Previous Surfaces locked you into one or two specific angles, which meant that getting comfortable with the tablet on your lap was a hassle.

Thin and light are both nice, but the biggest functional change in the Surface Pro 3 comes in a redesigned kickstand. The right-hand side did get warm to the touch when I started putting the processor under extreme duress, but never so much that I couldn’t keep holding it. It’s nearly as silent as Microsoft claims (but not entirely so), and does seem to do a fairly effective job of keeping the Surface cool. Microsoft developed a new fan for the Surface Pro 3 that ostensibly helps make this the thinnest device with Intel's latest processor on the market. The charging port has been updated, too it uses a small fin that clicks in with a magnet and is much less likely to get bumped off than before. There’s a single USB 3.0 port, Mini DisplayPort, headset jack, and a microSD card slot underneath the hinge. It’s refreshingly clear of logos and other accoutrements, but unfortunately it’s also relatively clear of ports - at least by PC standards. The body is made out of magnesium, just like the previous Surface models, with the same angled edges and clean lines that have come to define the Surface lineup.

Microsoft surface pro 3 12 inch