For the past three weeks, I’ve been trying to nail what my next Windows Tablet will be. And I still can’t decide between the Lenovo ThinkPad 10 (TP10) or the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (the Core i3 model). I keep going back and forth trying to look at the pros and cons of both tablets in an effort to choose. To be honest, it’s a bit of a Luxury Problem, because my current tablet – a Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 (TPT2) – is still serving me well after 18 months of use. Overall, I’ve been very pleased with the TPT2, but the siren call of new technology is singing to me, and I’m finding it difficult to resist. So I thought I’d use this post to compare all three tablets with each other, and see if that helps sharpen up the pros and cons as I see them.
Dimensions
The Surface Pro 3 (SP3) is the biggest and heaviest (at 800 gm.) tablet of the three. The TP10 is roughly the same size and weight (610 – 600 gm., depending on whether it has WWAN or not) as my TPT2 (610 gm.), but has a slightly different aspect ratio. Whilst I haven’t had an opportunity to compare all three side by side in real life (and won’t until September, here in the Netherlands); reading the forums where these are discussed, I worry a little that the SP3 may be just a little too big and unwieldy as a tablet. The TP10, particularly with that changed aspect ratio, may be, as Goldilocks found, “just right”.
Screen Resolution and Aspect Ratio
The changed physical aspect ratio of the TP10 reflects the fact that the display screen ratio has also been changed: from 16:9 of the TPT2 to 16:10 of the TP10. It’s not just the ratio that has been changed, but also the resolution. The TPT2 has a screen resolution of just 1366 x 768 pixels, whereas the TP10 has 1920 x 1200. Now, I say “just”for the TPT2, but quite honestly, for the size of the device, the resolution is perfectly adequate. Nonetheless, the higher resolution of the TP10 is clearly an improvement, and the 16:10 aspect ratio even more so, as far as I’m concerned. So how does this compare with the SP3? It has to be said that the SP3 has the upper hand. Not only does it have a resolution of 2160 x 1440, this also gives it the best aspect ratio of 3:2. For reading books and documents in portrait mode, this is pretty close to what I want. The 16:10 ratio of the TP10 is in second place (with my trusty TPT2 coming in at third place with 16:9). However, if one compares reading quality, as expressed by pixel density, then in fact the TP10 comes first: it has a pixel density of 224.17 pixels per inch, while the SP3 has 216.33 pixels per inch. Obviously, the TPT2 comes third with 155.16 ppi. In summary, for me, the SP3 display is the front runner, but the TP10 is close behind.
Performance
On paper, there is no contest; the Core i3-based SP3 wipes the floor with both of the Atom-based ThinkPad tablets. Looking at the CPU Passmark benchmarks, then we have:
- SP3: 2,278
- TP10: 1,970
- TPT2: 679
The SP3 is over three times as fast as my TPT2. However, for my usage (Word, Excel, OneNote, Mail, Windows Live Writer, web browsing, playing media, Metro Apps), the TPT2 has proved perfectly adequate. Yes, extra power would be welcome on occasion; but essential? Not for what I use my tablet for. I understand that, for many people, more power is what they need. That’s not the case for me – at least not with my current usage patterns and scenarios. In summary then, the TP10 would give me a boost in power over the TPT2. The SP3 would give me a further boost in power over the TP10, but whether I really need it is a moot point. More likely, this would be gilding the lily.
Fan Or No Fan?
The biggest stumbling block for me is the fact that because the SP3 has more performance than the TP10, it requires a cooling fan. The TP10, like the TPT2 before it, is fanless. Personally, having experienced a tablet that is fanless (my TPT2), I really do not want to replace it with a tablet that has a fan. That would seem to be a huge step backwards as far as I’m concerned. Now I know that Microsoft claim that the fan in the SP3 is silent; but reading the forums, it’s clear that it is not. It’s true that at the moment all the real world experience is coming from people who have SP3 models that are fitted with the more powerful Core i5 processor. The Core i3 models (which should run cooler) won’t be available until next month. Nevertheless, it’s a concern. An additional point is that the SP3 is one of the first examples of an Intel Core-based tablet that uses InstantGo (formerly known as Connected Standby). Reading the forums, it is apparent that the bugs have not been fully ironed out. There are examples of people finding that their SP3 has turned itself on in their shoulder bags, with subsequent overheating. As a result, some people are posting ways to turn off InstantGo, which seems to me a pretty drastic course of action. My TPT2 has InstantGo, and, after some initial teething issues, solved by software updates, it now performs faultlessly, and I would not want to lose it. A fanless tablet, even if it did turn itself on in your shoulder bag, would only run the risk of unwanted battery drain, not meltdown. In summary, therefore, the fanless TP10 easily wins this round over the SP3.
Pen Support
All three devices (the TPT2, TP10 and the SP3) support active pens for accuracy and pressure sensitivity. The ThinkPads use Wacom technology, whereas the SP3 now uses N-Trig technology (earlier Surface Pro models also used Wacom). There are many heated discussions over which technology is superior, particularly amongst artists. However, since my purpose for wanting to have a pen is for simple notetaking and scribbled drawings, I will be happy with either. Both are far superior to the capacitive pens sold as accessories for iPads. The TPT2 came with a very thin pen that can be stored in the tablet itself. However, I tend to use a normal-sized Wacom pen when writing long screeds. The pens supplied with the TP10 and SP3 are of normal dimensions, which unfortunately means that they are too big to be stored in the thinner tablets. In this category, therefore there is nothing to choose between the TP10 and the SP3, as far as I am concerned.
Cameras
I was very surprised to discover recently that the rear camera in the SP3 was a fixed-focus device, rather than auto-focus. A fixed-focus camera is very limited in what it can do. Photographing documents, and similar close-up work, will be difficult, if not impossible. When this was raised in forums, lots of people jumped in to say that they would never use their tablet for making photos anyway, but always rely on their smartphones. While this is true (and my Nokia Lumia 1020 will knock the socks off any tablet camera), it does rather seem to miss a fundamental point. Microsoft are presenting the SP3 as a premium device for professionals. If Microsoft want the SP3 to be bought in large numbers by organisations, then it has to be a serious platform for Line-of-Business applications. Many such applications, these days, will want to include photos captured by the platform. For example, when the contractors arrived at our house to install and commission the solar panels and electric inverter, the team leader had an iPad with a LoB application. It contained the work order details. Once the installation was commissioned, he used the iPad camera to photograph the serial number barcode of the inverter, and the serial number was used to activate the monitoring system in the cloud. He also photographed my paper copy of the work order, now complete with my signature, and the electronic copy was added into the business process application. The iPad has an auto-focus camera, and can be used in these sorts of applications. The SP3’s fixed focus camera can’t. Here’s an example (taken from a post on the Microsoft Surface forum) of the same document photographed by an iPad (auto-focus) and the SP3 (fixed-focus) cameras: 
I’m sorry, but Microsoft should be ashamed of this. A common use of tablets in the field is with insurance adjusters. They will inspect a loss, taking a number of photographs along the way, notate the damage on them with a pen by circling the damage and email the pictures to the claims handler with their recommendations. The Adjusters need to take long shots and close ups (hat-tip to Bronsky for this example). The SP3 cannot be used in this scenario. My old TPT2, and the TP10, can. They both have auto-focus lenses capable of taking close-ups and wide-angle shots. Once again, Microsoft snatches defeat from the jaws of victory. As I said, most of the time I will use my Nokia 1020 for taking photos, but in practice, both my TPT2 and the TP10 cameras will far surpass the toy camera that Microsoft has put in the SP3. So, while I could live with the camera that the SP3 has, it certainly tarnishes the “premium” moniker that Microsoft would have us believe that the SP3 carries.
Sensors
Smartphones and tablets are equipped with a range of sensors these days, whilst laptops are not. The TPT2, TP10 and the SP3 all have a gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetometer and an ambient light sensor. In addition, however, the TPT2 has a GNSS sensor, which can provide GPS positioning data to the Windows 8.1 Location Service. At this point, it’s not clear whether the TP10 includes the same sensor. Lenovo’s documentation implies that all models of the TP10 have it, yet Lisa Gade found in her review of the TP10 that the model under test did not include GNSS capability. I’ve asked Lenovo if they can clarify the issue. One thing is clear, though, the SP3 does not have a GNSS sensor. And again, I find this strange, given that the SP3 is supposed to be a premium device for professionals. Microsoft state in the SP3 specifications that it has a “digital compass” for its Location Service. Do they take us for fools? A compass is not sufficient to provide accurate position data. In this category, therefore, the TPT2 is currently out in front, but if it is confirmed that the TP10 also has a GNSS sensor, then it will join the TPT2, and the SP3 will be in third place. [Addendum: Lenovo has confirmed to me that all models of the TP10 have a Broadcom 4752 GPS chip in them to provide GNSS data] Is a GNSS sensor essential for me? Honestly, no, but it is very nice to have. A number of the apps that I use require accurate position data (e.g. mapping, navigation and astronomy apps), and while I could provide this via a bluetooth GPS device to the SP3 (and the TP10, if necessary), it’s very convenient to have this built into the tablet directly.
Networking
All three devices support WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 networks. The SP3 also supports the newest, fastest variant of WiFi: 802.11 ac in addition to the 802.11 a/b/g/n specifications. This puts the SP3 in front of the TPT2 and the TP10 in this respect. However, there are currently no models of the SP3 that are equipped with WWAN capability, whereas both the TPT2 and the TP10 have models equipped for mobile networking. Once again, just as for the camera quality, this could be an important differentiator for Business users. Is this a showstopper for me? No, it isn’t. Although my current TPT2 is equipped with WWAN, I very rarely use it, and on the occasions that I do, I could just as easily pair it with my Nokia 1020 to provide internet access to my tablet. The SP3 also does not have NFC, whilst some models of both the TPT2 and the TP10 do. This feature is more commonly found in Smartphones, but it could just take off in tablets as well. This is another “nice-to-have” feature as far as I’m concerned. Its absence is not a showstopper. Overall, therefore, given that I could live without WWAN capability, NFC, and do not need 802.11 ac speeds (or indeed have them in our home network), then there is nothing to choose between the SP3 or TP10 in this category.
Summing Up
I’ve tried to sum up using the table shown below. I haven’t assigned weightings to the categories, but if I did, then the dimensions/weight, display and noise categories would be the most important to me. You’ll notice that I have not got a battery life category. I’m assuming that both the SP3 and the TP10 would be sufficient for me.
| Category | Front-runner |
| Dimensions/Weight | TP10 |
| Display | SP3 |
| Performance | TP10 (sufficient) |
| Noise (fan) | TP10 (fanless) |
| Pen Support | SP3 = TP10 |
| Cameras | TP10 |
| Sensors | SP3 = TP10 |
| Networking | SP3 = TP10 |
The one area where the SP3 clearly comes out on top is in the display category, because of its superior resolution and 3:2 aspect ratio. Whilst, on paper, the SP3 clearly wins in the performance category, the TP10 has sufficient performance for me, so I’ve put that first. The SP3’s superior performance also comes at a cost for me: that damn fan. In fact, I’m beginning to think that the whole case one way or another, balances around the question of the fan. If the Core i3 model of the SP3 can really minimise the use of the fan, and the problems with InstantGo resolved, then it becomes more attractive. Then the attention shifts to the dimensions and weight category. So it looks as though, at this point in the technology cycle, while the TP10 is a better fit with what I am looking for in a tablet, I must resist the temptation to pull the trigger until after some reports of the Core i3 model of the SP3 have been published, and I’ve had a chance to see, and heft, both the TP10 and SP3 in the flesh…
Addendum
I reached a decision (of sorts) on the 6th September 2014, and wrote a post on it. The bottom line:
Now that a wider range of TP10 models are available here in the Netherlands, I could get a TP10 (faster, with a better display, and twice the RAM) to replace my existing TPT2 for €620. I definitely won’t be going for the SP3 (at €819) – too many compromises and issues for me. I could also equally continue using my TPT2 quite happily and wait to see what an SP4 has to offer. There’s no rush.
Geoff Coupe's Blog 
Thank you Geoff for sharing your thoughts. I too have been “thinking tablet”, but not nearly as carefully as you have. The Surface Pro 3, with the more powerful CPU, seemed to be the front runner until you mentioned the fixed-focus camera. To me that is an absolute deal breaker. Not even as a kid did I own a fix-focus camera, those are toys at best. So I’ll wait for SP4 or look around some more. Thanks again.
Ludwig, you’re welcome. I found it astonishing that Microsoft chose to put a fixed-focus camera in there in this day and age.
Ludwig, there’s a new version of the SP3 User Guide posted. Page 89:
“Record video with either camera in 1080p HD, with a 16:9 aspect ratio (widescreen). Both cameras are fixed focus, so you don’t need to worry about focusing. A privacy light appears when either camera is on, so there are no surprises.”
Apart, that is, from the rather nasty surprise that the SP3 is indeed fitted with a toy camera. Microsoft sends its apologies to you, and to Insurance Adjusters everywhere, and suggests that you buy an alternative tablet for your work.
I’m surprised so many people put so much emphasis on the camera, but then again, I’d be purchasing a Surface (any model) as a drawing tool first and foremost. I couldn’t care less about the fixed focus camera but I was intrigued that the Thinkpad uses Wacom technology. That’s what made me fall in love with my SP1 and I was highly disappointed to learn that MS switched to another pen maker. I literally use my Surface for drawing every day so a battery-operated stylus is a deal breaker for me. Now I’m curious about that Thinkpad.
Jonathan, you are an artist, so naturally your emphasis would be on the pen. Photographers would naturally be thinking about the camera. But besides that, there are many potential business applications that would involve being able to photograph documents for capture in a business process. I find it incredibly dumb of Microsoft not to at least make the SP3 capable of competing in that market. They position the SP3 as a device for professionals, but then they deliberately cripple it so that it is useless in certain business scenarios.
BTW, the ThinkPad, as an Atom-based device, would also probably not meet the demands of an artist. Most professional drawing applications are very processor-intensive.
Hi Geoff,
I love reading your remarks and thoughts. I also have a TPT2, which I think is a bit too slow for me. I have looked at the Thinkpad 8, but it seems to small for me (readability is getting difficult sometimes).
I am therefore looking for reviews of the Thinkpad 10, but have not seen a good review on the real speed difference with the TPT2, Thinkpad 8 and the Thinkpad 10. Would you know a good source here ?
The SP3 looks like a less interesting choice for me due to the larger screen, heavier weight, FAN, thicker pen, no WWAN, no NFC, no GNSS, … and maybe price.
A point in your review on the thickness of the pen for the Thinkpad 10: I am already thinking of using my TPT2 pen when I would buy the Thinkpad 10, for to have a smaller/thinner pen….Since the use of the Wacom technology for both this should be possible
I am not reading on the availability of HDMI. I use my tablet with my Grandmother to show the (holidays) photo’s on the TV screen via the hdmi cable. This one seems not to be available on the SP3
Joost, the SP3 has a Mini-DisplayPort connector. That means that you need a mini-DP to HDMI adaptor to connect with a TV that has HDMI connections. These adaptors are readily available.
Joost, I’ve not seen a review that specifically compares the performance of the TPT2, TP8 and TP10. The best starting point is probably to look at the Passmark scores of the CPUs used in them. So then we would get:
TPT2 – Atom Z2760 – Passmark 679
TP8 – Atom Z3770 – Passmark 1282
TP10 – Atom Z3795 – Passmark 1970
Both the TP8 and the TP10 have the same screen resolution (1920 x 1200), so that should mean the TP10 should seem faster than the TP8, and certainly a lot faster than the TPT2.
And yes, the TPT2 pen will work with the TP10.
Nice write-up. I’m looking around for a Windows tablet and have already decided I want Atom, mainly for the silent, fanless aspect. I’ve also decided I want a 10″ screen and one of my decisions now is whether to get a 16:10 or 16:9 aspect ratio. However, because screen ratio is generally not a configuration option on any given tablet, if I restrict my choice to 16:10 tablets, I will be excluding other tablets which have certain features I like.
From your post, it’s clear that you favour a lower W/H ratio, where W is the screen’s long axis. But I wonder if you feel there are any scenarios/use-cases where a higher W/H ratio would be preferable on a 10″ screen?
The only tablet I’ve used for any length of time is an iPad. Whilst I’m happy with its 4:3 ratio, it’s a bit hard for me to judge if I would dislike 16:9.
Well, the 16:9 ratio is best for viewing modern films, so if your prime motivator for tablet use is film/tv viewing, then that’s the best ratio. It’s not my prime motivator – I tend to use the tablet for reading or office documents mostly, where I prefer a ratio that is closer to A4. I can certainly get by with 16:9 (I’ve had my TPT2 for 18 months now, and been very happy with it), but I want my next tablet to be different.
Re the fanless aspect. That’s an important consideration for me too. With fanless Broadwell-based designs just around the corner (well, within six months or so), I’m beginning to wonder whether I should just sit tight and wait to see what the SP4 or the next Lenovo tablet have to offer…
Thanks.
Yeah, hybrid Windows tablets seem to be evolving pretty rapidly at the moment. I feel it will be a couple of years before I’ve decided what specifications and design I favour.
Hi Geoff,
I too am going through the comparison using an indepth approach like yours. However a crucial part that we need to compare is the accessories. In this day and age the accessories make the tablet more productive and as such it is crucial to compare the TPT10 ultrabook keyboard vs the . Surface pro 3 keyboard cover. On price they are similar, but the TPT 10 keyboard is significantly thicker and heavier but is also better to type on and is more sturdy.
Furthermore another aspect you should discuss is the kickstand, as the variability in viewing angles is a clear advantage to SP3.
Finally i think picking SP3 vs TPT10 goes to how you use it in terms of time. If the majority of the time you will use it as a pure tablet (sans keyboard) then portability and TPT10 is the way to go. If the majority of the time you will be using the device as a productivity focused laptop, then the SP3 is the way to go as the screen is bigger and you’ll put it on a table and the weight is less of a concern. Even if you are 50/50 i think the default will be TPT10 given the weight and portability for holding 1 handed.
Overall i’m going for the TPT10.
Hi Philip, thanks for the comments. Good points, though for me, the keyboard accessory is not important. That’s because I already have the small Microsoft Arc keyboard, which I use occasionally with my TPT2. I didn’t mention the kickstand in this post, but I had mentioned it as a plus point in an earlier post. I think your last point about usage is particularly relevant. I use my device as a tablet, not a laptop for the majority of the time…
Hi Geoff, thanks for this post. I’ve also been going back and forth since the announcement of both the SP3 and the TPT10. Some days I’m completely in one camp and other days, completely in the other. I guess Phillip makes a good point – usage. What do you think I should go for if my use is mainly tablet-esque, with occasional need for productivity (MS Office, emails) that requires a really good keyboard? Essentially, I am a heavy tablet user (I take it EVERYWHERE with me), using my Xperia Z for pretty much everything – watching movies, reading books, browsing, comics, games, short emails – with the occasional need for a laptop. My ideal would be something extremely portable (TPT10) that can read an external hard drive (SP3) and/or have 500 gigs of space (SP3 i7)! What do you think?
External hard drives might be an issue with both the TP10 and the SP3. I think that both of them have USB ports that are strict about the amount of power they provide. That means that some external HDDs and DVD drives don’t work. You would need to use a powered USB hub or USB Y-cable.
Sorry Geoff for the double post, but I also wanted to ask what you thought about the availability of aps in Windows? Will I be able to replace most of my Android aps (most important being book and comic book readers) do you think?
I only use the Kindle App; but there are other book apps available. Not having personal experience of them, I couldn’t say whether they are any good. Same goes for comic book readers…
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