Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Preview - CNET

Microsoft is hoping that the third time's the charm.

The PC stalwart today unveiled the Surface Pro 3, a new high-performance Windows 8.1 tablet designed to get rid of the "conflict" between owning a tablet and a laptop.

With a 12-inch screen that offers a 3:2 aspect ratio, the Surface Pro 3 is the largest Microsoft tablet to date (early Surface models featured a 10.6-inch, 16:9 screen). The company calls the Retina-like 2,160x1,440 resolution "Pixel Free." The system is available in multiple configurations, starting at $799 for a Core i3 model, and ranging up to pricier Core i7 versions. That starting price is $100 less than that of the Pro 2, but with a lower-end processor than that 2013 model.

Thanks to a close partnership with Intel, it's 9.1mm (0.36 inch) thick, which is the thinnest Intel Core PC ever made, and weighs 800 grams (1.8 pounds). To get the body so thin but still allow the power of up to an Intel Core i7 processor, cooling fans were redesigned for the Pro 3 so that it seems fanless, and each body component is custom machined for the tablet.

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Preview - CNET