Microsoft unveils Surface 3, features full Windows and Intel SoC
Microsoft does away with ARM processor and Windows RT to include a full version of Windows in its new Surface 3 tablet, running an Intel Atom processor.
Microsoft has introduced a new tablet, called Surface 3, which is running full 64-bit Windows 8.1 (not Windows RT) and is upgradable to Windows 10 when it launches. The Surface 3 is said to be successor to Microsoft's Surface and Surface 2 tablets. Microsoft says Surface 3 the thinnest and lightest Surface it has ever shipped.
Apart from the full Windows version, the Microsoft Surface 3 comes with one-year subscription to Office 365 whereas pricing starts at $499, roughly Rs. 31112.63. As far as specifications go, the Surface 3 has a 10.8-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and 1920 x 1280 resolution. It is 8.7mm thin and weighs 622 grams. The tablet is powered by Intel’s system-on-a-chip, the Quad-core Intel Atom x7 processor.
The Surface 3 also has front- (3.5MP) and rear-facing (8MP) cameras that both capture 1080p video. Microsoft says the battery should last up to 10 hours. The tablet also features a micro USB charger.
The Surface 3 can also be used as a laptop with Microsoft's new Surface 3 Type Cover keyboard. The tab has a kickstand on its rear, supports three positions. The tablet has a full size USB 3 port, mini DisplayPort, microSD card reader and headphone jack. It supports several sensors such as ambient light, proximity, accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope.
The 2GB RAM with 64GB internal storage variant is priced at $499, while 4GB of RAM with 128GB storage version is priced at $599. There's also an LTE version, which is priced at $599 (2GB RAM + 64GB storage), while 4GB RAM and 128GB storage variant is priced at $699. Find out more details about the tablet here.
With the Surface 3, Microsoft seems to have begun phasing out Windows RT and brings a unified platform, in this case Windows 10.
Microsoft had launched a Surface 3 Pro last year. The tablet, touted as alternative to laptops, featured a 12-inch ClearType Full HD display, 4th generation Intel Core i7 processor. Also read: Microsoft Surface Pro 3: What's good, where it lacks and who should buy it