The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is one of two new tablets from Samsung, the other being the Galaxy Tab S 8.4. The key feature of both is a stunning Super AMOLED screen with a Retina-standard resolution, a combination that arguably makes the screens on these tablets the best of any tablet on the market.
That screen, combined with improved design and an excellent overall spec, makes the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 a very promising tablet that will be worth serious consideration when it goes on sale in July.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5: Screen
The Galaxy Tab S 10.5’s screen is its obvious standout feature. While the traditional tendency for Super AMOLED screens to oversaturate colours is still evident, I was immensely impressed by the screen on the Galaxy Tab S 10.5.
The key is Super AMOLED’s vastly superior black level and contrast. Samsung says the screen as a 100,000:1 contrast ratio, which is 100x that of typical LCD displays. And this difference is clear to see even to an untrained eye. Blacks are visibly, definably and unequivocally black.
This isn’t the only benefit, of course. While colours look a little overcooked in places, the overall effect is generally positive. Photos, videos and photos look rich and detailed, and colours really pop from the screen.
This shot shows the LCD of the Tab 2 10.1 and AMOLED Tab S side-by-side. If anything the Galaxy Tab S overemphasises yellows in this shot, but the general impact of the screen is impressive.
This is also an incredibly sharp screen. Its 2,560 x 1,600 resolution gives the Galaxy Tab 10.5 287 pixels per inch (ppi), which is as high as it really needs to be on a tablet. The small caveat here is this is a PenTile display, a process that makes AMOLED screens appear slightly less sharp than equivalent LCD screens due to the pattern and arrangement of pixels. You can see the slightly coarse pattern this creates if you like very closely, but it’s not really a problem.
Another feature of the screen is what Samsung calls Adaptive Display, which monitors ambient light and adjusts the white balance to compensate. This feels a bit superfluous, though, as do the Cinema and Photo screen modes—the Super AMOLED screen is good enough on its own not to need such ‘enhancements’.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5: Design
Samsung has made some good design choices with the Galaxy Tab S 10.5. It has the same soft-touch ‘dimple’ rear of the Galaxy S5, which works really nicely on a tablet and makes the Tab S 10.5 very pleasant to handle. But it has also added metal. Not fake metal, not faux-leather stitching, honest-to-god real metal.
The curved, metal edges instantly lend the Galaxy Tab 10.5 a classier look and a comfier feel in the hands than older Samsung tablets. As we’ve come to expect from Samsung, it’s a very thin and light tablet, too, weighing in at just 495g and 6.6mm thick. You can comfortably hold the Galaxy Tab 10.5 in one hand.
I’ve seen quite a few Samsung tablets over the years, and this is the first one with a design I really like. This is progress.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5: Specs and Software
After the great screen and impressive design, the specs merely confirm this is a tablet worth serious consideration. Depending on your region, you’ll get either a Samsung Exynos 5 octo-core processor or a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. There’s 3GB of RAM, a microSD card slot that supports up to 128GB capacity cards, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and options for 16GB and 32GB of built-in storage.
The main camera has an 8.1MP sensor with an LED flash, and there’s a 2.1MP front-facing camera. The battery has a 7,900mAh capacity that's good for an impressive 11 hours of video according to Samsung, and you get Bluetooth 4.0 and an IR-blaster – two features common to pretty much all Samsung tablets.
There are one or two interesting software features, too. Like most previous Samsung tablets you have the ability to use two apps at once in split-screen, but SideSync 3.0 add the ability to take calls from your phone on your tablet using Wi-Fi Direct. There are places where Samsung’s software feels a little intrusive and cluttered in comparison to pure Android, but most of these can be removed or simply ignored.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5: Bluetooth Keyboard
In addition to two different case covers, Samsung has also produced an optional Bluetooth keyboard for the Galaxy Tab S 10.5. It’s not the most accomplished tablet keyboard, though. It’s a nice idea and the keyboard looks nice, but this isn’t a serious typing tool.
The two covers meanwhile, the Simple Case (screen only) and Book Cover (front and rear), are quite nice, but the mechanism for attaching them is very fiddly. Instead of magnets, Samsung employs two ‘clicker’ points (like a popper on a jacket) to fix them on. They clip on strongly, but getting them on is fussy, so once the cover is on you’re unlikely to ever take it off again.
First Impressions
One or two small niggles aside, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 is a very promising tablet. The screen looks great and the refined design feels like a meaningful and long overdue step forward for Samsung. I could live without some of the fussier software features, but overall this is an Android tablet worth waiting for.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 goes on sale in July. The price is still to be confirmed.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 Review
Could this be the best Android tablet on the market?
People like small tablets. The Nexus 7 started the trend; the iPad mini proved it wasn’t just an Android thing; and the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 could be the very best ‘small tablet’ around.
Like the iPad mini with Retina display, it favours a slightly larger 8-inch screen (8.4-inch to be precise) to the seven inches of the Nexus 7. And as the LG G Pad 8.3 reminded us, it’s a size that works perfectly for a small tablet. Unlike any of the above, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 has a truly stunning Super AMOLED screen.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4: Screen
Like its larger sibling, the Galaxy Tab S 10.5, the Tab S 8.4 has a Super AMOLED screen with a super-sharp 2,560 x 1,600 resolution. Of course, on this smaller display it’s even sharper with 359 pixels per inch of screen space. It doesn’t look quite as sharp as the iPad mini’s LCD screen due to the PenTile sub-pixel arrangement, but this is a minor issue.
Another minor issue is the slight tendency to oversaturate colours. This is a common trait among AMOLED screens and the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 isn’t immune. But, like the Galaxy S5, it’s far less dramatic than on OLED screens of old, and the benefits of AMOLED far outweigh this weakness.
The benefit is the hugely impressive black level. Put even a good LCD next to this AMOLED screen and the quality and purity of blacks is immediately obvious. Samsung claims a contrast ratio of 100,000:1 (100x more than typical LCDs) and I don’t doubt this figure.
The result is photos and video that really impress with their richness, depth and quality. Web pages benefit, too. It’s an outstanding screen.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4: Design
Samsung has upped its game in the design department, too. That’s mainly thanks to the metal, curved edges, which make the Tab S 8.4 look and feel far classier than any Samsung tablet or phone I’ve seen to date.
This difference apart, the Galaxy Tab S is really a very large Galaxy S5. It has the same ‘dimple’ effect rear, and this dovetails very nicely with the new metal trim – the latter is a huge improvement on the nasty plastic accents on the S5.
This means you also get the S5’s fingerprint scanner, though it's a mixed blessing given how unreliable it proved on that phone – I didn’t have the opportunity to see if it’s any better here.
Size and weight are the Galaxy Tab S 8.4’s true strengths, though. It measures just 6.6mm and weighs just 294g. You can hold it very comfortably in one hand, making it perfect for reading and web browsing on the move.
The two case/cover options are nice, too. The Simple cover covers just the screen, while the Book Cover protects the rear too and offers three different viewing angles. I’m not mad about the ‘clicker’ mechanism for fastening them – it’s basically like a popper on a jacket – as it’s fiddly, but this shouldn’t prove too bothersome unless you feel the need to remove the case often.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4: Specs
This is top-spec tablet. There’s a Snapdragon 800 processor (or a Samsung Exynos 5 in some regions), 3GB of RAM, 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0, microSD card support up 128GB and plenty more. That includes an 8.1-megapixel camera with LED flash, a 2.1MP front-facing camera, and there will be an LTE version in addition to Wi-Fi only ones.
The fact none of this sounds hugely impressive is merely a mark of how much we take for granted now – the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 has every conceivable feature it needs and it has more than enough processing power on tap to get things done quickly.
Blacks don't get better than OLED blacks
First Impressions
Samsung has produced a very promising tablet in the Galaxy Tab S 8.4. The size is right, the design is right and screen is a stunner. Provided the price is reasonable, this is an Android tablet that can really take the fight to the iPad mini 2.
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Battle of the Tablets: Samsung Galaxy Tab S vs. iPad
Samsung launched on Thursday perhaps the most direct competitor to the iPad we've seen yet. In fact, the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S comes in a larger and smaller size too, just like its Applecounterpart.
Both versions of the iPad (the mini and the standard 9.7-inch size) have the same display resolution, processor and storage space as the other (just the size is different), while specs built into the 8.4-inch and 10.5-inch Galaxy Tab devices largely go hand-in-hand too.
But of course there are differences between what Samsung's offering compared to Apple, so we've stacked the details side by side for your easy-snacking pleasure. Check out the chart below.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S
iPad
Screen Sizes
Two models: 8.4 inches; 10.5 inches
Two models: 7.9 inches; 9.7 inches
Resolution
2,560 x 1,600
2,048 x 1,536
Dimensions
8.4 x 4.3 x 0.25 inches; 9.7 x 6.9 x 0.25 inches
7.87 x 5.3 x 0.29 inches; 9.5 x 7.31 x 0.37 inches
Yes, via AT&T, Verizon, Sprint with Sprint Spark (10.5-inch only), T-Mobile (10.5-inch only)
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Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Nokia X2 to feature dual boot Windows Phone and Android: Rumor
A story by The
Information caused the Microsoft blogging sphere to start fluttering recently.
It is spinning wild by the idea that Microsoft was toying with the idea of
Windows Phone and Android installed in the same handset, granting users the
ability to choose between the two, or perhaps dual boot each at separate times.
WPCentral wrote a fine
piece digging into what The Information uncovered if you would like a peek at
the details without running nose-first into a paywall.
Why might Microsoft have
wanted to pursue the strategy? Aside from the obvious placement onto more
handsets — and thus, in theory, more app downloads for Windows Phone developers
— it is hard to parse why Microsoft would even contemplate the effort.
Yes. In fact, the only
thing that I can summon to mind is that Microsoft was desperate. You don’t lash
your platform onto another that does the precise same things — and some things
better, it has to be said — if you are confident in your own platform’s ability
to exist on its own.
Happily, what The
Information uncovered — I haven’t managed to confirm their work independently,
but parts of it jibe with logic — more than just a Hail Marry attempt to jump
onto Android’s momentum to bolster Windows Phone. Other efforts include
firmware updates, new advertising efforts, sub-$100 handsets, and so forth. The
sort of things that you expected, in other words.
All the above is viewable
from a post-Nokia context, of course, in which Microsoft owns two of the three
commanding heights of its smartphone platform: hardware, and software, even if
Carrier Support remains, for obvious reasons, outside of its control.
I think that Windows
Phone sans Microsoft’s control of Nokia hardware business would have been open
to more platform flexibility. However, now for Microsoft, every advantage it
grants to other OEMs as enticement to build and sell Windows Phone handsets is
a direct undercut to its own efforts. So, Microsoft’s best bet to help Windows
Phone and itself at the same time is to ensure that Lumia handsets — those
devices being of essentially now past Nokia vintage — sell at increasing
volume.
Shoving Windows Phone
haphazardly into Android hardware to give consumers an odd choice perhaps at
the corporate expense of OEM royalties for IP protection just doesn’t shift
water in that reality.
What we should take from
the above I think is actually simple: Microsoft remains utterly committed to
Windows Phone, and is willing to pursue any avenue that it can to ensure the
success of the platform. The Android gambit was a desperate thought, but you
have to give the company points for outside-the-platform thinking.
When Nokia reports
earnings and device volume figures for the holiday quarter, we’ll have a pretty
clear look at the health of Windows Phone, a platform that is growing abroad
and struggling at home, though the third-party data at the moment is somewhat mixed.
Just don’t expect to see Windows Phone and Android sitting in a tree,
k-i-s-s-i-n-g.
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Stunning Galaxy F concept shows us the sleek metal smartphone Samsung refuses to make
What if Samsung launched a smartphone constructed from thin but sturdy aluminum instead of cheap-feeling plastic? What if that sleek metal smartphone also featured a design that was unique and interesting instead of the same old bland slab design? Such is the vision of graphic designer Ivo Maric, who recently created a concept render of the “Galaxy F,” a premium Samsung smartphone that has been rumored to be in development since the middle of last year.
Maric’s Galaxy F features an aluminum enclosure and a huge display that stretches almost to the side edges of the phone. And unlike most smartphone concepts, Maric’s Galaxy F is actually designed with reality in mind, featuring styling and dimensions that fall within the realm of possibility.
Rumors in the months leading up to Samsung’s recent Galaxy S5 unveiling suggested that the company is working on a premium version of its flagship smartphone dubbed either Galaxy F or Galaxy S5 Prime. The phone never materialized during Samsung’s press conference in February, but reports suggest that the handset is still in development.
According to most reports, the Galaxy F features specs that closely match the Galaxy S5, but packed into a premium metal enclosure similar to those found on the iPhone 5s or HTC One. The device may also include a quad HD display that will pack twice as many pixels as a 1080p screen into the same space. Additional renders of Ivo Maric’s Samsung Galaxy F follow below.
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Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Sony Launches Xperia T3, 'World's Slimmest' 5.3-Inch Smartphone
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Sunday, May 25, 2014
Watch Dogs preview: Distractions in dystopia
Aiden Pearce is a complicated guy. Tormented by his past and his actions as a skilled hacker, the Watch Dogs protagonist has lost family and his identity to a world that hides its secrets behind firewalls. But he does this by using the systems he questions as his own destructive weapon, given the opportunity to wreak havoc on the lives of people in ways the establishment perhaps never would. He can steal people's money or use their secrets against them for information or access, all under the guise of combatting a security system that threatens the world's privacy.
Though the security state setting of Watch Dogs is dystopian, it does not venture into the dour imagery found in the pages of a Phillip K. Dick story. Its world is contemporary, taking place in an alt-history Chicago that looks similar to its real world counterpart and holds the title of America's first "Smart City, "one controlled by a powerful monitoring system infrastructure.
For players this offers a gateway of access, transforming simple button presses into a world of possibilities and making infiltration and information-gathering the most important element in Ubisoft's newest open world. Hacking is the core component in Watch Dogs; the act of hacking, however, is simplistic. You're not stopping the action to play a round of Pipe Dream or stopping to tweak computer code, you press or hold a button and you're in. "Not to take away from games that do it that way," Lead Story Designer Kevin Shortt told me, referencing hacking mini-games, "it just doesn't work for Watch Dogs."
The quick methods Pearce employs to access information are fictionalized, but speak to the terrifying ease with which real world hackers can stumble upon crucial pieces of information.
My hands-on with Watch Dogs takes place ten missions into the game; Pearce's skill tree has grown multiple branches, allowing him access to infrastructure in the city that controls traffic lights and security gates. These components used to control traffic flow make it easier to escape pursuit, something I learn quickly.
In the middle of a crowded street I pull out an assault rifle, sending civilians staggering in all directions. My cell phone buzzes immediately, notifying me that a civilian within the dispersing crowd is notifying police of a madman carrying a weapon in public. An icon above his head reveals the informant and I run toward him, take his phone before my location is revealed and threaten his life, effectively killing the alarm.
Smashing a window of a nearby parked car, I jump in and begin driving around the city toward my first objective: A meeting with Badboy17, a mysterious local hacker who has promised me access to a system that holds information I need. In order to gain access to the system, however, I need to infiltrate a building and tap into a computer directly to grab some necessary information. Typically, I'm able to use my trusty cell phone to access information remotely. I can intercept the video feed of cameras in areas that I have gained access to and bounce between monitoring systems easily: If you can see another camera, for example, you can simply jump to its feed. Infiltrating with guns blazing proves to be too daunting a task; a few shots and I'm quickly taken out of commission. A stealthier approach makes more sense.
Utilizing a lure device that distracts one guard, I sneak up behind him and take him out with a quick button press. I move slowly through a parking garage, carefully taking guards out one at a time. Suddenly I'm spotted and the remaining guards immediately know my location, an issue with AI awareness that came up often during the demo and one I hope can be tweaked before launch. Once I've infiltrated the area and get to the computer system the guards are alerted to the presence of an intruder. I bang my head against this moment for a few attempts, engaging in firefights – and dying often – before finally escaping to the street where the police pursue me. As I drive down the busy streets of Chicago, I employ the use of my super-powered cell phone to tweak traffic lights, giving me the ability to control the flow of civilian movement. With a single police car in pursuit, I hack a barricade in the middle of the street as I pass the intersection, which raises bollards from the ground causing the cop car to crash spectacularly. It's only later that I realized I could have simply engaged a craftable item I unlocked in my skill tree: The ability to power down an entire city grid. Using this method, I could have blacked out the building and strolled out without ever being detected, completely bypassing the firefight.
Cell in hand, players can detect and hack the cell phones of unaware civilians that roam the streets of Chicago. Though Senior Producer Dominic Guay tells me that I can learn information and unlock side quests by hacking some phones, many of the people's lives I invade simply give me access to their ATM information. Once I've discovered their details, I can stop by a bank machine and withdraw their savings. Sometimes it gives me their car registration information, which I can use to have a vehicle delivered to my location. It doesn't appear that the casual hacking of NPCs factors into the main narrative, however. It's a distraction, often as a means to unlocking collectibles throughout the world. Guay says this is a choice players can make, deciding whether or not they want to use Pearce's access to affect the people in the world. There is no morality slider to consider, though, so it's simply up to me to rob unsuspecting people or not.
"When you play the game it's more about the wickedness of how you can exploit those things. You define your morality," Guay says. "You're going to have to live with the game, with some consequences of your choices." These choices include killing, with Watch Dogsproviding players the opportunity to play much of the game without engaging in combat, though there are some forced scenarios meaning the game won't be entirely without body count.
The world is riddled with distractions. There are gang hideouts for Pearce to clear, specific NPCs that he can target for assassination or information, and even AR Games that project mobile-game graphics into the world. One AR Game I stumbled across places 8-bit gold coins and skulls in the world, and it scored me based on my quickness to collect one while avoiding the other. There are drinking games, card games, multiple ways to spy on people outside of simply hacking their phone. One random encounter allowed me to tap into a building from a outlet box outside, giving me access to a camera tracking two women as they exercised in their living room.
"There's a lot of things that are linked to Aiden's obsession with information. But what we're having fun with is, obviously Aiden is a guy on a mission, but he's going to get distracted because now he's seeing everything in the city," Guay explains. "It's funny to have the player do the same thing. You set them off on a mission and they're exactly like Aiden, they become distracted with all those other things. So, we're kind of mirroring Aiden's arch with the player's own behavior in the game."
It's difficult to gauge the success of these distractions so far removed from their introduction. Only able to play an hour and a half, ten missions into the game made these elements feel completely disconnected from the narrative – a story that includes Aiden finding himself personally responsible for the death of his niece. Being told that information and then given the option to collect coins in an AR game makes it hard to identify the purpose or connective tissue of these distractions. Though getting hours into the game and completing those ten missions myself could ease those issues.
My demo was specific to the PS4 version, which looked and performed well. The controls are similar to an Assassin's Creed game, complete with a more limited free flow movement system. You won't be climbing buildings, but you can volley over fences and cover quickly. A contextual cover system similar to the one found in Splinter Cell: Blacklist is also in Aiden's repertoire, making sneaking a breeze. The major difference between Watch Dogson PC and current-gen systems and the versions for last generation consoles is density, Guay told me. Crowds are thinner on PS3 and Xbox 360 (and presumably Wii U, though no information about that version was given), I'm told, which could affect the way the environment feels. I didn't find the crowds to be especially dense on the PS4, so fewer NPCs could make the alt-world Chicago seem lifeless on older platforms.
Ubisoft took a risky gamble when it delayed Watch Dogs. Though it could have arrived and perhaps made a major splash alongside the PS4 and Xbox One's respective launches, the publisher decided to give its developer more time. Guay says Ubisoft Montreal didn't feel the game met the goals it had in mind for the project when it was first designed, some five and a half years ago. Watch Dogs is an unbelievably slick world with unique elements and if its distractions can fit seamlessly into the narrative without feeling shoehorned in for the sake of 'another thing to do,' it may have been a risk worth taking.
Watch Dogs launches on PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360 on May 27. A Wii U version is coming at a later date.
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Surface Pro 3 review: Has Microsoft finally made a tablet to replace your laptop?
It didn't last long, but there was a moment earlier this week when I was sure Microsoft would unveil its own laptop. At a press event, Surface chief Panos Panay took the stage to remind the reporters in attendance how they once said tablets would make laptops obsolete. A quick scan around the room revealed rows of journalists, all typing on Ultrabooks -- including the MacBook Air, no less. For a moment, it seemed like Panay was conceding defeat.
Indeed, Microsoft has had multiple chances to prove it can bridge the divide between slates and laptops: Both the first- and second-gen Surface tablets were intended as do-it-all devices. And both times, the company fell short of its mission. The Surface Pro in particular was powerful enough to rival Ultrabooks, but suffered from several usability flaws: It was awkward to use in the lap, and also unwieldy as a tablet. For most people, a touchscreen laptop was still the better choice.
Even so, that wasn't Panay conceding defeat up there on stage -- that was him being persistent. When he finally did get to the point, he unveiled not a laptop, but a tablet, the Surface Pro 3. Most notably, this third-gen device steps up to a larger, 12-inch screen, bringing it in line with contemporary Ultrabooks. The keyboard has been born again too, this time with a larger, more responsive touchpad and the ability to prop it up at a more comfortable angle. As a tablet, meanwhile, the Surface Pro 3 is thinner and lighter than the Surface Pro 2, despite having a bigger display. Just as important, the device will start at $799 when it goes on sale next month -- that's a hundred dollars less than last year's model. All told, the Surface Pro 3 is Microsoft's biggest, fastest, thinnest, lightest, best tablet yet. Panay even went so far as to say, "Today we take the conflict away." Did they, though?
HARDWARE
Physically speaking, the Surface Pro 3 has more in common with the Surface 2, which runs Windows RT, than with previous Surface Pros. This year, Microsoft ditched the old carbon-black color in favor of a more playful silver, though the chassis itself is still made of sturdy magnesium alloy, with chamfered edges making it easy to wrap your fingers around. It's not just the color, though, that makes me think of the Surface 2: The Surface Pro 3 measures just 0.36 inch thick, making it only a tad fatter than the Windows RT model; that guy comes in at 0.35 inch wide. This is stunning when you remember the Surface 2 is a traditional tablet, comparable to the iPad, whereas the Surface Pro is basically an Ultrabook without a built-in keyboard. In fact, Microsoft says this is the thinnest machine with an Intel Core i7 processor. It may also be the lightest too, at 1.76 pounds. And even if it's not, it's still a meaningful improvement -- both the first- and second-generation Surface Pros weighed two pounds.
The Surface Pro's thinness seems even more impressive when you compare it to its peers: full-fledged Ultrabooks. Most 13-inch Ultras come in at around three pounds and half an inch thick (if they're lucky). Even the 11-inch MacBook Air, which benefits from a smaller footprint, tips the scales at 2.38 pounds. Next to those systems, the Surface Pro 3 is impossibly compact. In fact, I was loath to go back to my 13-inch MacBook Air after my review was over; the new Surface is just so much lighter. Truly, why can't all Ultrabooks be this easy to carry?
As a tablet, of course, the Surface Pro still doesn't feel particularly light; you don't justforget what it feels like to use a lighter device like the iPad Air. That said, it's definitely lighter than a 12-inch tablet has any right to be. Also, there's this: Despite that bigger screen -- or maybe because of it -- the Surface Pro 3 handles better than its predecessors. For one thing, blowing up the screen size actually allowed Microsoft to slim down the proportions. Think about it: With more internal space to work with, the engineers were able to rearrange the components, laying some items side by side instead of stacking them on top of each other. The result is a substantially thinner device that might not have been possible had Microsoft stuck with a 10.6-inch screen size.
Additionally, the new Surface Pro has a different aspect ratio: 3:2, instead of the usual 16:9. During his keynote, Panay said the company was actively trying to mimic the dimensions of a legal pad, the sort of object humans are already used to holding, and working with. It was a smart move, I think: With this new shape, the tablet feels less top-heavy in portrait mode, and it's easier to reach things with your thumbs in landscape. Goes to show that weight reduction isn't everything (though it definitely helps).
As it is, the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 have dual-stage kickstands that can be arranged in one of two positions. The Surface Pro 3 goes a step further -- literally -- with an option to pull out the kickstand at a near-flat 150-degree angle. This is useful if you're playing a board game or using a drawing app, and an upright angle won't do. All in all, too, the kickstand feels well-built, if a little rigid. Granted, I wouldn't want the hinge to move so easily that it verges on snapping off. But the kickstand here is so tightly wound that I actually feel a bit naughty every time I push it back into that 150-degree position; there's so much friction that when I push the stand back, I feel like I'm doing something I'm not supposed to. It's also still a bit awkward to pull the kickstand out, since there's only a notch on one side of the tablet. Again, though, it feels durable, and still makes that soft "click" sound every time you snap it shut.
Despite the bigger size, the port selection is the same as ever. That means: a power button on the top landscape edge; a Mini DisplayPort and USB 3.0 connection on the right; and a volume rocker and headphone jack on the left. The bottom, of course, is home to the magnetic guides that allow it to click into the optional Type Cover keyboard (more on that in a moment). There's also a microSD slot tucked under the kickstand, supporting cards as large as 128GB. Microsoft also upgraded the cameras so that both go up to 5-megapixel resolution. Meanwhile, there's a proprietary charging port on the right side, just below the USB socket. Though the charger stays put, it's still awkward to insert -- a minor annoyance you'll surely get used to, should you choose to buy this. As for the front-facing speakers, said to be 45 percent louder than last year's model, they pass my "Dolly Parton rundown test" with flying colors. (They make other kinds of music sound good, too.)
DISPLAY AND PEN INPUT
The Surface tablets have always had lovely displays, and the third-gen Pro is no exception. What we have here is a 12-inch, 2,160 x 1,440 IPS panel, with text so sharp you'd have to put your nose up against the screen to see any pixels. Colors are punchy, but balanced, and the viewing angles are good too, though even a low-glare screen like this isn't immune to reflections from overhead light. In general, I had little trouble reading the screen, but using the Surface in my lap was sometimes challenging; the most stable kickstand position doesn't necessarily mean the best viewing angles.
Under the hood, Microsoft used some different pen technology this time around: an active digitizer made by N-trig, as opposed to Wacom. While it might sound like I'm harping on specs there, hear me out: You'll be making some trade-offs. On the one hand, Wacom's digitizer offered more nuanced pressure sensitivity: 1,024 degrees, versus 256 from N-trig. On the other hand, N-trig's setup allows for a thinner glass display and thus, a slimmer overall design. Additionally, N-trig's pen was designed to feel more like a proper, ink-based pen, and is therefore more natural to hold. Likewise, the screen has just enough friction that drawing on it feels more like dragging a pen across a pad of paper -- or as close as you can get, anyway. Personally, I'd choose a thinner, lighter device over more precise pressure sensitivity, but hey, don't let me set your priorities for you.
As you're using the pen, you'll notice it does some old tricks, along with some new ones too. It supports hovering, for instance, and you can use the top button as an eraser in select apps. On a more surprising note, you can press that top button to wake the tablet from sleep, at which point OneNote will open above the lock screen. Kind of like how you can already use the camera app from the Windows 8.1 lock screen. Also, OneNote now sends your scribbles to the cloud as you're writing them -- not unlike how you'd expect Google Drive to immediately save your work.
As with previous Surface devices, there's no place on the tablet to stow the pen. Rather, you're supposed to slip it inside a loop that attaches to either the Surface or the optional Type Cover keyboard. Unfortunately, the thing fell off after just a few days of use, which means you're probably on your own when it comes to making sure you don't lose your writing implement.
TYPING EXPERIENCE
Just so you know, I'm typing this sentence from a Surface Pro 3. The thing is sitting in my lap, even. And you know what? I'm doing alright. This isn't my favorite laptop keyboard -- not by a long shot -- but I'm doing OK. And I think you will too. But before I get ahead of myself, let me explain what you're getting here. The first thing you should know, perhaps, is that there's just one keyboard option: a backlit Type Cover keyboard built specifically for the Surface Pro 3's bigger frame. For now, at least, the flat Touch Cover keyboard is not an option. Frankly, I always preferred the physical buttons anyway, just because the learning curve is so much smaller. The only thing you'll miss, maybe, is the Touch Cover's lighter-weight design. But given the choice, I'll take a more natural typing experience over a lighter keyboard any day. And hey, the tablet's already pretty light; you can deal with a few extra ounces.
What I like best about this new keyboard is that I don't have to type on a completely flat surface if I don't want to. Unlike previous Type Covers, this one has a magnetic strip on the top, allowing you to fold up the upper piece of the keyboard so that it attaches firmly to the tablet's lower bezel. The end result is sort of a wedge profile, similar to what you'd find on a proper laptop. And it goes a long way in making the thing more comfortable to use. Mind you, nobody's forcing you to pick the propped-up option; you can go flat if you want to. I just don't understand why anyone would.
The problem is that the keyboard is flimsy, and it's nowhere as sturdy or comfortable as "real" keyboards. As I type this, I can see the keyboard cover giving a bit under the weight of my fingers; it's enough to make me not want to use it in my lap (though I do it anyway, out of necessity). With every keystroke, I make a loud "clack," letting anyone around me know I'm getting stuff done. The keys are also bunched close together -- the opposite of your standard chiclet layout. That means it's a little too easy to hit the wrong key. Luckily for me, I have a copy editor, so you can't tell how many typos I actually made while writing this review. Suffice to say, it was enough that I eventually started to type more gingerly, in the hopes I wouldn't make quite as many mistakes.
The Surface Pro 3's Type Cover also brings an improved touchpad. And that's good timing, because the latest Windows 8.1 update made the OS much more mouse-and-keyboard friendly. In brief, the trackpad here is bigger, with a built-in touch button you can press down on. It's also said to be more responsive, but I'll be the judge of that, not Microsoft. Even if the trackpad is more precise than it used to be, it's still many steps behind the sort of glass touchpad you'd find on the MacBook Air or many Windows Ultrabooks. It sometimes takes multiple tries to get two-finger scrolling to work. Ditto for clicking and dragging windows and other objects around the screen. Other times, I accidentally navigated backward out of a web page when I was really trying to do some other sort of gesture. If you're serious about having a mouse, especially in desktop mode, you might be better off using a Bluetooth one, especially if you intend the Surface Pro to be your daily driver.
PERFORMANCE AND BATTERY LIFE
PCMARK7
3DMARK06
3DMARK11
ATTO (TOP DISK SPEEDS)
Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (1.9GHz Core i5-4300U, Intel HD 4400)
5,010
5,053
N/A
555 MB/s (reads); 252 MB/s (writes)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (1.6GHz Core i5-4200U, Intel HD 4400)
HP Spectre 13 Ultrabook (1.6GHz Core i5-4200U, Intel HD 4400)
4,786
6,005
E1,837 / P962 / X293
527 MB/s (reads); 327 MB/s (writes)
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 2 Pro (1.6GHz Core i5-4200U, Intel HD 4400)
4,676
5,688
E1,713 / P914 / X281
546 MB/s (reads); 139 MB/s (writes)
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite (1.4GHz "quad-core" processor, AMD Radeon HD 8250)
2,060
2,814
E749 / P530
550 MB/s (reads); 139 MB/s (writes)
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus (1.6GHz Core i5-4200U, Intel HD 4400)
4,973
5,611
E1,675 / P867 / X277
547 MB/s (reads); 508 MB/s (writes)
Acer Aspire S7-392 (1.6GHz Intel Core i5-4200U, Intel HD 4400)
5,108
5,158
E1,724 / P952 / X298
975 MB/s (reads); 1.1 GB/s (writes)
Sony VAIO Pro 13 (1.6GHz Intel Core i5-4200U, Intel HD 4400)
4,502
4,413
E1,177 / P636 / X203
1.04 GB/s (reads); 479 MB/s (writes)
Sony VAIO Pro 11 (1.8GHz Core i7-4500U, Intel HD 4400)
4,634
N/A
E1,067 / P600 / X183
558 MB/s (reads); 255 MB/s (writes)
Make no mistake: When it comes to performance, the Surface Pro has always been able to go head to head with traditional laptops. Still, it's nice to know that as other Ultrabooks have experienced modest performance gains, Microsoft has kept pace. Armed with a Haswell processor (a 1.9GHz Core i5-4300U chip), 8GB of RAM, a Samsung-made solid-state drive and the usual Intel HD 4400 graphics, the Surface Pro 3 holds its own in synthetic benchmark tests, with scores that fall in line with the competition. It also boots quickly, taking just 10 seconds to get to the lock screen and then one more to load the Start Screen. My WiFi connection was consistently fast too, thanks to the 802.11ac radio inside (there's also Bluetooth 4.0, if you need it).
Accordingly, the Surface Pro 3 can do everything an Ultrabook can do. One of my favorite things about working on a Windows machine is the Snap feature, so I routinely have two programs laid out side by side -- usually Chrome and HipChat. In particular, I often have a dozen tabs open at once, including Gmail, my calendar, Engadget, Facebook, Twitter and the publishing software we use to write stories, not to mention the odd Wikipedia page and music-streaming service. In addition to the usual multitasking, you could also edit photos if you wanted, or maybe even cut together some video.
Throughout, the metal surfaces stayed relatively cool, and I didn't hear much noise coming out of the thin vent that surrounds the perimeter of the device. As with every other Ultrabook, though, the new Surface wheezes a bit during gameplay. Load up a game and the thing gets quite warm -- almost hot -- to the touch. Hot and noisy, too. At one point, the fans started exhaling so loudly that I heard them even in a loft space with various coworkers milling around nearby. If I can hear it over all that ambient noise, well, that's not good. Fortunately, it takes a lot to make the system pipe up like that. And if you do, it could be that you're doing something Ultrabooks weren't actually designed for.
BATTERY LIFE
Microsoft Surface Pro 3
7:08
MacBook Air (13-inch, 2013)
12:51
MacBook Pro with Retina display (13-inch, 2013)
11:18
Sony VAIO Duo 13
9:40
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus
8:44
HP Spectre 13
8:30
Sony VAIO Pro 13
8:24
Lenovo IdeaPad U430 Touch
7:53
Acer Aspire S7-392
7:33
Acer Iconia W700
7:13
Sony VAIO Pro 11
6:41
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 2 Pro
6:32
Microsoft Surface Pro 2
6:27
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2014)
6:18
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13
5:32
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2013)
5:07
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch (2013)
5:00
Samsung ATIV Book 9 Lite
4:33
Microsoft describes the Surface Pro 3's battery life in two ways: You can get up to nine hours of web surfing (WiFi on, auto-brightness turned off), or you can simply expect a 15 to 20 percent increase over previous models. Translation: Your mileage will vary, but battery life will be improved either way. And improved it is. In our video-looping test (also with WiFi on and auto-brightness disabled), the tablet managed seven hours and eight minutes. Compare that with the Surface Pro 2, which couldn't crack six and a half hours.
Now, let's put that seven-hour battery life in context. In short, it's not great, but it's not bad, either. Other ultraportables that are either small in size or super lightweight have tended to last a similar amount of time (see: the Acer Aspire S7-392 or the Sony VAIO Pro 11). Even some larger Ultrabooks, like Lenovo's Yoga 2 Pro and ThinkPad X1 Carbon, deliver less runtime despite having room for bigger batteries. The thing is, of course, there are many Ultrabooks that last much, much longer on a charge. The HP Spectre 13, Sony VAIO Pro 13,Sony Duo 13 and Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus all last around eight and half hours, if not closer to 10. (The MacBook Air can go even longer, though I've never tested the 11-inch model.)
Though the Surface Pro 3 is lacking in battery life compared to larger Ultrabooks, it at least charges quickly. After pushing the battery to its limits, I got back up to 72 percent in around 90 minutes. So, even if you only have a short time to recharge, you should still recover enough juice to last you through a couple hours of work. And by the time that runs out, you probably will have found another outlet.
CONFIGURATION OPTIONS AND THE COMPETITION
The Surface Pro 3 can be either sorta expensive or really expensive, depending on the specs you choose. At the low end, there's a Core i3 model with 64GB of storage, priced at $799. The next step up is a Core i5 configuration with 128GB of storage; that'll sell for $999. To get that same Core i5 unit with 256GB of storage instead, you'll pay $1,299. Rounding out the list are two Core i7 models: one with 256GB of storage and the other with 512GB. Those will cost you $1,549 and $1,949, respectively. As of this writing, the two Core i5 models were slated to ship on June 20th. The Core i3 and Core i7 configurations, meanwhile, aren't shipping until August 31st, according to Microsoft's online store. Either way, you can pre-order any of them now, if you like.
Unfortunately, whichever you pick, the $130 Type Cover keyboard is sold separately, which means the Surface Pro 3 immediately suffers in comparisons with proper Ultrabooks, like the Yoga 2 Pro ($1,199), Dell XPS 12 ($1,000), Acer Aspire S7-392 ($1,300) and the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus ($1,400). For instance, if you wanted the Surface Pro 3 with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, you'd pay $1,299 for the laptop and $130 for the keyboard, for a total of about $1,430. The Yoga 2 Pro with comparable specs is currently going for $1,399, with an online price of $1,199.
And there's the rub: With a subpar keyboard, how can the Surface Pro truly be a laptop killer? And if the idea is for the Surface Pro to go head to head with Ultrabooks, the keyboard should also be included gratis. But it's especially bad if that $130 keyboard isn't even that comfortable to type on. So what do you end up with, then? A device that's slightly more expensive than comparable laptops, with an inferior typing experience. When you put it that way, it's tough to give this a glowing recommendation.
WRAP-UP
With each generation of Surface devices, Microsoft gets closer to building a device that can replace both your tablet and laptop. Unfortunately, though, the company's progress has been gradual, and even after three attempts, it still hasn't addressed some serious usability flaws. This time around, the biggest problem is the keyboard. It's tough to say who should buy the Surface Pro 3 as a laptop alternative when the very thing that makes it a notebook replacement -- its optional keyboard -- offers a subpar typing experience and a frustrating trackpad. Adding insult to injury, it's not even included in the box; it's an optional $130 accessory that helps drive up the cost compared to similar PCs.
The good news is that despite its larger screen size, the Surface Pro is easier than ever to use as a tablet, thanks to a thinner, lighter design and more sensible aspect ratio. If Microsoft could just figure out the keyboard thing (and start throwing it in for free), I'd be more inclined to recommend this as a laptop replacement. For now, unless you want a tablet and laptop in equal measure, and sincerely enjoy using Windows Store apps, a touchscreen Ultrabook is still your best bet.
This is also an incredibly sharp screen. Its 2,560 x 1,600 resolution gives the Galaxy Tab 10.5 287 pixels per inch (ppi), which is as high as it really needs to be on a tablet. The small caveat here is this is a PenTile display, a process that makes AMOLED screens appear slightly less sharp than equivalent LCD screens due to the pattern and arrangement of pixels. You can see the slightly coarse pattern this creates if you like very closely, but it’s not really a problem.
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