Microsoft released a stronger, faster and lighter Surface Pro 3, just a few months after the release of Surface Pro 2.
The Pro 2 is dubbed as ‘the one that has got it all’ and the Pro 3 comes with the tagline ‘the tablet that can replace your laptop’. The Pro 2 was the first product from Microsoft that initialized the notion of putting a tablet and a laptop together in a single device. However, there have been various attempts made by the company to design something in between. Eventually, the company amalgamated power, connectivity, input and portability into Pro 2’s hardware design.
Let us compare the latest features and specs of the Pro 3 to that of the Pro 2 device.
Desktop Apps
Both these tablets from Microsoft run full Windows, inclusive of the desktop apps. The Windows RT-running Surface 2 and Surface RT would pass over the desktop and lock you into the Windows Store. However, Microsoft did not reveal much about RT-running devices.
Size
Comparing the two devices in the landscape mode, the Pro 3 stands approximately 16% taller and 6% wider than surface Pro 2 tablet. The Pro 3 is also 13% thicker at 9.1mm in comparison to the 13.1mm thickness of the Pro 2 tablet.
Build
There are no changes in this department. Both the devices come with a magnesium body.
Colors
The Pro 2 tablet is available in black color in comparison to the silver color option of the Pro 3 tablet.
Display
The 12 inch screen of Pro 3 is approximately 38% bigger than the 10.6 inches of the Pro 2 tablet. The Pro 3 tablet also has an enhanced 3:2 aspect ratio, making it work better than the 16:9 aspect ratio of its predecessor, the Pro 2 tablet. Regardless, the 12 inch screen makes the Pro 3 a giant tablet, no matter how you hold the device.
Microsoft brags that the Pro 3 has 50% more pixels in comparison to the Pro 2 tablet. However, the bigger screen of the Pro 3 would amount to an additional 8-ppi, which is not too sharp for the naked eye to discover.
Weight
Microsoft’s engineers and designers have also successfully managed to make the new Pro 3 much slimmer and lighter than its predecessor, the Pro 2 tablet. The Pro 3 weighs 798 grams in comparison to the 907 grams weight of the Pro 2 tablet.
Kickstand Positions
The Pro 2 tablet came with a dual kickstand position, which was an upgrade to the single kickstand position of the Surface Pro tablet. However, the Pro 3 tablet is not limited to single or dual position. The device comes with multiple kickstand positions, suiting your needs.
Processor
Microsoft’s Pro 3 comes equipped with Intel Core 4th Generation processor. However, the entry-level variant of the Pro 3 tablet comes with Core i3 in comparison to the Core i5 in the Pro 2 tablet. However, you have to spend an additional $200 to own a Core i5 Pro 3 variant. In case, you want to lay your hands on the Core i5 variant, you would be throwing down a minimum of $1550.
RAM
The two lowest variants of Pro 3 come with 4GB RAM and the three high-end variants come equipped with 8GB RAM.
Software and Battery
Both these devices run on Windows 8.1 Pro operating system. The company is claiming larger battery life of the latest Pro 3, in comparison to the Pro 2 tablet. However, battery life can only be checked when the device is used for extended periods.
Both the Pro 2 and the Pro 3 tablet come with fewer differences. The Pro 3 tablet is still a better bet with bigger screen and hardware specs.
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