re: Surface 3 Pro

quote:

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But if all you plan to do with it is music and movies, you really should get something less expensive.

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The original Surface Pro is $420 refurbished on Groupon right now. Given your use/needs, I'd probably recommend it over 3, if considering value.

As far as how it works as all of the things listed in the OP, it's a little on the heavier side of tablets, but it's still a tablet and very reasonable in terms of portability/weight. I haven't used one as an e-reader, but the screen is sharp. I would probably prefer a smaller, lighter product as an e-reader, but I am a little partial to Kindle screens, because I am prone to get headaches from LCD whites. As a laptop replacement, it's pretty solid. It's got a full-size USB port and Windows 8.1 (and micro SD?), so storage concerns are nil and options are abundant. Its video output can be converted to HDMI with a very cheap cable from Monoprice (~$10). It's got bluetooth and a USB port, so even in the absence of a keyboard cover, it makes for a decent full desktop setup (I'm talking full-size accessories here, not computing power).


If I were buying a laptop today, and I saw the SP original at the price linked above, I would probably spring for it. I'm not in a position where I need it right now, though.