Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsSurface 3 (4 gb RAM) - Great Value
Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2015
I'm writing this after having my tablet for a few days. Let me walk you through my experience so far, if you want to skip straight to the review, scroll down a bit.
Previously, I owned an iPad Gen 2 that I used for Netflix, movies, light tablet gaming, Skype, and internet. I've never been an Apple person, but the iPad just worked so well that I lived with the limitations. As updates have rolled in, my iPad became slower and slower, to the point where browsing the web is painful, so I decided it's time to move on. Originally I was planning to invest in the newest iPad, but decided to look around a bit first. After some searching, I came across the Surface tablet line. I had considered them in the past, but heard nothing good with regards to the Windows Store app selection, and all the reviews were middling at best. With the newer devices moving to full Windows 10 however, my outlook on these devices shifted.
I started looking at several options (HP x360, Cube i7, Surface line, Lenovo, Dell) and finally decided on the Surface line for a number of factors. Here is what I was looking for in a tablet:
-Price ~$500
-Battery 8-10 hours during periodic use
-Quick
-Easy access to media
-Tablet, low weight
The product that best fit these criteria was the Surface. I considered the Pro series initially, but between the increased price and wanting to keep closer to tablet size, I decided against it. The Surface 3 runs on full Windows 10, comes with a power-sipping Atom processor (fanless), and an option for 128 gb storage with 4 gb RAM.
Amazon had a nice deal on this unit, so I pulled the trigger. My first impression after opening sums up my entire experience so far: impressed. The size, feel, and form of the Surface 3 is stunning. The build quality is great and the kickstand is very robust. I put the unit on charge for a few hours, then booted it up to get started. I went through the Windows 10 setup, linking my MS account and going through initial settings, then I had free reign. I went into the settings and changed a few preferences, then proceeded to the app store. I was pretty disappointed in the selection on the app store, but then remembered that I have a full Win 10 PC that I can install anything on. I grabbed a few apps (Netflix, Hulu, etc) and then went to the web. I set up Chrome with the Chromecast extension to stream to my TV. Next I downloaded Steam, and several 2D action/adventure games to keep me busy. My next big WOW moment came when I realized I can plug my Xbox 360 wired controller into the USB port and use it to game.
Here are some settings I recommend for a good tablet experience:
Tablet Mode > Off
Settings > Personalization > Start > Use Start full screen > On
Settings > System > Display> Change the size of text... > 175%
Settings > Devices > Typing > Show the touch keyboard or handwriting panel when not in tablet mode and there's no keyboard attached > On
Brightness > 25%
Don't use the desktop. Pin everything you use to the Start menu; the icons are larger and much more responsive to touch since you don't have to "double-click" them.
Make sure to adjust the screen off and sleep settings to your liking as well.
I don't sync my email or anything to my Surface, so I frequently leave Battery Saver on as I don't require push notifications. I also turned Cortana off, as I can Google search on my own and the battery usage showed she sucked up a decent enough portion. My experience with the battery so far has been good. It can last a day on moderate usage, and will maintain a fair amount of charge while in sleep mode. It does take a few hours to get to full charge though, which is a disappointment coming from my Moto X Pure that can Turbocharge from empty to 80% in ~40 min.
Overall, my new Surface has not disappointed. It's quick, and without noticeable slow down so far. Coming from a slow 2nd Gen iPad, I really like the openness and freedom to do what I want with very little limitation.
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Breakdown
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Pros:
-Fast
-Full Windows 10
-Decent battery life
-Form factor/build quality
-Screen is beautiful, good resolution
-Zero noise
-Windows 10 on tablet works well for the most part
-3:2 screen ratio nice for tablet use
-Full USB 3.0 port and micro USB charging
-No bloatware
-OneNote can sync with your Android/iOS/Windows Phone
Cons:
-App store leaves a lot to be desired (offset by having full Windows)
-Scroll bars on Windows 10 can be too small to use well
-Not all programs are optimized to work well with touch
-There is an adjustment period as you learn to use Windows 10 as a tablet