Surface Pro 3 vs. Macbook Air is a fair comparison to make now that Microsoft has announced the most recent addition to the Surface tablets, the Surface Pro 3.
The Redmond St. firm is labeling the Pro 3 "a tablet that can replace your laptop," and will be competing against Apple's "thinnest, most portable notebook on the market" - the MacBook Air.
This is not a new proposition by Microsoft (MSFT +1.66%). Industry watchers know that Microsoft has been working on a new market to compete with Apple's (AAPL +0.26%) new line of laptop substitutes like the iPad.
Microsoft made the rivalry clearer with the release of Surface Pro and then the Surface Pro 2. Now that Microsoft has taken a formal stand on its replaceable laptop products, the value of the Surface Pro 2 is clear cut for the consumer.
Rather than an argument that goes into Surface Pro 3 vs. MacBook Air or an iPad, Redmond is now saying, "the new Surface Pro is better than the MacBook Air," TechCrunch reports.
Analysts comment that the Surface Pro 3 is the No.1 answer to the MacBook Air so far, because it is more versatile and powerful than anything else on the market from rivals such as Lenovo, HP, or Samsung.
Looking at the Surface Pro 3 screen, it is bigger than previous versions with 12-inches and sports a higher resolution than Apple's Air. The Surface Pro 3 along with a keyboard is still thinner than the MacBook Air.
More than that, a built-in 4g is a huge selling point for the Surface Pro 3. The Surface Pro 3 is also comprised of a touch screen display and has built in OneNote features. It enables users to take notes while the device is switched off.
According to Matt Burns of TechCrunch, the Surface Pro 3 is still not a MacBook Air," The MacBook Air is the best laptop on the market, bar none. There's no argument. Apple has progressed the MacBook Air to near perfection. Microsoft knows that, which is why it so directly targeted the device in (Tuesday's) unveiling.
Forbes Staff Parmy Olson writes, " Surface Pro 3 has a laptop-like price tag, starting at $799 for a device with 4 GB of storage, 4GB of RAM and an Intel INTC +0.61% Core i3 processor. "
Pre-orders are slated to begin on May 21 12am EDT through Microsoftstore.com, the company's retail stores and 3rd party vendors.
Tech.Firstpost's Naina Khedekar writes,"The bottom line is that Microsoft has tried to make a grand comeback with the Pro 3. It is not only thinner and lighter, but brings in ease of use and is loaded with features. It definitely stands against the Macbook Air, adding to the worries for Apple. On paper, the Pro 3 looks great, but it's the performance and wider availability which will help decide its success and sales."
