Quick overview:
The Surface Pro 3 tested by the trade press: Microsoft's third tablet generation has now been diligently tested by many editorial teams. On the product page, the latest version is even compared with Apple's Macbook Air. Is the Surface Pro 3 - as advertised by the manufacturer - a 12-inch all-rounder that can even replace ultrabooks? For whom is it worth buying? Four tests at a glance.
Testing the Surface Pro 3 - the Apple comparison
The 12-inch display of the Surface Pro 3 has a pixel density of 2160 x 1440 pixels and is advertised by Microsoft under the keyword "pixelfree", which is of course intended to describe the effect of the high resolution on the human eye and is by no means to be understood as a technical term.
The editors of "Network world" comes to the conclusion in its Surface Pro 3 test that this technology does not have to hide behind the Retina technology used in Apple devices. According to Netzwelt, the screen of the Surface Pro 3 is even superior to the iPad displays in the test.
This result is followed by "Computer Bild" However, their testers point out annoying reflections that can occur not only in bright daylight, but also from ceiling lights or similar light sources. The performance provided by Intel Haswell processors has also been positively noted in every test of the Surface Pro 3. How the Surface Pro 3 compared to the iPad Air we have already summarized elsewhere.
Battery test - Surface Pro 3 runs well, not record-breaking
However, Netzwelt was disappointed by the battery performance, which was only sufficient for six hours of normal use of the Surface Pro 3 in the test. According to the Surface Pro 3 test by "Notebookcheck" the user can easily get through a whole day with the appropriate settings, especially by turning down the display brightness.
The "Handelsblatt" points out the very limited connectivity options in a detailed review of the Surface Pro 3. In addition to the miniDisplayPort for an external monitor and a microSD slot, there is only one USB slot available. The testers were particularly annoyed by the lack of an Ethernet port, which could be a problem in conference rooms with poor Wi-Fi. Although Microsoft has already announced an Ethernet-USB adapter as an accessory, this will occupy the only available USB slot.
All testers agree that the Surface Pro 3 only shows its full strength in combination with the separately available Pro Type Cover keyboard.
Who should buy the Surface Pro 3?
With its current generation of tablets, Microsoft is addressing the very specific target group of business users. For private use and occasional surfing or watching videos, the device is not only likely to be oversized in terms of performance, but above all too expensive.
The cheapest of the three variants costs 800 euros, but only has 64 GB of internal memory, 16 GB of which is already occupied by the operating system. The most expensive variant costs a whopping 2,000 euros, without the very useful Pro Type Cover keyboard, mind you.
However, the Surface Pro 3 test overview shows that if you want to use the Microsoft device productively and are looking for a hybrid between a tablet and an ultrabook, there is currently hardly a better alternative.
Photo above: Microsoft Corporation
On Windows Tweaks you will find time-saving tech guides for PC, software & Microsoft. For a stress-free digital everyday life. Already we have been "tweaking" Windows since 1998 and just won't stop!
