These may be 10 years old but they’re still usable in the modern day… similar laptops from the same era are slow and clunky by comparison because they still run mechanical hard drives. They make great Linux machines as well if that’s your thing (especially with Windows 11 EOLing several generations of computers at once.) Running said version of Windows unofficially is not recommended because system requirements will change at some point where these 4th generation Intel CPUs will be unsupported instruction wise.. but for now it runs it like a dream. Cheaper than computers at your local Goodwill too if you know what seller to buy from on here.The unit I have is in almost perfect shape for its age and still holds 4 hours of charge… can’t say that for equivalent laptops from the same time period. It still feels solid to this day and the 1440p screen is vibrant and modern enough to be still usable today. Do I recommend a newer model? Yes if you can get it as cheap as I got this Surface Pro 3 256 GB.

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I am a Life and Health agent. In that role, I am a heavy user of this device. From looking up plans and creating comparisons, to verifying coverage for prescriptions, physicians to finally filling out the application - I do it all on my Surface Pro 3!! This is sooo much lighter than all the previous laptops I've carried. I've had this one for 2 yrs and this is my second. The first I also had for 2 yrs. It got a diagonal crack in the glass and the touchscreen wouldn't work. The touchscreen is how my customers sign applications, so I bought this one and gave the first one to my son -- who is still using it!! This one has been a trooper for the last 2 years! I've already cracked the screen on this second one. This time it's just in the upper right corner. That corner slipped when I was putting it in my bag. it slid about 5 in. and hit a concrete floor. I loaded it up and didn't notice all day that the corner was cracked. The touchscreen and everything else works great so - I'm still going with it!!

Overall:Works perfectly and looks very good. mine has a small scratch at the back which is not visible thanks to the magnesium build.I wish it came with a pen just like the original surface pro 3, but that is not a big issue for me. If you want the pen consider the pen price before you make a decision.Performance:The tablet works fine for note taking and office documents. Anything heavier (web development or video editing) will speed up the fans and warm up the device and drain the battery really fast.Screen:No dead pixels so far and the touch is responsive and well calibrated.Battery:The battery seems to be working properly. After five full charge cycles, the full charge capacity of the battery is 40516 mWH which is 4% lower than the designed capacity of 42157 mWH, which is not a deal breaker for me.Conclusions:If it was a new device or it had a higher price tag I would have rated it 4 stars. For a refurbished device at this price, it deserves five stars.

Update: My 5Ghz band died on the wireless adapter for my Surface. Spoke with Amazon support, their standards for refurbishing are vague at best. See my chat log:Monique: Yes, I have seen that this is a common issue. Have you tried to contact the manufacturer to see if they have the resolution for this common problem?Me : The device is not under manufacture warranty, the support I have avalaible is via TechNet, it's common network troubleshooting, does not resolve issue.Me : also changed my WAP's channels across the entire 5gthz band still no resolution, other devices on my network function fine at 5ghzMe : When the 5Ghz band doesn't show eSSIDs, The entire device needs to be shut off, then powered on, at that point it will populate the SSIDSMe : Sometimes, will connect.Me : After troubleshooting, it's a hardware issue.Monique: I definitely do agree. Since this item was sold from a third party seller on our website, we do not have access to their inventory to send a replacement. We can refund you for the device and you may feel free to re-purchase from another seller on our website.Me : Ok. Also, from my review and others, I'm concerned about what QA standards go into refurbing these machines.Me : My device was extremely dirty out of the box, and others had issues with damage on their devices. How would I know if I will receive a device that's actually been tested?Monique: All the devices that are certified refurbished by Amazon are tested.Me : What about battery capacity and use, is there a certain number of cycles limited or design capacity percentage to meet the standards?Monique: Yes, but I am not sure what the seller bases them off of.Me : what standard does Amazon have?Me : Batteries only last a certain number of cycles, years, when will it approved as "refurbished" 95% capacity? 80%, 70%? This tablet had 150 cycles on the battery, its capacity is still good, but what's the standard since Amazon is not clear. Apple refurbished is really like new, the Macbook I've bought years ago had 2 cycles on the batteryMonique: Products sold under the Certified Refurbished on Amazon label have been tested and certified to look and work like new by a qualified manufacturer or a specialized third-party refurbisher who is either the seller of record, when that is not Amazon.com; or the vendor, when Amazon sells products that it sources from vendors.Me : "Work like new" should have a standard in place for battery capacity required. Otherwise, to put bluntly, these devices are just used, not refurbished.Me : Essentially that's misrepresentation of the product stating it's "like new" with a battery that has over 150 cyclesMe : I think Amazon needs to clarify what tests and standards go in the refurb process. I would like an exchange only if I feel confident in the device I will receive. Otherwise, This one still functions for the time beingMonique: The refurbishment process includes a full diagnostics test, replacement of any defective parts, a thorough cleaning and inspection process, and repackaging by the seller or vendor.Me : I understand diagnostics, but what % of a battery is deemed to be bad?Monique: It varies upon usage and we do not have access to the diagnostic specifications of the refurbish process.PROS: 256GB 8GB Ram Surface Pro 3 for $430! Perfect function, perfect screen/glass, works with Pro 4 case Keyboard, All day battery life, includes a new/like new AC adapter.CONS: Used item, not refurbished. Very dirty and gross, 93%-98% battery capacity w/ 150+ cycles, minor physical wear scratches, nothing major, Outdated Win10 image installed. Questionable "refurbishment process"I'm disappointed by the "refurbished- like new" quality of the description listed for this device. From my experiences with "refurbished" items from Apple, Dell, and directly from other manufactures, they literally replace and refurb any wear part on the item making it function and look like new. Batteries are replaced, chassis are cleaned and if damaged, replaced with new parts. In the past, the three generations of Macbook laptops I've bought brand new had hardware issues; versus the discounted factory-refurb 2011 one that's still kicking with absolutely no issues for years on end.That said, this Surface is not "refurbished", it's used. The amount of work put into refurbishing it is minimal. The screen was cleaned and the OS was reset so you can complete the reinstall of Windows 10 Pro. Note, the Anniversary update was not applied, after reinstall so an older image was used. As for the back, I can tell you the prior owner was pretty gross. The silver magnesium finish was covered with yellow smudges from the smoker's hands, and on the kick-stand between back of the device along the machined crease was a nasty yellow piece of what looked like ear wax! Gross!At that point I was debating on just shipping it back to Amazon for another replacement or just a return. Since it was already on my desk, and I had latex gloves, isopropyl alcohol and a beer nearby, I've mustered up the willpower to clean this mess. Fortunately, the paper towels used removed nearly all of the nasty mess, with q-tips I was able to remove the rest of the gnarly biological mater from the kickstand. To finish off, I went ahead and used a blower to attempt to blow out any dust accumulated from the heatsink area of the device.All said and done, the device actually looks pretty good. Even though my device's original owner was a nasty slob, at least he didn't drop it or scratched it up too badly. There's a few minor wear marks on the back, but nothing too concerning.I've proceeded to use my most current Windows 10 USB boot disk to perform a clean factory format and reinstall. Everything is good. Updated the firmware, drivers, and checked the battery.You can check the battery by going to command prompt in windows, type: "powercfg /batteryreport"Overall, the battery usage shows 150 charge/discharge cycles, between 93-98% design capacity after the week of use. I'm not sure if I want to keep this device or just reformat it and send it back.