Microsoft just dropped a bit of a surprise, announcing the new Surface 3 tablet a few weeks in advance of our late-April expectations. The first full-Windows Surface that hasn’t been a member of the family’s Pro line, the Surface 3 attempts to offer a slightly more compact alternative to the Pro 3, while not skimping a heck of a lot on features.

Starting at just about $500, it’s also a lot more affordable than the $800 Pro 3, but just what do you get for that money? Let’s take a look at the Surface 3’s hardware:

surface-3-wide

Microsoft Surface 3 specs

[table]Component,Description
Screen size,10.8 inches
Screen type,ClearType Full HD Plus Display
Resolution,1920 x 1280
Pixel density,210 ppi
SoC,Intel Atom x7-Z8700
Type,Quad-core
Speed,1.6GHz (with Intel Burst up to 2.4GHz)
GPU,Intel Gen 8
RAM,2GB / 4GB
Storage,64GB / 128GB
Expansion,microSD
Camera,8MP autofocus
Flash,None
Front-facer,3.5MP
Battery,10 hour
OS,Windows 8.1 (with Windows 10 upgrade coming)
Bands,LTE version not due until June
SIM type,n/a
Bluetooth,Bluetooth 4.0
WiFi,802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
NFC,None
Infrared,None
Sensors, Ambient light sensor / proximity sensor / accelerometer / gyroscope / magnetometer
Build,Magnesium alloy with ceramic finish
Size,267 x 187 x 8.7mm / 622g
[/table]