doesn't completely weigh you down.

The new pen functionality is a dream and the response is very nice in comparison to the Pro 2 and Pro 1.

There are a few disappointments like no soft keyboard based voice input which is really lacking considering Microsoft's voice to text is so so strong. The battery port is a little... loose-ish but is a big improvement over the previous gen.

I don't get what reviewers are saying when the note that the upgrade from the 2 to the 3 isn't worth it. I disagree. The screen ratio alone is enough of a reason to upgrade.

 

[SerTapTap]

What I meant to say is that if metro apps behave like desktop apps, have better access to the file system (like you open a picture and it see all the pictures in the folder, not just the one you chose), and become windowed it could be a worth replacement. If only for some improvements not currently available to desktop applications like package installs, auto updates and push notifications even when the app is closed.

In the current state they are too detached from the system to even be a consideration.

Oh, yeah, registry and DLLs are friggin awful so the package installs are great, it'd be interesting to see "hybrid" apps with all the "app"ness of Metro but all the power of a Desktop app, plus windowed and all that stuff. Unfortunately I'll never be able to make due without registry and such due to a bunch of old games, unless they manage to completely virtualize that stuff and isolate it or something while still letting the games work.

 

[LukasTaves]

So, I just bought a i5 with 256GB XD

I wanted the i7 model, but I couldn't justify the price difference, specially since I'm not playing much on PC nowadays.

I'm using it in my lap right now on the airport. How can people claim this doesn't work on a lap? It's freaking perfect for that XD

And it's so thin and light, OMG I still have my Surf Pro 1 on the side and I just can't believe how thinner and lighter this is, despite packing a better processor, and twice the ram and storage XD

 

[SerTapTap]

Sounds like a very big firmware update recently dropped which is supposed to fix assorted problems, check it out, wonder if it fixes any heat issues.

So, I just bought a i5 with 256GB XD

I wanted the i7 model, but I couldn't justify the price difference, specially since I'm not playing much on PC nowadays.

I'm using it in my lap right now on the airport. How can people claim this doesn't work on a lap? It's freaking perfect for that XD

And it's so thin and light, OMG I still have my Surf Pro 1 on the side and I just can't believe how thinner and lighter this is, despite packing a better processor, and twice the ram and storage XD

A major marketing problem they have is you really have to use it to understand how good it is. "it's a tablet" is partially true but also compeltely bullshit--it's a fully functional laptop with a detachable keyboard, not an iPad equivalent. Once it's in your hands, just feels so good and does what you need.

 

[Irminsul]

Sounds like a very big firmware update recently dropped which is supposed to fix assorted problems, check it out, wonder if it fixes any heat issues.

Ha, I saw that Windows Update was installing a Firmware Update this morning and I wondered where I could find out what it did. Didn't notice anything different until now. Maybe I should let my SP3 do some taxing work

 

[Canon]

Does anyone else's kickstand wobble? Not in every position but most of them. That, the headphone problem, heat, and backlight bleed (which fair enough is in a lot of devices) are my biggest gripes.

Don't notice any improvements in the firmware yet.

 

[Septimus Prime]

My i7 does seem to not be heating up as much today.

 

[The Purple Pill]

how is the SP3 in adobe photoshop CC and similar programs?

the n-trig digitizer really has me worried, has it's support been updated, and how much does the rather low pressure sense affect the work flow?

i currently have a SP1, which uses wacom digitizer, which was one of the reasons for getting a surface pro in the first place, other than being proper windows OS and not RT.

 

[Lucius86]

Finally got to see one of these the other day in John Lewis - it really does look like a great device. My SP2 felt a bit unwieldy coming home to it afterwards.

However, I have told myself I must wait until at least the SP4 before considering an upgrade, if not the SP5.

 

[dLMN8R]

I've refrained from sharing my impressions since I work for Microsoft, but after owning my SP3 for a few months now (personal device purchased with my own money at full price!) here's my summary:

• The "lappability" complaints are pretty much bull unless you're a super tiny person. I use mine on my lap *all the time* and I'm short/average height, around 5'7". I've written specs and worked in Excel for hours with the device on my lap, and it rarely if ever falls short compared to my Dell XPS 12.
• In many ways, it's better on my lap than a laptop because the heat is in the screen rather than the base
• I can also prop it up on my knees like this image I previously took, something I can't do with a regular laptop:
  
  
• It's super fast, and I love the 3:2 screen. Every time I use a 16:9 laptop now everything feels unnaturally squished
• Battery life is good, but not great. Maybe it's because Outlook 2013 is a battery hog and I have that open all the time. I get around 5 hours, which is much better than my XPS 12, but not quite what I was hoping for. Sometimes drops to 3-4 hours if I'm doing heavy web browsing in Chrome
• It's fast enough to play the types of games I want to play on here - Puzzle games, 2D indie games, simple 3D games, and the type cover lets me play most of them without a mouse
• The DPI of the screen just makes it gorgeous
• The kickstand is wonderful
• The Type Cover works really well, but still feels a bit mushy. I can still type on it for hours, but I hope the next one has more travel and stiffer keys. Better than the Type Cover 1 or 2, for sure
• Even after this week's firmware update, I still have wi-fi issues. I'll resume from connected standby or hibernate, and occasionally have limited wi-fi until I reboot it. Better than it used to be, but still a problem
• The trackpad is the best Windows trackpad I've ever used. But unfortunately, that's only true for native Microsoft stuff - the Start Screen, Internet Explorer, and some others. On the other hand, applications with custom UI like Office 2013 and most 3rd-party stuff like Chrome still have sluggish two-finger scrolling. The good stuff is as good as a Macbook, the bad stuff is better than all other Windows machines, but still bad.
• The weight and thickness are just marvels of engineering. I cannot comprehend how they fit everything in there. I have no need for it to be lighter or thinner at this point, it's the most portable computer I've ever used.
• One final minor point: I love the USB charger on the A/C adapter. Such a smart little feature.

Let me know if you have any questions, though that this point I'm sure you've already found your answers

 

[ncsuDuncan]

On the other hand, applications with custom UI like Office 2013 and most 3rd-party stuff like Chrome still have sluggish two-finger scrolling.

I've got one-finger scrolling in Chrome. I think it's the beta version though.

Agreed on all points about the lapability. If anything I feel it's more comfortable than a laptop, I love the versatility of quickly going into tablet mode by folding the keyboard back; makes it really easy to transition between casual browsing and serious typing.

Spent 6 hours in Photoshop on a single charge during a cross-country flight and the low-angle kickstand really made it a great experience.

 

[dLMN8R]

How does one-finger scrolling work?


Also: the lap stuff is really true whenever playing games. For example, even though my XPS 12 can run some games, even Diablo 3, the biggest problem is that's when the laptop gets its hottest. So I'd never actually play games with the thing on my lap cause it would burn it. With the SP3 on the other hand, I can play games as long as the battery will last without any issues at all.

 

[Sai]

Spent 6 hours in Photoshop on a single charge during a cross-country flight..

Very nice.

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

I've refrained from sharing my impressions since I work for Microsoft, but after owning my SP3 for a few months now (personal device purchased with my own money at full price!) here's my summary:

• The "lappability" complaints are pretty much bull unless you're a super tiny person. I use mine on my lap *all the time* and I'm short/average height, around 5'7". I've written specs and worked in Excel for hours with the device on my lap, and it rarely if ever falls short compared to my Dell XPS 12.
• In many ways, it's better on my lap than a laptop because the heat is in the screen rather than the base
• I can also prop it up on my knees like this image I previously took, something I can't do with a regular laptop:
  
  
• It's super fast, and I love the 3:2 screen. Every time I use a 16:9 laptop now everything feels unnaturally squished
• Battery life is good, but not great. Maybe it's because Outlook 2013 is a battery hog and I have that open all the time. I get around 5 hours, which is much better than my XPS 12, but not quite what I was hoping for. Sometimes drops to 3-4 hours if I'm doing heavy web browsing in Chrome
• It's fast enough to play the types of games I want to play on here - Puzzle games, 2D indie games, simple 3D games, and the type cover lets me play most of them without a mouse
• The DPI of the screen just makes it gorgeous
• The kickstand is wonderful
• The Type Cover works really well, but still feels a bit mushy. I can still type on it for hours, but I hope the next one has more travel and stiffer keys. Better than the Type Cover 1 or 2, for sure
• Even after this week's firmware update, I still have wi-fi issues. I'll resume from connected standby or hibernate, and occasionally have limited wi-fi until I reboot it. Better than it used to be, but still a problem
• The trackpad is the best Windows trackpad I've ever used. But unfortunately, that's only true for native Microsoft stuff - the Start Screen, Internet Explorer, and some others. On the other hand, applications with custom UI like Office 2013 and most 3rd-party stuff like Chrome still have sluggish two-finger scrolling. The good stuff is as good as a Macbook, the bad stuff is better than all other Windows machines, but still bad.
• The weight and thickness are just marvels of engineering. I cannot comprehend how they fit everything in there. I have no need for it to be lighter or thinner at this point, it's the most portable computer I've ever used.
• One final minor point: I love the USB charger on the A/C adapter. Such a smart little feature.

Let me know if you have any questions, though that this point I'm sure you've already found your answers

Since you're a Microsoft employee your opinion is invalid. Just kidding. Your review makes want an SP3 even more. I really want one, but as a college student it's really expensive. Do you know if Microsoft will lower the price a bit?


To Gaf, How is the i5 128 GB version. I will use it for internet browsing and taking notes. I want to do engineering so how are the programs for it. I would also like to know how well it can play games. The device really looks fantastic.

 

[dLMN8R]

Demand seems to be good so I doubt a price drop is in order. If you know a teacher you might be able to get an education discount?

 

[Irminsul]

Demand seems to be good so I doubt a price drop is in order. If you know a teacher you might be able to get an education discount?

For Germany, it seems the i5/128GB + Type Cover Bundle is indeed a bit hard to come by and both the i5/128GB and i5/256GB versions sans Type Cover are only available at some retailers (I'm strictly speaking online). All others are fine, though.

 

[hadareud]

So after initially being told on Monday that they'd ship my replacement within 48 hours I've chased them up twice after not hearing anything back and have now been told that they don't have stock and not even an estimate when they'll get stock in.

Bloody ridiculous.

I mean it's nice and all that they're apparently selling quite well, but fucking hell. Also, very poor customer service to not inform me that there was a problem without me having to chase them up. They're selling it as a premium product, they should be providing premium service too.

 

[SerTapTap]

Demand seems to be good so I doubt a price drop is in order. If you know a teacher you might be able to get an education discount?

Great to hear. I think they've figured out what they want to and can do with it and will probably/hopefully settle to a more standard yearly update schedule. I'm so glad MS filled this niche because Lenovo's products really don't anymore.

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

Hey quick question. How does the Pro 2 stack up against the pro 3? I really like the Pro 3 but if I really can't buy it I will go for the Pro 2. Which model of the Pro 3 do you have?

 

[TKR92]

So after initially being told on Monday that they'd ship my replacement within 48 hours I've chased them up twice after not hearing anything back and have now been told that they don't have stock and not even an estimate when they'll get stock in.

Bloody ridiculous.

I mean it's nice and all that they're apparently selling quite well, but fucking hell. Also, very poor customer service to not inform me that there was a problem without me having to chase them up. They're selling it as a premium product, they should be providing premium service too.

Which model did you send?

I also sent mine (i5 256 GB) early this week and got email "a replacement unit will be sent in 2 business days".

After reading your story, a little bit worried

 

[TheLaughingStock]

Has there been any rumors on a Surface 3 RT? I love my Surface RT but would love an upgrade. Surface Pro 3 is way too expensive for what I'm looking for and I don't want to go iOS or Android.

I have no idea where they're going with ARM this holiday, but desktop features/apps may be stripped out for everyone running ARM over the next 7 months via preview and commercial release. So, I'd stay away from ARM/Atom for the foreseeable future and look at the cheapest Intel PCs running Broadwell at 3 watt TDP. I'd only buy a cheap Windows tablet running Atom/ARM as a last resort.

 

[hadareud]

Which model did you send?

I also sent mine (i5 256 GB) early this week and got email "a replacement unit will be sent in 2 business days".

After reading your story, a little bit worried

I have an i5 128. I went for the advance exchange thing, meaning I don't have to send it back until I get the replacement, luckily.

That said, i can't use mine without it being plugged in (battery is dead), so that's not brilliant.

 

[Irminsul]

I just discovered that you can attach the pen to the charging port. It looks a bit weird, but it works quite well. Too bad you can't charge the SP3 anymore. How about another magnet on the left side, MS?

Also, there were some who mentioned hearing the fan spinning when watching videos. Any details on what videos you were watching? I tried a few Flash streams and YouTube videos at 1080p (through the Hyper metro app) and though the device gets a bit warm and the fan is definitely running, I can't really hear it unless I put my ears at the upper right end. I'm running the i7 version here. Also, yes, CPU usage is around 20%, but mostly at .7-1.4 GHz, so even below the nominal frequency of 1.7 GHz.

 

[Stinkles]

Is there a good surface 3 tips and and tricks page?

 

[SerTapTap]

Is there a good surface 3 tips and and tricks page?

MS has an offical one loaded up in Internet Explorer when you turn it on: Getting started with Surface Pro 3. Most other articles I can find are just "windows 8.1 tips and tricks" with a new title. But it is good to know Win 8.1 well to make good use of the Surface. I mostly interact with the Desktop but there's a few Metro things I use regularly such as the charms to adjust rotation/brightness.

My favorite trick is if you pull back the type cover, you can use it like a tablet and touching the pulled-back keys doesn't actuate them, so you don't have to take off the type cover to use it like a tablet! I was worried about that before I got it. Also, if you get a smaller SSD model, get a microSD card, not remotely as fast, but you can add 32/64 GB of space extremely cheap or as much as 128GB extra if you really need it. Also, Fn+ del/backspace act as brightness up/down and you can toggle Fn lock with Fn+capslock.

I just discovered that you can attach the pen to the charging port. It looks a bit weird, but it works quite well. Too bad you can't charge the SP3 anymore. How about another magnet on the left side, MS?

Also, there were some who mentioned hearing the fan spinning when watching videos. Any details on what videos you were watching? I tried a few Flash streams and YouTube videos at 1080p (through the Hyper metro app) and though the device gets a bit warm and the fan is definitely running, I can't really hear it unless I put my ears at the upper right end. I'm running the i7 version here. Also, yes, CPU usage is around 20%, but mostly at .7-1.4 GHz, so even below the nominal frequency of 1.7 GHz.

Oh, wow. Kinda hacky, but it seems like the potential is there. The pen loop really stands out as poor design compared to the rest. I don't use it myself very much but I love pens anyway.

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

MS has an offical one loaded up in Internet Explorer when you turn it on: Getting started with Surface Pro 3. Most other articles I can find are just "windows 8.1 tips and tricks" with a new title. But it is good to know Win 8.1 well to make good use of the Surface. I mostly interact with the Desktop but there's a few Metro things I use regularly such as the charms to adjust rotation/brightness.

My favorite trick is if you pull back the type cover, you can use it like a tablet and touching the pulled-back keys doesn't actuate them, so you don't have to take off the type cover to use it like a tablet! I was worried about that before I got it. Also, if you get a smaller SSD model, get a microSD card, not remotely as fast, but you can add 32/64 GB of space extremely cheap or as much as 128GB extra if you really need it. Also, Fn+ del/backspace act as brightness up/down and you can toggle Fn lock with Fn+capslock.

How much did you pay for your Surface Pro 3? I'm thinking of utilizing the education discount for the i5 128gb version.

 

[SerTapTap]

How much did you pay for your Surface Pro 3? I'm thinking of utilizing the education discount for the i5 128gb version.

That's the one I got--paid launch price, no edu discount for me. I think it was readily worth it--now that I know how good it is I wouldn't mind getting an i7 8GB, though the RAM has not been a problem like I expected, and I can easily wait until an SP4 or 5 with the current specs. Really games are the only situation where speed isn't exactly where I need it, and I didn't get it for that. The i5's a great bang-for-buck purchase which is what early reviews were saying too.

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

That's the one I got--paid launch price, no edu discount for me. I think it was readily worth it--now that I know how good it is I wouldn't mind getting an i7 8GB, though the RAM has not been a problem like I expected, and I can easily wait until an SP4 or 5 with the current specs. Really games are the only situation where speed isn't exactly where I need it, and I didn't get it for that. The i5's a great bang-for-buck purchase which is what early reviews were saying too.

You have no idea how much I want this. The amount of use this thing will get from me is insane. Using this for college and for leisure and I honestly think this is far superior to an Ipad and MacBook Pro and Air. What games have you tried playing?

 

[SerTapTap]

You have no idea how much I want this. The amount of use this thing will get from me is insane. Using this for college and for leisure and I honestly think this is far superior to an Ipad and MacBook Pro and Air. What games have you tried playing?

Mostly indie stuff, plays basically anything 2D like a dream including Skullgirls at 1440p (you'll generally want to lower res and/or fo 30FPS for 3D stuff). Anything 3D last/current gen can probably play but will require fussing with graphics settings. If you've ever used a gaming laptop you probably know the drill. Unlike my Lenovo X200 tablet I haven't had any games refuse to launch though, the integrated graphics isn't too terrible.

It does run warm, slightly loud and eats battery when playing anything pretty intensive. Good for a few hours at least, but might want to plug in.

A Dualshock 4 with DS4Windows or a wired 360/One controller is ideal--also maybe a bluetooth mouse for FPS and such. DS4 works over naitive bluetooth which is really nice, the 360 dongle is required and kinda a pain which is why I'd use wired if you want an Xbox pad.

Also, it runs Steam Big Picture like a dream and doesn't break a sweat since it's not even rendering anything. Though you're tied to your desktop's resolutions in that, so you probably won't fill the screen. 16:9 content looks fine on it actually, it's auto-letterboxed instead of stretching. Played Borderlands 2 on it, minor compression artifacts (far better than the best you can get on Youtube/Twitch, but not lossless), input lag is a couple ms. Oh, and the SP3 has 5Ghz wireless if your router supports it, great stuff.

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

Mostly indie stuff, plays basically anything 2D like a dream including Skullgirls at 1440p (you'll generally want to lower res and/or fo 30FPS for 3D stuff). Anything 3D last/current gen can probably play but will require fussing with graphics settings. If you've ever used a gaming laptop you probably know the drill. Unlike my Lenovo X200 tablet I haven't had any games refuse to launch though, the integrated graphics isn't too terrible.

It does run warm, slightly loud and eats battery when playing anything pretty intensive. Good for a few hours at least, but might want to plug in.

A Dualshock 4 with DS4Windows or a wired 360/One controller is ideal--also maybe a bluetooth mouse for FPS and such. DS4 works over naitive bluetooth which is really nice, the 360 dongle is required and kinda a pain which is why I'd use wired if you want an Xbox pad.

Also, it runs Steam Big Picture like a dream and doesn't break a sweat since it's not even rendering anything. Though you're tied to your desktop's resolutions in that, so you probably won't fill the screen. 16:9 content looks fine on it actually, it's auto-letterboxed instead of stretching. Played Borderlands 2 on it, minor compression artifacts (far better than the best you can get on Youtube/Twitch, but not lossless), input lag is a couple ms. Oh, and the SP3 has 5Ghz wireless if your router supports it, great stuff.

Fantastic stuff. Are you a student by any chance? I was wondering how it handles school work, particularly college work. Do you have Chrome installed? Reviews say that third party apps eat up battery life. How does it handle having multiple tabs open. I will most likely have it for things like OneNote and internet browsing.

 

[SerTapTap]

Fantastic stuff. Are you a student by any chance? I was wondering how it handles school work, particularly college work. Do you have Chrome installed? Reviews say that third party apps eat up battery life. How does it handle having multiple tabs open. I will most likely have it for things like OneNote and internet browsing.

I was a student, and I can say Desktop Onenote is FANTASTIC for note taking. Metro onenote is slicker, but less features, but for raw notes-only stuff it seems to get the job done. And if I carried around my 4lbs X200 tablet with an expansion and extra battery just to get 6 hours, I think you can survive on a 2lbs device with a single battery that lasts as long...really wish they had these when I was in college. My setup feels like one of those suitcase laptops in comparison.

Battery life is pretty good, Chrome specifically is a bit bad about battery life, Metro IE is nice if you can stand it, but I use Chrome Sync so I deal with less batt life. Stupid eco-system locks. I've been tempted to try metro IE but haven't really since it requires a default browser switch.

Multiple tab performance in Chrome isn't a problem. I do use the Beta version because the touch scrolling is a bit fucky in release, or was, chrome updates so often I don't even know anymore. You do have to do a bit of work to get Chrome in high DPI and I changed the Touch scrolling mode to touch move (I think). Videos are the main battery drain in Chrome, and sometimes it just...eats a whole CPU core for no reason until you kill it. If you can stand IE or firefox you may want to try 'em first.

 

[WhiskerFrisker]

I was a student, and I can say Desktop Onenote is FANTASTIC for note taking. Metro onenote is slicker, but less features, but for raw notes-only stuff it seems to get the job done. And if I carried around my 4lbs X200 tablet with an expansion and extra battery just to get 6 hours, I think you can survive on a 2lbs device with a single battery that lasts as long...really wish they had these when I was in college. My setup feels like one of those suitcase laptops in comparison.

Battery life is pretty good, Chrome specifically is a bit bad about battery life, Metro IE is nice if you can stand it, but I use Chrome Sync so I deal with less batt life. Stupid eco-system locks. I've been tempted to try metro IE but haven't really since it requires a default browser switch.

Multiple tab performance in Chrome isn't a problem. I do use the Beta version because the touch scrolling is a bit fucky in release, or was, chrome updates so often I don't even know anymore. You do have to do a bit of work to get Chrome in high DPI and I changed the Touch scrolling mode to touch move (I think). Videos are the main battery drain in Chrome, and sometimes it just...eats a whole CPU core for no reason until you kill it. If you can stand IE or firefox you may want to try 'em first.

This is great since I will use it onwards for engineering.

I use IE on my desktop so I can bear it if I must. For the internet browsing I would mostly use Gaf. How is Gaf on it? I will most likely carry a charger so if the battery go down, I'll just charge it. Thanks for answering so many of my questions.

 

[SerTapTap]

This is great since I will use it onwards for engineering.

I use IE on my desktop so I can bear it if I must. For the internet browsing I would mostly use Gaf. How is Gaf on it? I will most likely carry a charger so if the battery go down, I'll just charge it. Thanks for answering so many of my questions.

GAF is fine, I just up zoom a bit, which I do on Desktop anyway, this shit's tiny. I also use the highest DPI settings, there's a few options there so find the balance you like. Higher DPI has godlike fonts in DPI aware apps, but reduces the amount of crap you can fit on one screen (max DPI is just a bit too big for side-by-side apps in most cases). in lower DPI you have more effective screen space, DPI-unaware apps don't look as bad, but shit's tiny at the lowest setting. 1440 is a lot of p, after all.

 

[LukasTaves]

I've refrained from sharing my impressions since I work for Microsoft, but after owning my SP3 for a few months now (personal device purchased with my own money at full price!) here's my summary:

• The "lappability" complaints are pretty much bull unless you're a super tiny person. I use mine on my lap *all the time* and I'm short/average height, around 5'7". I've written specs and worked in Excel for hours with the device on my lap, and it rarely if ever falls short compared to my Dell XPS 12.
• In many ways, it's better on my lap than a laptop because the heat is in the screen rather than the base
• I can also prop it up on my knees like this image I previously took, something I can't do with a regular laptop:
  
  
• It's super fast, and I love the 3:2 screen. Every time I use a 16:9 laptop now everything feels unnaturally squished
• Battery life is good, but not great. Maybe it's because Outlook 2013 is a battery hog and I have that open all the time. I get around 5 hours, which is much better than my XPS 12, but not quite what I was hoping for. Sometimes drops to 3-4 hours if I'm doing heavy web browsing in Chrome
• It's fast enough to play the types of games I want to play on here - Puzzle games, 2D indie games, simple 3D games, and the type cover lets me play most of them without a mouse
• The DPI of the screen just makes it gorgeous
• The kickstand is wonderful
• The Type Cover works really well, but still feels a bit mushy. I can still type on it for hours, but I hope the next one has more travel and stiffer keys. Better than the Type Cover 1 or 2, for sure
• Even after this week's firmware update, I still have wi-fi issues. I'll resume from connected standby or hibernate, and occasionally have limited wi-fi until I reboot it. Better than it used to be, but still a problem
• The trackpad is the best Windows trackpad I've ever used. But unfortunately, that's only true for native Microsoft stuff - the Start Screen, Internet Explorer, and some others. On the other hand, applications with custom UI like Office 2013 and most 3rd-party stuff like Chrome still have sluggish two-finger scrolling. The good stuff is as good as a Macbook, the bad stuff is better than all other Windows machines, but still bad.
• The weight and thickness are just marvels of engineering. I cannot comprehend how they fit everything in there. I have no need for it to be lighter or thinner at this point, it's the most portable computer I've ever used.
• One final minor point: I love the USB charger on the A/C adapter. Such a smart little feature.

Let me know if you have any questions, though that this point I'm sure you've already found your answers

Yes yes yes and yes. But I'm having really good battery life, even when using Visual Studio, which is very nice.

Also, I kinda like the mushy keyboard... It allows for the screen to be still on your lap, while the keyboard is the one that bends a little. In a regular laptop the whole unit, including the screen would wobble a little too, which bothers me more.

I went through a 13 hour flight with mine, it wasn't even fully charged up (about 75%) and I managed to do some coding almost the entire flight (of course, I took pauses to eat and take some naps), but it definitely lasted at least more 6 hours.

Btw, this also works great on the little desks on the plane (I forgot how they are called XD), I had more issue with my mouse, since it was an uneven surface than with my surface

Oh, and Visual Studio is fantastic on this screen too! On he surface 1 it would get too cramped and you'd get to get everything too small to fit. On the Surface 3, by default it almost feels like there's too much space left, all my docked stuff is bigger than ever, even compared to when I use on my laptop with an external monitor.

I also love the new charger, how it's thinner and lighter, have longer cords and the new connector is much improved too.

My only complain so far is the pen slot on the keyboard... It sucks that it's an adhesive rather than built in to the cover, and also it's really hard to get the pen in there. Though that is a much better solution than on Surface 1/2.

 

[LukasTaves]

I just discovered that you can attach the pen to the charging port. It looks a bit weird, but it works quite well. Too bad you can't charge the SP3 anymore. How about another magnet on the left side, MS?

Also, there were some who mentioned hearing the fan spinning when watching videos. Any details on what videos you were watching? I tried a few Flash streams and YouTube videos at 1080p (through the Hyper metro app) and though the device gets a bit warm and the fan is definitely running, I can't really hear it unless I put my ears at the upper right end. I'm running the i7 version here. Also, yes, CPU usage is around 20%, but mostly at .7-1.4 GHz, so even below the nominal frequency of 1.7 GHz.

You just blew my mind with that pen tip, thank you!

 

[SerTapTap]

Heat seems to be better. Then again, ambient temp is down 20 degrees this week. Not sure how much that matters for an extremely confined device though. Been playing single YT videos and the fan hasn't kicked in, it used to always do that at the slightest hint of playing back video.

 

[LukasTaves]

I think I just experienced the wifi issues for the first time.

Browsing just stopped working, as all Bluetooth devices. Tried toggling the airplane mode and it didn't made a difference, but, restarting did the trick.


Also, I'm having a little issue with onenote metro and the pen. I press the onenote button and it registers, but onenote is opened to the previous opened page instead of creating a blank one. And if I press the pen button with the onenote opened it locks up, instead of opening yet another page. These both used to work fine XD

 

[Chezzymann]

So I was working on a drawing and locked my surface to go eat dinner and then it decided to auto restart for an update even though I set it to update at 2--6 AM instead. As a result, I lost all my progress because I forgot to save. Yeah yeah its my fault for not saving but it wouldn't have happened if Windows didn't force an update on me in a time period I didn't expect. Ugh, is there any way to completely disable auto updates for windows?

 

[dLMN8R]

So I was working on a drawing and locked my surface to go eat dinner and then it decided to auto restart for an update even though I set it to update at 2--6 AM instead. As a result, I lost all my progress because I forgot to save. Yeah yeah its my fault for not saving but it wouldn't have happened if Windows didn't force an update on me in a time period I didn't expect. Ugh, is there any way to completely disable auto updates for windows?

Windows 8 and 8.1 will never automatically restart you if the PC is locked. This is a deliberate change from Windows 7 to ensure what you just described didn't happen.

In 8.1, you'll first see a full-screen notification with a "Restart now" or "restart later" button, and if you choose "later" it postpones it for a day.

Only after that will Windows Update start a 15-minute timer, and that timer will restart you.

Are you sure you didn't first see the 15-minute counter and then lock the device? That's the only way that restart would have happened.

 

[Chezzymann]

Windows 8 and 8.1 will never automatically restart you if the PC is locked. This is a deliberate change from Windows 7 to ensure what you just described didn't happen.

In 8.1, you'll first see a full-screen notification with a "Restart now" or "restart later" button, and if you choose "later" it postpones it for a day.

Only after that will Windows Update start a 15-minute timer, and that timer will restart you.

Are you sure you didn't first see the 15-minute counter and then lock the device? That's the only way that restart would have happened.

I don't think so, maybe I had really bad luck and the 15 minute timer started right as I was closing it up lol

 

[Pirabear]

Just ordered the Pro 3. Probably a dumb question since they probably designed it with this in mind, but should I be worried about how close the magnetized keyboard is to the screen? I have an irrational fear of it sliding slightly and damaging it.

 

[SerTapTap]

Just ordered the Pro 3. Probably a dumb question since they probably designed it with this in mind, but should I be worried about how close the magnetized keyboard is to the screen? I have an irrational fear of it sliding slightly and damaging it.

I'm not even sure what you mean by sliding it, but there's basically no risk of accidentally damaging the screen with the keyboard. The magnets are very strong and the typecover should never slip out without extreme force (as a test, I can briefly hold the Surface by the type cover alone--don't actually DO that though) so you can't scrape the contacts against the screen on accident or anything.

 

[killer rin]

I think I just experienced the wifi issues for the first time.

Browsing just stopped working, as all Bluetooth devices. Tried toggling the airplane mode and it didn't made a difference, but, restarting did the trick.


Also, I'm having a little issue with onenote metro and the pen. I press the onenote button and it registers, but onenote is opened to the previous opened page instead of creating a blank one. And if I press the pen button with the onenote opened it locks up, instead of opening yet another page. These both used to work fine XD

The only Wifi Issues I've been having have been a limited wireless connection upon waking from sleep... though I've always just solved it by disconnecting and reconnecting from Wifi... that said they have seemingly gone away for me ever since the last update

Oh, and Visual Studio is fantastic on this screen too! On he surface 1 it would get too cramped and you'd get to get everything too small to fit. On the Surface 3, by default it almost feels like there's too much space left, all my docked stuff is bigger than ever, even compared to when I use on my laptop with an external monitor.

I can agree with that. The screen is smaller than my main desktop where I do all my coding, but the resolution just makes visual studio look just as big. I've even found myself on multiple occasions Aero-snapping it to the side of the screen while I had Firefox opened on the other side to look at some stuff on blackboard. Its pretty awesome.

 

[LaserBuddha]

Just ordered the Pro 3. Probably a dumb question since they probably designed it with this in mind, but should I be worried about how close the magnetized keyboard is to the screen? I have an irrational fear of it sliding slightly and damaging it.

Also to be clear the keys are sunken in below the soft-touch surface. But plastic is not nearly hard enough to scratch glass. The magnet along the face of the tablet that helps you angle the keyboard also makes it so that the cover can flop open but won't slide against the screen. Only something like sand is going to scratch it and that is always a risk.

 

[hadareud]

Received my replacement unit today even though last night they still told me that they didn't have a delivery estimate yet.

Good stuff.