Surface Pro 3

[b-rad12]

I will be starting dental school soon and I am looking to get a new laptop. Does anyone have any experience the the surface pro 3? I've seen and played with the earlier models and they are great for taking notes on because you can easily draw and type. But i also would like to use it as my full time lap top during school. For example at my school I know they take some of their tests on their personal laptops using some kind of lockdown browser I assume, so I would like to be able to do that on the SP3 and I am not sure if I would be able to.

Thanks!

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[Sissi Romy]

I will be starting dental school soon and I am looking to get a new laptop. Does anyone have any experience the the surface pro 3? I've seen and played with the earlier models and they are great for taking notes on because you can easily draw and type. But i also would like to use it as my full time lap top during school. For example at my school I know they take some of their tests on their personal laptops using some kind of lockdown browser I assume, so I would like to be able to do that on the SP3 and I am not sure if I would be able to.

Thanks!

I am interested as well in the answer, but perhaps you should ask about the SurfacePro in general? the SP3 is so new that maybe no one has experience with it? some people might have experience with the SP2, I believe. My question would also be what apps are required or useful in dental schools, and would these be available on the SP3? Would we need to have the SP3 as our main laptop and then an Ipad or an Android tablet also, because dental school apps are only available on iOs or android platforms? A list of dental school apps at different schools from current DS students would be greatly appreciated .

 

[DentalElle]

I'm planning on getting a surface pro. Not sure which one. I just want it because of the writing and note taking capabilities. In terms of test taking on laptops, I still have my mb pro as a back up. I think the surface is great for organizing and writing so you dont have to print out slides and diagrams. It even converts written notes to typed notes if you prefer. Its just going to be an adjustment for me. I have everything apple. This time I wanted something simple without the million apps.

 

[Aetherius]

I currently own the surface pro 3. I decided to buy it early (first day of release!) to test it out on the summer anatomy class I am currently taking, and see if it is the right laptop for me during dental school.
Some things that I have experienced after ~1 month of using the device:
1. Big pro is the ability to touch the screen -- in my opinion, this method of navigation is sooo much easier than your traditional mouse/trackpad. I find myself touching the screen to flick around pdfs/webpages on other people's computers, but then getting disappointed. Trust me, it is a big technological improvement. Annotation with the pen is definitely a big plus. I don't have a use for it yet, but it would be ideal in cases like:

a. Annotating pdfs (Highlighting, underlining, scribbles on the margins)
b. Drawing stuff (no wasting paper)
c. Consolidating all your notes for all your subjects, for all four years of dental school (Thank you, OneNote!). OneNote can recongize handwriting pretty well too, and shows up in your search results!​

2. It has such a small footprint. It is literally lighter than the macbook air, but with the same capabilities (even better, IMO, with the native windows programs support). It also does not take up a lot of space when you have it set up, which I think would be useful in class, lab or studying at a cramped space.
3. I love being able to switch between the Metro - Windows interface. Its hard to explain, but all I know is I can't go back to Windows 7.
4. There are some cons -- the Metro interface is in its infancy. What does this mean? You have 3rd party applications for stuff like youtube (called Metrotube), vine (called Bine), instagram (dunno what its called). Granted, this will definitely improve as developers create official applications for these big programs, but in its current state its laughable. What it means to us, as dental students, is that we have separate metro apps that do what we want (one for annotating, transcribing, etc.) -- no one powerhouse app that does it all (adequately) YET. EDIT: I mean there are programs out there that are really good (OneNote for organization, Drawboard PDF for annotation) but its still buggy.
5. Some engineering quirks that annoy me sometimes. Like it would be helpful to have some locking mechanism on the hinge so that it doesnt move when you're writing. I only find myself writing in tablet mode (where the keyboard is detached or flipped over) or else it increases its angle as you press down on the screen. Other minor annoyances I had, I fixed with setting up my software right.
6. Its more uncomfortable to work on the lap with the SP3 than your traditional laptops.

Overall, I'm very very pleased with it. I went from a SP2 to a SP3. Some might see the jump in size as a hindrance, some as an improvement. I think my eyes were far too strained working on the SP2. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[DentalElle]

I currently own the surface pro 3. I decided to buy it early (first day of release!) to test it out on the summer anatomy class I am currently taking, and see if it is the right laptop for me during dental school.
Some things that I have experienced after ~1 month of using the device:
1. Big pro is the ability to touch the screen -- in my opinion, this method of navigation is sooo much easier than your traditional mouse/trackpad. I find myself touching the screen to flick around pdfs/webpages on other people's computers, but then getting disappointed. Trust me, it is a big technological improvement. Annotation with the pen is definitely a big plus. I don't have a use for it yet, but it would be ideal in cases like:

a. Annotating pdfs (Highlighting, underlining, scribbles on the margins)
b. Drawing stuff (no wasting paper)
c. Consolidating all your notes for all your subjects, for all four years of dental school (Thank you, OneNote!). OneNote can recongize handwriting pretty well too, and shows up in your search results!​

2. It has such a small footprint. It is literally lighter than the macbook air, but with the same capabilities (even better, IMO, with the native windows programs support). It also does not take up a lot of space when you have it set up, which I think would be useful in class, lab or studying at a cramped space.
3. I love being able to switch between the Metro - Windows interface. Its hard to explain, but all I know is I can't go back to Windows 7.
4. There are some cons -- the Metro interface is in its infancy. What does this mean? You have 3rd party applications for stuff like youtube (called Metrotube), vine (called Bine), instagram (dunno what its called). Granted, this will definitely improve as developers create official applications for these big programs, but in its current state its laughable. What it means to us, as dental students, is that we have separate metro apps that do what we want (one for annotating, transcribing, etc.) -- no one powerhouse app that does it all (adequately) YET. EDIT: I mean there are programs out there that are really good (OneNote for organization, Drawboard PDF for annotation) but its still buggy.
5. Some engineering quirks that annoy me sometimes. Like it would be helpful to have some locking mechanism on the hinge so that it doesnt move when you're writing. I only find myself writing in tablet mode (where the keyboard is detached or flipped over) or else it increases its angle as you press down on the screen. Other minor annoyances I had, I fixed with setting up my software right.
6. Its more uncomfortable to work on the lap with the SP3 than your traditional laptops.

Overall, I'm very very pleased with it. I went from a SP2 to a SP3. Some might see the jump in size as a hindrance, some as an improvement. I think my eyes were far too strained working on the SP2. Let me know if you have any questions.

Thank a lot for this! I was debating which one to get, SP2 OR SP3 but I guess I'll be getting the SP3!

Have you gotten to use powerpoint and so on it?

 

[Sissi Romy]

I currently own the surface pro 3. I decided to buy it early (first day of release!) to test it out on the summer anatomy class I am currently taking, and see if it is the right laptop for me during dental school.
Some things that I have experienced after ~1 month of using the device:
1. Big pro is the ability to touch the screen -- in my opinion, this method of navigation is sooo much easier than your traditional mouse/trackpad. I find myself touching the screen to flick around pdfs/webpages on other people's computers, but then getting disappointed. Trust me, it is a big technological improvement. Annotation with the pen is definitely a big plus. I don't have a use for it yet, but it would be ideal in cases like:

a. Annotating pdfs (Highlighting, underlining, scribbles on the margins)
b. Drawing stuff (no wasting paper)
c. Consolidating all your notes for all your subjects, for all four years of dental school (Thank you, OneNote!). OneNote can recongize handwriting pretty well too, and shows up in your search results!​

2. It has such a small footprint. It is literally lighter than the macbook air, but with the same capabilities (even better, IMO, with the native windows programs support). It also does not take up a lot of space when you have it set up, which I think would be useful in class, lab or studying at a cramped space.
3. I love being able to switch between the Metro - Windows interface. Its hard to explain, but all I know is I can't go back to Windows 7.
4. There are some cons -- the Metro interface is in its infancy. What does this mean? You have 3rd party applications for stuff like youtube (called Metrotube), vine (called Bine), instagram (dunno what its called). Granted, this will definitely improve as developers create official applications for these big programs, but in its current state its laughable. What it means to us, as dental students, is that we have separate metro apps that do what we want (one for annotating, transcribing, etc.) -- no one powerhouse app that does it all (adequately) YET. EDIT: I mean there are programs out there that are really good (OneNote for organization, Drawboard PDF for annotation) but its still buggy.
5. Some engineering quirks that annoy me sometimes. Like it would be helpful to have some locking mechanism on the hinge so that it doesnt move when you're writing. I only find myself writing in tablet mode (where the keyboard is detached or flipped over) or else it increases its angle as you press down on the screen. Other minor annoyances I had, I fixed with setting up my software right.
6. Its more uncomfortable to work on the lap with the SP3 than your traditional laptops.

Overall, I'm very very pleased with it. I went from a SP2 to a SP3. Some might see the jump in size as a hindrance, some as an improvement. I think my eyes were far too strained working on the SP2. Let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you for taking the time to provide this feedback. If you find out more (quirks or pros, etc. )about the SP3, please add to the thread. If you could also check out whether you can highlight and annotate pdf and ppt files easily, please post.

 

[Mediumrare]

More info please!

 

[Mediumrare]

For those interested in buying one, Microsoft has a 10% off student discount.

 

[b-rad12]

I currently own the surface pro 3. I decided to buy it early (first day of release!) to test it out on the summer anatomy class I am currently taking, and see if it is the right laptop for me during dental school.
Some things that I have experienced after ~1 month of using the device:
1. Big pro is the ability to touch the screen -- in my opinion, this method of navigation is sooo much easier than your traditional mouse/trackpad. I find myself touching the screen to flick around pdfs/webpages on other people's computers, but then getting disappointed. Trust me, it is a big technological improvement. Annotation with the pen is definitely a big plus. I don't have a use for it yet, but it would be ideal in cases like:

a. Annotating pdfs (Highlighting, underlining, scribbles on the margins)
b. Drawing stuff (no wasting paper)
c. Consolidating all your notes for all your subjects, for all four years of dental school (Thank you, OneNote!). OneNote can recongize handwriting pretty well too, and shows up in your search results!​

2. It has such a small footprint. It is literally lighter than the macbook air, but with the same capabilities (even better, IMO, with the native windows programs support). It also does not take up a lot of space when you have it set up, which I think would be useful in class, lab or studying at a cramped space.
3. I love being able to switch between the Metro - Windows interface. Its hard to explain, but all I know is I can't go back to Windows 7.
4. There are some cons -- the Metro interface is in its infancy. What does this mean? You have 3rd party applications for stuff like youtube (called Metrotube), vine (called Bine), instagram (dunno what its called). Granted, this will definitely improve as developers create official applications for these big programs, but in its current state its laughable. What it means to us, as dental students, is that we have separate metro apps that do what we want (one for annotating, transcribing, etc.) -- no one powerhouse app that does it all (adequately) YET. EDIT: I mean there are programs out there that are really good (OneNote for organization, Drawboard PDF for annotation) but its still buggy.
5. Some engineering quirks that annoy me sometimes. Like it would be helpful to have some locking mechanism on the hinge so that it doesnt move when you're writing. I only find myself writing in tablet mode (where the keyboard is detached or flipped over) or else it increases its angle as you press down on the screen. Other minor annoyances I had, I fixed with setting up my software right.
6. Its more uncomfortable to work on the lap with the SP3 than your traditional laptops.

Overall, I'm very very pleased with it. I went from a SP2 to a SP3. Some might see the jump in size as a hindrance, some as an improvement. I think my eyes were far too strained working on the SP2. Let me know if you have any questions.

I thought you were able to annotate PDFs using one note by importing them in?

Also is the SP3 worth the extra money compared to the SP2? All I will be using it for is studying, taking notes and downloading books for classes. I probably will hold onto my older MacBook Pro for taking tests in class and what not.

 

[Aetherius]

I thought you were able to annotate PDFs ng one note by importing them in?

Also is the SP3 worth the extra money compared to the SP2? All I will be using it for is studying, taking notes and downloading books for classes. I probably will hold onto my older MacBook Pro for taking tests in class and what not.

If I were you, I would get an iPad/other tablet purely for annotation, then sync it with the MBP. It would be a waste of money and backpack space to have 2 full devices, IMO. According to our class facebook group, most people with Macs have this setup. I know that there's no pen support in the iPad yet, so you would a 3rd party device like this:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/plai-tv/estylo-11-magnetic-dual-tip-capacitive-stylus-for

Yes, you can annotate directly on the imported PDF file, but it sometimes leads to situations like this (when you add spaces before the image you imported) and I don't know how to fix it yet:

My workaround is to annotate the PDF and then import it in order for my annotations to "stick", and also because (1) The lines are cleaner when I use an actual annotation app (2) I don't really highlight -- I underline most of my notes. OneNote doesn't provide me with both of these adequately.

 

[Aetherius]

However, in terms of the SP3 itself (sans the OneNote quirks), it is a good device overall.
Ask yourself if your setup right now would still work in dschool. My old computer was literally broken and not fast enough for I think what dschool will throw at me, which is the only reason I made the switch. If I had a properly functioning computer, I wouldn't have bought the SP2/SP3. I also bought it early to test it out and reveal techniques/annoyances of a new device before starting dschool, rather than discovering it the night before a dental anatomy test.

 

[DentalElle]

However, in terms of the SP3 itself (sans the OneNote quirks), it is a good device overall.
Ask yourself if your setup right now would still work in dschool. My old computer was literally broken and not fast enough for I think what dschool will throw at me, which is the only reason I made the switch. If I had a properly functioning computer, I wouldn't have bought the SP2/SP3. I also bought it early to test it out and reveal techniques/annoyances of a new device before starting dschool, rather than discovering it the night before a dental anatomy test.

Is the difference in size and software b/w sp2 and sp3 worth the price jump? I really only plan to be using it for school.

 

[Aetherius]

Is the difference in size and software b/w sp2 and sp3 worth the price jump? I really only plan to be using it for school.

Just for the additional screen real estate alone, I think it is.

 

[zagguru]

Those of you using Surface Pro 3, do you you see the 12" screen size being an issue. Would having something 15" or greater be better, especially for taking exams on the Surface Pro?

I currently own the surface pro 3. I decided to buy it early (first day of release!) to test it out on the summer anatomy class I am currently taking, and see if it is the right laptop for me during dental school.
Some things that I have experienced after ~1 month of using the device:
1. Big pro is the ability to touch the screen -- in my opinion, this method of navigation is sooo much easier than your traditional mouse/trackpad. I find myself touching the screen to flick around pdfs/webpages on other people's computers, but then getting disappointed. Trust me, it is a big technological improvement. Annotation with the pen is definitely a big plus. I don't have a use for it yet, but it would be ideal in cases like:

a. Annotating pdfs (Highlighting, underlining, scribbles on the margins)
b. Drawing stuff (no wasting paper)
c. Consolidating all your notes for all your subjects, for all four years of dental school (Thank you, OneNote!). OneNote can recongize handwriting pretty well too, and shows up in your search results!​

2. It has such a small footprint. It is literally lighter than the macbook air, but with the same capabilities (even better, IMO, with the native windows programs support). It also does not take up a lot of space when you have it set up, which I think would be useful in class, lab or studying at a cramped space.
3. I love being able to switch between the Metro - Windows interface. Its hard to explain, but all I know is I can't go back to Windows 7.
4. There are some cons -- the Metro interface is in its infancy. What does this mean? You have 3rd party applications for stuff like youtube (called Metrotube), vine (called Bine), instagram (dunno what its called). Granted, this will definitely improve as developers create official applications for these big programs, but in its current state its laughable. What it means to us, as dental students, is that we have separate metro apps that do what we want (one for annotating, transcribing, etc.) -- no one powerhouse app that does it all (adequately) YET. EDIT: I mean there are programs out there that are really good (OneNote for organization, Drawboard PDF for annotation) but its still buggy.
5. Some engineering quirks that annoy me sometimes. Like it would be helpful to have some locking mechanism on the hinge so that it doesnt move when you're writing. I only find myself writing in tablet mode (where the keyboard is detached or flipped over) or else it increases its angle as you press down on the screen. Other minor annoyances I had, I fixed with setting up my software right.
6. Its more uncomfortable to work on the lap with the SP3 than your traditional laptops.

Overall, I'm very very pleased with it. I went from a SP2 to a SP3. Some might see the jump in size as a hindrance, some as an improvement. I think my eyes were far too strained working on the SP2. Let me know if you have any questions.