Yesterday, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) unveiled the new generation Surface Pro tablet. The new Surface Pro 3 is a large 12.1-inch Windows tablet that aims to build on the success of the Surface Pro 2. With this new device, Microsoft is combining a tablet with a laptop
It was rumored that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) would unveil a smaller Surface model, but it seems that the company will not release a smaller device and instead has launched a larger Surface Pro model. For those who’re eager to get their hands on the new tablet, pre-orders start from Wednesday, May 21, and the Redmond-based company claims it is a “tablet that can replace your laptop.” Let’s compare the Surface Pro 2 with the newSurface Pro 3.
Screen
The new Surface Pro 3’s screen is much larger than its predecessor. It has a 12.1-inch screen compared to the Pro 2’s 10.6-inch screen.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) changed the previous 16:9 aspect ratio and instead opted for a 3:2 aspect ratio. This means that you’ll get a 38% increase in screen real estate area compared to the Surface Pro 2.
Surface Pro 3 also packs in 2160 x 1440 pixels compared to the Pro 2’s 1920 x 1080 resolution, which Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) calls a “pixel-free” display with the highest contrast ratio in the industry.
Processing power
Surface Pro 3 is also significantly more powerful than the Pro 2. For a multi-purpose tablet, just like Android or iPad, processing power is always important. However, don’t expect a significant improvement in the Pro 3’s performance compared to the Pro 2.
The reason behind this is that the older Surface Pro 2 already uses Intel’s Haswell processors, which are the latest processors avaialble. The Surface Pro 3 also uses the same generation of processors, so performance improvements are likely to be incremental.
Last year’s Surface Pro 2 came with a fourth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, whereas the Pro 3 will be available in Core i3, i5 and i7 models to suit a variety of budget.
Battery life
In most cases, better performance means less battery life. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), however, claims that the Surface Pro 3 manages to squeeze out more than 20% greater battery life compared to previous models.
The Surface Pro 2 runs for approx. seven hours under normal use, while the newer Surface Pro 3 runs up to nine hours.
Design
Microsoft, much like Apple, has managed to make the Surface Pro 3 thinner than its predecessor. The Surface Pro 3 is 9.1 millimeters thick, while the Surface Pro 2 was 13.46 millimeters thick.
In fact, the Surface Pro 3 is 30% thinner than Apple’s 11-inch MacBook Air model.
Microsoft has also managed to make the Pro 3 a light-weight device, even though it has a larger screen. The Surface Pro 3 weighs in at only 800 g, compared to the Pro 2 which weighs 907 g.
Overall, the Surface Pro 3 is an improvement on the Surface 2, but more of a gradual improvement than a major improvement. So what are your thoughts on the new Surface Pro 3? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
