Hands-on with Surface Pro 3: Microsoft's hybrid tablet isn't so crazy anymore

Microsoft’s quest to create “one device to rule them all” may have finally succeeded.

With the Surface Pro 3, unveiled today at a media event in New York City, Microsoft has created a tablet with a screen large enough to serve as your main laptop. But it’s also light enough to serve as a tablet when you need to sit back and relax.

Think back to when Microsoft first announced the Surface tablet. It seemed exciting because it was a bold play for a future where our laptops and tablets converge. Fast-forward two years though, and Microsoft’s execution with the Surface family hasn’t quite lived up to its earlier promise. The first Surface RT was slow, and the slow roll-out of Windows 8 apps made the Surface Pro unappealing for many consumers.

All it takes is holding the Surface Pro 3 to realize how far Microsoft has come. It’s lighter and thinner than the Surface Pro 2, even though that tablet has a smaller 10.6-inch screen. Despite its 12-inch display, it’s easy to hold with one hand (though it’s certainly not as portable as a smaller tablet like the iPad Mini).

Indeed, the Surface Pro 3 is so thin that it’s hard to believe it’s a full-fledged Windows 8 tablet. Unlike the Surface 2, which runs the stripped-down RT version of Windows 8, the Surface Pro 3 can run all of the Windows apps you know and love.

The tablet’s new kickstand also offers far more flexibility than past Surface models. Now, it can open up all the way to 150 degrees as well as every step in between. The kickstand makes it easier to hold the Surface on your lap, and when it’s flipped out completely, it turns the Surface into handy artist’s canvas.

I was also surprised at how much I enjoyed using the Surface Pro 3’s stylus. Clicking the button at the top of the stylus instantly opens up a new OneNote file, even when the Surface is asleep. That makes it far more useful for quick note-taking. Another click of the pen sends the note to your OneDrive. It’s by far the most intuitive stylus integration I’ve seen in any device, PC or otherwise.

Thanks to its larger screen, using the Surface Pro 3 to browse the web and use Windows 8 apps felt far more comfortable than past Surface models. I always felt cramped by the 10.6-inch screens in the previous Surface. The Surface Pro 3, on the other hand, doesn’t feel any different than my 13-inch MacBook Air.

Now that Microsoft has reached its third Surface generation, I think it may have finally figured out the ideal balance between laptop productivity and tablet portability.

Check back next week for a full review of the Surface Pro 3.