Looks Like We Are Getting The Surface Pro 3 in August

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 is set to hit Australian shores by the end of August, with pre-orders starting today.

The device, revealed overnight, will be available at Harvey Norman and JB Hi-Fi with the 64GB. The Core i3 model, without a keyboard, is priced at $979.

The new Surface Pro tablet weighs in at 798g, sports a 12-inch ‘ClearType’ Full HD display and a continuously adjustable kickstand, and is offered in multiple configurations featuring fourth-generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors.

While there was some speculation that Microsoft might make the latest iteration of its tablet smaller, the company has instead opted to go with more screen real estate. Screen resolution has also been lifted from 1920 x 1080 pixels to 2160 x 1440 pixels.

The emphasis from Microsoft is to pitch the Surface Pro 3 as an all-purpose device designed to replace the laptop.

Microsoft isn’t taking on the iPad -- it’s more interested in cutting the MacBook Air down to size.

Microsoft corporate vice president Panos Panay said while most consumers carry both a laptop and a tablet there’s a gap in the market for a device that serves all of their needs.

“Surface Pro 3 is the tablet that can replace your laptop -- packing all the performance of a fully powered laptop into a thin, light and beautifully designed device,” Mr Panay said.

With the device running Windows 8.1 Pro, Microsoft said the Surface Pro 3 is fully optimised to run all desktop functions.

Photoshop has also been optimised for touch on the Surface Pro 3 with new accessories such as a Surface Pen and a larger Type Cover with an improved trackpad experience also thrown into the mix.

The Surface Pro 3 is the latest attempt by Microsoft to find that sweet spot in the post-PC market, which has been overrun by a plethora of smartphones, tablets and phablets.

Given Microsoft’s nascent presence in the consumer-oriented tablet category, where prices are dropping, the company is hoping to win over businesses and workers -- a segment that might be willing to swallow the price tag and see the appeal of a tablet that replaces a laptop or an ultra-book.

Source: LINK

Full specs:

Operating system	Windows 8.1 Pro
Exterior	Dimensions: 7.93 in x 11.5 in x 0.36 in Weight: 1.76 lbs Casing: Magnesium Color: Silver Physical buttons: Volume, Power, Home
Storage	64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB
Display	Screen: 12-inch ClearType Full HD display Resolution: 2160 x 1440 Aspect Ratio: 3:2 Touch: Multitouch input
Pen input	Pen input and pen (included with purchase) Pen features 256 levels of pressure sensitivity
CPU	4th-generation Intel® Core™ i5-4300U (1.6 GHz with Intel® Turbo Boost up to 2.90 GHz), with Intel® HD Graphics 4400 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM — dual-channel LPDDR3 TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module — for BitLocker encryption) Fourth-generation Intel® Core™ i3/i5/i7 Processor System memory: 4GB or 8GB memory options TPM 2.0 chip for enterprise security
Wireless	Wireless: Wi-Fi 802.11ac/802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.0 low energy technology
Battery	Up to nine hours of web-browsing battery life
Cameras and A/V	5MP and 1080p HD front- and rear-facing cameras Built-in front- and rear-facing microphones  Stereo speakers with Dolby® Audio-enhanced sound
Ports	Full-size USB 3.0 microSD card reader Headset jack Mini DisplayPort Cover port Charging port
Sensors	Ambient light sensor Accelerometer Gyroscope Magnetometer
Power supply	36W power supply (including 5W USB for accessory charging)
Warranty	One-year limited hardware warranty