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Surface 3. Recommended it to me?

OP
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Tech15

New Member
You haven't given us enough information to tell you if it is the best, are you planning on using the Pen to take notes or draw? Are you wanting to game on it? If so, which ones? Do you have a preference towards power or size and weight?

I use my S3 as the device I take to client and internal meetings to take notes and do presentations, at my desk I use my S3 a pseudo 3rd monitor for reading Word Documents, Annotating PDFs, etc.

At home, the S3 is my couch surfer and e-reader. My SP3 is fro heavy lifting and my primary laptop/desktop and power tablet.

I do not think it is essential to use the pen, but maybe in the future I need.

I do not use games.

Unfortunately I do not know what will, I will use my sister in high school and the director of the school told us to buy a Windows tablet for use in a multimedia with blackboard, school exercises, browsing, notes.

Since then the tablet will use it at home, there will be much browsing, didactic exercises to school (I can not tell which), light photo editing, youtube (music).


For me it is important that it has a great autonomy, tablet and very fluid with high performance.

The Asus has an older 1.59-GHz quad-core Baytrail-T Z3795 CPU
The S3 has a newer 1.6-2.4 GHZ quad-core Cherry Trail X7 Z8700 CPU which is currently Intel's most powerful Atom CPU. The Graphics capabilities of the Z8700 are significantly better than the Z3795 with 16 execution units vs 4.

Many thanks ;)


I have the SP3 i7 (256GB) as my main work machine and I have the S3 (2GB/64GB) as my companion device. I love using the S3 as my OneNote "yellow pad" for taking notes, light office work (word, excel, and outlook), and a couch surfer as Jeff mentioned previously. It does all that just fine. There is very little heavy lifting being done on this device, so I can't comment on that part. I think as a college student the 4GB/128GB would be sufficient to get you through your years at college. I truly love the weight and size of the S3. I hope they continue this line.

If Microsoft does a cpu/memory/ssd upgrade (bigger\better) in the next S4 I might be swayed to use as my next work machine. The 4Gb is not quite enough to replace my main work machine.

Oh, wow!

So, surface 3 with 2gb / 64gb is "simple" and are forced to buy at least 4gb of ram or the Surface 2GB / 64GB for what it takes to me will not work well?

Yes, the processor in the Surface 3 is much faster than the one in the T200 and 4GB is also preferable.

There is also a business version of the Surface 3 with 4GB and 64GB, plus Windows 8.1 Professional for $50 more than the 2GB version. The SKU is LC5-00001 (I have also seen it listed as LC5-00003, but think that is the 128GB version). You might check to see if a store can order this model for you.


Unfortunately in Italy there is that model.
There is 2GB / 64 gb and then 4gb / 128gb :(
 

malberttoo

Well-Known Member
I do not think it is essential to use the pen, but maybe in the future I need.

I do not use games.

Unfortunately I do not know what will, I will use my sister in high school and the director of the school told us to buy a Windows tablet for use in a multimedia with blackboard, school exercises, browsing, notes.

Since then the tablet will use it at home, there will be much browsing, didactic exercises to school (I can not tell which), light photo editing, youtube (music).


For me it is important that it has a great autonomy, tablet and very fluid with high performance.



Many thanks ;)




Oh, wow!

So, surface 3 with 2gb / 64gb is "simple" and are forced to buy at least 4gb of ram or the Surface 2GB / 64GB for what it takes to me will not work well?




Unfortunately in Italy there is that model.
There is 2GB / 64 gb and then 4gb / 128gb :(

At the end of the day, the Surface 3 will do what you want it to do, but I personally believe the experience will be better with more RAM. But I also understand if you can't afford the 4GB model.

So buy the experience that you can afford... :)
 

hughlle

Super Moderator
Staff member
I don't quite understand the reasoning behind having a product like this for school work, but not making use of the pen. If the surface didn't have the pen i'd have just bought a laptop for half the price :) Or spent the same money on something significantly more powerful.
 

jrioux

Active Member
Unfortunately in Italy there is that model.
There is 2GB / 64 gb and then 4gb / 128gb :(
Most people in the USA do not realize that the 4GB/64GB model is available. Only stores that sell to businesses are likely to have it. That is why is I suggested that you ask if a store can order it for you. Perhaps your school's bookstore can order it (in the US, college bookstores typically stock computers as well)?

In a quick Google search, I found the 4GB/64GB model in Germany, Israel and Canada. You can also ask Microsoft if anyone carries it - www.microsoft.com/it-it/contact.aspx. I also saw that Microsoft offers a 10% student discount in Italy.
 
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OP
T

Tech15

New Member
I don't quite understand the reasoning behind having a product like this for school work, but not making use of the pen. If the surface didn't have the pen i'd have just bought a laptop for half the price :) Or spent the same money on something significantly more powerful.

You're right, I also think so.
Unfortunately, in school it was required Windows tablet, not a laptop, and I would buy the best tablet.

Most people in the USA do not realize that the 4GB/64GB model is available. Only stores that sell to businesses are likely to have it. That is why is I suggested that you ask if a store can order it for you. Perhaps your school's bookstore can order it (in the US, bookstores typically stock computers as well)?

In a quick Google search, I found the 4GB/64GB model in Germany, Israel and Canada. You can also ask Microsoft if anyone carries it - www.microsoft.com/it-it/contact.aspx. I also saw that Microsoft offers a 10% student discount in Italy.

thank you, but I have a coupon with 20% of all tablets in a shop in Italy.

Unfortunately at this store the Surface 3 64GB / 4GB is not available for the Italian market.



Since you possess S3 and SP3, there are many differences between the two in terms of range and performance?
Pros and Cons of S3 64GB / 2GB?
 

jrioux

Active Member
Since you possess S3 and SP3, there are many differences between the two in terms of range and performance?
Pros and Cons of S3 64GB / 2GB?
I actually have the SP3 and an older Surface RT, and not the S3. I bought the SP3 after the S3 was announced because I felt that the S3 would not have the processing power or speed that I wanted. I also very much wanted the larger screen because of my poor eyesight. For me, the difference in power/speed is most noticeable with large spreadsheets. There is an even bigger difference working with graphics (for example, drafting or art).

There is also a big difference in price between the S3 and SP3. My business paid for the SP3, so price did not matter much to me.

Good luck with you choice. 20% off helps!
 

hughlle

Super Moderator
Staff member
Since you possess S3 and SP3, there are many differences between the two in terms of range and performance?
Pros and Cons of S3 64GB / 2GB?

each is better than the other depending on your wants and needs.

SP3 is more versatile in that it has more screen real estate and a better (imo) kickstand
S3 is more versatile in that it is smaller, lighter, has micro usb charging (not perfect by any means but offers more flexibility than the magnetic charging on the SP3)

SP3 is a lot more powerful, but it is at the expensive of having a fan that can get rather loud
S3 is not as powerful, it is not a gaming machine, but as a result it runs cooler, and it is silent (i cannot express enough how much nicer it is having a fanless surface)

It all comes down to your projected needs. If it is purely for some school work then the S3 should be fine, but if you want it to also replace your laptop then SP3 is the way to go.

I'd be perefctly happy with my (4gb) S3 at university, but i keep the SP3 as well as i just like having that power available when needed.
 
OP
T

Tech15

New Member
I buy the Surface 3 with 2gb ram and 64gb HDD :)
I'm happy! :)

But it is normal that in some screens for example, when I install the programs, the writing is slightly out of focus?
 

CDG

Member
Hi there, congratulations on the Surface 3, glad you are happy :)

Are you saying the screen is out of focus while it is installing a program?
I buy the Surface 3 with 2gb ram and 64gb HDD :)
I'm happy! :)

But it is normal that in some screens for example, when I install the programs, the writing is slightly out of focus?
 

Robert67

New Member
My S3 4/128 LTE is an wonderfull add to my 14" ThinkPad.
Heavy Jobs on the ThinkPad,
OneNote, Couchsurfing with my S3
 
OP
T

Tech15

New Member
Hi there, congratulations on the Surface 3, glad you are happy :)

Are you saying the screen is out of focus while it is installing a program?
Hi, thanks :)

Is the windows screen regarding the installation program is out of focus :(
 

CDG

Member
I am not sure I am following you.

Does the Windows screen stay out of focus or just during installing the program?
 
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