I bought a reconditioned surface pro 6 10 days ago on Amazon, looks like it was never used, works beautiful, free upgrade to win 11, paid $260 for it. Why is this article about the 3? I think they up to 9 now. Anyway, the 3 was on woot for $100, I almost bought it, then I did some research and found the 6. They really need to update their articles on this site lolol
Anthony
February 5, 2024 6:14 am
What’s been updated? “LAST UPDATED ON JANUARY 30, 2024” ?
Same question I have. I wondered why reviewe a Pro 3 in 2024, and then I realised it was just updated. It was a good read; I may have never seen this article without the mysterious update.
I picked up a used pro 3 last year, I use it for online study, love it, but hate the battery life
Johannes
September 6, 2017 11:40 am
Is there any chance the new Surface Pro (2017) will get a full review? I’d love to use it for retouching as well as for sketching, however, the current iteration is pretty expensive.
Many thanks in advance, Jo
Laci
May 31, 2016 12:30 am
Nasim – Do you still have this SP3? I’ve had mine since Feb 2015 and accidentally checked my battery wear this February when my gf also bought a new laptop. 3 months ago the batt. wear was a mere 8% which is more than ok after one year. However, in the past few months I have been using it on the desk hooked up to a monitor and haven’t taken it out. I’ve seen this weird thing with the battery meter that the max charge started to show around 82-92% and would not charge further. Once shut down and left alone, it would make to a 100% charge, but eventually went back to displaying say 92% and not charging. So the other day I looked at battery stats and was horrified by the results (below) battery wear is up to 85% This does not seem to be a unique case as other folks seem to be experiencing it too just past the one year warranty period. I am thinking it might be software issue so did battery calibration, updated the battery driver from the stock 2006 to a 2013 one, etc but nothing worked. Now doing a clean Win10 install and see how that goes.
Installed batteries
Information about each currently installed battery
BATTERY 1
NAME X898289 MANUFACTURER SIMPLO SERIAL NUMBER 1162091012 CHEMISTRY LION DESIGN CAPACITY 42,157 mWh
FULL CHARGE CAPACITY 6,331 mWh CYCLE COUNT 179
Fabio Di Peri
August 16, 2015 8:22 am
Nice review, just one thing: you mentioned you used Chrome while doing the battery test, and I think this may have been a problem since Chrome is known for chugging lots of battery and RAM (the latter could force the OS to swap on the SSD if the available RAM was too low, and this would be a serious performance issue since the SSD is way slower than the RAM). Should you have used the touch version of IE11 (or Edge now that Windows 10 is out) you could have had better battery performance
wallybrooks
January 1, 2015 8:11 am
Thanks for the article and the tutorial on reinstalling the driver. I followed your lead and this works perfectly. The display provides exceptional viewing the i5 in my tablet is up to the task for my own use of Lightroom. The surface also fits my own requirements for my day job- something apple can’t do- as it’s mandatory to access 3rd party software which runs Flash which is something Apple doesn’t support.
cgw
December 14, 2014 11:30 am
Over-priced, undersized,and unworkable.Anyone interested should wait for discounts to kick in on these next year. MS obviously envies Apple’s cult following and widespread brand worship but this won’t go far to even things up. It’s plainly not for everyone.
I must be a monumental fool for getting one, in that case! A happy, completely satisfied fool, but still. ;)
Tonio Loewald
December 5, 2014 11:28 pm
I very nearly bought a Surface Pro (and also looked hard at the 2 and 3) simply because it supports a real pen (with pressure sensitivity, palm-rejection, etc.) something neither the iPad nor any other Android or Windows tablet device seems to match. (I think Sony may have a stupidly expensive option.)
But the thing that put me off (aside from the expense — effectively $2100 for the configuration I’d pick) was the type cover — it’s a terrible keyboard (worse than typing on glass) and an even worse trackpad. The latest iteration is a slight improvement, but still quite poor. I guess if I just used it as a tablet or in combination with a real keyboard and mouse it would be fine, but it kinds of defeats the “it’s like a tablet AND a laptop rolled into one” line that Microsoft is trying to push (and $2100 is a lot for a one trick pony). So, it’s a really good windows tablet (which is great for graphics, but not much else), and a mediocre laptop.
Finally, comparing the MBP13″ to the Surface Pro 3 and suggesting prices are similar for a given specification is simply wrong. The top SP3 is 1.7GHz for $1950 not including a keyboard. The MBP13 at $1800 (including keyboard) is 2.8GHz (maxing at 3.3). The MBP also has Intel Iris graphics (faster than the fastest graphics option on the Surface Pro) across the entire product line — I suspect an entry level MBP13″ would crush a maxed out Surface Pro 3 performance-wise, especially on graphics intensive tasks.
And $1300 for a 2.5GHz MBP13″ + $700 for a 128GB iPad Air 2 is less than the cost of a Surface Pro 3.
I ended up buying a 19″ Yiynova tablet/display for about $600.
Tonio, the first keyboard for Surface was terrible, I totally agree with you on that! I could never get used to typing on a plain surface, because I have no idea whether I pressed a key or not. However, the new Type cover for Surface Pro 3 is just like a regular keyboard in terms of feel. I wish MS bundled it with the Surface, because it is a must-have for any serious work.
Now in terms of price and value, if one needs performance, the MacBook Pro obviously beats Surface 3 in speed. However, you are comparing a real laptop to a hybrid tablet/laptop. MacBook Pro is much heavier, thicker and the keyboard is not detachable. In my opinion, the Surface Pro 3 should be compared to MacBook Air or iPad instead. And it clearly outshines those in every way…
No question the Surface Pro is a great tablet, looks lovely, is well-made, and has a far nicer display than the Macbook Air. It also crushes the iPad as an artist’s tablet, except for being heavier, more expensive, less versatile, and having poorer battery life. But it’s a kind of a one-trick pony and expensive for what you get. Back at my office a bunch of Surface Pros appeared when they first came out, and then over the next few months later they slowly disappeared. All the folks with iPads, MacBook Airs, and MBPs are still using them.
as I mentioned in the article a few times, the MacBook Pro actually offers more bang for your buck. It’s a compromise in portability, the Surface is a compromise in performance. Depends on what you need more. For me, I have a PC that delivers enough performance, so the portability was the top priority (with still reasonable performance). Otherwise, I would have happily chosen the MacBook. Different strengths, you see. :)
As for the keyboard, I find the current Type Cover very comfortable. Then again, it is a very subjective thing. But it’s a real pleasure to type with for me.
Yes I agree with what you’ve said here, including the fact that keyboards are subjective, but in your conclusion you said:
“And while you can spec [a Macbook Air] similarly to Surface with powerful processors and lots of RAM memory (and end up with a similar price).”
Given that you have a desktop PC, a huge point in favor of the Surface Pro is that you can use the same software (and enjoy seamless file-sharing, etc.). If I were in your situation, I think the Surface Pro 3 would be a non-brainer! (Heck, you can always just use a different keyboard.)
This discussion actually makes me reconsider getting a less highly-specced SP3. (The i7 is a pretty terrible deal, while the i5 is quite attractive.) One interesting attraction for me is that my kids wouldn’t want to use it (whereas they hardly let me touch my iPad).
John
December 3, 2014 3:41 pm
I really enjoyed the article. The Surface is unique as a tablet in that it runs the full OS. I also like it for it’s versatility in that respect because the iPad’s walled garden can be stifling.
I am in love with my MacBook Air. Intel i7, 512GB SSD, 8 GB ram. I hook it up to a Thunderbolt monitor for ‘real’ work but can pop it off and carry it away when I leave. I can do my Adobe Suite work as a laptop but it takes some scrolling to get the job done. I always have the files I need and now that I am used to the drastic change in screen size between the native screen and Thunderbolt screen I find it extremely productive. I don’t need a kickstand as the screen tilts to where I want. I prefer a mouse to the trackpad but it’s fine in a pinch. Keyboard is always there.
The big thing for me is I’m old (school) and prefer the mouse/keyboard interface all of the time. My next laptop, though, will probably be a Retina MacBook Pro unless there is a Retina Air when that time comes.
I also prefer an OFV on my cameras. I just can’t get past the camcorder feel when using a mirrorless. Others may have a different opinion. I just love a nice optical view via mirror. But, this is a new subject!
Thanks again for the review, Romanas.
AnZanov
December 3, 2014 6:56 am
good review, I’m looking forward to seeing updates on battery life using Photo edititing software and on the use of the pen. These information would make this review a killer review for photographers
I bought a reconditioned surface pro 6 10 days ago on Amazon, looks like it was never used, works beautiful, free upgrade to win 11, paid $260 for it. Why is this article about the 3? I think they up to 9 now. Anyway, the 3 was on woot for $100, I almost bought it, then I did some research and found the 6. They really need to update their articles on this site lolol
What’s been updated? “LAST UPDATED ON JANUARY 30, 2024” ?
Same question I have. I wondered why reviewe a Pro 3 in 2024, and then I realised it was just updated. It was a good read; I may have never seen this article without the mysterious update.
I picked up a used pro 3 last year, I use it for online study, love it, but hate the battery life
Is there any chance the new Surface Pro (2017) will get a full review? I’d love to use it for retouching as well as for sketching, however, the current iteration is pretty expensive.
Many thanks in advance,
Jo
Nasim – Do you still have this SP3? I’ve had mine since Feb 2015 and accidentally checked my battery wear this February when my gf also bought a new laptop. 3 months ago the batt. wear was a mere 8% which is more than ok after one year. However, in the past few months I have been using it on the desk hooked up to a monitor and haven’t taken it out. I’ve seen this weird thing with the battery meter that the max charge started to show around 82-92% and would not charge further. Once shut down and left alone, it would make to a 100% charge, but eventually went back to displaying say 92% and not charging. So the other day I looked at battery stats and was horrified by the results (below) battery wear is up to 85% This does not seem to be a unique case as other folks seem to be experiencing it too just past the one year warranty period. I am thinking it might be software issue so did battery calibration, updated the battery driver from the stock 2006 to a 2013 one, etc but nothing worked. Now doing a clean Win10 install and see how that goes.
Installed batteries
Information about each currently installed battery
BATTERY 1
NAME X898289
MANUFACTURER SIMPLO
SERIAL NUMBER 1162091012
CHEMISTRY LION
DESIGN CAPACITY 42,157 mWh
FULL CHARGE CAPACITY 6,331 mWh
CYCLE COUNT 179
Nice review, just one thing: you mentioned you used Chrome while doing the battery test, and I think this may have been a problem since Chrome is known for chugging lots of battery and RAM (the latter could force the OS to swap on the SSD if the available RAM was too low, and this would be a serious performance issue since the SSD is way slower than the RAM). Should you have used the touch version of IE11 (or Edge now that Windows 10 is out) you could have had better battery performance
Thanks for the article and the tutorial on reinstalling the driver. I followed your lead and this works perfectly. The display provides exceptional viewing the i5 in my tablet is up to the task for my own use of Lightroom. The surface also fits my own requirements for my day job- something apple can’t do- as it’s mandatory to access 3rd party software which runs Flash which is something Apple doesn’t support.
Over-priced, undersized,and unworkable.Anyone interested should wait for discounts to kick in on these next year. MS obviously envies Apple’s cult following and widespread brand worship but this won’t go far to even things up. It’s plainly not for everyone.
I must be a monumental fool for getting one, in that case! A happy, completely satisfied fool, but still. ;)
I very nearly bought a Surface Pro (and also looked hard at the 2 and 3) simply because it supports a real pen (with pressure sensitivity, palm-rejection, etc.) something neither the iPad nor any other Android or Windows tablet device seems to match. (I think Sony may have a stupidly expensive option.)
But the thing that put me off (aside from the expense — effectively $2100 for the configuration I’d pick) was the type cover — it’s a terrible keyboard (worse than typing on glass) and an even worse trackpad. The latest iteration is a slight improvement, but still quite poor. I guess if I just used it as a tablet or in combination with a real keyboard and mouse it would be fine, but it kinds of defeats the “it’s like a tablet AND a laptop rolled into one” line that Microsoft is trying to push (and $2100 is a lot for a one trick pony). So, it’s a really good windows tablet (which is great for graphics, but not much else), and a mediocre laptop.
Finally, comparing the MBP13″ to the Surface Pro 3 and suggesting prices are similar for a given specification is simply wrong. The top SP3 is 1.7GHz for $1950 not including a keyboard. The MBP13 at $1800 (including keyboard) is 2.8GHz (maxing at 3.3). The MBP also has Intel Iris graphics (faster than the fastest graphics option on the Surface Pro) across the entire product line — I suspect an entry level MBP13″ would crush a maxed out Surface Pro 3 performance-wise, especially on graphics intensive tasks.
And $1300 for a 2.5GHz MBP13″ + $700 for a 128GB iPad Air 2 is less than the cost of a Surface Pro 3.
I ended up buying a 19″ Yiynova tablet/display for about $600.
Tonio, the first keyboard for Surface was terrible, I totally agree with you on that! I could never get used to typing on a plain surface, because I have no idea whether I pressed a key or not. However, the new Type cover for Surface Pro 3 is just like a regular keyboard in terms of feel. I wish MS bundled it with the Surface, because it is a must-have for any serious work.
Now in terms of price and value, if one needs performance, the MacBook Pro obviously beats Surface 3 in speed. However, you are comparing a real laptop to a hybrid tablet/laptop. MacBook Pro is much heavier, thicker and the keyboard is not detachable. In my opinion, the Surface Pro 3 should be compared to MacBook Air or iPad instead. And it clearly outshines those in every way…
No question the Surface Pro is a great tablet, looks lovely, is well-made, and has a far nicer display than the Macbook Air. It also crushes the iPad as an artist’s tablet, except for being heavier, more expensive, less versatile, and having poorer battery life. But it’s a kind of a one-trick pony and expensive for what you get. Back at my office a bunch of Surface Pros appeared when they first came out, and then over the next few months later they slowly disappeared. All the folks with iPads, MacBook Airs, and MBPs are still using them.
Tonio,
as I mentioned in the article a few times, the MacBook Pro actually offers more bang for your buck. It’s a compromise in portability, the Surface is a compromise in performance. Depends on what you need more. For me, I have a PC that delivers enough performance, so the portability was the top priority (with still reasonable performance). Otherwise, I would have happily chosen the MacBook. Different strengths, you see. :)
As for the keyboard, I find the current Type Cover very comfortable. Then again, it is a very subjective thing. But it’s a real pleasure to type with for me.
Yes I agree with what you’ve said here, including the fact that keyboards are subjective, but in your conclusion you said:
“And while you can spec [a Macbook Air] similarly to Surface with powerful processors and lots of RAM memory (and end up with a similar price).”
Given that you have a desktop PC, a huge point in favor of the Surface Pro is that you can use the same software (and enjoy seamless file-sharing, etc.). If I were in your situation, I think the Surface Pro 3 would be a non-brainer! (Heck, you can always just use a different keyboard.)
This discussion actually makes me reconsider getting a less highly-specced SP3. (The i7 is a pretty terrible deal, while the i5 is quite attractive.) One interesting attraction for me is that my kids wouldn’t want to use it (whereas they hardly let me touch my iPad).
I really enjoyed the article. The Surface is unique as a tablet in that it runs the full OS. I also like it for it’s versatility in that respect because the iPad’s walled garden can be stifling.
I am in love with my MacBook Air. Intel i7, 512GB SSD, 8 GB ram. I hook it up to a Thunderbolt monitor for ‘real’ work but can pop it off and carry it away when I leave. I can do my Adobe Suite work as a laptop but it takes some scrolling to get the job done. I always have the files I need and now that I am used to the drastic change in screen size between the native screen and Thunderbolt screen I find it extremely productive. I don’t need a kickstand as the screen tilts to where I want. I prefer a mouse to the trackpad but it’s fine in a pinch. Keyboard is always there.
The big thing for me is I’m old (school) and prefer the mouse/keyboard interface all of the time. My next laptop, though, will probably be a Retina MacBook Pro unless there is a Retina Air when that time comes.
I also prefer an OFV on my cameras. I just can’t get past the camcorder feel when using a mirrorless. Others may have a different opinion. I just love a nice optical view via mirror. But, this is a new subject!
Thanks again for the review, Romanas.
good review,
I’m looking forward to seeing updates on battery life using Photo edititing software and on the use of the pen.
These information would make this review a killer review for photographers