Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Review: Photography and Writing

5. Screen

One of Surface Pro’s party pieces, the 12″ diagonal (30.48 cm) screen is quite staggering. With such a high resolution for such a small (in comparison) screen, it is a real pleasure to look at and use. Even though the MacBook Pro 13.3″ Retina has higher density, already I can’t distinguish individual pixels at working distance (ppi stands at 216). That MacBook must be equally brilliant. While I am sure resolution and density will only increase in time (there are tablets on the market with even higher density), it is already easily sufficient. If you are used to tiny and low-res screens of notebooks of old, this is a revelation. I really disliked using my old laptop for any sort of writing or even photography due to not just the size of the screen (standard 15.6″), but also the (then-standard) resolution of 1366×768. It made text appear very large, which meant a lot of scrolling and swearing. If I decreased the size of all the elements, the lack of resolution clearly showed. In comparison, I wrote this whole review on the Surface even though I could have used my PC. I chose not to as it is just so very comfortable. Mind, I don’t only work with text, but with photography as well. Resolution helps here, too, as it is easy to tell if a particular photograph is in focus and sharp even without having to zoom in to pixel level. You would not believe how much time this saves when working with images!

Speaking of photography, it’s not just the number of pixels that matters, but the colors as well. My Surface Pro 3 is not yet calibrated and so the colors are not perfectly accurate. That said, there is no ugly cast (blue, pink or any other) that seems to plague cheaper laptops, and the photographs are displayed beautifully and not too off. Even out of the box as my Surface is now, I would not hesitate to show my work to clients with it. That said, proper calibration is high on my priority list as, if I am to do even minor post-processing, I want to know what sort of mess am I making out of those RAW files.

One other important aspect of the Pro 3’s screen is the, uh, aspect ratio. At exactly 3:2, it is taller than the screens of most laptops which have moved to either 16:9 or 16:10, but not quite as tall as that of the iPad which has a 4:3 screen and is designed to be held vertically. Why is this important? One reason, and perhaps even a temporary one: horizontal photographs made with either my Nikon or Fujifilm are truly shown full-screen, as in – they fit perfectly, edge to edge, and, coupled with the comfortable size of the screen and brilliant resolution, look absolutely beautiful. This is fantastic for either showcasing or viewing work and, while a minor detail, really makes this computer suitable for those who mostly photograph in 3:2 aspect ratio. Mind you, no one shoots a single aspect ration all the time, so how important this is to you is very subjective.

6. On-Screen Keyboard

This is one area where things go somewhat downhill, but it’s not the Surface’s fault at all. The on-screen keyboard is actually well designed – the “keys” are large and reasonably hard to miss, they are not cramped (similarly to mobile devices, number keys are either on a separate “page”, or “merged” with the top row so you can touch-and-hold to access them) and the font is clear and easy to read. There’s even a Ctrl key (mandatory, of course) and you can change input language as you write, too. More than that, it doesn’t block the scroll bar on the side of the screen. In short, the Surface Pro 3 can really be used as a tablet and you’d be completely fine with it. Really, if faced with such a situation, I could just about write an article with it and not feel too uncomfortable.

So, it is as good as on-screen keyboards get… which is to say, nowhere near the real thing. And this is the problem. Yes, Surface can really replace a tablet and genuinely works that way. But if you want it to replace a laptop, well, you can’t do it out of the box. So it’s not the Surface’s fault. It’s Microsoft’s, for not providing a real, tactile keyboard in the package. In order to make the Surface as good as it can be whatever the spec, you have to spend extra. Which brings me to…

7. Must-Have: Arc Touch Surface Mouse and Type Cover Keyboard

7.1. The Bad

The Arc Touch Surface mouse costs around $70, while the Type Cover keyboard will set you back another $130. Now, if you want the Surface to replace your laptop, it’s price – no matter which spec you choose – has just gone up another $130-$200 (the keyboard includes a touch pad). That’s not a good thing and certainly does not play to Microsoft’s advantage – MacBook Air is suddenly good value, the MacBook Pro 13.3″ Retina even more so! Such an unusual thing to say – Apple product is better value than that of Microsoft. Is it not supposed to be the other way around? To be fair, neither MacBook comes with a mouse out of the box, but then they are arguably even slightly better made and are seen as the very definition of premium in this market. Uh-oh.

Another issue is the quality of the products. Compared to Apple’s cool (literally, as they are made of aluminum) keyboards – either those that are part of any Apple laptop, or those you can get for their stationary computers – Microsoft’s attempt feels ever so slightly cheaper. Not cheap, trust me. Just cheaper. Perhaps those are not even the right words, actually – quality is superb. It’s just different as the Type Cover was designed to be as slim and lightweight as possible. Manufacturing standards are also not quite up there – for example, the space bar key is ever so slightly bent on my copy (which I quite like for some reason), and the rest of the keys have a (barely noticeable) play in them (a good way to test this part is to lightly brush the keys with the tips of your fingers and see how much they wobble). It’s in no way excessive or even close to that, don’t get me wrong. Barely noticeable, but present. Interestingly, I don’t think Microsoft could have done it better with this particular design of the keys themselves, and because the issue is that minor (honestly, I am being much too picky here), I’d not consider it an issue at all. Don’t throw stones at me, I had to mention something!

Speaking of the mouse, the Arc Touch Surface edition has been designed with exactly the same goals in mind – to be as portable and lightweight as possible. And oh my is it (more on that later). A side result of that is it’s not nearly as tough as Apple’s gorgeous Magic Mouse. You could literally step on the latter, but don’t ever place your feet (by accident, of course) anywhere near the Arc Touch. Don’t get me wrong, it does feel great in hand, is made of quality materials and, in my opinion, is certainly worth its price tag. But it is the more fragile sort of “premium product” definition.

7.2. The Good

So that’s the bad news out of the way, if you could call anything I described as “bad” in the first place. On the plus side, both the keyboard and the mouse are really (really) good.

Really.

Let’s start with the keyboard. As mentioned before, it is extremely light and thin. There is a magnetic connector that easily snaps into place when in close proximity with the doc at the bottom of the Surface – you don’t even have to be too steady when bringing it close, the magnet is just so strong. Handy if you are in a hurry. I’ve seen people literally hold their Surface Pro 3 tablets by the keyboard upside down! No idea why you’d want to carry it around like that, but good to know it will hold should such a strange need ever arise (just kidding, don’t ever do it, it’s silly).

Moving on to a more important aspect and one that was absolutely crucial to me, the Type Cover is exceptionally comfortable to use for typing. The tactile feedback is spot on, as is the travel of they keys. They are of comfortable size and are nice to the touch (they are ever so slightly soft, so I wonder how well they will wear – my guess is, not that great), the sound is audible but not loud and even pleasant. There is a number of useful Fn keys on the top row, too, which include back-light intensity (oh yes, the keys are back-lit), mute, play/pause, search and so on. A special sticker for the Surface Pen (part of the standard package) can be neatly placed somewhere on the side to hold the stylus in easy access, and its colour matches that of the keyboard. Speaking of which, it comes in either conservative black, attention-grabbing cyan (as seen in the images), restrained purple, quite stylish if a little unusual red or dark, sedate blue. Chances are, you’ll find one to your liking if my choice of cyan is not exactly what you’d pick (Nasim looked nauseous).

There is another magnetic strip as can be clearly seen from the previous image – it is located right above the key cluster, separated by a narrow strip of fabric. This particular magnet snaps to the lower bezel of the Surface to add a slight angle to the keyboard and improves typing dramatically, much like those tiny little “legs” do on keyboards designed for stationary computers. Because the keyboard itself is so stiff, Microsoft was able to pull it off, there’s virtually no downside to setting up the keyboard like that and comfort gains are great. When you place the Surface on your lap, it also minimizes skin contact and makes the device feel even more compact somehow. Because it is so light, your legs should not get sore after prolonged use. I also love how the keyboard is covered in soft-touch material. Somehow, it’s more inviting than aluminum or magnesium, “warmer”, and for an accessory, you are likely to touch so extensively, that’s important. Another plus is that the fabric creates enough friction for the keyboard not to slide around. On the downside, it could be hard to clean. I’ve not messed up mine yet, so can’t comment further. Suffice to say I will be very careful not to cover it in jam. Or chocolate, or peanut butter. Or anything. Also, the word “cover” in the name of the product is there for a reason – when not using the Surface, you can fold the Type Cover onto the screen of the device for protection.

The touchpad is comfortable and of decent size (if a little misfitted on my copy of the keyboard as can be seen from the product shot a little bit further up the page). It’s actually physically clickable, too, which is nice. Still, I don’t use it all that much given I have a whole touchscreen for that sort of purpose – it is both quicker to navigate and scroll with. Nonetheless, useful to have and could potentially negate any need for a mouse. Not for me, though.

See the above? That’s Arc Touch’s party piece and a genuinely innovative approach to compactness. Fold it flat and it virtually disappears in a bag or a pocket (or a pocket of a bag). “Arc”, and it turns on instantly (powered by two AAA-type batteries), connects to the surface automatically and you are good to go. The first time it connects takes a few seconds, after that – it’s almost completely instant. “Arc” and use, that simple. Not even a USB receiver is required for this Bluetooth mouse (that is what makes the Surface edition different from the regular Arc Touch mouse).

It is beautifully designed and very nice to the touch – the plastic keys (physically clickable) are soft-ish, have great tactile feedback and are easy to press (even after some use, I found the Magic Mouse a bit too unyielding in that regard, but it’s a matter of taste and getting used to it). There is no scroll wheel, but not to worry – brush down the middle bit with your finger, and with an audible “purrrr” your pages will scroll up or down according to your wishes. Dead simple and intuitive. More than that, “wheel click” is also supported – to, say, open a link in a new tab or engage quick scroll as you would by pressing the wheel with a regular mouse, simply tap the middle capacitive touch strip twice.

The rest of the device is covered in a soft matte rubber that is exceptionally pleasant to hold and feels expensive. Not sure how to best describe the Arc Touch Surface – it’s simply nice and minimalistic. That said, a friend of mine found the mouse somewhat uncomfortable – unlike a regular, “full-sized” mouse, you can’t really hold it all that firmly while in use as there’s not much surface to press your thumb against. This thing needs a certain lightness of touch, that is when it works best. You do not so much grab and hold it as direct it. For me, it works gorgeously.