Microsoft’s early attempts to the tablet crown from Apple hasn’t really gone according to plan. All the Surfaces from the original to the Pro 2 were flops, but Microsoft seems to have hit its stride with the Surface Pro 3. Now it’s ready to take on the iPad with an even cheaper tablet.
Today, Microsoft unveiled its thinnest and lightest tablet ever, the Surface 3. At 1.37 pounds it’s just a little bit heavier than the iPad Air 2, but boasts a bigger screen and price tag that starts at $499.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPto6XpRq-U
Unlike previous crippled versions of the Surface, the Surface 3 runs full Windows. This isn’t just another crappy Surface RT — it runs desktop Windows apps — which is what might make it a better option than an iPad for someone looking to get stuff done on the go.
Microsoft has ditched ARM processors in favor of a more powerful quad-core 1.6Ghz Intel Atom processor. Other features include 2GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, 8MP rear-camera, 10.8-inch screen, and the Surface Pen. Microsoft is also tossing in a one-year subscription to Office 365.
The Surface has been advertised as a tablet that can also replace your laptop, but specs and software have really held the product line back from being able to truly compete with the iPad and MacBook Air. With the lower price tag and improved internals, this could be Microsoft’s best bet in years to take some shine away from Apple.
The new tablets ship on May 5th with preorders opening today. Maybe the third time really is a charm?
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
86 responses to “iPad comes under fire from Surface 3 running full Windows 8.1”
Still same weakness, no apple logo on the back. They have to licence that for their own sake. ;))
It’s an underpowered Laptop with a touchscreen. A very limited number of people would actually use the stylus. I don’t see how anything has changed with this device. It’s not like people are going to run out and say OOOOH LOOK! IT’S LIGHTER! FINALLY I CAN BUY ONE!
more a netbook not laptop
What’s a netbook?
Is that sarcasm ?
lol… It IS sarcasm and it ISN’T. I’m pretty sure netbooks no longer exist. If they do, they don’t exist to the extent that they did when the iPad was released.
If the CPU performance of the surface 3 mimics that of the “erstwhile” netbook , then of course both surface 3 & netbooks are s uckers
LOL… Indeed.
It’s more affordable. It’s a great option for artists because they get a fairly inexpensive device with a fantastic digitizer pen. It’s about price, although being lighter and having better battery life helps.
Exactly… And this equates to a limited number of people. Thanks.
iPad mini, anyone?
My point is simple. I see the noise chamber running around talking up the Surface 3 as if it’s a huge deal for the Surface. I don’t believe that it is. I don’t believe that Microsoft has done enough to help the product sell much more. Now to your point about other companies selling hardware with Microsoft’s operating system: Yes, Microsoft licenses its software to other companies that create hardware. THAT is Microsoft’s business model. Therefore, in my opinion, The Surface 3 doesn’t deserve to exist. It’s a distraction and goes against what Microsoft does well. It’s one of Steve Ballmer’s stupid ideas and helps competitors like Google who have a very clear objective and business plan for what it wants to do. Let me put it to you this way: If the Surface sells millions upon millions Microsoft fails because it’s screwing over its OEMs by competing with them. If the Surface continues to fail, well… then they’re investing in something that, at best, is a proof of concept that they’re hoping will catch on for others to copy. Microsoft selling the Surface is as stupid as Apple allowing others to use its OS. Both of these companies have their identities. They do certain things very well and they need to stick to those ideals and those philosophies.
you could make something that literally everyone alive right now would want, it’s still a limited amount of people, and still a generally idiotic comment to make and defend.
Does the product make money? No. Does the product extend your market share? No. Does the product strengthen your relationship with your business partners? No. Do a handful of people like it? Yes. Should the product exist? Do I need to answer that?
If it had a apple logo so it would no longer be productive
I totally agree.
Lol!, I could not help it.
Am old school from the nineties, it is still stuck in my head that microsoft is the evil empire. I am ashamed to say that I switched to apple products only 3 years ago.
i could see if it came with the pen and/or they keyboard. But you have to buy those separately. Sounds like an epic fail in my book,.
Agreed
Does the iPad come with a Pen or Keyboard? Nope! Guess the iPad is an epic fail then as well?
Yes, MS promotes it as a Laptop Replacement so the cost of adding a Keyboard and Pen puts it in line with the cost of a MacBook Air but you have to remember a MacBook Air doesn’t work like a Tablet, so you’d have to buy an iPad as well to get that experience which means way more cost than buying a keyboard and pen.
So the cost of a Keyboard and Pen don’t look so bad when you look at it from another perspective.
“iPad comes under fire from Surface 3 running full Windows 8.1”
So, maybe 3rd time is the charm? Riiiiiight.
Nah. Like the Zune, the Windows phone (there’s a good one), the “new” Microsoft stores, like Windows itself… Microsoft will never be more than a distant, poor imitation of Apple products.
the ZuneHD was almost carbon copied to be the ipod nano. Ask anyone that genuinely used a ZuneHD and they’ll tell you how exceptional it was as a single-purpose device. (much like the ipod nano is) – but it examplified Microsoft’s ability to focus and make an innovative, decent product.
Microsoft had stores, laptops, and tablets before Apple did… I guess your point then is not who was first, but who did it better? Granted, apple have been making laptops and computers for many times longer than Microsoft have, but lets be honest, surface pro 3, at least effortlessly dominates everything an ipad is capable of, is more powerful than a generationally newer macbook air, and gives you significantly more options for less price. if Microsoft have captured any of that elegance in to the smaller, cheaper, model – which it looks like they have – they’ll be on to a winner…. on to a winner of ipad levels? probably not..
The first release of the Zune was •not• made to compete with the iPod Nano, which had not yet been invented. The original Zune, intended to directly compete with the iPod, may have been popular with some of the very few people who bought it, but it was most certainly not successful. Try as Microsoft did to promote it with Apple-like advertising and iPod-like accessories, it was a loss-leader ten minutes after it’s arrival. Technically better than iPod? Who knows or cares, and moreover, who even remembers? Besides, if was that good, it would still be around as well.
Microsoft may have had stores first (personally, I don’t remember), but those have been forgotten, as they in no way provided the services or support of Apple stores. As for Microsoft tablets prior to iPads I have no recollection, nor, I imagine, does the general public. Must not have been that compelling a product, or they would still be around. Another Microsoft design and marketing failure, to be sure.
As you surmised, my point is not who does these things first, it’s who does them better, and for the long haul. Apple didn’t create the 68000 processor, but they were the first to harness it in a small, fan-less computer with an easily-mastered user interface. The basis of that first Macintosh has lasted all these decades, followed by continuous, well-thought-out improvements and expansion of the line. Microsoft is still trying to make a mouse cursor that moves smoothly across the screen. Q.E.D.
As far as the Surface being better than an iPad, to each his own. I’ve spent considerable time with Samsung Android-powered tablets, Asus tablets and the Surface. None of them come close to the elegance, software integration and smooth operation of the iPad, no matter how many “cores” they’re rocking, or how clever their Apple-imitated magnetic covers are. I suppose if you trick out a Surface it will technically mimic both an iPad and a portable computer, but for those reasons alone it will never best the iPad. People want a tablet, a portable or both, but not in one compromised unit.
I’m an unashamed Apple fan, but I am not a Microsoft hater. How silly that would be. That said, no Microsoft imitation I’ve ever seen—hardware or software—is better (or even as good) than the one they try to copy.
Why do you keep comparing this to iPad? Its Apple counterpart on price is the MacBook Air, which blows it out of the water. And, after all these years, Windows is still no OS X.
Because they’re both tablets. The Macbook Air doesn’t have a touchscreen. It doesn’t have an active digitizer. It has a non-removable keyboard. I love my 11″ MBA but it is not a tablet.
I understand why someone would want to make an unfair comparison in order to cast the preferred device/company in a positive light. And so it goes.
edit:
The Apple counterpart in price is…. the iPad Air. $499 for a 16GB Air 2. Surface 3 64GB… $499.
If the Surface is a tablet, it must be incredibly frustrating to try to deal with Windows (not that it ever isn’t), and if you add the keyboard you put it squarely in the Macbook Air space, where it can never compete. Zune…Zurface….
Yeah, but for comparisons sake, the iPad Air 2 may be a substantial more powerful tablet than this new Surface. The iPad Air 2 was scoring more than the i3 Surface Pro in benchmarks. And this Surface with 2gb of memory, and an Atom processor, may run horribly.
Add the mandatory keyboard for $129 – fail
Better $129 for a keyboard than ~$200 for a keyboard/case and decent storage options…
I’d be careful. You may not be able to say that too much longer. I’ve been running windows 10 preview since the release and I must say its pretty impressive.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my MacBook but Apple has to stay on top of its game. One misfire and it could all come tumbling down. Companies are innovating faster than ever and Microsoft has adopted a great strategy releasing a windows preview to get this one right. In my opinion, they are headed in the right direction.
I’ve been running Windows 10 Preview as well since the release, and it’s marginally better. It mat be the next XP, which people keep running for several generations. Microsoft cannot but be better without Balmer.
I’d like to know how well it can run Windows. It’s seems every product Microsoft has can run a full version of Windows but there has to be some speed penalty with the quad-core Atom. They should keep those Atom processors in home-based NAS boxes where they belong. I would think a high-end ARM processor running a light tablet OS like iOS would run circles around a tablet running a desktop version of Windows 8.1 but maybe I’m wrong. I think it depends on a user’s needs so both can be useful. It might not make much sense to compare a Surface to an iPad. It must be convenient to buy one application that runs on your desktop, notebook and tablet.
It runs windows really good. Atom bay trail z3740 Lenovo miix 2 which is similar in specs to surface 3 except from the digitizer. Chrome, IE, social apps, news apps, word, excel, handbreak, itunes etc I have use all of the above apps/software without any issues.
Office does not come with Windows. Just an FYI, so you’ll be dropping your pants and swiping the credit card.
I used word just because it was free. I don’t depend on office.
Thanks for the heads up anyway.
No worries, you will get a free trial on your surface but will need to pay up at the end unless you go to office 365 for you email. $13.95 a month over in AUS and includes Office
Not if you already own an office 365 subscription. I have one and use it on my Mac and windows (5 installs)
If you own an Office 365 subscription…. Most average users don’t. I have one for work, but not everyone does and it comes as a cost of a minimum $13 a month. Most users won’t pay this for home email.
One year of Office and 1TB OneDrive storage are included in the price of the Surface3
1 Year of Office, then pay up, 1TB of OneDrive is also pretty useless with a 32GB or 64GB Surface. On the 32GB you’ll have just over 10GB free and on the 64GB you’ll have just over 40GB free. 128GB will be a nice premium, but will still only give you about 80-90GB free…..
I agree, it won’t be blazing fast and when compared to the iPad that is it will make for an easy choice….
Alright! Now I can finally download all those wonderful apps in the app store! What are we up to now, 10 decent apps? 15?
As I noted in another post, the tech note I received recently from MS notes that Visual Studio will allow creating one project for multiple devices. That will drastically increase the store apps as it will make it easier for companies to develop into the new channels.
Your key statement is “That will drastically increase the store apps” You should’ve wrote “It might increase store apps” I personally don’t think it will. Just my opinion….
The current apps are rubbish and I can’t see it getting any better…..
Let’s wait and see what Windows 10 looks like…. After all it is still windows. We’re moving all our apps at work to iOS/web apps and using iPads as the windows interface is dated and clunky….
It better, because I gave up on the Surface Pro 3. It was in no way, both a good tablet, and laptop. The Tablet side of things were horrible. There App Store was like a waist land.
besides , did you notice the size of the font on the thing? Wasn’t it small as hell on the desktop ?
Yeah, I could only use the desktop side of things comfortably with the touch type keyboard trackpad. It was very hard to get to different touch targets on the desktop side. I’ll have to use Win 10 more thoroughly, but from what I’ve tried, the desktop touch targets are still a little to small to touch with a finger.
No , what I meant was the size of the text was too small to read !
Still terrible, no Apple logo on the back.
So if I stuck my apple sticker I get with my iphone on the back of the surface 3, will it make it less terrible?
That’s a temporary solution. You would want one that glows.
I don’t understand the hate. It’s a good product. Stop acting like children: admitting that Microsoft has the right idea with these doesn’t make the iPad any less good. You’re not gonna buy it? Fine, more power to you, but I can think of plenty of students and young professionals who would find a product like this useful.
It’s not hate. I drive a BMW, but I don’t hate Fords. But Fords are not BMWs.
It’s not hate really, this device will start at $699 in Australia, so you’ll have to add a keyboard etc so you might as well just buy the iPad Air 2 64GB.
No Office on Your Surface, Numbers, Keynote and Pages already on your iPad.
Millions of Apps for iOS, a handful for Windows.
Do the maths, this is not a good deal.
with the keyboard it is $800+ in Australia , as everything is more expensive here , huh ! Even the air is expensive in Australia to breath I can feel it !
Exactly, $739 for the iPad Air 2 in 64GB and you’ll actually get most of that in storage…. Unlike a Windows install.
Agreed. I’ll probably get one to tune my car with HP Tuners software because guess what, it doesn’t come native on a Mac or iPad and the iPad doesn’t have a USB. So basically no matter how good you think the iPad is, if it doesn’t run the software you need, it may as well stay in the box.
BTW I’m writing this on my iPad air…lol
Apple’s tactic engine and force touch is the future of tablets (iPad Pro), they can kill the right-click now.
Taptic engine sorry :P
Title is correct. This one looks appealing. Big phone and a hibrid is all I need. Tired of carrying my tablet and my phone with me.
How will this make you stop carrying your phone? You’ll still have a tablet and a phone because there is still no sim slot.
I carry my tablet to read when I get a chance, my laptop stays home, but occasionally carry it with me when need to work some. I want to upgrade my phone to a bigger one, replace my Lenovo for the surface 3 and sell my iPad. I will end up with my phone only with me and when I need it ill bring the surface with me.
Yeah, sounds fair. I’ve got the iPhone 6 plus and a MacBook Pro that I use for real work.
$699 in AUD$, no thanks, $200 more than the U.S. Good Luck with that!
Australian $ are worth less than USD, that’s why it’s more expensive in Australia.
Duh? That’s my point, the Surface is $699, iPad is $739 both with 64GB. So iPad is a better deal, millions more apps available too. Why would anyone in Australia buy the Surface?
iPad screen is also higher resolution.
OIC. There’s also the fact that iOS has a smaller footprint than Windows. Or it did, last time I checked. 32gb storage on Surface was ~ equivalent to 16 GBiPad.
Very true, I’m pretty sure it would be more like 58GB + 10-12GB for OS for 64GB and 28GB + 10-12GB for OS. So storage will not be on par, another plus for the iPad. Windows with Office and Photohop and you’d have nothing left or very little on the 64GB. Who cares if you have one drive if you can’t use it.
There’s something to be said for the idea that Apple should go after. There were rumors about an iPad that would let you switch between iOS and OS X. Admittedly, I think that’s worth paying for. iOS is a dream for phone/tablet, but there are times when you really need to get things done and a “switch” to the other OS would be great. I love my Mac but I think that MS is on to something here. If all of the rumors and tech notes for Win 10 are correct, then having the ability to leverage touch and desktop on a device would be very nice. I receive the developers’ emails from MS for Visual Studio. They released an update to Visual Studio that allows you to consolidate all of your projects for multiple devices into one project and added new GUI controls to handle switching between device sizes. That’s a big deal just from a development point of view…if it actually works as advertised. It would really allow MS programmers to out-develop iOS developers, adding many new programs to devices. That’s obviously what they’re aiming for, I think.
“It would really allow MS programmers to out-develop iOS developers”.
I don’t think so, check the amount of Apps for iOS and then check the Windows Store…. Slight difference.
It has to be worth it for the developer and I can tell you now, if you’re going to spend 6 months coding an awesome app, it’s not going to be for Windows.
There’s also legacy programs to consider. MS still reigns supreme in that department. That’s probably the only reason the Surface 3 will gain any traction.
If you’re running legacy apps, your business model sucks. Time to change those apps into this century technology. It would be very counter productive. All legacy apps should’ve gone with XP.
I’m a freelancer (artist, editor, audio/video production). There is NO way I could use modern apps, iOS or Windows, for my work. Maybe if I was a large business owner then my opinion would be different. (But after inquiring to a couple of corporate-employee friends, – one an IT professional, one a lower-level manager – it sounds like you’re speaking more out of arrogance than fact.)
But either way, until my iPad is loaded with OS X, the fact remains that the Surface (and other Windows tablets) will have one massive advantage the tablet space. Desktop programs just do more.
Ok, let me enlighten you on my day job. I am an Enterprise Architect (Think Citrix, VMware View, Virtual Desktop Deployment, Windows Server 2012R2/Windows 8.1×64, Active Directory, Group Policy, all of which you’re probably unfamiliar with). I have spent the last 14 years moving people off legacy applications as whilst they did the job at a point in time, these applications no longer cut it.
Secondly if you are an Artist/Audio/Video person (everyone is these days) you will need to know that this Surface is not the Pro, it does not have a high end processor and will die a painful death with high end video editing and batch processing in Photoshop for Example.
I’m not sure what “IT professional” means these days, guess he works for a local PC shop and just quietly what the hell would lower level managers know about IT and legacy applications.
If you need to edit video you certainly won’t want to do it on the Surface or Surface Pro, you would want a dedicated desktop (Windows or OS X) with fast processors, lots more memory and high end SSD’s. That is if you want to actually get anything done.
I’m certainly not saying the iPad is going to do any of this either, I am stating this is an entry level PC and when put in comparison to the iPad is very similar in what it can do.
In fact I think you’ll find that the iPad will easily record and cut up video in way less time than the Surface, I know my iPhone Plus does.
On topic, Windows doesn’t even come with any video editing abilities, whereas iOS comes loaded with everything you need. I am sure desktop programs just do more, they also come at a price and for an entry level PC which you then have to buy a AUD$180 keyboard and software on top, it’s no wonder the iPad is more appealing.
Again, I said I don’t know personally what it’s like for a business professional, I just know that for people like myself an iPad sounds high maintenance while the Surface 3 seems to be a plausible solution. I may not be able to render anything from it, but at least I can do my work on the go, with the software I use on my work machine, and have it ready for rendering later. Yes, it’s slower on a mobile device, but I’d rather get 30 minutes of slow-paced editing done on the subway than having to wait until I’m home to do the same work. Having a full desktop OS also helps when collaborating, and makes moving my work from device to device much simpler.
In my experience, senior managers and up in the corporate arena use email and Office and a phone as they don’t really do any real world work, this is very manageable on an iPad. They all use iCloud/Dropbox and OneNote…. This is why it is so appealing to these users (most of who use a 16/32GB iPad). Office on iOS is one of the best suite of Apps available on iOS. I will concede however that the iPad is not for everyone, which is why we have a choice to buy whatever we like.
I’m open to Windows having been in the industry for a long time and this has been my bread and butter, but Windows 8/8.1 was an absolute epic disaster. No one I know likes it unless they have a tablet as using on a desktop was a travesty.
I am happy to be proven wrong with Windows 10, but I can still run it as a VM on my MacBook Pro without having to buy another device.
Let’s see how it pans out.
Good Job catching up ! In the end it comes down to eco system, number of apps, quality of apps and maturity of the OS. Thinner, lighter, etc. won’t do any good for people like me. But for MS lovers, great !
Meanwhile at Apple , Phil Schiller will come out with his fat tummy with yet another thinner iPad with 2x graphics processing and 2x CPU speed and 27% thinner than the previous gen iPad ! We think this is the best iPad we ever made !
However you slice it, the Surface 3 will always have one major drawback: It runs Windows! For those of you heavily invested in the Microsoft envronment, this may be good news. However, no Mac user I know will willingly give up OS X for the Windows OS. The operating system is the major component that controls how you interact with any device, and all of Microsoft’s OS offerings always leave me cold. I had great hopes for Windows 8, but it was a confusing disaster. Who knows, by skipping Windows 9 and moving directly on to Win10, maybe their user interface designers have come up with something elegant — but I’m not holding my breath. Microsoft has never been known for their elegance, even when they’ve had years to copy the Mac OS.
+1 From me, Windows 8/8.1 was an absolute turd, fresh from MS. Windows 10 might be great, but they won’t be stealing any OS X users, perhaps just appeasing the current Windows users that are contemplating changing to OS X.
So M$ could not get Windows to run on ARM to be usable (I own the original RT 32GB), get developer support on ARM (no market share and what dev didn’t see this coming 2yrs ago?) and they retreated to Intel? What’s next? My guess is they retreat from ARM on their phones and move to an Intel only architecture. They need to support their desktop footprint everywhere it seems or they fail. All in my opinion internet.
I really don’t understand why do they always say that a new gadget is an iPad killer? iPad has specific purpose for specific needs of its users that a Windows tablet cannot replace. First of all the ecosystem of iOS is different from Android and Windows. 2nd, most iOS apps are far more appealing than the apps offered by MIcrosoft and Android. No matter how many new tablets will surface in the market, the iPad will always be the king of tablets.
‘Under Fire?’ Really? You think so? I’m not see it or feeling it. But good click bait I guess.
Just because they’re shooting doesn’t mean they have good aim ! :-D
Actually the article might have been better called, iPad gets crushed by a truly innovative tablet that provides a stylus and runs full blown applications!
Same old fan bois, different day. First off this beast is running Win 8.1, that would be desktop Windows with a bit of Metro sauce. Thus to compare it to an iPad is not correct, you have to match it against the Air. But it does not stack well against the Air because one has to toss in the keyboard that MS provides which is rather nasty piece of business. To get the thing really working well you also need a separate mouse. Now you have an item that is neither fish nor foul because it really does not work as tablet because the touch interface of Win 8.1 leaves a lot to be desired. Plus the actual tablet part of the equation weighs significantly more than the competition. The Surface 3 is not nearly as svelte as the Air 2. The Atom processor does not link up well with Win 8.1 as it struggles to churn through the work. Yes, we really are back to fabulous days of the Netbook and everything that Steve Jobs said about them, ie, they were a bad solution.
I don’t understand why MS was never able to get Tablet computing nailed down. It is one of the greater mysteries of IT. They had Tablet PCs out in the tale end of XP and into the Vista Era. But Tablet PC computers were always a fringe product that suffered from wonky execution. They had those awful styluses that you kept losing and bizarre screens that flipped and flopped to provide very limited services. Plus the blessing things were as heavy as a stack of bricks. Some PC manufactures were able to make a compelling product but even then sticker shock became an issue along with a underwhelming spec sheet.
Be that as it may, the Surface line seems to show that MS still does not have this form factor down. It’s not a very good Tablet as it’s really running a desktop OS but it is not really a good desktop because the chip, keyboard, screen and memory, are below par.