Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (256 GB, Intel Core i7, Windows 8.1) - Free Windows 10 Upgrade

I was on the fence for a long time about purchasing the SP3. I wanted a suitable replacement for my 5 pound laptop, but not sacrifice the power or utility that it provided, plus I wanted to have the option of using it as a digital drawing pad like I do with my Wacom Cintiq.I finally made the purchase and very happy I did so. Essentially, I combined two pieces of hardware, I lightened my load by 8 lbs, removed the need for a nest of power and adapter cables, freed up several square inches of space in my bag, and extended my battery life by several hours all with one purchase. I don't feel like "that guy" that takes several minutes to unpack an entire work station anymore, since all that is required is the removal of the SP3 from my bag and I can go straight to work. And, it works just as efficiently as slapping the keyboard closed and stashing it into my bag before walking out the door. There is so much fuss removed simply by owning a SP3.Simple conveniences aside, it performs beautifully. I'm a graphic designer, so I spend a good amount of time in photoshop, but I'm also a hobbyist illustrator that likes to paint or create conceptual work. So removing the keyboard, I can quickly get to painting while using the RadiualMenu extension, which allows me to program my own commands and activate them just like as if I were on my Wacom. Photoshop has an experimental mode that allows for the UI to scale up and use on the SP3's high resolution screen. Both of these features are musts to have if you're an illustrating and thinking about using the SP3. Same could be said for Unity and Blender, as I use these two programs frequently, but I tend to keep the keyboard connected since they are so hotkey heavy.A quick word to the digital artist using the SP3, it will take getting used to, it did for me. I'm a traditional artist and it took me some time to make the leap to the Cintiq. Then it was another leap to the SP3 since Wacom is passive tech and the SP3 uses N-trig tech, which is active. If you're a quick sketch artist you may not notice it as much, but it you're slow and methodical with your penmanship, the SP3 may frustrate you a bit since it may waggle your straight lines if you hover in one spot too long. Don't be discouraged! Find a floor model some place and doodle to your heart's content to get a feel for it. Microsoft also has a incorporated an ability to set the pen pressure curve, which is helpful. I'm just waiting for them to give us the option to swap out the function of pressing the button on the back of the pen to something other than OneNote.Any heavy rendering drains the battery pretty quickly and you'll get a couple hours of use before you'll need to plug it in. Netflixing could give you about 3 to 4 hours. For light browsing, or gaming, you can get several more hours on top of that. Once you know the machines limitations you really don't feel inconvenienced since the power brick is the only thing in addition to the SP3 you might be carrying around with you.You may notice while using the SP3 that it may sit a little precariously on your lap with the kickstand since there are only the two points of contact. I purchased a "MoKo Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Case - Ultra Slim Lightweight Shell" along with my SP3 primarily because it utilizes the SP3's very versatile kick stand, but it also creates more surface area for the hardware to rest on your lap with the addition of the cover flap. It's more comfortable this way, and being able to adjust it so freely is very nice as, depending on your eye level or where a light source is coming from, you can adjust it to your comfort. The shell provides excellent protection, however I question the slot made for the stylus as a blocking a heat port. It's easy enough to pop that top cover off, but I'd recommend drilling holes into the Moko Shell to provide adequate venting. Otherwise it fits the SP3 perfectly and gives you a little extra confidence that you won't break it while handling it, or while resting it on your lap.I mentioned prior that I had a keyboard, and I'm not sure how you can have the SP3 without one, unless you strictly only want a tablet. If that's the case, I think you may need to reconsider your needs versus what you'll actually use. SP3 is a very powerful, well balanced machine that provides a lot of options and utility to tasks that you might only consider capable on a traditional PC or Laptop. Because of the versatility, it gives you more options as to what you can accomplish while on the move, which for me is a blessing since I am hardly home enough to do the work I need to do. If you're looking for something light and fun to while away your free time, I'd consider another tablet since the Window Store is not yet up to snuff with the likes of the Android or Apple stores in regard to quality apps. The SP3 can run full-fledged programs and you should already have some in mind when purchasing an SP3 to justify the cost.The complaints I have had are mainly software related, like Netflix freezing the unit for some reason during playback or occasionally the touch screen doesn't want to register some of my touches. These are things I'm still trying to iron out. Simply getting used to the SP3 in general will require patience to anyone new to that analog. It requires some adaptation and maybe sacrifices depending on how you look at it. If you're used to one way of working, you'll most definitely need to alter your work flow to accommodate for the size of the keyboard for instance. Either get a different full keyboard, or make your movements more streamlined. Need a mouse, get a mouse! Things like that. The SP3 is not perfect and it may require some 3rd party extensions, like the RadialMenu for any artist, or f.lux, so that the super bright screen doesn't burn out your retinas in the dead of night. And not really a complaint for me, but it may be for some, running multiple process will kick on the fan and it can get quite toasty in the upper most corner. Even with my I7 version. Figured it was worth mentioning since it might be a deal breaker for some.Overall however, I think Microsoft has gotten this product to an excellent point of versatility, and has combined the advantages (and disadvantages) of a laptop/tablet hybrid to an acceptable level where you're not sacrificing anything. I'm satisfied and carry mine around with me everywhere.

On the positive side:1. small / portable2. decent performance3. I upgraded to Windows 10 Pro, which is okayHowever, after 2 years of this as my main computer, here are the negatives:1. The keyboard leaves a lot to be desired (and the new keyboard as well) - my big problemsi. No dedicated Home/End/PgUp/PgDn keys. Fn+Caps really slows you down. I know the new Surface 4 keyboard corrects some things with the key spacing, but I think they didn't go far enough in improvements. Namely, the fact that the Function keys are shared with the Home/End/PgUp/PgDn keys. In this day of smart phones and tablets, where not as many people are savvy to touch typing (most useful class I had in High School!), maybe the designers felt they didn't need to waste space to mimic the classic IBM PC keyboard (Windows, US layout). However, I've been using computers for a long time and there's nothing - NOTHING - equal to the speed you get with that keyboard and an optical mouse. As is, you have to press Fn+Caps to switch between the top row of keys being function keys, and being the Home/End/PgUp/PgDn. Which is a real pain because anyone who is handy with the awesome standard Windows keyboard shortcuts likely regulary uses F2 to rename (or to quickly copy a filename to the clipboard for example), F5 to search, F1 for help, etc., and Home/End/PgUp/PgDn, all in the same flow. To have to look down at your keyboard to press Fn+Caps really breaks up that flow and slows you down. For touch typists, to not have the home/end/pgup/pgdn in the expected place on the keyboard really slows you down. The designers probably felt they had to compromise the keyboard to make room for the touchpad, but if you look at the keyboard itself, there is room on the top, left, right and bottom that could be given to adding a few more dedicated keys - even if they are narrow or small. I would gladly trade the space given to the touchpad and around the borders of the keyboard to get the dedicated keys... I would probably not even mind a wider tablet, or smaller keys, to get the familiar layout, because the functionality saves me so much time.ii. No rigid hinge between keyboard & computer that holds the screen up and lets you use the computer as a true "laptop". I know you can't have everything, but this REALLY limits the usefulness of this computer.iii. Plastic under the touchpad is kind of flimsy, and results in uneven or inaccurate tracking. But I prefer a mouse anyway. Which leads to the other major MS Surface flaw...2. Only one USB port - I still don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to buy a computer with a single USB port, but I will not make that mistake again! It SO limits the usefulness of this computer. To begin with, I like my desktop PC's full keyboard and wired optical mouse. If your keyboard has a couple of USB ports in it, you can plug in the keyboard and mouse to the computer. Even if you use a bluetooth keyboard, you only have a port for a single thumb drive or USB drive out of the box. I have not one but several hard drives, and often need to connect two at a time, in addition to my keyboard, mouse and thumb drive, so I am going to just have to buy a powered USB 3 hub, and use that instead. But as hard drives get bigger, USB 3.0 is not enough, which leads to another flaw...3. No high speed expansion ports like an ExpressCard slot mean that this can't ever be upgraded to USB 3.1 and beyond.4. Slightly too big to really work as a tablet - I still have my iPad 2 after 6 years, and the form factor for that is perfect. The MS Surface Pro 3 is a little too long/wide to really be comfortable using as a tablet while laying in your back in bed. While on the subject of tablets...5. Tablet mode is not so great - I was excited to have a tablet that would be running full Windows and let me overcome all the frustrating limitations that limit the iPad so much. Unfortunately, the tablet mode's interface just isn't as friendly / usable as the iPad. The Windows "metro" style interface is a confusing attempt at copying Apple. I don't know what the answer is, but the old school Windows "WIMP" interface is a lot more intuitive for a full computer.6. I haven't figured out how to really make great use of the pen. I just want to be able to use the tablet as a simple replacement for a paper pad, but it just seems like the apps around this are too complicated and the pen isn't intuitive enough (like being able to turn it around to use the other end as an eraser). I use Microsoft OneNote, but mainly with a keyboard. This one may be my fault for not really taking the time to learn to use the apps, but I just wish they had a simple built-in pen & paper notebook that you could use out of the box without any learning curve.7. You can't just turn it off and on instantly like with the iPad. Can you? It seems like the Surface Pro has the standard Windows "Sleep", "Hibernate", and "Shut down" options. Even Sleep mode doesn't wake up the computer instantly like with an iPad. And you can turn the iPad off, and not use it for days and days, and it still keeps its charge when you turn it back on. Come on, Microsoft! On the subject of power...8. Turns off and on when you don't want it to - I've had a lot of headaches trying to stop the computer from turning back on inside my bag after I hibernated it, just because the keyboard opened slightly (and the reverse, where the computer hibernates when you close the keyboard). I followed Microsoft's instructions on turning off the "turn on/off computer when keyboard is opened", and it STILL does this when I don't want it to from time to time. Ay yay yay!9. No full-size SD card slot. MicroSD is better than nothing, but come on. And it's in a hard to reach place.10. Horribly low resale value - out of curiosity, I went to the Microsoft Trade-in site, to find out that the most they will give me for my Surface Pro 3 is $110. $110!!! I paid over $1300 for this computer not two years ago, with 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM and 4th gen core i7 processor! I know that with a car, driving it off the lot reduces the price, but $110 is ridiculous... You'd be hard pressed to find an old i3 laptop on craigslist for $110, much less a maxed out Surface Pro 3. I am shocked and offended.In sum, the Surface Pro 3 is a nice try at a full Windows tablet, but there are some major flaws that limit its usefulness and expandability. Maybe I need something closer to a full laptop, but I think Microsoft could have a device that perfectly fills the gap between laptop and tablet if they made the changes I outlined above.