Microsoft Announces 12-Inch Surface Pro 3, Aims to Replace Your Laptop

Microsoft today announced the Surface Pro 3 -- a tablet with a 12-inch Full HD display with 4th-generation Intel Core processor and nine hours of battery life. Microsoft is marketing this as the first true tablet replacement for your laptop. The unit is just 9.1mm thick and weights about 800g.

Surface Pro 3 is a tablet and a laptop: multiple processor, RAM and storage options intersect with a sleek design that, with a simple snap or click, transform the device from a perfectly balanced tablet to a full-functioning laptop and back again — all in a beautiful package that is 30 percent thinner than an 11-inch MacBook Air. Its stunning 12-inch display and new, continuous kickstand provide the screen real estate and multiple viewing angles people need for work and play. And the new Surface Pen — completely redesigned with form and function in mind — delivers a precise, luxurious drawing and note-taking experience with a single click of the pen.

“So many people carry both a laptop and a tablet but really want just one device that serves all purposes,” said Panos Panay, corporate vice president, Microsoft Surface. “Surface Pro 3 is the tablet that can replace your laptop — packing all the performance of a fully powered laptop into a thin, light and beautifully designed device. You’ll love being able to carry a single device for your next class, workday or weekend getaway knowing you have all the power you need.”




Features:
Surface Pro 3 features a 12-inch full HD display, 4th-generation Intel Core processor options, click-in keyboards, and a multiposition kickstand that goes from movie mode to working mode to writing mode. It runs Windows 8.1 Pro, enabling the use of desktop software including Microsoft Office and multitasking with side-by-side windows. Surface Pro 3 delivers enhanced writing and drawing experience with Surface Pen included and the new capability where with just a click of the pen, Surface launches a fresh page in OneNote, so you can capture your thoughts immediately. It also delivers big-screen entertainment anywhere with the larger, full HD screen, the kickstand, great speakers with Dolby Audio enhanced sound, and up to nine hours of Web-browsing battery life.

New Surface accessories like the improved Surface Pro Type Cover will take Surface Pro 3 from tablet to laptop. The new premium Surface Pen with pressure sensitivity enables a more natural writing experience, while a full-size USB 3.0 port, microSD card reader and Mini DisplayPort allow for quick file transfers and easy connections to a range of peripherals.

Coupled with additional optional accessories, including a new Docking Station for Surface Pro 3 and a Surface Ethernet Adapter, Surface Pro 3 has all the features and capabilities of a complete laptop. The new Surface accessories can be found here.


Pricing and Availability:
Starting at an estimated retail price of $799, Surface Pro 3 will be offered in multiple configurations featuring 4th-generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. Specs are available here.

Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro Type Cover and Surface Pen will be available for pre-order 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.

By the end of August, Surface Pro 3 and select new accessories will become available for purchase in 26 additional markets, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

Read More [via DesireThis]