Microsoft Introduces A 128GB Version Of The Core i7 Surface Pro 3
by Brandon Chester on June 29, 2015 12:34 PM EST
This weekend Microsoft introduced a new model of the Surface Pro 3. Like the existing two Core i7 models, this new version uses Intel's Core i7-4650U CPU. At $1299 in the United States, the new model is significantly cheaper than the next Core i7 model, which starts at $1549. In fact, it's the same price as the high end version of the existing Core i5 model. With this new introduction, the Surface Pro 3 lineup is now as follows.
| Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Configuration Options (Core i3 Omitted) | ||||||
| Configuration | $999 | $1299 | $1299 | $1549 | $1949 | |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-4300U | Intel Core i5-4300U | Intel Core i7-4650U | Intel Core i7-4650U | Intel Core i7-4650U | |
| TDP | 15W | 15W | 15W | 15W | 15W | |
| Cores/Threads | 2/4 | 2/4 | 2/4 | 2/4 | 2/4 | |
| Frequency Base/Max Turbo | 1.9/2.9GHz | 1.9/2.9GHz | 1.7/3.3GHz | 1.7/3.3GHz | 1.7/3.3GHz | |
| GPU | Intel HD 4400 | Intel HD 4400 | Intel HD 5000 | Intel HD 5000 | Intel HD 5000 | |
| GPU EUs | 20 | 20 | 40 | 40 | 40 | |
| GPU Frequency Base/Max Turbo | 200/1100MHz | 200/1100MHz | 200/1100MHz | 200/1100MHz | 200/1100MHz | |
| Storage | 128GB SSD | 256GB SSD | 128GB SSD | 256GB SSD | 512GB SSD | |
| RAM | 4GB | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB | |
In addition to the models above, Microsoft still offers a version at $799 with an Intel Core i3-4020Y CPU, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and Intel HD 4200 graphics.
The sacrifice you make with the less expensive Core i7 model is that it only comes with 128GB of internal storage, while the Core i5 version at the same price has 256GB of storage. However, you move up from Intel's HD 4400 graphics to HD 5000 graphics, which bumps the number of GPU EUs from 20 to 40. The Core i7 has a lower base frequency at 1.7GHz vs 1.9GHz on the Core i5, but it can turbo up to 3.3GHz which will outperform the Core i5's 2.9GHz in bursty workloads. Moving to the Core i7 also gets you 4MB of total CPU cache, instead of the 3MB in the Core i5.
The intended audience for this new model seems to be users who want more CPU and GPU power, but are able to survive within 128GB either by leveraging cloud storage or simply by not having many programs and files that they need to store. With this new model the Surface Pro 3 line has now expanded to six different versions. While there's still no option with 16GB of RAM, Microsoft now offers a different model to suit almost everyone's preferences.
Source: Thurrott.com
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Thatguy97 - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
hmm no surface pro 4 this year maybeThatguy97 - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
or at least not until late Q3 or early Q4nicmonson - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
skylakewillstay - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
I wish Microsoft was more transparent with pro 4 plans. If I knew it would take this long and no sign of pro 4 yet, I would have purchased pro 3 several months earlier.Morawka - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
it hasn't even been a year yet. typically these come out annually. Skylake is coming in Sept-OCT so for sure then.erikiksaz - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
Hah, since when was any PC manufacturer this transparent?Anyways, I'm glad I purchased the SP3 when it first launched, it'd nice to not have the next iteration released 8-9 months after.
khanikun - Tuesday, June 30, 2015 - link
If they actually gave a release date for Pro 4, it could kill Pro 3 sales, as ppl would wait. Course on the other side of the coin, ppl might buy the Pro 3, since they don't want to wait. Usually though, companies go with the former, not the latter.drothgery - Tuesday, June 30, 2015 - link
The only thing they've announced bout the Pro 4 is that there will be 1, and that SP3 accessories (including the dock) will work with it. Which is fine, really. The Pro 3 isn't all that old, and given the probable release date of U-series Skylake and that they wouldn't launch the Pro 4 before Win10, holding off until fall seems like a good idea.Valantar - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
Surface Pro 4 seems like a shoo-in for Windows 10 launch vehicle, no? Makes little sense to present it before then, if back-to-school is the target time frame.romrunning - Monday, June 29, 2015 - link
"While there's still no option with 16GB of RAM, Microsoft now offers a different model to suit almost everyone's preferences."Except that they still haven't released an option for LTE in the Surface Pro line, which businesses definitely would like.