Surface pro 2 worth upgrading to surface 3/pro 3?

[mikedp5]

I recently purchased a surface pro 2 refurbished for $350 shipped. So i was browsing and i am wondering if an upgrade to either surface pro 3 or just surface 3 is worth it.

I don't mind getting a 64 gb pro 3 as long as i can keep the cost down. Since sd cards are available to expand the memory.

I'll be using it for light browsing, illustrator, photoshop, light cad since i have my own desktop and laptop. I just need something that is always available to view and light edit of autocad.

I am a student. any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[sizzling]

For your work you really want a Pro. Going from a Pro 2 to a Pro 3 isn't worth in my view

 

[mikedp5]

Isnt the pen and aspect ratio an upgrade? How about the surface 3? I read reviews that it can run photoshop fine?

 

[sizzling]

The Atom CPU in the Surface 3 is much weaker. I'm using a Surface 3 now and think its great but for PhotoShop and CAD either Pro will be much better. I just don't see the Pro 3 as a worthwhile upgrade over the Pro 2

 

[pasow]

Isnt the pen and aspect ratio an upgrade? How about the surface 3? I read reviews that it can run photoshop fine?

The pen on the Surface 3 and the Surface Pro 3 is a downgrade from the one on the Surface Pro 2. however it's debatable to maybe a better pen experience on the Surface Pro 4 vs a Surface Pro 2. The Surface Pro 3 performance wise should be a nice bump up from the Surface Pro 2, however i wouldn't qualify it as worth upgrading for. if you presently feel squashed and cramped on your SP2, that might be the best and only reason to move up to the 3. otherwise i would wait for SP4's to reach your price point or the SP5.

Also, the SP3 and up uses an N-trig pen, which has an iffy level of support in applications like Photoshop. if your using CC then your fine, but if your on CS then it might be a bit touchy getting it to work. (i own a SP4, and have had some issues with CS5.5)

 

[mikedp5]

I'm gonna be using adobe cc versions. Amazon is the only place i can buy. Since the pro 3's price is too high for me, it's the pro 2 vs surface 3. $100-150 difference.

I think the newer pens on surface pro 4 are compatible with surface 3. So if ever I'm buying a pen, it would be the one from surface pro 4.

 

[pasow]

I'm gonna be using adobe cc versions. Amazon is the only place i can buy. Since the pro 3's price is too high for me, it's the pro 2 vs surface 3. $100-150 difference.

I think the newer pens on surface pro 4 are compatible with surface 3. So if ever I'm buying a pen, it would be the one from surface pro 4.

well, the pen is physically nicer to use from the SP4 over the SP3, but the actual digitizer is still pretty limited at 256 levels of pressure. if that's not an issue for you though, then less of a reason to consider the SP2. (most reviewers state its not much if any of an issue, but i have known people who were adamant about needing more)

I was under the impression you already had a Surface Pro 2 given the wording in previous posts. if you do not already own a Surface Pro 2, then i would defiantly go for the SP3. against a regular Surface, i cant really comment. (not enough experience or research to give a informed opinion, but i would favor the Surface 3)

 

[mikedp5]

Yes i currently have an SP2 and i can return it to buy a surface 3 for difference of $130. Is it worth the difference?

 

[pasow]

well... the Surface 3 is significantly slower than the Surface Pro 2. however, the Surface 3 is complacently fan-less, weighs less, uses the lower parallax N-trig system (more natural pen input), and has the nicer 3:2 aspect ratio for the screen. For my self though, the dumping performance is a no go. given your using it as an auxiliary unit to your desktop though, that drop may not be too bad. if you were just looking for a mobile sketch/non-intensive-art unit, i would say its better. but for your usage case it seems it will be under powered.

Notebookcheck.net for the Surface 3's CPU http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Atom-x7-Z8700-Benchmarks.140906.0.html
Notebookcheck.net for the mid range Surface Pro 2's CPU: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i5-4200U-Notebook-Processor.93563.0.html
Cpu.userbenchmark.com comparison of the two CPU's: http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i5-4200U-vs-Intel-Atom-x7-Z8700/2742vsm27122