However, that 1440 x 900 screen looks just dull in comparison. For $1,299, Apple's 13-inch thin-and-light laptop meets the Pro 3 head on in terms of storage and memory. The MacBook Air comparison is, surprisingly, an easier one to make, spec for spec. While it's tough to compare these displays given their difference in size, the iPad Air has a tough time competing with the Surface Pro 3 on paper. That price also gets you a 1.3GHz processor, a 9.7-inch display at 2048 x 1536 resolution, 802.11a/b/g/n dual-channel Wi-Fi with MIMO and Bluetooth 4.0. And this is Apple's most premium configuration. So, starting with the latest iPad, it would cost $799 - the Pro 3's starting price - to only reach half of this Microsoft tablet's storage. Returning to the device at hand, Microsoft says that it's essentially two devices in one, and has priced it accordingly, not to mention with Apple squarely in mind. On the other hand, you can deck out this slate with a Core i7 CPU, 8GB of memory and a whopping 512GB solid-state drive for $1,949 (about £1,158, AU$2,106). However, you'll have to work with an Intel Core i3 chip, half as much RAM and just 64GB of storage.

The most affordable way into the latest Surface Pro 3 goes for just $799 (around £475, AU$863). This is one of the mid-range Surface Pro 3 configurations, and it'll cost you a steep $1,299 (about £772, AU$1,403).

Camera: Two 5MP webcams (1080p HD video).

Connectivity: 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0.

Ports: One USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, microSDXC card reader (up to 128GB), headphone/mic jack.

Screen: 12-inch, 2160 x 1440 multi-touch (ClearType, 3:2 aspect ratio).

CPU: 1.9GHz Intel Core i5-4300U (dual-core, 3MB cache, up to 2.9GHz with Turbo Boost).

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 128GB at Walmart for $370.12 (opens in new tab).

Microsoft surface pro 3