Opinions Wanted: Should I Buy A Surface Pro 3 Now, or Wait For The Pro 4?

[SpeedyBlueDude]

Just wanted some opinions, so lately BestBuy has had a decent sale going on where the i5 Surface Pro 3 is only $899 instead of the regular $999. Well, they're also still offering their $100 off any Surface Pro 3 coupon for Students, bringing the price down to $799. Using the Movers Coupon from BestBuy as well, is another $100, so $699 for a Pro 3.Not quite sure if they'll be willing to stack these two coupons together, but it's worth a try, expecting to pay $799 though.

So, $799 for the i5 Surface seems like a deal to me. I'm starting my first year of Uni in about 2 months, so the Surface will primarily be used for School, Photoshop, Light Video Editing, and Internet Browsing. I've been interested in purchasing a Surface since the Surface Pro 2, but never got around to it. So, do you guys think at $799 it'll be worth jumping into the Surface Pro 3 this late into the Product's Life span? The Surface Pro 3 came out in May last year, so a Surface Pro 4 should be do soon. Should I wait for the Pro 4, or buy the Pro 3? What do you guys think?

 

[Jazmac]

If you use the dollar as your guide, a Surface Pro 4 is probably out of the question for 2015. And based on what things you say you'd be doing with it, the only reason I could think of for waiting on the Surface Pro 4 is bragging rights. Which is ok if you are among those that ride the cutting edge but I think you can't go wrong getting the Surface Pro 3. If it were me, I wouldn't give it a second thought going with the Surface Pro 3.

 

[maflynn]

If you can get that much money off of the SP3, then I'd say take the jump for it now and not wait.

 

[PepperdotNet]

Without a doubt it is the best piece of technology I've ever had the pleasure of owning. My laptops and desktop machines have gotten pretty lonely.

 

[CliveSinclair]

I just got ?400 off my second SP4 - an i7/512. Discount was as a Adobe CC subscriber.

Get the SP3. You have no idea how long to wait till SP4. Then you will say "should I wait for SP5".

This 'wait syndrome' is (when you think of it) really not good. Most people replace hardware at a regular interval, I mean are you planning on keeping your next device (SP?) for ever? No, of course your not. Buy the SP3, enjoy it and then maybe get the SP5. It's crazy to try and keep up with new models every release. The only people to benefit.... shareholders.

 

[SeeVuPlay]

buy!

You will not regret it. How I wish I had such a device when I was in School....but then again, having email back then would have been cool too ahahahhhahahhaha.


BUY!!

 

[WanderingTraveler]

Buy it at $800. At this point in time, you may as well consider that the SP4 will be more expensive.

You may also consider that the SP4 may be considered as a successor to the SP2 instead of the SP3.

EDIT: If school is starting in two months, it's best to just buy now and get used to the device ASAP.

 

[Adam_ation]

BUY BUY BUY the SP3 now! You wont regret it - Adam

 

[Tsang Fai]

Consider what similar devices you can buy at this price? Probably none...
Even after nearly a year of release, SP3 is still a leading Windows hybrid, yet with a very reasonable price. In terms of hardware spec and the light weight, there is virtually no comparable devices at the moment.

 

[JohnClarkson]

First it's good to keep in mind exactly what to expect from the SP4. Which of the improvements will really make a difference for your use.
1. Thinner - the SP4 is expected to no longer need a fan (but it might still have one). If you look at the current SP3 and just imagine the thickness stopped at the air gap.
2. Longer Battery life - Not sure about this one. I think reducing the thickness and removing the fan will give it perhaps an hour more life.
3. Weight - Naturally the weigh should be less, but not iPad air 2 less.
4. Performance - I'm going to guess that performance isn't going to improve. Maybe a little. I had the SP1 and now the SP3 and despite the better processor and more memory I don't see that big of improvement in performance for big tasks. Many have noted that is due to throttling of the CPU due to thermal issues. I'm guessing the SP4 will suffer a similar fate and will sacrifice performance to achieve a fan-less design.

Unlikely changes
5. wireless dock capable - It kind of is today with the wireless video dongle, but not for a 4k display at 60fps. Perhaps the SP4 might work with a 4k Miracast to allow a truly dock-less device.
6. Wireless charging - highly unlikely - doesn't seem the tech exists that is powerful enough yet.

Software:
1. Windows 10 - it seems likely that the SP4 won't come out until they are ready to release Windows 10, which appears to be later in the fall. Also the SP1 was released 2/9/2013, the SP2 10/22/2013, the SP3 6/20/2014 or 8 months apart each. By this standard the Surface Pro 4 would be released by this month and that didn't happen. I think that's because MS realized that both the SP1 & SP2 just weren't good enough and tech existed to fix the issues. With the SP3 one of the biggest issues isn't so much the tech it's the software. Win 8.1 just isn't a great tablet system. Win 10 aims to fix that and the program ecosystem. So it would be a natural fix to release the two together.

So seeing your schooling starts in 2 months and the SP4 probably won't be out till October/November and the SP3 will benefit from Windows 10 just the same it seems like a long wait.

I bought 3 SP1 on the release day and I got 2 more SP3 on release day and one more SP3 3 months later. We bought not because they were new, but we had to have equipment that day and it was the best thing to fit our needs. I would have preferred to have been able to wait and bought 6 SP4 instead.

 

[Richard Servello]

I just bought one for 2 reasons. One: I really want one. Two: They are selling on eBay for more than retail!!! Once the 4 comes out I can sell this one and upgrade.