Microsoft Surface 3 Review: First Impressions

Microsoft announced the Surface 3 hybrid tablet earlier this month. The Surface 3 is the “lite” version of the Surface Pro tablet, dropping the RT moniker in favour of a brand name that is not carrying bad PR with it. The Surface Pro 3 starts at a very good price of $599, while providing you with everything that you can do with Windows on your desktop/laptop.

Microsoft has been having a busy few years recently. The company initially announced a bunch of updates to its mobile platform, then pushed out a major update to the desktop version of Windows. With the launch of Windows 8, Microsoft also announced a couple of devices made by itself. The company’s Surface Pro and Surface RT tablets were announced amidst a lot of intrigue.

Microsoft is trying to provide a signature Windows experience with its Surface line of hybrid tablets. Its aim is also to encourage its partner OEMs to pull themselves up in terms of quality of their devices. While we did not see a lot of activity from the OEMs after the first Surface tablet launch, companies like Lenovo, Asus, Acer, Dell and others have stepped up their game a lot, launching a range of extremely good hybrid tablets. Lenovo and Asus have been especially proactive.

Coming back to the Surface 3, it is like Google’s Nexus program – hardware and software made by the same company, acting as a guiding light for its partners. This experience starts right with the boxing of the Surface 3, which is minimal and brings the focus on the tablet itself. Most of the times, the battery is also juiced up so you can get started right off the bat without any worries.

Windows Updates still ram you through first up

Updates hit you right in the face even before you can start using the Surface 3. At first boot, you will be notified about at least 70 new updates. Depending on the update settings you apply during the setup, you will either have them start downloading in the background or the tablet will wait until you instruct it begin downloading. At the end of the day, you will want to update your Surface 3 on a fast connection.

Seventy updates are a lot, and many of them are important system updates which require you to reboot the Surface 3, sometimes more than once. This is not a great experience in general, and Microsoft should rather try to have its devices as updated as it can.

Surface 3 First Impressions

The Surface 3 comes with a 10.8 inch display and big bezels allowing you to hold it comfortably in any orientation you want. You can also opt for the Type Cover and the Surface Pen. If your intention is to use the Surface 3 as only a media consumption device, you probably will not need either of these two accessories. The Surface 3’s kickstand will more than carry you through your needs.

Apart from the 10.8 inch 1920 x 1280 pixels display, the Microsoft Surface 3 comes with a microUSB charging port, ditching the proprietary magnetic charger from the Surface Pro 3. When not charging, you can use it connect other devices and drives.

Apart from this port, you get a full sized USB 3.0 port, a mini DVI out for connecting external displays and a microSD card slot under the kickstand. Microsoft has also placed two cameras on the front and the back for your photo and video needs.

The Surface Pro 3 feels really good in the hands. Its three step kickstand also makes it a great device to consume media at different places. With its capability to run all desktop programs as well as the modern apps from the Windows Store, the Surface 3 is trying to bridge the gap between the old and the new ages and its price of $599, it is a good start.