Surface Pro 3 vs. Surface Pro 9: Full specs comparison

We have comprehensively compared the specifications for the Surface Pro 3 and Surface Pro 9 models. The report includes detailed information regarding both models' CPU, memory, storage, battery life, display quality, and other features.

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Surface Pro 3 image

Surface Pro 3

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Surface Pro 9 image

Surface Pro 9

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Surface Pro 3 Pros

Reasons that Surface Pro 3 is better than Surface Pro 9.

About 10% lighter

Surface Pro 3 weighed 1.76 pounds, 10% lighter than the 1.94 pounds Surface Pro 9.

WeightSurface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
Pound
1.76 lbs.
1.94 lbs.
Kilogram
0.80 kg
0.88 kg
Has one more port and slot

Surface Pro 3 has more ports and slots count than the Surface Pro 9. It has six versus five amount of ports and slots on the Surface Pro 9.

PortsSurface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
headphone jackYesNo
microSD card slotYesNo
Mini DisplayPortYesNo
SSD slotNoYes
Surface ConnectYesYes
Surface Type Cover portNoYes
Thunderbolt 4NoYes x2
Type Cover portYesNo
USB-AYesNo
Total65
More versatile connectivity

Surface Pro 3 has better versatile I/O connectivity than the Surface Pro 9. It has four versus one commonly used port and slot on the Surface Pro 9.

PortsSurface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
headphone jackYesNo
microSD card slotYesNo
Mini DisplayPortYesNo
Thunderbolt 4NoYes
USB-AYesNo

Surface Pro 9 Pros

Reasons that Surface Pro 9 is better than Surface Pro 3.

Much newer manufacturing

2022 vs. 2014

Much faster CPU performance

Intel Core i7-1265U inside Surface Pro 9 has a 412% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i7-4650U inside Surface Pro 3.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
Surface Pro 9 - Intel Core i7-1255U
6,415
Surface Pro 9 - Intel Core i7-1265U
6,336
Surface Pro 9 - Intel Core i5-1235U
5,715
Surface Pro 9 - Intel Core i5-1245U
5,700
Surface Pro 3 - Intel Core i7-4650U
1,236
Surface Pro 3 - Intel Core i5-4300U
1,234
Surface Pro 3 - Intel Core i3-4020Y
782
Supports larger memory

Surface Pro 9 supports a larger memory capacity than the Surface Pro 3. It supports up to 32GB versus 8GB of system memory on the Surface Pro 3.

Max system memory size
Surface Pro 9
32 GB
Surface Pro 3
8 GB
Supports faster memory

Surface Pro 9 supports a faster memory speed than the Surface Pro 3. It supports up to 5200MHz versus 1600MHz of system memory on the Surface Pro 3.

Memory type and speed
Surface Pro 9 - LPDDR5
5,200 MHz
Surface Pro 3 - LPDDR3
1,600 MHz
8% larger display

Surface Pro 9 has a 13-inch screen size 8% larger than the 12-inch Surface Pro 3.

Display size
Surface Pro 9
13-inch
Surface Pro 3
12-inch

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

Surface Pro 3 Price
Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (256 GB, Intel Core i5)(Windows 10 Professional 64 bit) (Renewed)
 Microsoft Surface Pro 3 (256 GB, Intel Core i5)(Windows 10 Professional 64 bit) (Renewed)
By Microsoft
$274.99
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Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Tablet (1631) Silver - 256GB, 12in, Windows 8, Intel Core i5 - Renewed
 Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Tablet (1631) Silver - 256GB, 12in, Windows 8, Intel Core i5 - Renewed
By Microsoft
$158.00
$238.00 34% OFF
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Microsoft Surface Go 3 - 10.5" Touchscreen - Intel® Pentium® Gold - 4GB Memory - 64GB eMMC - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
 Microsoft Surface Go 3 - 10.5" Touchscreen - Intel® Pentium® Gold - 4GB Memory - 64GB eMMC - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
By Microsoft
$379.22
$399.99 5% OFF
See at Amazon
Microsoft Surface Pro 9 Price
Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (2022), 13" 2-in-1 Tablet & Laptop, Thin & Lightweight, Intel 12th Gen i7 Fast Processor for Multi-Tasking, 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage with Windows 11, Graphite Microsoft Copilot
 Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (2022), 13" 2-in-1 Tablet & Laptop, Thin & Lightweight, Intel 12th Gen i7 Fast Processor for Multi-Tasking, 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage with Windows 11, Graphite Microsoft Copilot
By Microsoft
$1,172.25
$1,599.99 27% OFF
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Microsoft Surface Pro 9 13" Touch-Screen Intel Core i5-16GB Memory - 256GB SSD Platinum
 Microsoft Surface Pro 9 13" Touch-Screen Intel Core i5-16GB Memory - 256GB SSD Platinum
By Microsoft
$924.99
$1,299.00 29% OFF
See at Amazon
Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (2022), 13" 2-in-1 Tablet & Laptop, Thin & Lightweight, Intel 12th Gen i5 Fast Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage with Windows 11, Copilot, Graphite (Renewed)
 Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (2022), 13" 2-in-1 Tablet & Laptop, Thin & Lightweight, Intel 12th Gen i5 Fast Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage with Windows 11, Copilot, Graphite (Renewed)
By Microsoft
$699.99
$749.99 7% OFF
See at Amazon

Specs Comparison

Availability

Surface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
Released20142022
Release Date
  • Introduced: May 20, 2014
  • Pre-ordered: May 20, 2014
  • Released: June 20, 2014
  • Introduced: October 12, 2022
  • Pre-ordered: October 12, 2022
  • Released: October 25, 2022
PricingStarting at 799$Starting at $999.99
Generations

Exterior

Surface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
Dimensions11.50” x 7.93” x 0.36” (292 mm x 201.3 mm x 9.1 mm)
Width: 11.50” (292 mm)
Height: 7.93” (201.3 mm)
Thickness: 0.36” (9.1 mm)
11.3” x 8.2” x 0.37” (287 mm x 208 mm x 9.3 mm)
Weight
  • 1.76 lbs (800 g)
1.94 lb (879 g)
Colors
Silver
Sapphire Forest Platinum Graphite
Keyboard and Trackpad
  • Surface Type Cover
    • Not included
  • Keyboard:
    • Activation: Moving (mechanical) keys
    • Layout: QWERTY, full row of function keys (F1-F12)
    • 4 directional keys; Windows and Media Controls Keys;
    • LED backlighting
  • Trackpad:
    • Precision glass trackpad.
    • Supports up to three-finger multitouch gesture.
  • Not included.
  • Compatible with 
    Surface Pro Signature Keyboard Surface Pro X Keyboard
  • Type Cover Features:
    • Activation: Moving (mechanical) keys
    • Layout: QWERTY, full row of function keys (F1-F12)
    • 4 directional keys; Windows, Brightness and Media Controls Keys;
    • LED backlighting
  • Trackpad:
    • Precision glass trackpad.
    • Trackpad size: 4 x 2 inches (101.6 mm x 50.8 mm)
    • Supports a five-finger multitouch gesture.
  • Surface Slim Pen Storage
    • Magnetic dock
    • Automatically wireless charge Surface Slim Pen

Display

Surface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
Size12 Inches13 Inches
Info
  • Resolution: 2160 x 1440 (3.1M Pixels)
  • Density: 216 PPI
  • ClearType Display
  • Aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Touch: 10 point multi-touch
  • Surface Pen support
  • 13” PixelSense™ Flow Display
  • Resolution: 2880 x 1920
    5.53M Pixels.
  • Density: 267 PPI
  • Color profile: sRGB and Vivid
  • Dynamic refresh rate: up to 120Hz
  • Aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Contrast ratio: 1200:1
  • Touch: 10-point multi-touch
  • Brightness: 450 nits maximum (typical), 2 nits minimum
  • Gorilla® Glass 5
  • Adaptive Color
  • Auto Color Management supported
  • Dolby Vision IQ™ support

Ports

Surface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
Surface Pro 3 Ports
Image Source: Microsoft
Left (1)
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Right (3)
  • 1 x Mini DisplayPort
  • 1 x USB-A
    USB 3.0 (5 Gbps)
  • 1 x Surface Connect
    Charging, Docking Station
Bottom (1)
  • 1 x Type Cover port
Under Kickstand (1)
  • 1 x microSD card slot
Left (2)
  • 2 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort, Power Delivery
Right (1)
  • 1 x Surface Connect
    Charging, Docking
Bottom (1)
  • 1 x Surface Type Cover port
Under Kickstand (1)
  • 1 x SSD slot
    M.2 2230 NVMe slot

Internal Specs

Surface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
Processor
  1. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-4020Y
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.50 GHz, 3MB SmartCache, 11.5W
  2. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-4300U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.90 → 2.90 GHz, 3MB SmartCache, 15W
  3. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4650U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.70 → 3.30 GHz, 4MB SmartCache, 15W
  1. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1235U
    10 cores, 12 threads, 1.30 → 4.40 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 15W
  2. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1255U
    10 cores, 12 threads, 1.70 → 4.70 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 15W
  3. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1245U
    10 cores, 12 threads, 1.60 → 4.40 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 15W
  4. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1265U
    10 cores, 12 threads, 1.80 → 4.80 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 15W
Integrated Graphics
  1. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-4020Y
    Intel® HD Graphics 4200
    20 Execution Units, 200 → 850 MHz
  2. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-4300U
    Intel® HD Graphics 4200
    20 Execution Units, 200 → 1100 MHz
  3. 4th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-4650U
    Intel® HD Graphics 5000
    40 Execution Units, 200 → 1100 MHz
  1. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1235U
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    80 Execution Units, → 1200 MHz
  2. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1255U
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    96 Execution Units, → 1250 MHz
  3. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1245U
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    80 Execution Units, → 1200 MHz
  4. 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1265U
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    96 Execution Units, → 1250 MHz
Memory
4GB 8GB
1600 MHz LPDDR3 RAM
8GB 16GB 32GB
5200 MHz LPDDR5 RAM
Storage
64 GB 128 GB 256 GB 512 GB
SSD
128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB
Removable SSD.
Fans Number-1

Connectivity

Surface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
Wi-Fi
  • Wi-Fi 5: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac compatible.
Wi-Fi 6E: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax compatible.
Bluetooth
  • Bluetooth Wireless 4.0 technology
Bluetooth Wireless 5.1 technology

Battery

Surface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
Size42.2 Wh
  • 47.7 Wh
    Nominal battery capacity.
  • 46.5 Wh
    Minimum battery capacity.
Battery LifeUp to 9 hours of web browsingUp to 15.5 hours of typical device usage
Power Supply
  • 36W proprietary power supply
    • USB-A output: 5W
    • Surface Connect: 31W
  • 60W power supply with USB-A (5W) (65W total)
  • Supports Fast Charge (0-80% in about one hour)

Software

Surface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
OSWindows 8.1 Pro
Free upgrade to Windows 10
Consumer models
  • Windows 11 Home
Business models
  • Windows 11 Pro, Windows 10 Pro
Built-in AppsMicrosoft Office 30-days trial
  • Preloaded Microsoft 365 Apps
  • Microsoft 365 Family 30-day trial
  • Preloaded Xbox app
  • Xbox Game Pass Ultimate one-month trial

Camera & Audio

Surface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
Camera
  • 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p Skype HD video
  • 5.0MP rear-facing camera with 1080p Skype HD video
  • Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing)
  • 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p Skype HD video
  • 10.0MP rear-facing autofocus camera with 1080p full HD and 4K video
Audio
  • Front and rear-facing microphones
  • Front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby® Audio enhanced sound
  • Dual far-field Studio Mics
  • 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos®

Misc

Surface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
InkingSupports Surface Pen
256 levels of pressure
N-trig Active Pen technology
  • Designed for Surface Slim Pen 2
  • Supports Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP)
    4096 levels of pressure Tilt sensing Best in class latency Paper feel 0.1mm precision magnetic storage
  • Supports Tactile signals with Surface Slim Pen 2
  • The integrated storage and wireless charging for Surface Slim Pen 2 with Surface Pro Signature Keyboard
Sensors
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Accelerometer
  • Gyroscope
  • Magnetometer
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Gyroscope
  • Magnetometer
  • Ambient Color Sensor (brightness and color)
Security
  • HW TPM 2.0 chip for enterprise security
  • TPM 2.0 chip for enterprise-grade security and BitLocker support
  • Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello face sign-in
  • Windows 11 Secured-core PC
In the box
  • Surface Pro 3
  • Surface Pen
  • Power supply
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Safety and warranty documents
  • Surface Pro 9
  • Power supply
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Safety and warranty documents
Warranty
  • One-year limited hardware warranty
1-year limited hardware warranty
More
  • Mechanical features: Signature unibody magnesium design with hidden perimeter venting
  • Kickstand with a full-friction multiposition hinge to 150 degrees
  • Magnetic attach for keyboard fold stability
  • Physical buttons: volumes, power
-

Key Features

Surface Pro 3Surface Pro 9
At Glance
Released in Mid
2014
3:2 2.1K
12”
1440p 60Hz
Weight
1.76 lb
0.80 kg
Up to
Intel Core i7-4650U
2C/4T, 1.70 → 3.30 GHz
Geekbench 5
632
Single Core
Geekbench 5
1,236
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® HD Graphics 5000
40 Execution Units, 200 → 1100 MHz
Configurable up to
8GB
1600 MHz LPDDR3
Surface Pro 3 Ports
Released in Late
2022
3:2 2.8K
13”
1920p 60~120Hz
Weight
1.94 lb
0.88 kg
Up to
Intel Core i7-1265U
10C/12T, 1.80 → 4.80 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,336
Single Core
Geekbench 5
6,336
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
96 Execution Units, → 1250 MHz
Configurable up to
32GB
5200 MHz LPDDR5
Starting at
$999.99
i5, 8GB, 128GB, Win 11 Home

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