The lower entry price for the high-end Surface Pro 3 will likely appeal to users who want to trade-off of storage capacity for price, but who ultimately still need the computing and graphics power of Intel's Core i7.
Core i5 v. Core i7
Both editions ship with 8GB RAM, but the main difference is that the Core i5 processor is clocked slightly faster at 1.9GHz, and it has a slower 2.9GHz Turbo Boost performance for heavy loads. The Core i7 has a slower 1.7GHz base clock speed, but it can go up to 3.3GHz with Turbo Boost.
Additionally, the Core i7 model has slightly better graphics performance. Whereas the Intel Core i5 model comes with Intel HD 4400 graphics, the Core i7 model ships with integrated Intel HD 5000 graphics.
The Core i7 model also has more CPU cache at 4MB instead of 3MB on the i5 model.
One way is to rely on the cloud for storage, such as Microsoft's OneDrive service.
Users can also add a 200GB microSD card to the device, use the single USB port to connect a flash drive or portable hard drive to the Surface Pro 3 or connect a wireless hard drive to the tablet over Wi-Fi.
Convertible hybrid
Convertible hybrids like the Surface Pro 3 offer users allow users to have the convenience of a laptop and a tablet in one device. The benefit is that users no longer have to purchase and carry two separate devices. With the optional Type Cover keyboard, Surface Pro 3 owners can convert their tablets into a notebook.
