Surface Pro 3 (Off-Topic)

by ncsuDuncan , Tuesday, August 11, 2015, 23:11 (3398 days ago) @ cheapLEY

I've liked the idea of the Surface Pro tablets, and I've played with them in stores and such, but I'm not sure I could live with it as a primary computer long-term.

I thought the same thing before I bought my SP3. I wanted to get a tablet but also needed to replace my laptop. I figured I'd still rely on my desktop as my primary computer though.

I've had my SP3 for over a year now and it's been my main computer the entire time; my old desktop mostly just gathers dust now. If I'm doing some heavy video editing or gaming I might boot it up, but for everyday use I'll sit at the kitchen table with my Surface. Or sit on the couch with my Surface. Or in bed. Sometimes I'll watch Netflix on it while doing laundry or cooking - the built-in kickstand works wonders and it's great for spending your entire 5-hour flight to Seattle playing around with the stylus in Photoshop.

One thing I really like about the form factor is that I can carry my Surface anywhere and I don't feel like I'm lugging around some giant work laptop that needs a bag full of accessories. If I was going to a friend's place to watch football all day, I'd feel ridiculous showing up with a laptop - but an iPad wouldn't raise any eyebrows. The Surface lets me carry my main PC around disguised as a casual tablet.

As an aside, the Microsoft Arc Touch mouse goes great with this thing (as long as you get the bluetooth version). I've been using that as my main mouse for the past year, and it's perfect for the SP3 if you plan on carrying it all over the place like I do.