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Microsoft Surface 3 64GB $598 (Save $100), Microsoft Surface 3 128GB $738 (Save $100) @ JB Hi-Fi

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Noticed these 2 deals on the homepage
Microsoft Surface 3 64GB $598 (Save $100)
Microsoft Surface 3 128GB $738 (Save $100)

Surface 3 Specs

  • 10.8" 1920 x 1280 Full HD Plus
  • Windows 10 (1-year of Office 365 Personal5 with OneDrive cloud storage)
  • Intel Atom x7 processor (1.6GHz with Intel Burst technology up to 2.4GHz)
  • Surface Pen Support
  • 2GB RAM (64GB Model)
  • 4GB RAM (128GB Model)
  • 3.5 megapixel front-facing camera
  • 8.0 megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus
  • Microphone, Stereo speakers with Dolby audio
  • Up to 10 hours of video playback
  • Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer
  • Full-size USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, microSD card reader. Micro USB charging port, Headset jack, Cover port

Related Stores

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closed Comments

  • Is there still a Surface Pro or is this it only? I noticed it says it has Windows 10

    • +2

      Yes, there is still the Surface Pro.

      This is the cheaper model that is not as powerful.

    • Surface Pro runs with proper chips like Intel i5/i7, this is Surface that runs with Intel Atom

  • +8

    this is a surface with an atom CPU FYI

    • Not quark

  • +3

    Not it's not the PRO.

    • also wait for the PRO

  • +2

    Any owners care to comment on how well it runs?

    • +5

      The 64GB version only has 2GB ram, which does hurt it - especially if you're going to use the stylus for drawing as graphics programs can be a bit demanding.

      The 128GB version has 4GB ram. Runs perfectly fine, except for gaming, obviously. Photoshop works fine. Feels like a laptop more than a tablet.

      Just keep in mind the keyboard adds quite a bit to the cost.

      (not an owner, just a wanter.)

    • +20

      I have the 128gb/4gb (don't even bother contemplating the 64gb/2gb, it will struggle hard on Windows 10), and have for about a month now. I think it's important to understand where this device sits before comparing it to anything else you might think of buying.

      I bought the Surface 3 specifically as an alternative to an iPad or android tablet. This is where it absolutely wins. It has a lot more storage with additional expansion capabilities, you can plug in any USB devices, you can use it with a stylus and the keyboard (obviously) for more serious productivity tasks (like desktop Excel!!), and it can actually multitask because its full-on Windows 10. When you compare it to other tablets - this is the CLEAR winner. I think it's still light enough and portable enough to really be worth it. Oh and it has a built in kickstand. I cannot tell you how much more useful that feature is than I thought it would be.

      However, I am not looking to use the Surface as my full time computer. And if you are thinking it will be your laptop replacement, I promise you will be frustrated quickly. The trackpad on the keyboard cover is too small to use all the time, the storage is EMMC (or whatever its called) as opposed to SSD so its a lot slower than a Pro 3 or 4 for read/write speeds (enough to actually effect your experience should you be expecting laptop performance), and generally the software experience can be buggy.. But not too bad. As a small example, waking and sleeping takes more time than it should. The battery life can also be either quite good, or bizarrely short. These are the shortfalls of the Windows 10 tablet experience at the moment. I think it will iron itself out with software updates.

      So if you want a helluva tablet, buy this. If you want a helluva computer, don't buy this.

      Oh and as an aside, I wouldn't buy the Surface from JB. Get it from the Microsoft store, you can get the stylus, keyboard, office and a 2 year accidental damage replacement warranty for like $250 or $300 or something. Definitely worth it.

      Oh and the Netflix app is excellent, dunno what Phreakuency is talking about. Facebook is pretty bad but you can run it in Chrome or Edge so meh.

      • I bought 128gb/4gb from Microsoft store nearly a year ago for this price as we got student discount 10% as my daughter still goes to school.

        Have been looking for proper Surface 3 keyboard but I am not going to pay $180 for it so just ordered from my supplier $60 Bluetooth keyboard with mouse pad that connects by magnets on the Surface. It is great to type with but the mouse pad is not too great.

        I did not buy the Pro one as I think it is too large as a tablet, but sometimes miss the performance when I browse some heavy websites.

    • +3

      I use it for my university and few steam games. Pen experience is great. I dont use paper and pen anymore for taking notes. Battery life is pretty good too. I usually shut it down after using as it takes about 10 seconds to boot up. I think it should go for 5-8 hours on single charge. Depends on what you use it for. Screen quality is pretty amazing for watching videos etc.

      • +1

        Have any users used Photoshop or Lightroom on it? I'm quite keen to get a Surface 3 (but waiting for Microstore to do another free keyboard deal) - but if can't really run these I'd loose interest. Wouldn't be planning it for my main photo editing, but nice to have the option.

        • +1

          Yes it can run photoshop or lightroom. But I wont recommend anyone to do that. It is too slow.

        • +1

          Get a Pro!

        • I've actually got a SP3 - wanted something that would fit in bags with a tablet slot only :)

      • How long does it take you to charge?

    • I've got the 4/128GB model and it's great for everyday tasks and at uni, however I do also have a desktop which I use at home for more intensive work with a bigger monitor and proper keyboard and mouse setup.
      I never type anything up at uni so never bothered with the keyboard, so just use the touchscreen and pen. Great for taking notes in lectures and doing questions paperless!

      • Have you plugged in another keyboard to the device and how did you find it?

        Do you have a screen protector on the device and if you do does the pen work ok with a screen protector?

        • used a bluetooth keyboard with it once and it worked fine
          generally only ever do handwriting/annotating and browsing on it (am now using it on the couch like a tablet) and the onscreen is fine for the occasional use.

          don't have a screen protector, slide it into a laptop sleeve for carrying in my bag at uni. my biggest concern with a screen protector would be how well your palm can slide across it when writing, a glass one should be fine

        • @Woodyg22:

          Thanks for the reply.

        • @Woodyg22:

          I have a glass protector and it is fine. I just noticed that the screen sensitivity is about 10% lower after installing the screen protector.

          I'm happy with it as it reduces scratches to my screen. I had to install the flip cover for it as well as I am clumsy and drop things regularly :)

        • @datafellows:

          What is the flip cover?

        • @datafellows:

          Do these covers give you the option of using the 3 positions in the kickstand?

        • @barghunt1:

          Unfortunately no as the kickstand is inside the cover. There is just one position available.

          But what was surprising, the keyboard can be left inside when closing the cover so it is not inconvenience at all.

    • I've had a Surface Pro for over a year now (SP3 256gb) and I love it. I was concerned about Windows 10 but any early glitches have been patched pretty well. It's my main laptop now, it goes everywhere with me. It's great as my uni laptop and the pen in use with Onenote (had never used onenote before getting my SP3) - it's brilliant for taking hand-written notes (used like an A4 sized tablet with the keyboard folded around the back). All my handwritten notes are searchable in onenote which is pretty awesome, and my handwriting as messy as hell.

      Only downside I suppose is it's not as easy to use as a laptop lying down in bed as the hinge has to sit against your legs. You have to prop it up on knees or lie on your side. Lazy person problems.

      • +3

        This post is not for the Pro.

      • All my handwritten notes are searchable in onenote which is pretty awesome, and my handwriting as messy as hell.

        how do you search handwriting?

        • +1

          Use OneNote, it will recognise your handwriting reasonably well - I just wrote the word "Beans" with my mouse to test it and, so long as the letters didn't overlap, it recognised it.

        • @douglasac10: awesome, i was used to evernote and didnt bothered with onenote much. seems like a miss

        • +1

          @melfes: It's not too bad, obviously it will make some errors (it's not 100% perfect) but you can train Windows to recognise it better by running through the Handwriting Recognition wizard from the Control Panel.

        • @douglasac10: learnt cheers

  • -7

    Good if for typical internet, email and basic apps but the Windows app store is and always will be empty and worthless.

    If you like mobile/tablet games there is maybe 1% of what you get on iOS or Android.

    Plus basic apps like Facebook, Netflix, even something like Words with Friends are slow, have less features and rarely updated.

    The hardware is really good but the software is always going to be left behind.

    • +3

      But it's Windows proper. I'd say there's a fair amount of non-mobile Windows applications.

    • +2

      Nobody buys a Surface to run the crappy windows store apps…they all suck and are gimped in some way.

      In any case I loved my Surface Pro (first generation), while its a lot heavier than the current generation surfaces it was a powerful device in a portable package, and also wasn't terribly expensive.

      The Surface 3 (non-pro) however does lack computing power and is also fairly pricey to boot — it's hard to justify the $600 on a device that only has 2GB of RAM and has even less computing power than a low-end laptop. Not to mention the accessories are also pretty expensive.

      • I think judging by the butthurt negs, your sentence should have ended at 'nobody buys a Surface' (non-Pro).

  • Can someone please confirm when this becomes live? I'll do the same also… was just about to purchase a couple so will hold out until its live.

    Raz

  • +3

    Great to ask HN to do price matching and stack with $25 newsletter voucher + $50 Amex offer at Harvey Norman + 10% GST back at the airport as I am traveling overseas this month. Perfect timing.

    • The voucher is online only, so it won't work unless the product is on the website.

        • -1

          But can they change the price for you online to $738? If they can't then it's effectively $838-$25-$50 (if you have American Express) = $763, which is more than the JB Hifi price.

        • +1

          @happychappy1:

          HN online chat will price match and change the price but the way they do it (effectively putting the difference in price as a discount voucher) doesn't let u stack the 25 welcome voucher. Dunno about Amex as I don't have one.

        • +1

          @happychappy1: They will give you a link with matched price.

        • @fidelio: I see. Never tried this before. I'll give it a go next time I need to by something from HN.

  • Heard that throttling of this machine makes significant performance drops. If you are getting this, you might also want to get the cooling pad.

  • +1

    Does anyone own the 2gb version of this device and how do they find it?

    Does anyone use this device without the type cover and how do they find it?

  • Do ppls realize that this is a much slower one none pro version? Price With keyboard is not worth it.

    • It is also much cheaper, and fanless, what's your point? What do you recommend instead for the same price, an iPad?

  • I think you are better off waiting for the Tabpro S which is coming out in a few months

    • Thanks for mentioning that. It looks like a nice device, but it sure as hell won't be this inexpensive.

  • If you go for the 2GB version, reformatting to the 32bit version of Windows 10 helps somewhat. 64bit (which is installed by default AFAIK) is more memory hungry.

  • This is a decent deal.

    Not as good as the click frenzy deal at the MS store (free type cover, meaning 839 for type cover plus the tablet), but still good value.

    I would also recommend getting the Gecko folio case for this. It's cheaper than the type cover (about 110), and is a decent folio case with a built in Bluetooth keybaord that attaches to the inside of the case magnetically.

  • Wish this was on sale at officeworks or I was in a city that had a physical Microsoft store. Didn't have a good experience when making an enquiry about this in a JB hi fi store and am a bit put off getting this product now.

    • Figured I shouldn't be put off by one bad salesperson at jb and their lack of stock on the first day of a sale. So went off to Harvey Norman to give that a go considering their website said they had stock at the store I was going to attend. Approached by the salesperson while standing next to the display model. Asked if there was stock in the model I was asking about just in case the website was not accurate and repeatedly told by salesperson that it was an old product and they only had the i7. Pointing out that I was talking about the surface 3 not the surface pro 3, giving the specs for the product like its a cherry trail atom, pointing to the product and the description right next to the device made no difference to the conversation. I was repeatedly told its an old product and they only have the i7. So gave up and walked out. I don't think I'm meant to get this product.

      I have tried the display model in the past but for some reason today found both display models I tried in different stores / chains not very responsive to touch. Could this be because the firmware on these models was not up to date? Not a good advertisement for the product.

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