Microsoft's Surface event in NYC today revealed the Surface Pro 3, Microsoft's answer to consumers feeling the need to carry or own both a laptop and a tablet when work has to be completed.
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That was arguably one of the main goals of the original Surface already, but Microsoft notes that tablets have not replaced computers as expected, and believes the Surface Pro 3 will be the solution. That may be an admission that the first two Surface devices failed in that objective, but the changes made are meant to address some of the main issues with using the device as a laptop.
Microsoft's Panos Panay revealed the new device, which is thinner and lighter than its predecessor despite boasting a larger 12inch screen. He pointedly compared it to Apple's Macbook Air, which weighed down the scale when matched with the Pro 3.
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According to Panay, nothing is compromised by the thinner and lighter device. The battery life is purportedly better than the Surface Pro 2's, and the fan is made to be quieter and more efficient than before. He promises it will remain cool and barely audible (if at all), and you won't feel the air leaving the device. New front-facing speakers are 40 percent louder than what they've shipped before, and are said to be best in class.
The stand is entirely reworked as well, featuring a full friction hinge with a full range of motion that can reach a nearly-flat maximum 150 degrees. This will help achieve what Panay called "lapability", which is of course the capacity to use a device on your lap. That's inarguably a major weakness of typing on a tablet or Surface compared to the experience on the aptly named laptop, but the fully adjustable angle of the Pro 3 is meant to rival that ease-of-use.
The new type cover can latch onto the Surface in a new way, which Panay says is a small innovation that makes a big difference to the experience of using the device on your lap. The keyboard folds up at its hinge and magnetically attaches to the display, which increases stability by leaning on the device rather than your legs. 96 percent of people who have an iPad also have a laptop, Microsoft claimed, and the adjustable stand combined with the new keyboard are meant to be an essential part of the Pro 3 becoming a viable laptop replacement.
A newly designed pen with more accurate pressure and pointing (parallax technology has been removed, leading to "best in industry" accuracy). Clicking the pen can turn on the screen for note-taking in OneNote, and clicking again will instantly send the notes to the cloud for access on all other devices.
A new Surface-optimized version of Photoshop was shown off by an Adobe employee as well, which features a lot more touch-based options. Feedback was generally positive for Photoshop on the device before, but more touch interaction was the most popular request from users.
Exact specs for the Surface Pro 3 will be forthcoming, and it will be available for pre-order tomorrow starting at $799 and will come in core i3, i5, and i7 processing configurations.
Though I initially questioned upon the reveal if the Pro 3 was different enough from its predecessors to achieve the goals Microsoft was attempting to reach, the changes and new features do look like they may make a difference. It will be interesting to see if hands-on experiences validate Microsoft's planning and apparently belief in the product to be the laptop replacement the first two devices were billed as.
