Microsoft unveils the 12-inch Surface Pro 3 tablet, base model starts at $849 in Canada

Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s new CEO, was on deck and unveiled the Surface Pro 3 tablet today, an Intel-based slate that sports a 12-inch display.

The Surface Pro 3, which is described as a device that gets the full power of the PC, is 9.1mm thick, versus the 10.6mm of the Surface Pro 2, and is powered by Intel Core i7 processor. In addition, the 12-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio 2160 x 1440 resolution — something they call ‘pixel free’. The new Surface Pro 3 actually comes in lighter than the previous flagship Surface at 800 grams.

One of the highlights is that it’s fan-less and Microsoft redesigned the internals to make it 30 percent more efficient than anything in-market. The kickstand — or ‘friction hinge’ — has also been redesigned and can bend up to 150-degree angle, as has unveiled new Type covers to fit the new larger Surface Pro 3, now sporting the colours black, purple, cyan, and red being a Microsoft exclusive. The Type cover also has a 68% larger trackpad.

The Surface Pro 3 also sports front-facing speakers that are apparently “40 percent more powerful” than its previous tablets. Other highlighted features in the presentation, apart from hamming down the point that it’s supposed to replace your current tablet and laptop, is that it brings side by side computing with the “power of Microsoft.”

The prices are below, pre-orders start tomorrow at $799 (USD) for a Core i3 processor, the i5 jumps to $999, and the Core i7 hits $1,549. However, for we Canadians the prices will see an increase of $50 on each and start at $849 for the base model. Availability is expected to be in-stores starting June 20th in Canada.

Nadella stated that at Microsoft its goal is to “Empowering every individual and organization to do more and be more… We want to build experiences that bring together all the capabilities of our company. We are not building hardware for hardware’s sake… Today is a major milestone on that journey. It starts with dreaming the impossible. Can we design a device that combines the best of a tablet and laptop…Read, create, and write. Watch a movie and create a movie. Enjoy art and create art.”