Microsoft unveils $799 Surface Pro 3, calls it 'the tablet that can replace your laptop'
In unveiling the new laptop-tablet hybrid, Microsoft Surface chief Panos Panay noted that most people in the crowd were typing on Apple MacBooks, and many of those likely had an iPad in their bag. He also cited statistics that showed that 96 percent of iPad owners also own a laptop.
Panay then brought out the Surface Pro 3, an Intel-powered device that he said can meet the needs of both a laptop and a tablet in one touchscreen form factor. The redesigned Surface Pro runs full Windows 8, and starts at $799 with an Intel Core i3 processor, while more powerful configurations of Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs will also be available. It goes on sale Wednesday.
In another comparison to Apple, Panay had a scale onstage where he weighed a 13-inch MacBook Air in contrast to the new Surface Pro 3, which comes in lighter at just 800 grams but also sports a smaller 12-inch screen. Panay said that despite having a smaller display, the Surface Pro 3 view 6 percent more content than on a 13-inch MacBook Air, thanks to the aspect ratio of the display as well as Microsoft's optimization of Windows 8.
