Microsoft Surface 3 Laptop 256 GB Black (Metal)

You get your money's worth! I bought this laptop preloved and it is doing pretty good for me. I really like the slim design and alcantara. The form factor is great and the track pad feels nice. The only things that aren't that great are the battery life, charging while it's in sleep mode or on mode and the storage. Lastly, the storage seemed brilliant before my purchase. I thought that with my needs (school work, simple productivity) 128 GB would be enough, but those GB's go by really fast. Just a warning. Overall, I like this laptop because of the lightweight design and sleek look. the fact that it has windows OS and the fast charging. At the end, it all boils down to your needs.

Best Mac alternative

If you don't want a MacBook Air/Pro because of macOS, or other Windows manufacturers such as Dell/HP/Lenovo have let you down in the past, the Surface Laptop 3 (i7 1065G7, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Matte Black) is quite the option. In my opinion, it's the best premium Ultrabook on the market, especially impressive as Microsoft has only been at it for about 3 years.As performance between 85% of Ultrabooks is relatively similar, build and design is a big deciding factor to me, and the Surface won out against worthy competitors such as the Dell XPS 13 (9300), HP Spectre x360 13, and Razer Blade Stealth. A lot of Microsoft + Intel intangibles like Instant On, smart backlighting, and adaptive brightness help this feel like a polished machine that's been innovated for over ... MoreIf you don't want a MacBook Air/Pro because of macOS, or other Windows manufacturers such as Dell/HP/Lenovo have let you down in the past, the Surface Laptop 3 (i7 1065G7, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Matte Black) is quite the option. In my opinion, it's the best premium Ultrabook on the market, especially impressive as Microsoft has only been at it for about 3 years.As performance between 85% of Ultrabooks is relatively similar, build and design is a big deciding factor to me, and the Surface won out against worthy competitors such as the Dell XPS 13 (9300), HP Spectre x360 13, and Razer Blade Stealth. A lot of Microsoft + Intel intangibles like Instant On, smart backlighting, and adaptive brightness help this feel like a polished machine that's been innovated for over 10+ years like the XPS lineup.The display on the Surface is excellent. The resolution is higher than standard Full HD (not quite QHD because of the 3:2 aspect ratio), and doesn't sacrifice either battery life (4K Ultrabooks make no sense) or picture quality. Apple and Microsoft seem to be the only ones who believe in making QHD+ displays for 13-14" instead of 4K. It just makes more sense for everyone.Performance is great for a 15W laptop, although I don't need much horsepower from my laptop as I have other desktops for heavy workloads. It's good in short bursts and at lasting long. The quad-core i7-1065G7 has the highest level graphics config for Intel's Ice Lake processors, so this is as good as it gets for this generation. I would recommend 95% of buyers to just buy the 8GB RAM models, as you'll find more use in just having 4 cores than 16GB RAM.Battery life is good, not amazing. I get about 6-7 hours of active users out of a full charge. It can top up pretty fast while in sleep mode with the included Surface Connect charger. Coming from a device that gave me 2 hours max off of a battery, I'm not asking for much. There is some endurance left to be desired, but it's enough for what I need.The touchpad and keyboard are amazing. They're both among the best that Windows Ultrabooks have to offer (although that's not saying much..)

Excellent! Professional, dependable, & looks GREAT

Simply put, this is the practical and stylish PC that we've all hoped for. It is as beautiful as anything from Apple, as productive as anything from Dell, as capable at casual gaming as anything from ASUS and overall simply pleasing. I say this, because these are all the other computers in my home. The Surface Laptop 3 is my wife's work computer, and it excels for this purpose. The screen is the absolute best for real world productivity. Word documents and Excel spreadsheets display on this aspect ratio much better than anything made for movies and games. The speakers must be implementing some kind of magic, as they are hidden under the keyboard, yet sound better than any other computer we own. The keyboard is much more pleasing to use than our Dell, ASUS, and ... MoreSimply put, this is the practical and stylish PC that we've all hoped for. It is as beautiful as anything from Apple, as productive as anything from Dell, as capable at casual gaming as anything from ASUS and overall simply pleasing. I say this, because these are all the other computers in my home. The Surface Laptop 3 is my wife's work computer, and it excels for this purpose. The screen is the absolute best for real world productivity. Word documents and Excel spreadsheets display on this aspect ratio much better than anything made for movies and games. The speakers must be implementing some kind of magic, as they are hidden under the keyboard, yet sound better than any other computer we own. The keyboard is much more pleasing to use than our Dell, ASUS, and especially that crazy Apply keyboard. (Though, I have a high-end HP Chromebook keyboard that surprisingly comes close.) The track pad is perfectly gauged with the default sensitivity. We've used the built in camera and mic extensively for Web-based meetings (Zoom, Go-to-meeting, Webex) and I'm happy to report that the video and mic quality matches or exceeds what we see anyone else has built in their PC. The battery life is amazing. With real-world work related use, my wife is getting 2-3 days of use without charging. That's at a few hours of MS Office and Google web app use per day (and facebook when she sneaks that in). The magnetic charge port is a winner as well. Several times our dog has tripped over the power chord, and while the chord popped lose and went flying, the laptop never moved. It does exactly what it is made to do! The engineers deserve an award for this one. While my son likes his loud fan, short battery, high end gaming ASUS ROG, and my daughter loves the fact that there is an apple on her computer, I have to say, if I'm buying a straight forward, dependable, VERY capable computer for anyone doing actual work on their machine, I'd recommend the Surface laptop above all others.

Great laptop!

I got the Surface Laptop 3 back in December 2019, after the computer I had purchased for grad school died in a little over a year; that brand starts with a D and it was the 2nd laptop of that brand where I had nothing but problems and crashing regularly.This Surface 3 Laptop has been awesome so far, except for a few issues that I'll explain. I do use this laptop as my main computer for work and personal use, which equals at least 5 to 6 hours a day, on average. Usually have multiple apps and tabs running at the same time and it keeps up! There's also a wireless keyboard/mouse, printer/scanner, and 32 inch screen connected. I did have to get a USB-c hub adapter to connect everything since there is only one USB and USB-c ports. I didn't like that initially, but now ... MoreI got the Surface Laptop 3 back in December 2019, after the computer I had purchased for grad school died in a little over a year; that brand starts with a D and it was the 2nd laptop of that brand where I had nothing but problems and crashing regularly.This Surface 3 Laptop has been awesome so far, except for a few issues that I'll explain. I do use this laptop as my main computer for work and personal use, which equals at least 5 to 6 hours a day, on average. Usually have multiple apps and tabs running at the same time and it keeps up! There's also a wireless keyboard/mouse, printer/scanner, and 32 inch screen connected. I did have to get a USB-c hub adapter to connect everything since there is only one USB and USB-c ports. I didn't like that initially, but now I prefer it because when I need to take the laptop with me, just one plug to remove and on the way. Plus those adapters aren't very expensive, think I got mine for under $30.Now for the problems, which happened about 3 or 4 months ago. It would "wake" up by itself from sleep mode and even from shutdown mode, which happened a hand full of times within about a 4-6 week window. It happened mostly while I had it in my backpack, but also while on my desk. It would turn on, make a lot of noise (I think mostly the fan?) and get so hot that I couldn't even grab it for more than a few seconds. It would then shut off, pretty sure it overheated, and wouldn't turn on until it had cooled down. Thought for sure it was going to die like my last one.I decided to try one of the big name programs that promised to both initially and regularly optimize the computer, clean up unused programs, defrag, install new antivirus, etc. Well, it worked because I haven't had any overheating problems since.If you're thinking why the 5 stars even with the problems, I'll say this: with work, business consulting and personal use, I have used this computer hard, probably more than any other computer I've ever used. So, even with that issue, which might have been more related to how I use it, it still gets 5 stars for me. When I need a new laptop it'll be a new Surface.

Not worth the hassle

After purchasing my laptop from MS directly for school use, wifi adapter wouldn't work(well known issue for this model) . Had to call in to customer support 3xs in less than 2 years for the same issue (The number also changed and was very hard to find, now in 10/2022, there's no number i can find). I was also victim to the famous hairline fracture in the screen that magically appears (no physical damage or misuse). Paid for screen repair and paid $400 for them to send a refurbished after sending in my lap top which wouldn't connect to the internet (after trying to solve the issue for days on my own). This last$300 payment was because my laptop wouldn't turn on after going to sleep overnight. Tried any resolution, even geek squad. No accountability, no customer ... MoreAfter purchasing my laptop from MS directly for school use, wifi adapter wouldn't work(well known issue for this model) . Had to call in to customer support 3xs in less than 2 years for the same issue (The number also changed and was very hard to find, now in 10/2022, there's no number i can find). I was also victim to the famous hairline fracture in the screen that magically appears (no physical damage or misuse). Paid for screen repair and paid $400 for them to send a refurbished after sending in my lap top which wouldn't connect to the internet (after trying to solve the issue for days on my own). This last$300 payment was because my laptop wouldn't turn on after going to sleep overnight. Tried any resolution, even geek squad. No accountability, no customer support, no reliability. I loved it when it worked, but less than 3 years, paying 2 deductibles and having a total of 7 instances of trying to self diagnose.... it cost way too much money for how often it acts up.

Outstanding workhorse

I am starting school after having never been in school since graduating high school a few decades ago and I found myself needing a new laptop. As a capper to all this, I find myself in two school programs, one for a BS in Business Administration and another for a certificate in theology. I have worked in IT, mostly desktop support for small businesses, for over 20 years and am pretty familiar with SOHO-type business needs and usually buy my gear accordingly. I have been using a 17.5" laptop for a few years now and have been very happy with it, but it is not terribly portable and takes up a lot of room on cramped desks and tables. I am also something of a "Horsepower snob" and hate waiting for a device. As a result, I was rather skeptical of the Surface products due ... MoreI am starting school after having never been in school since graduating high school a few decades ago and I found myself needing a new laptop. As a capper to all this, I find myself in two school programs, one for a BS in Business Administration and another for a certificate in theology. I have worked in IT, mostly desktop support for small businesses, for over 20 years and am pretty familiar with SOHO-type business needs and usually buy my gear accordingly. I have been using a 17.5" laptop for a few years now and have been very happy with it, but it is not terribly portable and takes up a lot of room on cramped desks and tables. I am also something of a "Horsepower snob" and hate waiting for a device. As a result, I was rather skeptical of the Surface products due to screen size on the Pro's and processor/RAM combinations in an affordable price range in the laptops. Let's just say that I have been pleasantly surprised at my Surface Laptop 13.5.The screen size is in fact adequate for writing papers and the keyboard is well laid out. The i5 quad-core is adequate to the task of Office apps (Word etc.) and while I wouldn't want to have to massage a large database on it, it will handle day-to-day needs quite well. I also use a beast of a program called Logos for theological studies that indexes thousands of resources. While it does slow a tad when indexing it is entirely acceptable and once the indexing completes, work is seamless.The screen resolution is razor sharp and highly readable, adding a USB external monitor gives me all the screen real estate I need for bigger projects and the combined package is easily portable. Even without the external monitor I can easily research and write papers, I was pleasantly surprised at how workable the screen size is, even after using a 17+" screen for years. I don't use the touchscreen feature much, being the "Old-school" guy that I am, but it does work and is accurate. Battery life is outstanding, I can work all day and not worry about being tied to a power outlet.The quad-core, dual-threaded i5 is sufficiently adequate for processing needs and Windows 10 plays nicely in 8 GB of RAM. While the 16 GB model would be nice (More is always better right?) the cost differential is a bit much for me to justify as a student and as I mentioned, 8GB is sufficient. The 256 GB of storage is adequate for the OS as well as a full installation of Office. two accounts for OneDrive with hundreds of documents each, Kindle with a couple hundred books, Logos 8 Silver with about 600 books and Google Drive with plenty of room left over.The Alcantara keyboard is pleasant to type on and the touchpad is sufficiently sensitive without being obnoxiously sensitive. I don't even know if this has a fan in it, it stays cool under load and is dead quiet, so I never cared to check. The finish is high quality and looks great, although it can show a fingerprint or two now and again; nothing a quick wipe with a microfiber cloth can't take care of.While it does come with the standard games etc. from Microsoft, there is not a lot of bloatware and the games and so forth can be easily dealt with via a right click and "Uninstall". My only quibble is that I wish it came with Windows 10 Pro, but that is easily addressed with a quick trip to the Microsoft App Store.I would not hesitate to recommend a Surface Laptop 3 13.5 to any student or the vast majority of business users. For home use it is more than adequate.

Support sucks, common screen isssues

I love this device, it is beautifully designed. However, it's support is absolutely horrible.I have a flickering screen, and I can't get it fixed for almost 5 months now. Soon my warranty will expire and I will have to just simply buy a new devices.They require to send the device somewhere, without any temporary replacement. I am a student. I use laptop 12 hours per day. What am I supposed to do? wait for two weeks until they try to fix it without a temporary replacement?They don't have an in person service centers in Greater Boston Area. Actually in the entire Massachussets.Sorry, but I am loosing patience here.HP and Dell would have sent a replacement alreadyWaiting on line for 2 hours and no one picks upchatting for hours on the support chat, and ... MoreI love this device, it is beautifully designed. However, it's support is absolutely horrible.I have a flickering screen, and I can't get it fixed for almost 5 months now. Soon my warranty will expire and I will have to just simply buy a new devices.They require to send the device somewhere, without any temporary replacement. I am a student. I use laptop 12 hours per day. What am I supposed to do? wait for two weeks until they try to fix it without a temporary replacement?They don't have an in person service centers in Greater Boston Area. Actually in the entire Massachussets.Sorry, but I am loosing patience here.HP and Dell would have sent a replacement alreadyWaiting on line for 2 hours and no one picks upchatting for hours on the support chat, and problem isn't resolved.Also I recommended this device to my friends, and they purchased it. They have the same issue. The backlight of the display is flickering, constantly.Sorry, but support sucks.I have no idea what to do. Helpless here.

The Best Laptop Around

I could not love this laptop more. When I was in the market for a laptop, I was moving between this one and a macbook. After testing out a friend's for a week, I decided to get the Surface, and I am so glad that I did. I am an educator, so I use my laptop 12 hours a day almost every day of the week. When traveling, I use it to stream movies and shows. I have never had an issue with it freezing, slowing down, or acting wonky. This laptop has withstood multiple drops, daily transport, and 3 whole years a wear and tear (and that counts teaching online in 2020). When I decide to buy another laptop, without a doubt, I will get the newest model of the Microsoft Surface.

This was a piece of garbage for me.

I purchased this item for my wife. She rarely used it. We used it for a year and 2 month. Geek squad told me it would be to expensive to repair and that Microsoft controlled the repair. I was told to throw it away and purchase something else. I'm out $900 and no new laptop. We dug out her 5 year old HP laptop and updated it and we r back up and running. I wasn't going to waste my money on another laptop. Shame on micrsoft for not helping us out for an apparent issue with microsoft. I wish i could rate it lower. I also have geek squad protection but didnt help in this case. Maybe someone else knows what i can do with this non working new laptop

WAS a great laptop...

Was a great laptop... Fast, sleek and reliable. I say "was" because 2 weeks ago, after Microsoft released a software update. My laptop is now a useless metal brick. There seems to be a known issue with the recent Surface OTA update, as my Surface Laptop was not the only unit to experience this issue. Unit froze after update. I have tried all possible avenues - hard reset, etc... Nothing has worked.Since unit was already out of warranty (ended March 2021) I decided to take unit apart to see if any interior connections might have come loose. Nothing is physically wrong with unit and unit is new inside, which confirms that the recent software update caused my laptop to be DOA.Since it is out of mfg warranty, Microsoft wants me to spend at least $400 sending it back ... MoreWas a great laptop... Fast, sleek and reliable. I say "was" because 2 weeks ago, after Microsoft released a software update. My laptop is now a useless metal brick. There seems to be a known issue with the recent Surface OTA update, as my Surface Laptop was not the only unit to experience this issue. Unit froze after update. I have tried all possible avenues - hard reset, etc... Nothing has worked.Since unit was already out of warranty (ended March 2021) I decided to take unit apart to see if any interior connections might have come loose. Nothing is physically wrong with unit and unit is new inside, which confirms that the recent software update caused my laptop to be DOA.Since it is out of mfg warranty, Microsoft wants me to spend at least $400 sending it back to them to correct an issue that their own software created.This matter has left a very bad taste in my mouth. This is not my first surface device, as I have had 2 surface pro's previously, with no issues. Now I am left with a useless laptop, not even 2 years old that originally cost me $1400.Time to look beyond Surface devices if you want reliable products that are supported by their manufacturer, when they cause the issue that damaged your unit.