Microsoft addresses the laptop/tablet conflict with the Surface Pro 3

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Aiming to release the tablet that can (fully replace) your laptop, Microsoft launched the Surface Pro 3 at an event in New York today. The third generation Surface Pro 3 which is notably thinner than its predecessors at 9.1mm thick and which offers variable kickstand angles. Throughout the livestreamed event, Microsoft's Panos Panay kept mentioning the MacBook Air, Apple's ultraportable notebook, which has been the blueprint for the Ultrabook line of Windows powered devices, which the new Surface is being geared to replace.

A departure from previous 10-inch Surface tablets, the Surface Pro 3 is a 12-inch tablet, thinner than the MacBook Air. The Surface products currently have 1.8 per cent of the tablet market which is still dominated by the iPad in education and enterprise. Adobe's Photoshop has apparently been optimized for touch and is said to work well on the new Surface Pro 3. The articulating kickstand, a Surface feature from the start, is now designed for use on laps, which was one of the biggest issues with all earlier Surface devices.

As for pricing, the Surface Pro 3 will start at US $799 for the weakest Intel Core i3 model with 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM this does not include the Surface Pro Type Cover which is an additional US $129 , the 11-inch MacBook Air which this Surface Pro 3 is trying to compete with, starts at US $899 but this has 128GB of SSD storage an Intel Core i5 processor and comes attached to the keyboard.

So, while the Surface Pro 3 is definitely more attractive than other hybrid devices, and Microsoft has certainly listened to what users want, the formula of offering the (very necessary) Type Cover as an option will confound buyers and add to the cost of the device. The Surface Pro 3 boast nine hours of battery life, the smallest MacBook Air promises the same.

Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro Type Cover and Surface Pen will be available for pre-order  in the US starting May 21 at 12:01 a.m. EDT through Microsoftstore.com, Microsoft retail stores and select third-party retailers. Commercial customers should speak to their authorized reseller.

Beginning June 20 in Canada and the United States, customers can visit Microsoftstore.com, Microsoft retail stores, select third-party retailers and commercial resellers to purchase Intel® Core™ i5 Surface Pro 3 and select accessories. Additional configurations will become available during August, and additional accessories will be available in the next few months. 

So, after six years, Microsoft finally says it has the answer to the MacBook Air. While the Surface Pro 3 does offer the niceties of multi-touch tablet computing plus a new and improved stylus, it will be interesting to see how many notebook users will finally shift away to this hybrid device.