Heads up, if you're in the market for a new tablet. Microsoft's Surface Pro 3, billed as "the tablet that can replace your laptop," is now on sale in the U.S. and Canada.
Starting at $799, the 12-inch Surface Pro 3 is available through Microsoft stores, MicrosoftStore.com, and retailers like Best Buy, Staples, and Tiger Direct.
Microsoft also today announced that Intel Core i3 and i7 versions of the Surface Pro 3 will go on sale August 1 in the U.S. and Canada. A docking station for the Surface Pro will be available August 15; pre-orders for it start today.
Unveiled last month, the Surface Pro 3 sports a 2,160-by-1,440 display, which Panos Panay, head of Microsoft's Surface division, said provides the "highest contrast ratios in the industry." That's important, he said, because it means your eyes will get "less tired" as you work.
Panay pointed to stats that said 96 percent of people with iPads also have a laptop. "There's a reason for that," he said: tablets are for kicking back and watching movies or using apps, while laptops are "designed to get stuff done."
With Microsoft's new Surface Pro 3, the company is focusing on "taking that conflict away," he said.
In our review, the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 earned a "good" rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars. The device earned praise for its clear screen, 10-finger multi-touch support, adjustable kickstand, and pressure-sensitive stylus, but we also found it's heavy and bulky for a tablet. On the downside, the integrated pen storage is flimsy, it only has one USB 3.0 port, and it doesn't work with last-generation Surface accessories. We also weren't convinced the device would make you want to ditch your laptop.
For more, see PCMag's full reviews of the Surface Pro 3 (video below) and Surface Pro Type Cover.