Microsoft Logo
The Microsoft logo is seen at their offices in Bucharest March 20, 2013. Reuters/Bogdan Cristel

The success story of the Surface Pro 3 has apparently triggered Microsoft to release a brand new tablet named “Surface 3.”On the other hand, the 2-in-1 tablet Surface Pro 3 has always been praised for the capability to double as a laptop or notebook. As Phone Arena puts it, the Pro 3 was one of Time magazine's top 25 inventions in 2014. With such a strong history, Microsoft has reportedly built the new Surface 3 with a slew of popular features handpicked from the Surface Pro 3 tablet. Therefore, here is a comparison of the aforesaid tablets specific to the features, specifications and price.

Microsoft Surface 3 vs. Surface Pro 3: Display, Design And Size

According to the official Surface Blog, the Surface 3 features a handy 10.8-inch display bundled with 1,920 x 1,280 pixels screen resolution. The Surface Pro 3, on the other hand, comes with a humongous 12-inch display and 2,160 x 1,440 pixels resolution.

When it comes to design, the Surface Pro 3 apparently retains the trapezoidal shape of the predecessor Pro 2. Plus, the tablet features an internal fan to dissipate heat produced by the superior processor unit. Also, the classic Windows home button can apparently be located on the left-side of the screen, notes Tech Radar.

Meanwhile, the Surface Blog says, the “Surface 3 features the same beautiful design and premium materials as Surface Pro 3 in a more compact and efficient package.” The new device is extremely thin at just 8.7 mm and it weighs only 1.37 pounds. In comparison, the Surface Pro 3 is 9.14 mm thick and 1.76 pounds in weight. In addition, the Surface 3 reportedly comes with accurate colours and clarity, supporting multiple viewing angles.

The official Surface Blog also says the Surface 3 will come with one year Office 365 Personal subscription. This means, the users will be able to access full versions of Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and OneNote, pre-installed on the device. Adding a cherry on top, buyers will also receive 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage from Microsoft.

In general, both the tablets support external (pen) stylus, USB and display ports, kickstand and physical keyboard (Surface Type Cover), writes Tech Radar and Surface Blog. Moreover, the Pen comes in four hues namely silver, blue, red and black.

Microsoft Surface 3 vs. Surface Pro 3: Hardware, Software And Memory

Beta News says, the Surface 3 comes powered by a quad-core Intel Atom x7 processor. Speaking of memory configuration, the new device apparently comes equipped with 2 GB or 4GB of RAM and 64 GB or 128 GB of in-built storage option. On the other hand, the Surface Pro 3 is powered by a choice of Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processors. In comparison, the Surface Pro 3 comes with 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM choice and 64 GB to 512 GB of built-in storage choices. Plus, both the devices support microSD card slot. On the software end, the Pro 3 runs on Windows 8.1 Pro, while the Surface 3 runs on Windows 8.1.

Microsoft Surface 3 vs. Surface Pro 3: Battery And Camera

The Surface 3 houses an 8 MP rear-facing camera unit and a 3.5 MP front-facing snapper. The Surface Pro 3, on the other hand, comes with 5 MP front- and rear-facing cameras. Speaking of battery life, the Surface 3 can run for up to 10 hours at a stretch. Plus, there is also a USB 3.0 charging port on the tablet. Meanwhile, the Pro 3’s unit provides only 9 hours of battery charge, notes Beta News.

Microsoft Surface 3 vs. Surface Pro 3: Price And Release Date

The Surface Pro 3 powered by the Intel Core i3 processor with 64 GB of storage comes for $799. When it comes to the Surface 3 price, the device will apparently set the buyers back by $499 for the 64 GB version, according to Beta News. And notably, interested readers can preorder the device from online Microsoft Store now. Plus, the Surface 3 release date is reportedly set for May 5 and the tablet will be made available in 26 regions by May 7, notes official Surface Blog.

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