My son wanted a Surface Pro 3 to do some artwork on (Manga Studio/Photoshop/Mischief) as well as general MS office/Internet access but the prices are somewhat above his budget.
So instead we’ve been looking at the Surface 3 (i.e. not Pro). We wanted a minimum of 4Gb of RAM and a Type Cover as well as a Surface Pen. At the Microsoft Store this adds up to £653.98 (same at PC World) which is still blinking expensive.
Then I found a bundle at Ballicom which included the Atom X7 version of the Surface 3 with 4Gb RAM and 64 Gb Storage (eMMC rather than SSD), a Type Cover and a Surface Pen for £407 including delivery. This seemed too good to be true so I did some digging and found it’s an EDU bundle which is supposed to be for Education use only. The same bundle at Misco.co.uk is £584.20 (excluding delivery) so this is a decent saving. Includes free 7 day delivery.
I know this isn’t as powerful as a Surface Pro 3 but for its intended use it’s still very capable. Also this bundle only has 64 Gb of storage but it was more important to have 4Gb of RAM as that can’t be expanded and I’ll just add a 128 Gb Micro-SD card (£30 at Amazon).
And of course you can still get a free upgrade to Windows 10.
Review - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk2qZ8lirPg
Drawing/Sketching on the Surface 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO_wp4SRObc
Real world use - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4Wo_bhslZ0
Here’s the blurb from the description if anyone’s interested -
A very thin and super-light Surface
The 622g Surface 3 is just the right size to slip under your arm or in your purse and take anywhere.
Power through your day
Surface 3 has up to 10 hours of battery life for video playback so you can work, browse, play, or watch all day long.
Work the way you want
With signature 3-position Kickstand, Surface 3 lets you binge watch your favourite shows hands-free.
Mighty powerful
Surface 3 has a Quad-Core Intel Atom x7 processor, so it's fast, responsive and won't slow you down when you're on the go.
Desktop software
Surface 3 runs all your Windows desktop software like Microsoft Office, iTunes, and Photoshop Essentials.
Full-size USB 3.0
It is easy to connect all of your accessories with a full-size USB 3.0.
Top comments
mbuckhurst
8 Feb 164#20
For anyone after a similar specification but a little more power, you can often get Dell Venue 11 Pros from the Dell outlet for this price or lower, I picked up Core M 5Y11 (similar performance to an i5 supposedly - I run Visual Studio, SQL Server, Photoshop with no lag), 256GB internal storage, 8GB RAM and 4G card slot on top of the standard 1080P IPS screen, all for less than £400.
It's heavier, not as desirable, but for the money is hard to beat, if, like me, the Surface devices are too far out of your league.
mike
phishwak to bigdarlodave
8 Feb 163#3
Yes normally it does but this is a special Education only bundle that Microsoft do for Schools and Colleges.
All comments (58)
bigdarlodave
8 Feb 161#1
I could be wrong but surface 3 64GB only has 2GB ram, i know as i had to get the 128GB as i wanted 4GB ram, unless they have been inside it and added more, however like i say... i could be wrong.
LiamSmith78 to bigdarlodave
8 Feb 16#2
yep, you are. my surface 3 is the 4gb/128GB model :smiley:
there are two different variants.
phishwak to bigdarlodave
8 Feb 163#3
Yes normally it does but this is a special Education only bundle that Microsoft do for Schools and Colleges.
CharlieBravo
8 Feb 16#4
I use illustrator cc on mine, 4GB 128GB version, it is really impressive for the same price as an iPad, which is comparatively pants!
stuellis to CharlieBravo
8 Feb 16#5
Agree, I have the Surface 3 128gb with keyboard and pen and its a brilliant device, in my opinion well worth its RRP. My wife still has an iPad mini and I had an iPad but the Surface makes them both look like a basic toy once you realise what you can do with it. Wouldn't be without mine now.
simplewanderer
8 Feb 16#6
removed - can't count. SW
solid
8 Feb 16#7
What's the difference between the surface 3 and the surface pro 3?
Can anybody tell me what the wifi hardware is like on this device. The only device in my house that can max out my virgin media 150mb connection is the wifes ipad. Thanks
phishwak to dallaker
8 Feb 16#17
It has 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac. 802.11ac can theoretically do up to 1.3 Gbps which is 166 Mbps so it should be able to max out your Virgin Media connection. In reality it will depend on what other devices are connected and interference etc.
Badpoet
8 Feb 16#15
Picked the 4gb/128gb version up second Hand to replace an sp1 I have been very impressed with it thought I would notice the processor dip but barely pick up on it and the battery life is good. The charge time is shocking though!
sparrky2004 to Badpoet
8 Feb 16#18
Apply the new firmware update from 04/02/16 - Battery charging is much faster - mine normally takes hours to charge while using it - it's charged from 40% to 90% in just over 90 minutes while using it.
ryanwhite241
8 Feb 16#16
Fantastic Price!
perfectdark50
8 Feb 16#19
A very very useable little tablet/PC LOVE mine, it isnt super fast but its great for most things
mbuckhurst
8 Feb 164#20
For anyone after a similar specification but a little more power, you can often get Dell Venue 11 Pros from the Dell outlet for this price or lower, I picked up Core M 5Y11 (similar performance to an i5 supposedly - I run Visual Studio, SQL Server, Photoshop with no lag), 256GB internal storage, 8GB RAM and 4G card slot on top of the standard 1080P IPS screen, all for less than £400.
It's heavier, not as desirable, but for the money is hard to beat, if, like me, the Surface devices are too far out of your league.
mike
unuspromulti
8 Feb 16#21
1.3Gbps is not the same as 166 Mbps, you might be getting mixed up with MBps.
Either way wifi maxes out at 150Mbit/s (18MB/s) on the Virgin box and the Surface is plenty capable of handling that and if you want faster it'll take an Ethernet to USB3 adapter or the docking station etc to get gigabit Ethernet.
masai
8 Feb 16#22
Thanks OP. Been wanting one of these.
I have a dell venue11 (atom/ 2gb) which works very welll but quite heavy with the keyboard.
Thanks again! (From my right shoulder)
phishwak
8 Feb 16#23
Yes, its 166 MBps - just a typo.
onlineo
9 Feb 16#24
I bet win 10 slows it down. nothing is as fast as win 8.1!
Bendown to onlineo
9 Feb 16#32
I always found vista to be the fastest. You are right about win 10, a guy at work has it and says it is really slow.
CLEPAU676
9 Feb 16#25
is this open to all or do I need a school email etc, see its an education bundle?
phishwak to CLEPAU676
9 Feb 16#26
I just ordered it as normal - no questions, no school email.
unuspromulti
9 Feb 16#27
Yeah but there's no way anyone's getting those speeds over wifi or the internet for that matter, wireless n is only good for 150Mbps before you get into separate antennas etc which basic consumer grade kit can't handle.
phishwak
9 Feb 16#28
Hence the "theoretically" and "in reality it will depend...". I think we're both agreeing that it will be plenty fast enough to deal with home broadband over a wireless connection.
sandrinehakizimana
9 Feb 16#29
Anyone wanna get me this pleass
Horrorwood to sandrinehakizimana
9 Feb 161#37
Yes sure.
bigdarlodave
9 Feb 16#30
I don't see how your comment states I am wrong when I have said the 128 gab has 4gb of ram and so does yours
It's fine :-s. On both my PC which is atleast 5 year old (2500k/8gb ram/ssd). And sp3 4gb/ssd. I suggest he gets an ssd
topazz
9 Feb 16#34
Brilliant deal for the money. The Surface design and hardware is really classy. One of few devices that will be a pleasure to own long after you have forgotten how much you've paid for it. I'd grab one myself if I was in the market for a pc\tablet hybrid. Worth confirming that it is a 4gb ram variant first though. 2gb is perfectly OK but 4gb ram will provide better experience all round, especially when multi tasking.
Badpoet
9 Feb 16#35
Thanks for that - will check that out when I get home tonight its been the only annoyance with it so far :smiley:
sionwhughes
9 Feb 16#36
That's not the education one, that's just a student price on retail one. The education one is a special unit only available for schools, colleges and universities to buy normally. The education ones start at 32GB Flash 2GB RAM and go to 64GB Flash 4GB RAM
phishwak
9 Feb 16#38
Yes I was worried that it might be a misprint as well but if you look for the product number that's on the Ballicom page - NR5-00003, you find other sites have the same 4Gb RAM and 64 Gb storage specified in their description.
masai
9 Feb 16#39
Mine is preparing for dispatch.
Dave_c
9 Feb 16#40
is this screen size good enough to work on daily for typing essays etc? or shall i go for a normal laptop?
Bendown to Dave_c
9 Feb 161#43
Much as I have tried to use a windows 10" tab, I still keep going back to my laptop. I love tech and have android/windows tabs. these have their place but why struggle on a small screen when a laptop does the job fine, also take into account the higher the resolution the smaller the text etc.
GuigsyUK to Dave_c
9 Feb 16#51
I had a 10" hybrid which was fine for casual surfing and media consumption. However, when I got down to serious document writing and coding, it just wasn't big enough. The keyboard was too cramped and the screen was too small without craning over it all the time. I've upgraded to an 11.6", it doesn't sound like much of a difference and it still doesn't replace my desktop for all-day work, but for mobile work it's great.
Rich44
9 Feb 16#41
Wireless AC on my fritzbox does 1.3Gbps and when my Galaxy S5 connects it does so at 866Mbps which swamps my 80Mbps broadband. The Fritzbox is a home device and has NO external aerials either.
Dunno why you think consumer grade kit can't go faster than 150Mbps there's LOADS of >400Mbps wireless N routers & waps out there for consumers
unuspromulti
9 Feb 16#42
So it doesn't do 1.3Gbps, it does 866Mbps using multiple streams which is pretty good. It's a very capable box actually, much better than the basic kit we get from ISPs here. Yeah there are loads of capable routers out there but people tend to (and sometimes have to) use the basic ones given out by their ISP.
mikebuzz
9 Feb 16#44
OOS now :disappointed:
s1m0nc
9 Feb 16#45
Cancelled my order - for schools/edu only.
nick88
9 Feb 16#46
Order cancelled, for schools only
phishwak to nick88
9 Feb 16#47
When did you order ? Mine's been dispatched, they seem to be out of immediate stock now so maybe they've started checking as they probably have it on order with a distributor.
nick88
9 Feb 16#48
Ordered last night with 17 still in stock, got an email asking me to call them, then they told me the order was cancelled.
LiamSmith78
9 Feb 16#49
whoops, sorry about that . should have checked that before spoke. I mostly assumed because I know there are two variants
nCognito
9 Feb 16#50
Hot but out of stock...
phishwak
9 Feb 16#52
Definitely out of stock now - going to expire it.
masai
9 Feb 16#53
Mine got cancelled too. Boo hoo.
Phishwak if you find something let me onow please :smiley:
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Opening post
So instead we’ve been looking at the Surface 3 (i.e. not Pro). We wanted a minimum of 4Gb of RAM and a Type Cover as well as a Surface Pen. At the Microsoft Store this adds up to £653.98 (same at PC World) which is still blinking expensive.
Then I found a bundle at Ballicom which included the Atom X7 version of the Surface 3 with 4Gb RAM and 64 Gb Storage (eMMC rather than SSD), a Type Cover and a Surface Pen for £407 including delivery. This seemed too good to be true so I did some digging and found it’s an EDU bundle which is supposed to be for Education use only. The same bundle at Misco.co.uk is £584.20 (excluding delivery) so this is a decent saving. Includes free 7 day delivery.
I know this isn’t as powerful as a Surface Pro 3 but for its intended use it’s still very capable. Also this bundle only has 64 Gb of storage but it was more important to have 4Gb of RAM as that can’t be expanded and I’ll just add a 128 Gb Micro-SD card (£30 at Amazon).
And of course you can still get a free upgrade to Windows 10.
Review - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk2qZ8lirPg
Drawing/Sketching on the Surface 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO_wp4SRObc
Real world use - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4Wo_bhslZ0
Here’s the blurb from the description if anyone’s interested -
A very thin and super-light Surface
The 622g Surface 3 is just the right size to slip under your arm or in your purse and take anywhere.
Power through your day
Surface 3 has up to 10 hours of battery life for video playback so you can work, browse, play, or watch all day long.
Work the way you want
With signature 3-position Kickstand, Surface 3 lets you binge watch your favourite shows hands-free.
Mighty powerful
Surface 3 has a Quad-Core Intel Atom x7 processor, so it's fast, responsive and won't slow you down when you're on the go.
Desktop software
Surface 3 runs all your Windows desktop software like Microsoft Office, iTunes, and Photoshop Essentials.
Full-size USB 3.0
It is easy to connect all of your accessories with a full-size USB 3.0.
Top comments
It's heavier, not as desirable, but for the money is hard to beat, if, like me, the Surface devices are too far out of your league.
mike
All comments (58)
there are two different variants.
Cheers
https://www.reddit.com/r/Surface/comments/32s5n0/surface_3_vs_bay_trail_the_comparison_that/
It's heavier, not as desirable, but for the money is hard to beat, if, like me, the Surface devices are too far out of your league.
mike
Either way wifi maxes out at 150Mbit/s (18MB/s) on the Virgin box and the Surface is plenty capable of handling that and if you want faster it'll take an Ethernet to USB3 adapter or the docking station etc to get gigabit Ethernet.
I have a dell venue11 (atom/ 2gb) which works very welll but quite heavy with the keyboard.
Thanks again! (From my right shoulder)
Dunno why you think consumer grade kit can't go faster than 150Mbps there's LOADS of >400Mbps wireless N routers & waps out there for consumers
Phishwak if you find something let me onow please :smiley:
Contemplating getting a refurb off argos ebay.