Microsoft Introduces Surface 3: The Thinnest And Lightest Surface Yet

Pre-order begins March 31.

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Mar 31, 2015, 09:00 ET

REDMOND, Wash., March 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft Corp. is introducing a new Surface, the Surface 3. Like Surface Pro 3, it's a tablet that can replace your laptop but is thinner, lighter and even more affordable. Powerful and efficient, Surface 3 is optimized to run full Windows and Office and features long battery life. The ability to run Windows apps and the versatile pen experience¹ — great for taking notes or marking documents — make Surface 3 ideal for students, schools and anyone looking for a portable device to get things done. A 4G LTE-ready version,² Surface 3 (4G LTE), will offer even more mobility. Starting at just $499, Surface 3 packs performance and value into an elegant, lightweight design.

"Surface 3 brings what customers love about Surface Pro 3 to more people, delivering the premium design and productivity of Surface in a more affordable device," said Panos Panay, corporate vice president, Microsoft Surface. "We've taken everything we learned making Surface Pro 3 and poured that innovation into this newest Surface. It's beautiful, versatile, powerful and productive, and our customers are going to love what it lets them do."

Productivity and portability
Powered by the new quad-core Intel^® Atom™ x7 processor,3 Surface 3 is quick and responsive but designed to maximize efficiency with up to 10 hours of video-playback battery life.⁴ A range of storage and memory configurations gives people choice in power and capacity. The beautiful 10.8-inch ClearType HD multi-touch display featuring 3:2 aspect ratio, stereo speakers with Dolby^® Audio-enhanced sound, and the elegant and durable magnesium design are just a few of the benefits of Surface 3 that customers will recognize from Surface Pro 3. The three-position kickstand is ideal for using Surface 3 while working at a desk, sitting on a couch or holding in the palm of a hand as a natural writing surface. And with Surface 3 (4G LTE),² anyone who needs connectivity on the go can get Internet access wherever their tasks take them.

Free upgrade to Windows 10
To help people get even more done, Surface 3 and Surface 3 (4G LTE) ship with full Windows 8.1 and can be upgraded to Windows 10 for free when available.⁵ They also come complete with a one-year subscription of Microsoft Office 365 Personal, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, plus OneDrive cloud storage.⁶ Full device specs are available here.

Built for business
And with Surface 3, businesses and schools will now enjoy a broader array of options. Even before its availability, educational institutions such as University of Phoenix and companies such as Prada, BASF and Emirates have committed to purchasing and deploying Surface 3 across their organizations because they see the value Surface 3 can bring to their employees and students. "Having explored multiple platforms, we are confident that Surface 3 meets the expectations of our experienced and professional flight crew," said Captain Alan Stealey, divisional senior vice president, Flight Operations, Emirates. "The device's innovative design and functionality prove to be the choice for our EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) initiative."

Surface accessories
Surface 3 and Surface 3 (4G LTE) can be paired with new accessories⁷: Surface 3 Type Cover is offered in a variety of colors and features an improved trackpad and responsive keyset for fast, accurate typing, alongside four vibrant Surface Pen colors — silver, black, blue and red. The Surface 3 Docking Station lets people easily connect to an external monitor and all their desktop devices, and Surface 3's full-size USB 3.0 port, Mini DisplayPort, microSD™ card reader and Micro USB charging port make it compatible with the Surface Pro line of adapters and ready for quick and easy connections to a variety of accessories. Surface accessories specifics can be found here.

Pre-order and availability
Surface 3 and new accessories will be available for pre-order starting March 31 through microsoftstore.com, Microsoft stores⁸ and select partner retailers in the following markets: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Commercial customers should contact their authorized reseller for pre-order information.

Starting May 5 through those same retailers and resellers, customers can begin purchasing Surface 3, Surface 3 Type Cover, Surface Pen, Surface 3 Docking Station and Surface 3 Screen Protector, with availability in all 26 markets by May 7. Microsoft will offer Surface 3 (4G LTE) through T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless in the U.S. later this year. More to come regarding additional Surface 3 (4G LTE) availability and markets in the coming months.

Additional information on Surface can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/surface.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services, devices and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Some information relates to a pre-release product, which may be substantially modified before it is commercially released. Microsoft makes no warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information provided here.

¹ Surface Pen sold separately.
² Service availability and performance subject to service provider's network. Contact your service provider for details, compatibility, pricing, SIM card and activation.
³ Intel, Intel Atom and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries.
⁴Testing conducted by Microsoft in March 2015 using 128GB and 64GB units with 4 GB of RAM. Testing consisted of full battery discharge during video playback. All settings were default except Wi-Fi was associated with a network and Auto-Brightness was disabled. Battery life varies significantly with settings, usage and other factors.
⁵ Free upgrade to Windows 10 for qualified Windows 8.1 devices that upgrade in the first year. More information and additional offer terms available in the coming months. See http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/about?ocid=WIN10_0_WOL_Hero_Home_Windows-10_Null_01 for more information.
⁶Available on Surface 3 with Windows 8.1 purchased prior to Dec. 31, 2015. While supplies last. Office activation required within six months of Windows activation date.
⁷ Accessories sold separately.
⁸ In Canada, Puerto Rico and the United States.