A few days ago, I did something I never thought I would do.\u00a0 I decided it was time to upgrade my 2009-era MacBook Aluminum (13 inch).\u00a0 You’ll never guess what I replaced it with!<\/p>\n
After doing quite a bit of research, I decided to take a chance on a Surface Pro 3.\u00a0 I did not make this decision lightly.\u00a0 It started with an evaluation of Windows 8.1.\u00a0 My primary desktop was still running Windows 7 Ultimate.\u00a0 I upgraded it to Windows 8.1, as a first step in figuring out if I even wanted a tablet based on that OS.<\/p>\n
Windows 8.1<\/p>\n
It turns out windows 8.1 is pretty great! Believe it or not, I’m in the minority of people who prefer the tile based Start view.\u00a0 So much that I get a little angry when I accidentally switch to desktop mode.\u00a0 I wish I could disable desktop mode completely.\u00a0 I prefer the “full-screen app user interface” for running apps.\u00a0 I guess having used Apple devices (iPhone, iPad) for so long, it just makes sense to have applications that are designed to utilize the full screen.\u00a0 Anyway, after upgrading to Windows 8.1, and realizing I really liked the user interface, that made getting a Surface Pro 3 seem like a pretty easy decision.\u00a0 Take the Windows 8.1 tile based \/ tablet optimized UI, and add touch-screen to it? Hell yeah!<\/p>\n
Microsoft Surface Pro 3<\/p>\n
So, the next step was deciding which version of the tablet would be best for me: i3, i5, or i7? As it turns out, I didn’t think the almost double cost (i7 vs. i5) was not worth it.\u00a0 I also was not too concerned with storage space, as there is a micro-sd slot on all the tablets, and, at the time of this writing, you can purchase a 128GB class 10 micro-sd card for about $80.\u00a0 I ended up purchasing the i5, 128GB model.\u00a0 The timing was good, as Microsoft was doing a temporary price reduction on this model ($100 off).\u00a0 So, now that I have the tablet, what do I think of it?<\/p>\n
This device is killer.\u00a0 It’s capable of doing mostly everything my aging desktop is able to do.\u00a0 For reference, my desktop is running an AMD bulldozer (8-core), and quad-crossfire AMD HD6990s, with 32GB of RAM.\u00a0 I find myself using the tablet more than my desktop, even though the desktop is hooked up to a 40 inch UHD display (and running natively in UHD, of course).\u00a0 Note: I did add the keyboard\/cover, and am using both the keyboard, and the touch interface about the same.\u00a0 For example, typing this post using the keyboard is obviously more efficient than tapping it out!<\/p>\n
Anyway, if you are on the fence about getting a Surface Pro 3, and you’ve been able to resist the temptation of purchasing the original, or the Pro 2, this is a really good time to dive in and get the Pro 3.\u00a0 You won’t regret it!<\/p>\n
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