Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is my first Surface tablet, and It's also my first Windows tablet. And it's finally at a price point that I can afford which is why I'm excited to finally give these a try! I picked up the 4GB Ram model, because I normally have about a dozen applications running at any one time and 64GB just won't cut it, particularly when the OS eats up like 20GB by default. I mainly needed a compact Windows machine to work on as I do alot of web development on Windows. One that I could take to work or a coffee shop without needing to bring with me a giant laptop case with an external keyboard and wireless mouse, which is what I do now. The Surface 3 is the perfect size for that. And the 3 position kickstand works just fine on my desk, or on my lap. I'm not one to adjust my laptop screen constantly, so 3 positions is more than enough. This time around Microsoft went with a full version of Windows, which is what was keeping me from buying one before. I tend to run alot of different Windows software in my daily work, and many of those weren't compatible with Windows RT. But now that's all in the past, and I can take it for a spin and see what it can do. Display The display on the Surface 3 is fantastic. It comes in at 10.8' with a 1980 x 1280 resolution and the screen is super responsive. I also picked up the Surface Pen with it, and it writes just as it would on paper, like Microsoft claims. OneNote, which I just started using recently is one button click away on the Pen. And it launches pretty quickly on the tablet. The fact that it's a 3:2 aspect ratio screen also makes it feel more bookish when writing on it like a tablet. Performance The Surface runs a quad core Atom x7 CPU, which is perfect for longer battery life, and just strong enough that it will run most things without a hiccup. No gaming though or heavy applications. I've heard that photoshop runs well on, but some actions are just a bit slower. But if you're a gamer, you probably won't be looking at a laptop/tablet hybrid anyhow, and if you're a hardcore graphic designer, you probably have something more powerful lined up somewhere. I did install Steam on it however, and it can run basic games that are low in the requirements list, such as Legend of Grimrock and others like it, which again, is just fine for when on the go. Ports The Surface 3 comes with a USB 3.0 ports, and a Micro USB port for charging. It also includes a microSD card reader and a mini display port. And if you pick up a micro USB to USB adapter, then you now have 2 USB ports to work with. Peripherals Like I mentioned I did pick up the pen and surface cover, all in black. Love the way it looks. The key presses on the keyboard feel great, just as it would on a normal keyboard. There is just enough downward movement that it makes it feel like you're writing on a larger keyboard. pros - It is the perfect size for travel - The display is fantastic - It is super lightweight - The writing recognition is dead on accurate - No more Windows RT! - 10 hour estimated battery life, but I'm seeing more like 8 cons - After getting the Pen and Surface Cover, I spent somewhere around $800, which is relatively high for an Atom processor device. (although it's difficult to find something this compact for that same price point) Not too many cons on this one. I'm a huge fan of it and I highly recommend it for anyone that likes to take their work on the go.