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Surface 3 - Rumors + what should it be

GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
Very briefly, much like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and more.
Lets start with the main differences between Surface 2 and the SGTS 10.5
No LTE option. For some a big deal not for others - nice to have
Size and weight: Surface 3 must be slimmer and lighter could be smaller with same screen size.
SGTS smaller 9.74 x 6.98 x 0.26 in vs 10.81 x 6.79 x 0.35 in
SGTS lighter 465 g (1.03 lb) vs 675.9 g (1.49 lb) - Surface 3 needs to lose 200g.
Display: Surface 3 must up the display specs preferably gong to 16:10 aspect ratio
SGTS Super AMOLED 2560 x 1600 pixels, 10.5 inches (~288 ppi pixel density) 16:10 vs
TFT 1920 x 1080 pixels, 10.6 inches (~208 ppi pixel density) 16:9
Memory & Storage: Surface 3 should increase Ram to 3 or 4gb and up the max SD card to 128gb while improving usability of the SD storage.
Allow the Surface 3 to be used as a second display for other devices/PCs at least.
Add support for DLNA
Improve the platform parity between Surface and Surface Pro... full Mobile Device Management and Domain Join or at least Domain Auth/Domain Users.
Increase back camera to 8mp min up to 12mp.
Fingerprint Reader. - really nice to have.
Slimming down will probably mean a switch to a smaller USB connector.

The more of this they hit the better it will be. what do you think or want to see...
 
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GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
Oh I forgot to mention going 64 bit.
The new Tegra K1 (upgrade to Tegra 4) also comes in 64 bit (not sure of the timing on that, it may be lateish for the holiday season). there will be two versions, a quad core 32bit SoC and a Dual core 64 bit SoC both with the same K1 graphics which is a significant improvement on that front. Not that they have to stick with Tegra but the benchmarks on the 32bit version indicate its a strong competitor.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
Very briefly, much like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and more.
Lets start with the main differences between Surface 2 and the SGTS 10.5
No LTE option. For some a big deal not for others - nice to have
Size and weight: Surface 3 must be slimmer and lighter could be smaller with same screen size.
SGTS smaller 9.74 x 6.98 x 0.26 in vs 10.81 x 6.79 x 0.35 in
SGTS lighter 465 g (1.03 lb) vs 675.9 g (1.49 lb) - Surface 3 needs to lose 200g.
Display: Surface 3 must up the display specs preferably gong to 16:10 aspect ratio
SGTS Super AMOLED 2560 x 1600 pixels, 10.5 inches (~288 ppi pixel density) 16:10 vs
TFT 1920 x 1080 pixels, 10.6 inches (~208 ppi pixel density) 16:9
Memory & Storage: Surface 3 should increase Ram to 3 or 4gb and up the max SD card to 128gb while improving usability of the SD storage.
Allow the Surface 3 to be used as a second display for other devices/PCs at least.
Add support for DLNA
Improve the platform parity between Surface and Surface Pro... full Mobile Device Management and Domain Join or at least Domain Auth/Domain Users.
Increase back camera to 8mp min up to 12mp.
Fingerprint Reader. - really nice to have.
Slimming down will probably mean a switch to a smaller USB connector.

The more of this they hit the better it will be. what do you think or want to see...
Surface 2 already fully supports MDM, more fully than Android and iOS, it will never be a full Active Directory Client, but has the ability to do Workplace Join which gives IT the ability to secure corporate assets using said MDM or EAS Policies.

DNLA works quite well on the S2 from any MUI App that has media capabilities if the App Developer used the correct Play To Contract.

Most of the other requests are nice to haves that would add complexity and expense.

Lets talk about what the Surface 2 has over any other tablet:

Real Browser
Office 2013 not a mobile version
Full Office365 Support
 
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GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
Surface 2 already fully supports MDM, more fully than Android and iOS, it will never be a full Active Directory Client, but has the ability to do Workplace Join which gives IT the ability to secure corporate assets using said MDM or EAS Policies.

DNLA works quite well on the S2 from any MUI App that has media capabilities if the App Developer used the correct Play To Contract.

Most of the other requests are nice to haves that would add complexity and expense.

Lets talk about what the Surface 2 has over any other tablet:

Real Browser
Office 2013 not a mobile version
Full Office365 Support

So you think the *new* Surface 3 this fall should not change at all?
 

sharpuser

Administrator
Staff member
So you think the *new* Surface 3 this fall should not change at all?

GreyFox7: No need to be absurd. Sounds like you are going through a computer catalog listing all you can spot. Of course the SP3 can be improved, as could any device, but business must make sense. The device is not for one, and not for all, but something that is widely marketable, and sustain Microsoft corporate value for its owners.

But, indeed, if a new device had all the features on your list, it would indeed be a pinnacle tablet - but so may be the price.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
There won't be a new Surface ARM device till next spring when Windows Threshold and Office Gemini are released.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
GreyFox7: No need to be absurd. Sounds like you are going through a computer catalog listing all you can spot. Of course the SP3 can be improved, as could any device, but business must make sense. The device is not for one, and not for all, but something that is widely marketable, and sustain Microsoft corporate value for its owners.

But, indeed, if a new device had all the features on your list, it would indeed be a pinnacle tablet - but so may be the price.
OP is talking about Surface ARM device not Pro
 
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GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
There won't be a new Surface ARM device till next spring when Windows Threshold and Office Gemini are released.

IMO the Surface ARM device category will wither on the vine if they leave it until next spring for a refresh.
My guess is there's not that much that would have to change hardware wise to run Win RT on a Samsung Galaxy Tab S. id recommend striking a deal with Samsung, reskin the Tab S, write or adapt some drivers and viola you've got a technically up-to-date competitive tablet to release ... Thank you very much. :)
 
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GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
GreyFox7: No need to be absurd. Sounds like you are going through a computer catalog listing all you can spot. Of course the SP3 can be improved, as could any device, but business must make sense. The device is not for one, and not for all, but something that is widely marketable, and sustain Microsoft corporate value for its owners.

But, indeed, if a new device had all the features on your list, it would indeed be a pinnacle tablet - but so may be the price.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 available now on Amazon for $497 has those specs. yep its very nice ... although id really want to see a Note 10.5 version with the s-pen to be willing to buy one.

I left the pen off my Surface 3 wish list but if I was to wish for the stars then id want a pen as an option too. so I didn't go through a catalog, just looked at a recently released tablets specs ... MS will have to keep up with the Samsungs to be competitive.
 

sharpuser

Administrator
Staff member
Agree, GreyFox7. I have been tempted to go Samsung many times, but have resisted. It is good to have growing competition in the marketplace.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
IMO the Surface ARM device category will wither on the vine if they leave it until next spring for a refresh.
My guess is there's not that much that would have to change hardware wise to run Win RT on a Samsung Galaxy Tab S. id recommend striking a deal with Samsung, reskin the Tab S, write or adapt some drivers and viola you've got a technically up-to-date competitive tablet to release ... Thank you very much. :)
Under Threshold Windows Phone and RT merge under one SKU which will breath much needed life into the segment.... allowing multiple screen sizes.....
 
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GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
Under Threshold Windows Phone and RT merge under one SKU which will breath much needed life into the segment.... allowing multiple screen sizes.....
We shall see... I wouldn't take the chance that the patient will still be around to receive that late in coming breath. ;-)
 
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