Surface Pro 4 and Surface 3 :: A look at the hardware
by Volker Weber
Surface Pro 4 and Surface 3 are both 2015 machines. Surface 3 is just a few months older and to most people they look very similar. Surface Pro 4 has a larger and better screen with higher resolution, a smaller bezel and the kickstand is adjustable in every angle. Surface Pro 4 has vents and a fan, Surface 3 only cools through the body.
Surface Pro 4 is thinner and larger. It does not have a MicroUSB port for charging. That port was barely powerful enough to charge Surface 3. Instead it has a proprietary reversible dock connector that looks like a MicroSD slot in this photo. The headphone jack is on the other side. The other two ports are USB Type A and DisplayPort. I have used this port with an Apple adaptor and it worked just as well. Looking at the photo it appears to be bent a little bit. You will find the same dock connector on Surface Book, both one the Base and the Clipboard and obviously on Surface Dock.
Again, both look remarkably similar. The keyboard however makes a big difference. It's larger to fit the larger body, the keys are less tall and are spaced so it's much easier to type without hitting the adjacent key.
The other big difference is the trackpad which has grown considerably and an improved surface. While the old trackpad was barely usable, the new trackpad is much nicer. I only used the Surface 3 trackpad when I really could not select something with my finger, I use the new trackpad all the time.
This grey keyboard is a Signature Type Cover which is wrapped in Alcantara. It's a luxury. And it technically fits the smaller machine. Microsoft has not changed the connector from the original Surface. It's just too big.
Yes, Surface 3 has taken a beating with scratches and chips all over the place. I expect the same to happen to Surface Pro 4, if not worse.
