Microsoft's aim is true

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is the sleek and powerful tablet computer that the US firm hopes will replace notebook computers for students and working people on the go.

And I think Microsoft could achieve that ambition – provided that people are also willing to buy the Surface Pro Type Cover, a magnetic snap-in keyboard that turns the tablet into a notebook.

There are several Surface Pro 3 models, varying in processor, working memory and storage. I got to try the one powered by a fast fourth-generation Intel Core i5-4300 processor running at 1.9GHz. It comes with eight gigabytes of RAM and 256GB of internal flash storage.

Surface Pro 3 looks really slick, only 9.1mm thick not counting the keyboard cover. The silvery magnesium casing in 3:2 aspect ratio is comfortably held in one hand. The weight – just 800 grams without the keyboard – makes this device highly portable.

The 12-inch screen is high definition at 2160x1440 pixels, great for watching HD movies, viewing photos and reading ebooks.

Surface Pro 3 runs on Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro and also packed Microsoft Office 2013, the popular suite of business applications that includes Excel 2003, PowerPoint 2013 and Word 2013, none of which comes cheap when sold separately.

With Office 2013 and an optional keyboard, you can easily use Surface Pro 3 as a notebook computer. To enhance that ability, you get a full-size USB 3.0 port and a microSD card reader. There’s also a Mini DisplayPort for connecting to an external monitor (though you’d also need to buy a Mini DisplayPort adapter and cable). The port and card reader let you to copy files to and from a computer conveniently, and the card reader will add extra storage, up to 128GB.

You have a kickstand built into the back cover that offers all sorts of positioning options, placing the Surface Pro wherever is most comfortable for you.

And Surface Pro 3 comes with improved cameras. Both the front-facing and rear-facing cameras can record 1,080p video and take five-megapixel photos, both performing well in low light. The HD video cameras allow you to make Skype call of good quality.

There is improved audio performance as well, with dual microphones pointing foward and backward, plus noise cancellation for better-quality Skype calls. The front-facing stereo speakers are loud and clear with Dolby Audio-enhanced sound.

One of the other top selling points is Surface Pen, a stylus powered by N-trig that can be used with the OneNote app to emulate a truly natural writing experience on the tablet, with 256 levels of pressure sensitivity. Whatever you write is automatically saved as well. 

The battery life is solid. With one full charge you can browse the Web for about nine hours.

During my test I was genuinely impressed by the way Surface 3 Pro performed. The multi-point touch screen was very responsive and screen scrolling was very fast and smooth.

Web pages were rendered beautifully and quickly, as did YouTube videos.

Microsoft Office, like Word 2013, was speedy and typing on the keyboard was a breeze. Interaction with the apps, using either the touch screen or the touchpad on the keyboard, was effortless.

The music I channelled through Surface 3 Pro was fine in quality. I tried it with my Sony MDR-EX1000 in-ear headphones.

Games played fast on the tablet too. I tried out Microsoft Pinball FX and Dungeon Hunter 4 and the action was quick and clean, with no performance hiccups.

Using the stylus pen with the OneNote app was downright enjoyable, an amazingly fast way to jot down notes.

Surface 3 Pro took only seven seconds to start up and show the log-on screen and, once logged on, another two seconds to bring up the Window tiles. Shutting down took a mere five seconds.

Surface 3 Pro is available in five models with different CPUs, RAM and storage. Intel Core i3 with 64GB and 4GB of RAM is Bt29,500; i5 with 128GB and 4GB of RAM Bt35,500; i5 with 256GB and 8GB of RAM Bt44,500; i7 with 256GB and 8GB of RAM Bt53,900; and i7 with 512GB and 8GB of RAM Bt69,900.

 

 

KEY SPECS

 

Operating system: Windows 8.1 Pro 

CPU: Fourth-generation Intel Core i3/i5/i7 Processor

System memory: 4GB or 8GB options

Storage: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

Display screen: 12-inch ClearType Full HD multi-touch display with 2160x1440 pixels in 3:2 aspect ratio

Pen input: Pen with 256 levels of pressure sensitivity

Wireless: Wi-Fi 802.11ac/802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 low-energy technology

Battery: Up to nine hours per charge

Cameras and A/V: 5MP and 1080p HD front- and rear-facing cameras; built-in front- and rear-facing microphones; stereo speakers with Dolby Audio-enhanced sound

Ports: Full-size USB 3.0, microSD card reader, headset jack, display mini-port, cover port, charging port

Sensors: Ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer

Power supply: 36W (including 5W USB for accessory charging)

Dimensions: 292.1x201.4x9.1mm

Weight: 800g