Microsoft Aims To Please Artists and Creators with Surface Pro 3 Tablet/PC

Yesterday in New York City, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Pro 3, the latest iteration of its fully-featured PC/tablet with pressure-sensitivity and an ability to run any PC-based creative software from Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite to Toon Boom, Maya, and ZBrush, to post-production filmmaker tools like Assimilate’s SCRATCH and RED’s CineX.

It’s ironic that Microsoft would be the company to step into the space of creator-friendly tablets after Apple abandoned artists for its consumer-driven iPad. But if you’re looking for a Cintiq-like device that is portable, affordable, and user-friendly, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better device than the Surface.

The Surface Pro 3 will begin shipping next month. Superjail! creator Christy Karacas reviewed the original Surface for Cartoon Brew and discussed how it fit into his workflow. To see the Surface Pro 3 in action, watch a video of the product launch/demo. Here’s more from Microsoft:

Wrapped in magnesium and loaded with a 12-inch ClearType Full HD display, 4th-generation Intel Core processor and up to 8 GB of RAM in a sleek frame — just 0.36 inches thin and 1.76 pounds — with up to nine hours of Web-browsing battery life, Surface Pro 3 has all the power, performance and mobility of a laptop in an incredibly lightweight, versatile form.

The thinnest and lightest member of the Surface Pro family, Surface Pro 3 features a large and beautiful 2160×1440 2K color-calibrated screen and 3:2 aspect ratio with multitouch input, so you can swipe, pinch and drag whenever you need. The improved Surface Pro Type Cover and more adjustable, continuous kickstand will transform your device experience from tablet to laptop in a snap. Surface Pro Type Cover features a double-fold hinge enabling you to magnetically lock it to the display’s lower bezel, keeping everything steady so you can work just as comfortably on your lap as you do at your desk. With a full-size USB 3.0 port, microSD card reader and Mini DisplayPort, you can quickly transfer files and easily connect peripherals like external displays. And with the Surface Ethernet Adapter, you can instantly connect your Surface to a wired Ethernet network with transfer rates of up to 1 Gbps.

The custom Surface Pen, crafted with a solid, polished aluminum finish, was designed to look and feel like an actual fountain pen to give you a natural writing experience. Use Surface Pen to organically mark presentations, sign documents or create art in apps like Fresh Paint. A click of Surface Pen opens OneNote, so you can capture your thoughts instantaneously — and your work is automatically saved. Double-click the back of Surface Pen to instantly capture a screenshot of whatever’s on your screen. And with our sophisticated Palm Block technology, you can rest your hand as you write without unintended inputs and marks.

• Intel Core i3, 64 GB storage and 4 GB of RAM—$799
  
• Intel Core i5, 128 GB storage and 4 GB of RAM—$999
  
• Intel Core i5, 256 GB storage and 8 GB of RAM—$1,299
  
• Intel Core i7, 256 GB storage and 8 GB of RAM—$1,549
  
• Intel Core i7, 512 GB storage and 8 GB of RAM—$1,949