Surface 3 introduced by Microsoft; pre-orders start today

Microsoft struck paydirt at last when it released the Surface Pro 3. The tablet that can replace your laptop (according to the manufacturer) was named one of Time magazine's top 25 inventions of 2014. Feeling confident, Microsoft announced today that it is making the popular features found in the Surface Pro 3 available to many more people by introducing the Microsoft Surface 3.

The Surface 3 will offer users the full Office experience and "a pen experience that really sets Surface apart." There will be two models, one that features Wi-Fi connectivity and another that supports 4G LTE. Both versions of the Surface 3 run full Windows and provide desktop apps. With a starting price of $499, the tablet comes with one year of Office 365 Personal so that you can use the Surface 3 to its fullest potential right out of the box. That means full versions of  Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote are pre-loaded, and those purchasing the slate receive 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage. A microSD slot is available for those who need to expand the amount of storage on the tablet.

The Microsoft Surface 3 comes with a 10.8-inch 1920 x 1280 resolution screen, and keeps the 3:2 aspect ratio found on the Surface Pro 3. Powering the slate is a quad-core Intel Atom x7 processor. The tablet comes with a rear-facing 8MP camera and a front-facing 3.5MP snapper. Microsoft says that the battery will run for 10 hours between charges and the included USB 3.0 charging port allows you to use your phone's charger if you can't find the 13W charger that comes with the slate. Windows 8.1 is pre-installed and Windows Pro is available for businesses. When Windows 10 is launched, the Surface 3 will be upgraded for free.

Accessories like the Surface Type Cover will be available to turn the Surface into a laptop. The Surface 3 Docking Station allows you to connect an HD monitor, mouse and printer to the tablet. The Pen that is offered separately is the same one used on the Surface Pro 3, and is available in silver, blue, red and black.

The Surface 3 is not only for personal use and companies like Prada and BASF have decided to purchase it for employees. Speaking about purchasing the tablet, pre-orders begin today at Microsoft Stores, microsoftstore.com and certain retailers. The device launches on May 5th and will be found in 26 markets by May 7th. If you want to test drive the tablet, you can do so starting April 1st at your nearest Microsoft Store.


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source: Microsoft