Size, Dimensions, Display
Microsoft has claimed that the Surface Pro 3 is a true replacement for a laptop; so let’s see how it compares with the Surface Pro 2. Both the tablets have the same design, but the Surface Pro 3 is slimmer t 9.1 mm compared to the Pro 2, which is 13.5 mm in thickness. The Surface Pro 3 is a larger tablet at 292 x 201 mm, whereas the dimensions of the Surface Pro 2 are 275 x 173 mm. The new Surface Pro 3 is also lighter at 700g, compared to the 800g of the Pro 2. Both the devices have a chassis made of magnesium and have a machine finish. However, the new Surface Pro 3 comes in silver, compared to the dark titanium finish of the Pro 2.
The Surface Pro 3 comes with a 12 inches screen and a resolution of 1260 x 1440 p. This means that it offers nearly 40% of the screen area of the Surface Pro 2 with 50% more pixels. The aspect ratio of the Surface Pro 3 is also improved. The Pro 2 comes with the television style 16:9 ratio, whereas the Pro 3 comes with a 3:2 ratio, almost similar to an A4 paper sheet, making the tablet more personal. This makes it possible to display more than one application on the screen at a time with the full Windows 8.1 version run on the Pro 3.
Improved Features in Pro 3
The new Surface Pen also can be used to better advantage with the new display assemble, which is thinner in the Pro 3. This affords a better pen on paper feel, due to the absence of a thick glass piece separating the stylus from the pixels on the screen. The new screen in the Pro 3 has a higher contrast ratio as well, reducing eye strain.
One important improvement in the Surface Pro 3 is in the kickstand. The kickstand is no longer limited up to only two positions, as the new tablet comes with a new friction hinge allowing it to open up to the regular 22 degrees. In addition, it can hold the device at any angle, up to a maximum of 150 degrees, which is known as the canvas mode.
The Surface Pro 3 is bigger and comes with a new Type Cover, which is 68% bigger than the Type Cover of the Pro 2. It is also smoother than the cover of the Pro 2. The Type Cover of the Pro 3 is 295g, adding a thickness of 4.8 mm to the tablet. There is also a small change in the design of the Pro 3, with an additional hinge that can be flipped up at the back edge of the tablet’s keyboard against the bezel of the screen. This offers better rigidity and more stability with magnets holding it in place.
Performance and Hardware Specs
The Surface Pro 2 comes with a Haswell Core i5 processor, whereas the Pro 3 offers a choice from the 4th gen chips, namely: i3, i5 and the i7. Both the devices are run on the Intel HD Graphics 4400, an integrated GPU.
Camera and Connectivity
The Pro 3 comes with an upgraded camera, with 5 MP snappers for front and back photography, capable of video recording at 1080p. The Pro 2 comes with two cameras of 720p resolution. Both the tablets have a USB 3 port along with a microSD card reader. They also come with connectivity options of Bluetooth 4.0 LE, but the Pro 3 has an upgraded Wi Fi with 802.11 ac, which is also compatible with 802.11 a/b/g/n.
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