Microsoft reveals powerful, new Surface Pro 3

At a press event today, Microsoft officially unveiled the Surface Pro 3, a lightweight tablet "that packs the power and performance you expect from a laptop" — for a pretty hefty price, that is.

Similar to its predecessors, the Surface Pro 3 is both a tablet and a laptop in once. It boasts a 4th generation Intel Core processor (Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 options) and storage that ranges from 64 to 512 GB. It also packs 4 or 8 GB of ram and features a full-size USB 3.0 por for peripherals, a Mini DisplayPort for an external display, and a microSD card for expandable storage.

The screen size has also been increases, and is now 38 percent larger than that of the Surface Pro 2. The 12" ClearType Full HD screen with 2160 x 1440 resolution packs 50 percent more pixels than its predecessor.

The Surface Pro 3 also offers all of the accessories you'd expect: a kickstand with a friction-hinge ranging from zero to 150 degrees; new click-in keyboards that come in five different colors and a 63% larger track pack; and a new Surface Docking Station that will be available in the next few months.

What's more, the Surface Pro 3 weighs just 1.76 pounds and is 0.36 inches thin. Comparatively, it is just half the thickness of the MacBook Pro, and 30% thinner than an 11-inch MacBook Air. The battery life has also been increased to 9 hours, which is 10 percent better than the Surface Pro 2.

Pricing starts at $799 and goes all the way up to $1,949 depending on the specs you prefer. It's pricey, but it's also a tablet built as powerful as a laptop. Pre-orders are currently available on the Microsoft Store.

[Microsoft]