Third time's the charm with
Microsoft's Surface
By Michael Lasky
Is
the Surface tablet best platform for Windows 8? Or is Win8.1 the ideal platform
for a powerful and fully functional tablet?
This
chicken-or-egg question came to mind while I was reviewing the new Surface 3
and Surface Pro 3. And the answer to both questions is — yes!
On the third try, MS gets its tablet right
Anyone who has
worked with Microsoft products for a long time knows the old saw: It takes the
company three tries to get it right. That would certainly seem to apply to the
Surface tablets, which got off to a very slow and rough start. If you still own
an original Surface, my condolences.
The
second-generation Surface tablets were an improvement but still failed to gain
widespread acceptance. But on its third try, Microsoft might have finally
gotten a Windows-based tablet right. The Surface 3 and Surface Pro 3 still have
a few glitches, but they should please many Windows users. I found both devices
to be fluid and functional — and I say that as an unrepentant Windows 8 critic
of long standing.
Microsoft
boasts that the third-generation Surface is "the tablet that can replace
your laptop." Both models make excellent tablets, but replacing a notebook
is a harder sell — especially the Surface 3, which has only a 10.8-inch HD
display and a maximum storage of 128GB. The Surface Pro 3 sports a 12-inch HD
display and up to 512GB of storage.
Starting
prices for the Surface 3 are U.S. $499, and $799 for the Pro version. But a
laptop replacement needs a physical keyboard. Adding Microsoft's optional
Surface 3 Type Cover, which doubles as a keyboard and screen protector, will
set you back another $129.
Figure
1. Using either model of the Surface 3 as a laptop replacement requires
purchasing an optional keyboard.
One important
note: Surface 3 effectively marks the end of Windows RT, the much-maligned OS
that would not run classic Windows apps — causing no end of confusion for
Windows-tablet buyers. The Surface 3 and Surface 3 Pro come with full editions
of Windows 8.1. They'll also run Windows 10 (no surprise there) when it's
released in late July. Previews of the new OS suggest that you'll get an even
better tablet/laptop experience once you upgrade.
Surface as tablet: More than iPad with Windows
It could be
argued that the overwhelming — and largely unexpected — success of Apple's iPad
drove Microsoft's ill-fated development and release of Windows 8 — an OS that
clearly had the touch-centric environment of a tablet in mind. But Microsoft
made two strategic errors: it assumed that a tablet interface would be easily
and willingly adopted on the desktop and that tablet hardware to compete with
the iPad could be quickly developed.
Desktop users
who tried Win8.1 rebelled en masse, and potential tablet users were unimpressed
with the first-generation Surface devices — likely in large part due to a lack
of quality Metro apps.
Microsoft
obviously learned some hard lessons; the Surface 3 and Surface Pro 3 are
designed to be used primarily as tablets with no compromises. The Surface 3
weighs in at just 1.4 pounds, and the Pro 3 is just a few ounces more (1.8
pounds). Attaching the keyboard/cover adds, surprisingly, about another pound.
The Surface 3s
are better equipped than most tablets. They support all current versions of
Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 4.0, and USB 3.0. Ports include a microSD slot,
one USB port, Mini DisplayPort, and keyboard port.
Both models
have excellent displays, both for static screens and video playback. The
Surface 3's 10.8-inch screen supports 1920-by-1280-pixel resolution, while the
Pro 3's 12-inch display generates a generous 2160 by 1440 pixels.
The Surface 3s
include front and back cameras, but whereas both cameras on the Pro 3 are 5
megapixels, the more basic Surface 3 has a 3.5-megapixel camera on the front
and an 8-megapixel camera on the back. Both models have microphones, but the
Pro 3's is stereo. I took pleasing photos and videos with the two tablets; I
also made Skype calls using the built-in microphones. The Dolby-enhanced stereo
speakers produced unexceptional sound but were certainly adequate for Skype. If
you're using Skype for listening to music often, I recommend investing in some
high-quality headphones or Bluetooth speakers.
Microsoft
states that the two tablets should get about nine to 10 hours of use on a full
charge. In my informal tests running video, browsing the Web, using Office, and
so on, the Surface 3 lasted about eight hours and the Pro a bit less. With
continuous video playback, it was more like four or five hours.
As mentioned
above, both Surfaces run full versions of Windows, which means you can install
and use almost any Windows-based application. But you still have the issue of
the operating system's split personality.
As was
originally envisioned by Microsoft, Win8.1 Metro-style tiles are well suited to
finger-based navigation. They're designed to be easily opened with a tap and
managed with gestures. Unfortunately, the selection of useful Metro/Universal
apps still leaves much to be desired. And trying to use touch-and-swipe for
classic Windows apps — designed for mouse and keyboard — is still vexing.
Microsoft's
apparent solution to that problem is the Surface Pen, included with all but the
base model Surface 3 (where it's $50 extra). The Pen is a Bluetooth-enabled
digitizer that recognizes 256 pressure levels and works both as an input device
and pointer. Its small tip makes tapping the small icons of classic Windows
apps much easier than with fingers. You can also use it like a ballpoint pen to
create, mark up, and edit documents. The one flaw is that there's no pen holder
on the tablet, though there is one on the optional keyboard/cover.
Working with
Office apps in tablet mode is also somewhat problematic — mostly due to the
intrusiveness of the on-screen keyboard. If you plan to do more than minor
edits to Office documents, you'll want to purchase the Surface 3 Type Cover or
a third-party Bluetooth keyboard. (Unlike a Bluetooth keyboard, the Surface
keyboard/cover works only when it's attached to the tablet.) When in use, the
keyboard has a slight angle that makes typing a bit more comfortable. Also, the
tablet's kickstand lets you choose a comfortable display angle. I found the
keyboard generally agreeable to use, though the built-in touchpad seemed too
shallow for full effectiveness.
Surface as laptop: Ultrathin and light
Typically, the
need for a laptop means you're doing some sort of productivity task. For this
type of application, a keyboard is a virtual requirement — but so is a good
suite of apps. Both the Surface 3 and the Pro 3 include a one-year subscription
to Office 365 Personal. That includes full versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint,
and Outlook plus at least 1TB of online OneDrive storage for one user (along
with free phone/chat technical support).
Equipped with
solid-state memory, the two Surface 3s boot up in seconds and switch between
apps in a flash. However, the Surface 3, running a 1.6GHz Atom x7 processor,
was noticeably slower than the Pro 3 running an Intel Core (i3, i5, or i7)
processor. Still, the Surface 3 proved up to most tasks such as Web browsing, running
Office, and viewing videos. (While watching movies, I did notice that the
Surface's metal case became noticeably hot. I solved that problem by popping
out the kickstand and resting the tablet on something other than myself. Some
users of the Pro 3 report noticeable fan noise in some instances.)
On a tablet
with a super-slender chassis, a standard USB port is a luxury. But on a laptop
replacement, one USB port can present a quandary solved only by adding a
multiport hub. Adding the VisionTek USB 3.0 Seven Port Hub I reviewed in the
Oct. 23, 2014, Best Hardware column
allowed me to connect a USB external drive, a mouse, and a printer. Microsoft
also offers an optional docking station for $200; it includes two USB 3.0
ports, two USB 2.0 ports, a gigabit Ethernet port, an audio input/output
connection, a Mini DisplayPort, and power supply input.
Bottom line:
If you're looking for a laptop alternative, go with the Surface Pro 3. In my
tests, it had the power to handle all the apps I used on my bulky Win7 laptop;
moreover, the 12-inch screen also provides more desktop real estate than does the
Surface 3.
Still paying a premium for ultra-portability
As mentioned
earlier, you can purchase a Surface 3 for $500. But the keyboard/cover adds
another $129, plus $50 for a pen. You're now up to $680. That's more than a
low-end iPad — even adding a Bluetooth keyboard and free Office apps. It's more
than many inexpensive, traditional laptops.
The Surface
Pro 3 starts at $799, but the top-end model, with 512GB of storage and an Intel
Core i7, will set you back a whopping $1949 — and you still need to add another
$129 for the keyboard. Even some of the bundled packages offered by vendors
such as Costco seem overpriced. At least for the Surface Pro 3, I think
Microsoft should include the keyboard with the current prices.
That said, the
Surface 3 and Pro 3 offer the best and most convincing implementations of
Windows 8.1. And they should be even better with Windows 10. If you're looking
for a simple tablet, mostly for entertainment, look for an iPad or Android
tablet. If you want to get real work done on a truly flexible and mobile
device, the Surface should fit your needs. Portability and power have never
been cheap.
