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Any Happy SP3 users?

benjitek

Active Member
What is a Broadwell chip? The guy at Best Buy said that late 2014, possibly early 2015, SP 3's would have them.
 

scottysize

Member
I'm perfectly happy. My problem is just trying to figure out Windows 8.1 and the MS Apps. The OneNote app is not for me. I uninstalled it and installed the OneNote2013. I like it better than the app.

Oh wait. Off topic. The Surface 3 is great. It replaced my MacBook Pro easily. Now if I could just get it to replace my iPad, I'd be perfectly happy. They need to write better apps, and port more over. Off topic. Sorry.

Yes! I'm Happy!
 

double07

Member
I am pretty happy with SP3.

When, I first heard about Surface Pro way back. I said to myself, I will never buy that 100lbs tablet Microsoft put out and price point. When there was fire sale on Surface Pro 128GB late last year(or was it early this year?) I decided to pick one up. I just couldn't pass up the deal. Boy, I was wrong about Surface Pro. I have to say that SP is really nice. SP1 became my go to tablet. I hardly touch my iPad Air nor Galaxy Note 10 2014 Edition. When they announced SP3, it is no question that I am going to get it. I sold my iPad Air and now my daughter is using my Note 10 2014. Gave my son the SP1 (he was eyeing it for a long time as college student). Bottom line is: SP3 is pretty much Swiss-army knife device. I understand that there is not much apps compare to Android and iOS. But, I don't use them much anyway. I used apps available to those devices only because that is only thing you can get. With SP3, I can use all Windows native apps all day long and happy. Sure, Windows has issue here and there, but what does not? not trying to defend Win, just speaking of reality. Every device out there has its own issue. I have not yet seen perfect device!
 

kristalsoldier

Well-Known Member
Let me also add my vote to those who are happy with their Surface Pro3. For me the SP3 replaced my Surface 2. It is true that I won't be taxing the device - my work-flow does not require it. Thus, to all intents and purposes, the SP3 is perfectly adequate for me (I have the i5 128GB version). The fans have only kicked in once - when I was doing the first set of update installations and, curiously, when I opened the Mail app for the first time. But I have not heard it since. The device has got slightly warm on occasion, but not overly warm and certainly not hot. I seem to be experiencing good battery life - averaging around 8.5 hours, which is fine for my purposes. So, yes, I am happy with the SP3.
 

Jandar

New Member
Add me to the list of happy SP3 owners. I've needed a laptop for school (returning after 17 years). Owning a Mac Pro, a 21" iMac, a Mac Mini, and an older Macbook which is used by my daughter, I naturally looked at the Macbook Pro. I love my Macs; they never give me problems and the build quality is phenomenal. I've wanted a new Macbook Pro and an iPad for sometime now, but could never justify the cost of both. In addition, I'd have to install VMware Fusion and run Windows on the MBP anyway due to Visual Studio needs for school.

Enter the SP3. It took me less than 3 minutes to see it covered everything I needed (other than finding new Windows apps that similar Mac apps do so wonderfully--still on the hunt for some of them!). I've never left the Windows world (I work in IT supporting a Windows-based network of 50+ servers) so I had no hesitations placing my pre-order on May 20. Come June 20, the device still hadn't shipped, so the pre-order was cancelled and I made the 35 minute drive to the store--leaving with an i5/256/8GB model.

I'm still putting the device through the ringers, but I've experienced no issues, nor do I expect to.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
I love my SP3, I've used every Surface Device and this is the best TabletPC I have used, I'm treating much more like my Surface 2 by not installing Win32 Applications (outside of Office) and I'm not having issues other than the one I fixed with the WiFi.
 

JesseDiaz

Member
Add me to the HAPPY list but I do have some items I wish were better/present. I only create this list in hopes that there is a workaround or fix that I dont know about

1. In Excel 2013, the drawing works good but not as good as OneNote. It seems the palm rejection is not as good and Excel doesnt automatically detect the pen and switch to "PEN" mode so I have to manually click on the ribbon to turn it on or off
2. My WIFI is not the best. Sometimes I get LIMITED connection, soemtimes its real slow. It seems like the workaround is dont connect to 5gz routers
3. I wish the type cover had a magnet to hold it to the front of the sp3 screen no matter what angle you hold it or pack it
4. The front of the cover seems like its going to get real ugly after a couple of months. I would have liked to see a different material.
5. Missing LTE
6. Video playback seems to SKIP every once so often. If you watch a 30 minute video on full schreen, it jumps or skips every 2 minutes or so
 

WAR

Member
I was a little overwhelmed by all of the negative posts on the SP3 prior to getting mine on Tuesday. Pleasantly, I've been more than satisfied with the product. I've been using tablets since the Compaq TC1000 up to the original Surface Pro and the SP3 is BY FAR the best tablet I've ever had my hands on. My iPad Air will probably be passed on to another family member!
 

camis1

New Member
Old timer still kicking...Go back to the days of Univac 1005, IBM 1401, HP 200 and 2000, IBM 360, 370's, DG minis, DEC Minis, Wang Minis, Datapoint Minis, and just about every Micro Intels. Loved my Surface Pro, can't stay away from the Surface 3.
Heavy user, meaning remote VPN access to my clients, software development and testing....No complaints. Surface 3 is part of my home network of 8 PC's...
 

jedge

Member
Very happy.

I agree, far too much negativity on these forums... but then it's like that on most forums or review sites. People only take the time to post if they are really happy or really upset about a product... give you a skewed result.

Here are my favorite things about the SP3 (and to some extent Win8.1):
Slim and Light: This thing is crazy slim. I have a friend with SP2 and i always envied him, but the SP3 is unbelievably better in this department.
Charging Port: How cool is this?, i've used dozens of laptop power cords over the last 15 years and this is the best. My last laptop got yanked off a desk and cracked the bezel by a wayward vacuum, that wouldn't happen with SP3.
Touchscreen: I've had 3 laptop/tablets and this is the first one that i've left the touchscreen enabled (i just used pen support before). If you have Win8 you need a touchscreen, and vice-versa.
Screen: How gorgeous is this screen? I'm not one to choose form over function, but wow, i don't think i could go back to a normal laptop display.
Magnesium shell: Premium build here. Cool to the touch. Looks like brushed aluminum but better. At first i was disappointed it wasn't black like the others, not now.
Power Brick: Best i've seen in a Windows laptop. It's small, but long enough. And includes a usb port for another device!
Win8.1: I'm an IT guy, and while i've played with Win 8 before this is the first time i've really gotten into and i am impressed. More than impressed i'm having fun! The learning curve is high but the rewards just keep coming. The more time i spend with it the better i like it. I can see how people could get frustrated, but c'mon, Windows hasn't drastically changed since 95 and if people give it a chance they will see an OS brimming with cool features. I think Win9 will be phenomenol.
Picture Password: Try this!, it's cool and fun and innovative and fast and simple.
XBox Music: I'm not much into music, but this app is crazy good. And i can use it on my iPad and my Android Phone. How did i not hear of this before now?
 

wynand32

Well-Known Member
I'm loving my SP3, although note that I did swap out my first one because of audio popping. That's not happening with the new one, so I have to say: this is the best machine I've ever owned. For me, it really is the most versatile machine I've used, working surprisingly well as a tablet (I would have killed for this a few years back when I was using my Toshiba M400 Tablet PC) and making for a competent notebook. I enjoy using it far, far more than I did my MacBook Air running either OS X (yuck) or Windows 8.1 in a VM.

Sure, the SP3 has some warts. It does get a little warm at times, and it doesn't work _quite_ as well on the lap as a "normal" notebook, but the strengths far outweigh the weaknesses. And, I do believe that Microsoft will be very quick to fix issues with the machine--they have far too much invested in Windows 8.1 to let its marquee piece of hardware go long with unresolved problems.
 

mtalinm

Active Member
Last night it clicked for me. I wanted to do some web browsing so I flipped the SP3 into portrait mode. With SP2, after about 10 minutes my arm would start to ache but the SP3 was fine for 2-3 hours. It was like using my old iPad... in fact, it's the same weight as my old iPad (2) with a smart cover on it or whatever they call that. I'm sold now.
 
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