Microsoft
Surface Pro 3
Microsoft might
not be the first company to break into 2-in-1 laptop, but it's one of the few
to get it right. The first Surface was a suave new device that worked both as a
laptop and tablet. Thanks to an ergonomic kickstand and excellent magnetic
keyboard, it easy to use whether you're at a desk or even laying down. The
Surface Pro 3 is thinner and lighter than the previous two versions, despite
having a larger 12-inch display and higher screen resolution. A new kickstand
makes it easier to set up and use, and the keyboard cover remains a
best-in-class example. The Surface Pro 3 is now optimized for a digital pen,
which is included.
Performance:
Despite
its remarkably slim and light frame, the Surface Pro 3 is a powerful machine.
In benchmarks it's a match for pricey ultrabooks like the Toshiba Kira. Its
1.9GHz Core i5 processor scores 5,532, more than Toshiba (5,424) and the 2014
MacBook Air (5,401).
The MacBook and Surface Pro make an interesting
comparison here. Apple favours a slower processor, but a faster PCI-e SSD and
Intel's faster HD 5000 graphics. It's a trade-off that makes the MacBook very
snappy, but the Surface Pro 3 is no slouch either.
That faster processor gives it an edge in processor
intensive tasks, too. This is no workstation class processor, of course, but
anything you can throw at an ultrabook works fine on the Surface Pro 3. That
means any task or application you use in everyday work and life. It's an
efficient and effective replacement for a work laptop or ageing desktop.
It isn't noisy, either. If you're just watching video or
doing some other simple task, it's rare to even hear the fan spin up. Even when
it does it's an unobtrusive whir. You'll notice it in quiet surroundings, but
it's barely discernible over the hubbub of an office. It's another reminder of
the incredible industrial design in the Surface Pro 3.
Battery life:
Back to that battery result, it frankly isn't
even close to the best I've seen from a tablet. In my own use of the Pro 3 –
over 10 Google Chrome tabs, Spotify streaming high bitrate audio, TweetDeck
running and HipChat active with the keyboard backlit – the slate lasted 3 hours
and 55 minutes. Both tests were run at max brightness on the
"Balanced" power setting. Microsoft claims
that the Surface Pro 3 can hold out for up to 9 hours of web browsing before
kicking the can. Considering that both PCMark 8 and my own test are plenty more
strenuous than that simple task, perhaps the device could last longer under
lighter loads.
Lowering the brightness will undoubtedly boost endurance, and I
noticed that the tablet can last for days on standby. Regardless, this is a
device meant to handle relatively heavy work loads. If it can't match the
market-leading laptop in terms of longevity, then can it truly replace it?
It's true: both the 13-inch MacBook Air and iPad Air outlast the Surface
Pro 3 in our tests. Under more intense loads, it wouldn't be surprising to see
either maintain their lead over Microsoft's tablet. Perhaps it's Windows 8.1, or
more likely that QHD screen – regardless, there's room for improvement here.
But That excellent keyboard cover is not included in
the base price, and its improved touchpad still doesn't measure up. The chassis
lacks pen storage, and even with tweaked kickstand and keyboard hinges, the
Surface Pro 3 still doesn't fit perfectly on the lap. The
Bottom Line While the new Surface Pro 3 is Microsoft's best PC to date,
it's more successful as a tablet than a laptop replacement. CPU: 1.9GHz Intel Core i5-4300U | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4400 |
RAM: 8GB | Screen: 12-inch, 2160 x 1440 multi-touch display| Storage: 256GB SSD $649.99
VS
iPad Air
2
It's
even thinner and lighter than last time around and to a noticeable extent. The
screen is better, with more vibrant colours, it's more powerful thanks to its
A8X processor and the battery life holds up just as well. It even benefits from
Touch ID and Apple Pay and while these features aren't as exciting here as they
are on phones they're still nice to have.
In short the iPad Air 2
really is the complete package and while you can always find things to niggle
about there are no significant flaws. In the time since the original iPad Air launched everything else is
still struggling to match it and yet Apple has managed to raise the benchmark
higher still. Everyone else really has their work cut out if the iPad Air 2 is
going to be unseated from the number one spot. The new iPad Air gets an improved A8X processor, better rear and
front-facing cameras, an even thinner and lighter design, an anti-reflective
screen, a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and more built-in storage at higher
configurations than last year. But The Air 2 isn't a big change from last year's iPad in terms of
overall function; battery life remains the same, although its battery life is
already pretty good. Audio playback via speakers makes the thin metal body
resonate more than before. Design
At 6.1mm thick, the Apple iPad Air 2 is easily one of the
slimmest tablets on the market. It's not actually the thinnest, but we're at
the point now where fractions of a millimetre really don't matter.
Thinness for its own sake can be an error - there is a point of
diminishing returns where only marginal improvements can be achieved, at the
cost of structural integrity, battery life and overall performance - but Apple
hasn't reached that point yet.
The iPad Air 2 feels like a very solid tablet that can be held
easily for hours without it getting uncomfortable. The iPad Air was hardly a
big tablet, and theSamsung
Galaxy Tab S matches
the iPad Air 2 in weight, if not thickness.
Where the Apple device wins though is the overall packaging.
Samsung's option is good, but clearly an assemblage of distinct parts. The
plastic back, the larger-bezelled screen and the rim are all competing parts,
where the iPad Air 2 is a complete package, smooth and easy to hold in one
hand.
I was almost loath to put it in a case - it needs to be
protected if you're going to be running it around town, as that back and
chamfered edges will scuff up eventually - but if you're going to be a
sofa-warrior with your new tablet, the Smart Cover will do just fine and won't
obscure the impressive design.
The sad thing here is the loss of the silencing
switch, which has departed due to size restrictions. Apple would argue that
this is because the new Control Center makes the option available throughout
the OS with just a flick of the hand, but in truth I'm really going to miss
being able to silence the tablet without even looking. The power button remains at the top and
the volume keys have shuffled a little upwards now free of the silence key, but
otherwise the only real design changes are the speaker grill at the bottom of
the tablet (now a single row of holes, rather than the two before) and the
Touch ID on the home key.
You'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between the iPad
Air 2 and the iPad Air without a spotter's guide, but the iPad Air 2 has a
deeper black bezel which helps enhance the picture - plus it now comes in gold
to join space gray and silver.
The camera stays where it has been, both front and back, with
the new 8MP iSight snapper not jutting out as it does on the iPhone 6 and 6
Plus. The fact no tablet camera needs to be that high res, nor should people be
taking pics with a tablet anyway, is something to discuss in another article.
Does the iPad Air 2's design warrant the high
price tag? Yes, more than any other tablet on the market. It brings a premium
build, quality finish, great looks and while it doesn't need to be this thin, the structure doesn't seem to have had an
effect on the actual performance of the tablet, and does add something in the
palm.
Touch ID
Touch ID is Apple’s fingerprint
scanner. It works by securely storing your fingerprint on the device, so you
can unlock the iPad Air 2 with a simple touch. It’s super-slick but it’s less
useful on the iPad than it is on the iPhone
6 or iPhone 6 Plus. Phones are unlocked a lot more
often and are used one-handed, so it’s a neat feature on the iPad Air 2 rather
than an essential one.
Apple has now allowed developers to
hook into Touch ID so these days you can secure all your data on Evernote, for
example, behind the peace of mind of your own, unique, biometrics.
Apple’s key reason behind adding
Touch ID it to its latest tablets, though, is Apple Pay. Unlike on the
iPhones, which come with NFC, you won’t be able to use an iPad to tap and pay
in a physical store. You can use it to buy things online, though.
Add your credit card details to the iPad Air 2 and
you'll be able to use Touch ID to make purchasing dead simple. There are some
limitations, though. Currently Apple Pay only works via apps, so you won’t be
able to make purchases through a browser.
The other problem is that it’s not available in all regions
yet, although you can now use it in the UK
as well as the US
The
Bottom Line The iPad Air 2 is a nice refinement and finesse of last year's
model, with a bevy of tweaks, enhancements, a much faster processor, and the
welcome addition of Touch ID. Simply put: it's still the gold standard for
tablets.
Weight:
437g | Dimensions: 240 x 169.5 x 6.1mm | OS: iOS 8.1 | Screen
size: 9.7-inch | Resolution: 1536 x 2048 | CPU: Triple-core
1.5 GHz | RAM: 2GB | Storage: 16/64/128GB | Battery: 7340mAh
| Rear camera: 8MP | Front camera: 1.2MP
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