Microsoft showed off its new tablet, the Surface Pro 3, at a press show yesterday in New York.
The Surface Pro 3 is reported as offering a 12” screen with a 2160×1440 resolution. It’s 9.1mm thick and weighs just 800 grams. Speakers have been tinkered with, resulting in a device that’s 45% louder than previous iterations.
The main innovation, though, is the new “full friction” multi-position kickstand and Type Cover offering more comfortable positions to rest the tablet at. The kickstand has three different positions including a 150° “canvas mode”, while the Type Cover magnetically attaches to the screen, making it sturdier and more adjustable than before. Add in a larger trackpad and Microsoft is touting it as, “The tablet that can replace your laptop.”
The Surface Pro 3 is on sale in North America from June 20, with a worldwide roll-out tagged to be completed by August. American prices put the machine at $799 for an entry-level Intel Core i3 version with 64GB SSD and 4GB of RAM, with a Core i5 unit with 8GB and a 256GB SSD costing $1,299. A Core i7/512GB upgrade costs $1,949. Accessories include a new $130 Type Cover, a $200 docking station and a $40 Ethernet adaptor.
Full stats ACTIVATE:
- CPU: Core i5-4300U (1.6GHz, turbo up to 2.9GHz) with Intel HD 4400 (Core i3 and i7 options also available)
- Display: 12-inch ClearType Full HD Display, 2160×1440, 3:2 aspect ratio
- Storage: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB SSDs
- Dimensions: 201.4mm x 292.1mm x 9.1mm
- Weight: 800g
- Ports: Full-size USB 3.0, microSD card reader, headset jack, mini DisplayPort, cover port, charging port
- Cameras/AV: 5mp/1080p HD front and rear-facing cameras, built-in front and rear-facing microphones, stereo speakers with Dolby Audio-enhanced sound
- Sensors: Ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer
- Wireless: WiFi 802.11ac/802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
- Power Supply: 36W, including 5W USB for accessory charging