Microsoft’s Surface Book 3 is an innovative, versatile laptop designed for those who demand power, flexibility, and premium quality from their devices. Released in 2020, this device stands out for its unique 2-in-1 design that allows it to function as both a traditional laptop and a detachable tablet. With powerful Intel processors, dedicated NVIDIA graphics, and a strikingly sharp PixelSense display, the Surface Book 3 aims to cater to a wide range of users, from creative professionals to business users, students, and tech enthusiasts. Available in both 13.5-inch and 15-inch models, it delivers high performance for intensive tasks like photo and video editing, 3D modeling, and gaming.
Microsoft has designed the Surface Book 3 to offer both style and substance. The device’s magnesium alloy chassis provides a robust and sophisticated look while ensuring durability. The Surface Book 3’s versatile form factor includes a fully functional keyboard and a responsive trackpad, enhancing productivity while offering a natural handwriting experience with the Surface Pen (sold separately). While its unique hinge mechanism has received mixed reviews for adding weight, it remains a distinctive feature that adds versatility to the device.
In this review, we’ll dive into the various features of the Microsoft Surface Book 3, including its screen, display quality, performance, battery life, and overall pros and cons to see if it’s worth the investment. Whether you’re a professional seeking a powerful work device or a student needing a versatile laptop, we’ll help you determine if the Surface Book 3 meets your needs.
What is the Microsoft Surface Book 3?
The Microsoft Surface Book 3 is the third generation in Microsoft’s Surface Book lineup, blending laptop functionality with tablet versatility. It’s designed for users who require a powerful, multi-functional device capable of handling a range of tasks, from typical office work to more demanding creative applications. The device’s most notable feature is its innovative, detachable design, which allows users to convert it from a traditional laptop into a standalone tablet with a simple release of the unique “Dynamic Fulcrum Hinge.”
Under the hood, the Surface Book 3 is equipped with Intel’s 10th-generation processors, offering a choice between Core i5 and Core i7 models. For graphics, it has options ranging from integrated Intel graphics on the base model to dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX or Quadro RTX graphics on higher-end models, making it powerful enough for resource-intensive tasks like video editing and gaming. The Surface Book 3 offers configurations with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage, providing ample power and storage options for professionals and power users.
One of the defining characteristics of the Surface Book 3 is its 2-in-1 nature, which adds a layer of versatility that traditional laptops lack. With its high-end components, stylish design, and flexibility, the Surface Book 3 represents Microsoft’s push to redefine the modern laptop experience, especially for users who need power and portability without compromising on either. It’s ideal for multitaskers, creators, and anyone looking for a premium, adaptable laptop that doubles as a tablet.
Microsoft Surface Book 3 Screen
The screen of the Microsoft Surface Book 3 is a highlight feature, showcasing Microsoft’s dedication to high-quality visuals and display technology. The device is available in two sizes: a 13.5-inch model with a 3000 x 2000 resolution and a 15-inch model with a 3240 x 2160 resolution. Both screens feature a 3:2 aspect ratio, which provides more vertical space compared to the traditional 16:9 format seen in most laptops. This aspect ratio is particularly beneficial for productivity tasks, as it allows users to view more content vertically, which is ideal for document editing, web browsing, and other similar applications.
With multi-touch support and Surface Pen compatibility, the Surface Book 3’s screen allows users to navigate, draw, or take notes directly on the screen. The touchscreen capability enhances the versatility of the device, making it a perfect choice for creative professionals, designers, and anyone who enjoys digital handwriting. The screen also incorporates a high level of color accuracy, supporting sRGB, Vivid, and DCI-P3 color profiles, which are essential for those involved in color-critical work like photo and video editing.
The display quality is excellent in terms of brightness, color reproduction, and clarity. With up to 400 nits of brightness, the screen performs well even in well-lit environments, reducing glare and enhancing visibility. Furthermore, the Surface Book 3’s screen uses Gorilla Glass, which provides durability and scratch resistance, adding to its appeal as a portable device. Overall, the screen on the Surface Book 3 offers a combination of high resolution, accurate colors, and durable design, making it one of the best in the 2-in-1 laptop category.
Microsoft Surface Book 3 PixelSense Display
Microsoft’s PixelSense technology is the cornerstone of the Surface Book 3’s display quality. PixelSense is a proprietary display technology developed by Microsoft, designed to produce sharp visuals, vibrant colors, and responsive touch functionality. The Surface Book 3’s PixelSense display, available in both 13.5-inch and 15-inch models, brings out lifelike details and deep contrasts, making it ideal for professionals in creative fields such as photography, design, and video editing.
One of the PixelSense display’s standout features is its high pixel density, which delivers sharp and detailed images, making it easy to see finer details in visuals. This display is not just about resolution; it also supports 10-point multi-touch, allowing users to interact with the screen using gestures or the Surface Pen. This capability is particularly useful for artists or designers who prefer a hands-on approach to their work, as they can draw or edit directly on the screen with minimal lag.
In addition to touch support, the PixelSense display excels in color reproduction. Microsoft has tuned the display to support a wide color gamut, allowing it to accurately represent colors across various standards, including sRGB and DCI-P3. This is crucial for tasks like photo editing, where color fidelity is paramount. Moreover, the display’s high contrast ratio provides deep blacks and bright whites, enhancing the overall viewing experience.
The PixelSense display is also engineered to be durable, incorporating Gorilla Glass for additional protection against scratches and impacts. This makes the Surface Book 3 a more resilient choice for users who need a reliable device they can carry on the go. Overall, the PixelSense display elevates the Surface Book 3 by offering a premium viewing experience combined with robust functionality and versatility.
How Does the Surface Book 3 Perform?
The Surface Book 3 performs impressively, especially in terms of processing power and graphics capability. Thanks to its 10th-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, the device is built to handle a wide range of tasks, from daily productivity to resource-intensive applications. In addition to its powerful CPU options, higher-end configurations come with dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX or Quadro RTX graphics, enabling users to tackle demanding tasks such as video rendering, 3D modeling, and even gaming.
With up to 32GB of RAM, the Surface Book 3 offers smooth multitasking, allowing users to operate several applications simultaneously without lag. Storage options range up to 1TB SSD, providing ample space and fast load times for files, applications, and games. This combination of high-performance CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage allows the Surface Book 3 to deliver reliable performance across various use cases, making it suitable for professionals and creative users who require both power and flexibility.
While the Surface Book 3 performs exceptionally in most areas, its unique design, which separates the tablet and base components, can sometimes cause minor performance reductions in tablet mode. However, this rarely affects most tasks and is a small trade-off for the versatility offered by the detachable design.
Microsoft Surface Book 3 Battery
Battery life is another strong aspect of the Surface Book 3, with Microsoft claiming up to 15.5 hours of usage for the 13.5-inch model and 17.5 hours for the 15-inch model. The actual battery life will vary based on usage but generally performs well under standard tasks such as web browsing, document editing, and video streaming. The Surface Book 3’s power management also helps optimize battery usage, especially in scenarios where users switch between laptop and tablet modes frequently.
With dual batteries—one in the tablet and one in the base—this device achieves impressive longevity. However, power-intensive tasks, such as video editing or gaming, will decrease battery life considerably. Overall, users can expect reliable battery performance from the Surface Book 3 in both productivity and casual usage scenarios.
Microsoft Surface Book 3 Pros & Cons
Pros:
- High-quality PixelSense display with excellent color accuracy
- Versatile 2-in-1 design, ideal for creative professionals
- Powerful hardware options, including dedicated NVIDIA graphics
- Long battery life with dual battery setup
- Premium build quality with a sturdy magnesium alloy body
Cons:
- Heavy and bulky, especially with the 15-inch model
- Expensive, with higher configurations reaching premium price points
- The detachable design can impact performance in tablet mode
- Limited port options compared to other laptops in its class
- Surface Pen sold separately, adding to the overall cost
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Final Thoughts
The Microsoft Surface Book 3 is a unique device that combines power, versatility, and high-quality design to cater to users with diverse needs. Its 2-in-1 form factor and high-resolution PixelSense display make it particularly appealing to creative professionals and users who value both aesthetics and performance. However, its price, weight, and minor limitations in tablet performance may be considerations for some.
Overall, the Surface Book 3 remains one of the most versatile and well-built laptops in its class. If you’re looking for a premium device that can handle both everyday tasks and specialized creative work, the Surface Book 3 is a compelling choice. It’s a substantial investment, but for many, its capabilities justify the cost.