What's Up With the Surface Pro 3?

Uh oh. Here comes Windows' latest attempt at outwitting their rivals in the tablet department. The Surface Pro 3 is said to be so amazing you won't need your computer anymore. With Samsung and Apple dominating the tablet market, the Surface Pro 3 is Microsoft's answer to this stiff competition. So how does the Surface Pro 3 hold up?

The Surface Pro 3 advertises as "the tablet that can replace your laptop." Claiming to have all of the power of a laptop packed into a lightweight package. The Surface Pro 3 certainly has a lot of potential. With a stunning 12" display and the ability to install Microsoft Office Suite it has mass appeal. The Surface Pro 3's integrated kickstand allows you to position the device in a number of ways, allowing you to work freely in a number of enviornments.

It features an Intel INTC Core i5-4300U processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB solid-state drive. The Surface Pro 3 has an expected retail price is $1299. That does seem like a lot, but there are two more affordable options and two higher-priced ones. These prices range from $799 up to $1949. There have been a few hands on reviews floating around the Internet, and the response isn't that bad!

Marco Chiappetta of Forbes.com boasts that there is "no learning curve whatsoever." So, if you're an avid Windows user, picking up one of these bad boys won't be so hard. The Surface Pro 3's processor overshadows any ARM-based mobile device because it performs more like a high-end ultrabook. It's also the thinnest and lightest Core-based mobile device on the market. Weighing only 1.7 pounds, this tablet is certainly lighter than it's predecessors.

The Surface Pro 3's display has a 2,160 x 1,440 resolution. Which makes watching Netflix on this baby really awesome. The battery can last up to 10 hours, and Napier Lopez of nextweb.com streamed a 4K video on YouTube without any dropped frames.

Probably the most valuable accessory to the Surface Pro 3 is the type cover. Unfortunately, this does not come with your new tablet but comes with the added price tag of $130. The keyboard cover snaps into the Surface Pro 3's miracle hinge, and turns this extraordinary tablet into a credible laptop replacement. Microsoft has even been bold enough to say that the Surface Pro 3 is comparable to Apple's MacBook Air.

So how does this tablet hold up compared to it's competitors? Well, there are a few complaints when it comes to the Surface Pro 3. For one thing, it's very expensive. Because the Surface Pro 3 is packed with so much processing power, it is priced very competitively. Don't be surprised if you find yourself spending $1500 for all the bells and whistles. Macro Chiappetta explains, "$130 for the Type Cover is tough to justify when you can find high-end mechanical keyboards for under $100. And $200 for a docking station that'll little more than a stand and glorified port extender / USB hub is pretty pricey."

It's not just the price that has people a little perturbed. Pete Pachal of Mashable claims the Surface Pro 3 fails to, "deliver a tablet experience. While it's certainly a capable machine hardware-wise, it's Windows 8.1 that often lets you down." Ouch. That's gotta sting.

There's only one way to find out if the Surface Pro 3 lives up to all that hype pick one up and find out. The Surface Pro 3 is available for preorder now, and is set to hit the back of UPS trucks on August 31^st. So reach deep into your pockets and take a chance on a piece of technology that will probably be obsolete in 6 months.