With the recent release of the iPad Pro, alongside Microsoft’s imminent Surface Pro 4 announcement in October, it’s time to revisit the Surface Pro 3 since it’s upgrade to Windows 10.
To the casual observer, the Surface Pro 3 has been a shining beacon of light for Microsoft throughout its Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone woes.
So what happens when you replace the dual operating system that Windows 8.1 offered with the newly launched Windows 10?
The answer is now a mobile productivity device that finally realises Microsoft’s vision.
The fact that Microsoft decided to skip Windows 9 and go direct to 10 seems more poignant with the Surface Pro 3, as it reflects just how big a step forward the new Operating System is.
Thankfully, with the release of the Surface 3 and 3 Pro, Microsoft opted to fit both models with Intel processors which allows them to run a full version of Windows, rather than the often lamented Windows RT.
Now Surface users have the best of both worlds - the portability and large touch-screen of a laptop, combined with a full version of Windows and the ability to run all your favourite Windows programmes.
With Windows 10 the desktop has been refreshed with a modern theme and the Surface Pro 3 borrows elements from the tablet and desktop environments to provide a more consistent interface that was missing in Windows 8.1.
For example when you attach or remove the keyboard, Windows now automatically switches between desktop and tablet mode.
This is one of numerous examples of how Windows 10 seems to run flawlessly on the Surface Pro 3 and with Microsoft continuing to work on Continuum, this experience is only going to improve in the near future.
The Surface Pro 3 with Windows 10, will now make committed laptop users question their loyalty.
Handwriting recognition is another area where Windows 10 exceeds on the Surface Pro 3, using the Surface Pen.
This may go mainly unnoticed, but it cuts out the annoyance of having to reconnect every time you wish to multi-task, as the handwriting input area opens at the bottom of the screen leaving ample room to perform other tasks on the device.
This helps bring the Surface Pen to the forefront of Surface activity, something that was lacking under the previous devices and operating systems.
There are still issues with Windows 10, as the new EDGE browser hasn’t lived up to the hype of its announcement as the successor to Internet Explorer and if the Continuum project will manage to lure developers back to the Microsoft store.
One thing that is certain is with Windows 10, the Surface Pro 3 has finally bridged the gap of 2-in-1 devices being a cross of desktop productivity and tablet based play and is now the best mobile PC.
By David Williams - Reviews Editor