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The secret weapon of the Surface 3: Micro USB

irogos

Member
I read somewhere that a reviewer thought it charged slowly but that statement was not quantified. However I believe the S2 charger was 24W and the S3 charger is 13W so that would be almost 50% slower give or take.
But you do need to take into consideration that the battery in the S3 is only 27 watt hours vs 42 watt hours for the Surface Pro 3.
So charging time should be really nice on the Surface 3.
 

GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
But you do need to take into consideration that the battery in the S3 is only 27 watt hours vs 42 watt hours for the Surface Pro 3.
So charging time should be really nice on the Surface 3.
I don't see how the Pro 3 enters the picture, my comparison was between the Surface 2 (31 wh battery) and Surface 3 which are closer is size and power.

The Pro 3 charger is 36W.
 
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irogos

Member
I don't see how the Pro 3 enters the picture, my comparison was between the Surface 2 (31 wh battery) and Surface 3 which are closer is size and power.

The Pro 3 charger is 36W.

I'm sorry I misread what you typed. Yeah the S3 charger is a little over half the wattage of the Surface pro 2 considering 13watt vs 24 watt, but the fact that the S3 consumes way less power than the Surface pro 2, if you were needing to charge it while using it I would imagine you would actually be able to charge the S3 faster when both devices are in use and charging.

Now if both devices were completely turned off or in sleep mode and charging, I imagine the Surface Pro 2 would charge faster given its battery is only a 30 watt hour.
 

GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
Ahem :) Not a Pro 2... "Surface 2" with Windows RT and Tegra 4 ARM SoC.

Official names of Surfaces in order of introduction :
Surface RT - First version with Windows RT
Surface Pro - First Pro version
Surface 2 - 2nd version with Windows RT
Surface Pro 2 - 2nd Pro version
Surface Pro 3 - 3rd Pro version
Surface 3 - 3rd non Pro version but now with Full x86/x64 Windows.

It can be difficult to keep it straight and you really have to be careful with when searching the Internet for information as some articles are incorrectly titled and search engines mix the results. :)
 
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netuser

Member
For example, on my HP Stream, if I connect the charging cable to my tablet and wall, the tablet will not charge at all while in use. I have to completely power down the tablet for it to charge.

That's what I meant about the S3.

HP Stream can charge while in use if you turn the screen brightness way down.
 

irogos

Member
Greyfox, sorry I have been misreading a lot lol.
I have been reading that Surface 2 owners are worried that Microsoft will drop support for RT with Windows 10. If that is the case it seems like a bad investment.
Considering the Surface 3 is using full windows, I would assume that Microsoft is indeed phasing out RT in favor of having a touch enabled full Windows 10.
 

netuser

Member
Hopefully the Surface 3 will not having similar charging issues people are seeing the HP Stream 7 when trying to recharge with third party USB chargers. Besides not charging when powered on even with the OEM charger unless the brightness is low, the HP Stream 7 has problems charging with most third party chargers. Some of them stop charging with the Stream gets to about 90% charge,
One of the first things I would want to do if I were to get a Surface 3 would be to get a much slimmer charger that can fit in a compact travel bag without poking out and stretching the case.
 
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GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
Hopefully the Surface 3 will not having similar charging issues people are seeing the HP Stream 7 when trying to recharge with third party USB chargers. Besides not charging when powered on even with the OEM charger unless the brightness is low, the HP Stream 7 has problems charging with most third party chargers. Some of them stop charging with the Stream gets to about 90% charge,
One of the first things I would want to do if I were to get a Surface 3 would be to get a much slimmer charger that can fit in a compact travel bag without poking out and stretching the case.
Id be a little skeptical of light weight (1.0 amp - 1.5 amp chargers). The 13W charger would be 2.6 amp.
I think 2.0 is as low as Id Go but I'm getting a dual port 2.4a each charger.
 

netuser

Member
Greyfox, sorry I have been misreading a lot lol.
I have been reading that Surface 2 owners are worried that Microsoft will drop support for RT with Windows 10. If that is the case it seems like a bad investment.
Considering the Surface 3 is using full windows, I would assume that Microsoft is indeed phasing out RT in favor of having a touch enabled full Windows 10.

Microsoft says there will be another software update for RT devices that will give it some of the new features and maybe some of the look of Windows 10, but it is not Windows 10.
You will be able to keep using it with that OS, but there will be no new RT devices.
The version of Windows 10 for phones will be available for some future tablets, and I would consider that the successor of RT. You will have to buy a new tablet to get it.
 

GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
Microsoft says there will be another software update for RT devices that will give it some of the new features and maybe some of the look of Windows 10, but it is not Windows 10.
You will be able to keep using it with that OS, but there will be no new RT devices.
The version of Windows 10 for phones will be available for some future tablets, and I would consider that the successor of RT. You will have to buy a new tablet to get it.
I guess we will see if the droppings are worth it but the Surface 2 is just fine with W8.1 for another year and a half maybe longer anyway.
 

netuser

Member
I guess we will see if the droppings are worth it but the Surface 2 is just fine with W8.1 for another year and a half maybe longer anyway.

You should be able to use it for as long as it lasts and probably be safe online with it even after Microsoft stops patching RT because I doubt malware writers are going to bother to put any resources into exploiting RT devices with malware attacks.
Security by obscurity.
 
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