The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is a Windows tablet with a 12 inch, 2160 x 1440 pixel display, a built-in kickstand, support for finger and pen input, and a starting price of $799.

Microsoft started selling a model with an Intel Core i5 processor for $999 in June. Now the $799 model with a Core i3 CPU is shipping, as are higher-priced models with Core i7 processors and up to 512GB of storage.

You can choose from 5 different configurations at the Microsoft Store or anywhere else the Surface Pro 3 is sold.

microsoft surface pro 3

All 5 models feature Intel Haswell processors, 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, up to 9 hours of battery life, and the Microsoft Surface Pen.

Here’s a run-down of the models that are now available:

  • Core i3-4020Y with Intel HD 4200 graphics, 4GB of RAM and 64GB SSD for $799
  • Core i5-4300U with Intel HD 4400 graphics, 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD for $999
  • Core i5-4300U with Intel HD 4400 graphics, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD for $1299
  • Core i7-4650U with Intel HD 5000 graphics, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD for$1549
  • Core i7-4650U with Intel HD 5000 graphics, 8GB of RAM and 512GB SSD for $1949

The tablet measures about 0.36 inches thick and weighs 1.8 pounds. It’s also designed to work with Microsoft’s Surface line of optional keyboard covers which let you use the tablet like a notebook.

via Microsoft

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5 replies on “Microsoft launches cheaper (and pricier) Surface Pro 3 with Core i3 and Core i7”

  1. I don’t expect these to be able to seriously take any loads. I’ve had access to core i7 laptops that were supposed to have active super awesome cooling on them and I could crash them by running our processing software. Basically I toasted the system ram even though the cpus were throttling. These weren’t haswell i7’s.

    If you can’t spin it up what’s the point of putting an i7 in it?

  2. I’m curious if the i7 model could manage some payable Borderlands 2 with decent graphics.
    It would be on external power of course probably with wired kb and mouse.
    I’m sure it would warm up a bit but still. ..

    1. Depends on your definition of decent? Medium should be playable, but at this maximum power draw level you don’t get much benefit from the extra GPU hardware. Perhaps steam home streaming is a better solution?

    3. The SP3 throttles much more than SP2 under heavy load due to the thinner chassis allows less room for heatsink. We’ll have to wait until the reviewers get the new units.
      I wonder if the i3 is a good choice. Not the i3 itself that matters but the 64GB storage. Although it has mSD slot, some apps tend to work more stable when installed in windows partition, and some even can’t be install on the mSD.

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