14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft might claim that the Surface Pro 3 is the right device to replace your laptop and get full productivity on the go, but some of the company’s rivals and partners actually think otherwise.
The most recent example is none other than Dell, the company that Microsoft has been working with on lots of projects for years, but which has recently unveiled its very own device that could compete with the Surface Pro 3.
The Latitude 13 7000 is a 2-in-1 device that’s at its core a tablet which can be converted into a laptop when you attach a keyboard to it. The device features a 13.3-inch display and comes with an Intel Core M chip, which uses less power without a dramatic impact on system performance. This chip has been specifically designed for tablets and is based on the Broadwell architecture.
Dell: Why choose a compromised product?
While the Surface Pro 3 and the Latitude 13 7000 appear to be fighting for the same category of buyers, Dell says that its very own device is capable of providing better experience, not necessarily thanks to technical features, but because of better accessories that come with it.
Dell says that its external dock, which includes a hard keyboard, a spare battery and other connectivity ports, among which USB 3.0, is the thing that makes it superior to the Surface Pro 3, which only comes with a keyboard that also acts as a cover.
Of course, Dell most likely forgets that Microsoft itself is also offering a dock for the Surface Pro 3, which comes with pretty much the same features, providing additional connectivity options, such as 3 USB 3.0 ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, 3.5mm audio input and a Mini DisplayPort.
Andrea Falkin, brand experience manager for Latitude and OptiPlex at Dell, however, believes that the Surface Pro 3 is inferior at least when looking at keyboards.
"Unlike Surface Pro, you have this full productivity base," Falkin pointed out. "The intention behind this was to deliver a no-compromise experience."
Apple’s Tim Cook slammed the Pro 3 without trying it
This isn’t the first time the Surface Pro 3 is criticized by someone else in the industry, and Apple’s very own CEO Tim Cook had a look at the device soon after its May 20 debut.
What’s funnier is that Cook rushed to criticize the Pro 3, even though he admitted that he never had the chance to give it a try.
"I haven't personally played with the Surface yet, but what we're reading about it that it's a fairly compromised, confusing product,” Cook said, while also praising Apple’s own iPad.
"I think one of the toughest things you do with each product is to make hard tradeoffs, and decide what a product should be. And we've really done that with the iPad. And so the user experience is absolutely incredible."
And of course, Cook didn’t miss the occasion to make fun of Microsoft’s attempts to incorporate the best of two worlds into a single device.
"I suppose you could design a car that flies and floats, but I don't think it would do all those things very well. I think people, when they look at the iPad versus competitive offerings, are going to conclude they really want an iPad. And I think people have done that to date. And I think they will continue to do that," he said.
Microsoft Surface Pro 3 vs. Dell Latitude 13 7000
Display: Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 is really impressive when it comes to this aspect, offering a 12-inch screen with a maximum resolution of 2160x1440px. The Latitude, on the other hand, has a 13.3-inch display with a resolution of 1920x1080px.
Storage: both companies are offering several models of their devices, with the top-of-the-range versions going all the up to 512 GB of storage space. At the same time, Microsoft is also offering additional space in the cloud using its OneDrive service.
Connectivity options: USB 3.0 ports, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth are available on both devices, but Dell is also offering an LTE SKU version of its hybrid unit. Microsoft is yet to launch a Surface Pro 3 with LTE connectivity.
Pricing: the high-end Surface Pro 3 model can be yours for $1,949 (1,450 euros), featuring an Intel Core i7 processor, 512 GB of storage space, and 8 GB of RAM. Dell hasn’t yet disclosed full pricing details of its unit, but it said that the product would be available for $1,199 (925 euros) with 8 GB of RAM installed by default.
