Surface Pro 3 VaporMg scratches really easily . . .

[Dadstar0410]

I took my SP3 to college with me this week, and after a few days, the back is already loaded with scratches even when it doesn't leave my dorm room too often. I still love this machine, but really? There are so many scratches it looks very unappealing.

 

[Coreldan]

I don't know about sp3 specifically, but my first Gen RT is still pretty much pristine after almost two years of lugging it around

 

[poddie]

Do you use a sleeve when you transport it? Out just toss it in a bag with other stuff? Definitely should be using a sleeve to take it places if you are bothered by scratches.

With that, the two Surfaces in my house look like new after years.

 

[xboxonthego3]

From what I can tell the Surface Pro 3 doesn't scratch as easily as the previous surface pros. My brother had the surface pro and it scratched easily next to the power port. I would highly suggest getting a sleeve for your surface if you don't have one already.

 

[Dadstar0410]

Okay, so I'll get a sleeve. But now, how do I get rid of these scratches? The biggest one runs through the corner of the Surface branding at the bottom area. That one is extremely visible and I can only feel it if I run my fingernail lightly across it.

 

[Dadstar0410]

Do you use a sleeve when you transport it? Out just toss it in a bag with other stuff? Definitely should be using a sleeve to take it places if you are bothered by scratches.

With that, the two Surfaces in my house look like new after years.

I put it in my backpack. My backpack has a separate sleeve for laptops, and that's where I put it. All by itself.

 

[stephen_az]

I took my SP3 to college with me this week, and after a few days, the back is already loaded with scratches even when it doesn't leave my dorm room too often. I still love this machine, but really? There are so many scratches it looks very unappealing.

I wouldn't quite say it literally scratches easily but the surface is extremely easy to scuff and it does retain those marks. Hardly any real difference though and certainly is disappointing since it does make a well traveled device look much less professional. I was afraid that would be the case given the matte gray finish (it is not silver).

 

[stephen_az]

From what I can tell the Surface Pro 3 doesn't scratch as easily as the previous surface pros. My brother had the surface pro and it scratched easily next to the power port. I would highly suggest getting a sleeve for your surface if you don't have one already.

Sorry but the earlier SPs were not nearly as susceptible to surface marks. Yes, the metal connector on the power cord did easily scratch the corner but the black finish on the rest of the chassis was/is extremely resistant to scratches. The matte gray of the SP 3 is probably equally resistant to bona fide scratches but is very easy to permanently scuff and mark through incidental contact with anything harder than a soft plastic.

 

[Jas00555]

Sorry but the earlier SPs were not nearly as susceptible to surface marks. Yes, the metal connector on the power cord did easily scratch the corner but the black finish on the rest of the chassis was/is extremely resistant to scratches. The matte gray of the SP 3 is probably equally resistant to bona fide scratches but is very easy to permanently scuff and mark through incidental contact with anything harder than a soft plastic.

Weird. I've had the exact opposite experience. I remember my dad got a Pro 2 and within a week, the back had scuffs all over it. I've had my Pro 3 since launch and don't have a single scratch, and I've even dropped it a few times .

 

[hopmedic]

Okay, so I'll get a sleeve. But now, how do I get rid of these scratches? The biggest one runs through the corner of the Surface branding at the bottom area. That one is extremely visible and I can only feel it if I run my fingernail lightly across it.

Sounds weird, but my first thought is car polish. I say that without knowing how deep the scratches are, of course... Or if they're very superficial, perhaps headlight polish - the kind that clears up the foggy looking plastic headlight covers of cars these days.

 

[fatpigeon]

Actually it doesn't (scratch very easily), comparatively speaking.

Very sparingly sprinkle some grit on a table, rub an iPad / Macbook Pro lid over it for a few seconds putting some force on it, then do the same thing with a Surface Pro 3 - and you'll see that the Surface actually shrugs off more damage than the Apple's. This is due to the superior surface treatment on the MS tablets which apparently they're finally getting peel-free with the 3 (though early days, eh ha).

The real problem is that the Surface is totally flat (i.e. 100% flat surface contact area), and also has no rubber feet as standoffs compared to a laptop, so regardless of the superior finish (which does stave off the scratches for longer than regular anodising under the same handling behaviour) you'd need to basically armour this thing in order for it to avoid constant road rash as it's handled and put down on surfaces daily. It's better than an iPad, but not indestructible. It kind of surprises me that reasonably smart people can't seem to abstract this.

If you want to avoid the surface contact referenced above, you need standoffs - decals or small unobtrusive stick-on pads on the corners.

 

[hopmedic]

Actually it doesn't (scratch very easily), comparatively speaking.

Very sparingly sprinkle some grit on a table, rub an iPad / Macbook Pro lid over it for a few seconds putting some force on it, then do the same thing with a Surface Pro 3 - and you'll see that the Surface actually shrugs off more damage than the Apple's. This is due to the superior surface treatment on the MS tablets which apparently they're finally getting peel-free with the 3 (though early days, eh ha).

The real problem is that the Surface is totally flat (i.e. 100% flat surface contact area), and also has no rubber feet as standoffs compared to a laptop, so regardless of the superior finish (which does stave off the scratches for longer than regular anodising under the same handling behaviour) you'd need to basically armour this thing in order for it to avoid constant road rash as it's handled and put down on surfaces daily. It's better than an iPad, but not indestructible. It kind of surprises me that reasonably smart people can't seem to abstract this.

If you want to avoid the surface contact referenced above, you need standoffs - decals or small unobtrusive stick-on pads on the corners.

Good suggestion.

You can pick up rubber "feet" at Home Depot, in various sizes, and I would venture to guess that you could find even smaller ones at a craft store like Hobby Lobby or Jo-Ann's.

 

[Adam_ation]

I took my SP3 to college with me this week, and after a few days, the back is already loaded with scratches even when it doesn't leave my dorm room too often. I still love this machine, but really? There are so many scratches it looks very unappealing.

Your friends are jealous and they are infact scratching it up while your out of the room. You need to find some new friends - Adam

 

[hopmedic]

your friends are jealous and they are infact scratching it up while your out of the room. You need to find some new friends - adam

lol!

 

[fatpigeon]

Good suggestion.

You can pick up rubber "feet" at Home Depot, in various sizes, and I would venture to guess that you could find even smaller ones at a craft store like Hobby Lobby or Jo-Ann's.

Yeah I just used some 6mm clear dome feet I had lying around that I picked up on ebay - one at the corners + centre & two at each other corner where the Surface rests when stand-ed. After I get the docking stand I'll probably have to think about something else - maybe there are really small silver pad stickers I can get.

 

[BaritoneGuy]

I took my SP3 to college with me this week, and after a few days, the back is already loaded with scratches even when it doesn't leave my dorm room too often. I still love this machine, but really? There are so many scratches it looks very unappealing.

I highly recommend the skins from stickerboy.net I bought the black leather version and love it. Extremely thin and will protect from scratches.

 

[SwimSwim]

Weird. I've had the exact opposite experience. I remember my dad got a Pro 2 and within a week, the back had scuffs all over it. I've had my Pro 3 since launch and don't have a single scratch, and I've even dropped it a few times .

Exactly my experience. My Surface Pro 2 scratched very easily. They were very obvious, too. The scratches would be very white at first, highly contrasting the black magnesium. Thankfully, they'd fade to grey with time, but still there.

Thus far, nothing of the same sort with my 3. And I assume should any scratches arise, they'd fade to a grey that'd be almost invisible because of the silver magnesium body used on the 3.

 

[sleestac]

Check this out! I wanted to keep natural look of the back of the surface, so I trimmed a Zagg invisible shield to the size of the back. Now, I'm protected, and still have my natural look!

 

[Adam_ation]

Check this out! I wanted to keep natural look of the back of the surface, so I trimmed a Zagg invisible shield to the size of the back. Now, I'm protected, and still have my natural look!

I'm sure it looks great, I am trying to imagine it - Adam