Thanks for your great review, still useful in 2019 might I say. FYI You mention you started with an Apple IIGS, my first computer as a systems engineer was a Ferranti-Packard Mainframe, all tubes, was the mainstay for NORAD for a few years, guess what? I do believe I'm older than you! :)

This is one of the best reviews I have read! Thank you! I liked how you included a review of the screen calibration and rendering. I also noticed that the grayscale rendering is TERRIBLE. There are obvious green and purple hues, which should be black/dark gray. This is a deal-breaker for me.   :-\

I found this other blog that covers the problem in some detail:
http://www.danielehrman.com/blog/2014/11/17/the-one-and-only-deal-breaker-that-killed-the-surface-pro-3

Has anyone else noticed this or been able to fix it?

I have an old Dell XT2 with earlier generation N-Trig digitiser & Windows 7.
I am pen-centric & use neither touch nor a keyboard. With my current machine I can switch touch off & have the screen respond only to the stylus. Can anyone tell me if the W8 & later N-Trig setup of the SP3 has this option?
Peter

Great review I was right to wait for, because it is obvious that apart from a remarkable engineering result, it has some basic flows. A windows tablet is needed basically for work. And it is needed by people who work standing up not sitting on a desk or lying on a bed. It is necessary for people who need the stylus. So we can think a list of professions like doctors engineers field workers like topographers, geologists, environmental scientists, archeologists to name a few. Also it is needed by university students.  It is not necessary for the average jurnalist and this is the reason that they think the optional keyboard is essential.  For me essential is the docking station when I return to the office.
So for all those that really need a windows tablet to work, the most serious drawbacks of this model are the low screen brightness to be readable under the sun, the high temperatures measured and the lack of gps. Also windows 8 is an OS not well designed for tablets compared to XP for tablets and windows 7. For me I can wait for the next model to correct the flows but seems that Intel must help also.

how is the surface pro 2 better suited for gaming? as compared to this model. i understand neither one is used for high end gaming but light gaming is nice every once in awhile.

Good to see that they've ditched 16:9. I hope to see more laptop manufacturers follow suit and re-adopt 16:10 or move to 3:2. PLEASE, I would throw a lot of money for a decent screen ratio but would prefer something larger (or if a hybrid more like the Lenovo Yoga without a kick-stand).

Quote from: Ksyruz on July 30, 2014, 13:23:37
You are quite right that it does cost a bit much compare to its competition. Especially then the Lenovo Yoga pro 2 which you can get the i7/512gb for £1,400. The only thing that makes the MS Surface a better choice is the Wacom Stylus

There is no Wacom Stylus anymore in the Surface Pro 3 ... It is N-Trig now...

If you're going to say 930 bucks is FAR more than 800 for the ipad air, you should try and a cover (even more so with a keyboard in it) to the price of the Ipad. I've never seen anyone use an ipad outside their hole without a cover.

Quote from: Ksyruz on July 30, 2014, 13:23:37
You are quite right that it does cost a bit much compare to its competition. Especially then the Lenovo Yoga pro 2 which you can get the i7/512gb for £1,400. The only thing that makes the MS Surface a better choice is the Wacom Stylus

You do clearly pay also for the reduced weight and more compact dimensions. Notebooks that are heavier and bulkier are bit cheaper compared to both.
That said the low to mid range Surface Pro 3 models are similar priced to Yoga. It's the high end which seems bit pricier.

You are quite right that it does cost a bit much compare to its competition. Especially then the Lenovo Yoga pro 2 which you can get the i7/512gb for £1,400. The only thing that makes the MS Surface a better choice is the Wacom Stylus

You're right, that's pretty confusing/misleading the way I have that worded.  Fixed it, thanks!

Appreciate all the feedback as always guys!  Hope you found the review informative.

 "a screen that's over 10% larger" Actually, its 38% larger (66.3 square inches versus 48).

You have tested the SP2 before that special firmware update which greatly has improved the batterylifetime. So in the end the SP2 is on par with its successor.

Thank you Johny!

I promise we will be updating with those values soon.  We felt that our measurements may have been off so we are sending the machine back to the lab to have it remeasured first.  Just trying to be as accurate as humanly possible! :)

Great review! Why don't you publish the black levels and the contrast of the display?