Microsoft Surface 10.8" 3 Silver 2015
The Intel Atom processor and 128GB storage in a 142g chassis make this one of the lightest Windows tablets available, though its Windows 8.1 OS limits modern app compatibility. The 10.8-inch display and fanless design offer quiet, portable media consumption at a low refurbished price point. This device is best for users needing an ultra-light secondary screen for basic web browsing and video streaming.
Overzicht
The 30-Second Version
A 2015 Windows tablet that's still kicking, but only for the most patient users. Great refurb condition and a surprise LTE modem, but that Atom CPU is a dinosaur.
Pros & Cons
Pluspunten
- Refurb units are in near mint condition, often better than described 78th
- Unlisted LTE modem included on some units, a genuine bonus 65th
- 128GB SSD is solid for this price range
- Full Windows 10 Pro, not some locked-down tablet OS
- Surface Pen support for note-taking and sketching
Minpunten
- Intel Atom CPU is painfully slow by modern standards
- 4GB of RAM chokes on multitasking
- Battery life is rough, 31st percentile in our database
- 10.8-inch LCD screen is mediocre at best
- No keyboard included, and the Type Cover costs extra
Wat eigenaren vinden
The Word on the Street
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Gebaseerd op 1 gedateerde klantreviews, gegroepeerd per kalenderkwartaal. Analyse per periode is in het Engels.
De feiten
Performance
The Atom 4-core CPU and 4GB of RAM are the bottleneck here. Our database puts this thing in the 35th percentile for CPU and 31st for RAM, which means it's slower than most tablets we've tested. That said, for basic web browsing, email, and maybe some light note-taking with the Surface Pen, it chugs along. The 128GB SSD is actually the bright spot, sitting at the 66th percentile for storage. It's not fast by modern SSD standards, but it's way better than the eMMC storage you'd find in most budget tablets from this era. The real surprise? The LTE modem. Multiple owners report getting an unlisted LTE modem in their refurb unit, which is a nice bonus if you need cellular connectivity on the go.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| Cores | 4 |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Storage | 128 GB |
| Storage Type | SSD |
Display
| Size | 10.8" |
| Panel | LCD |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
Connectivity
| Cellular | Yes |
Features
| Stylus Support | Yes |
| Stylus Model | Surface Pen |
Physical
| Weight | 0.6 kg / 1.4 lbs |
| OS | Windows 10 Pro |
vs Competition
Against the iPad Air M4, this is a slaughter. The iPad has a better screen, better battery, better performance, better everything. But it also costs way more. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 and Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus are similarly out of this thing's league. The real comparison is against other budget Windows tablets or older refurbished Surfaces. If you can find a Surface Pro 6 or 7 for a similar price, get that instead. The Surface 3 is only worth considering if you need LTE and Windows on a tight budget, and even then, the Xiaomi Pad or a used iPad would be a better tablet experience for most people.
| Spec | Microsoft Surface 10.8" 3 | Apple iPad Air M4 | Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus ZAEG0096US | Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 | Xiaomi Pad 7 2AFZZCRP4CG | Vekfulpc T60 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Atom | Apple M4 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ | 2800 MHz | 2.2 GHz |
| RAM (GB) | 4 | 12 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 8 |
| Storage (GB) | 128 | 256 | 256 | 128 | 256 | 256 |
| Screen | 10.8" | 11" 2360x1640 | 12.7" 2944x1840 | 11" 2560x1600 | 11.2" 3200x2136 | 13.4" |
| OS | Windows 10 Pro | iPadOS | Android 14 | Android | Android 14 | Android 15 |
| Stylus | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Cellular | true | true | false | false | false | true |
| Battery (Wh) | - | 29 | - | - | - | - |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | CPU | GPU | RAM | Scherm | Battery | Feature | Opslag | User Sentiment | Connectivity | Gebruikersoordeel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Surface 10.8" 3 | 34.5 | 36.1 | 30.8 | 28.6 | 29.5 | 52.8 | 65.3 | 77.7 | 43 | 5.5 |
| Apple iPad Air M4 Compare | 94.1 | 95.8 | 80.9 | 78.6 | 94.5 | 91.8 | 83.5 | 77.7 | 90.5 | 99.3 |
| Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus ZAEG0096US Compare | 69 | 66.1 | 92.9 | 97 | 89.1 | 96.9 | 83.5 | 88.2 | 92.8 | 89.4 |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Compare | 98.7 | 97.6 | 80.9 | 85.4 | 81.8 | 98.3 | 65.3 | 65.7 | 63.9 | 95.3 |
| Xiaomi Pad 7 2AFZZCRP4CG Compare | 97.3 | 95.3 | 66.1 | 98.6 | 84.3 | 52.8 | 83.5 | 88.2 | 78.3 | 92.6 |
| Vekfulpc T60 Pro Compare | 93.1 | 89 | 66.1 | 62.7 | 86.4 | 88.7 | 74 | 55.1 | 59.7 | 85.3 |
Prijs
Value & Pricing
At USD 219 to USD 269, this is a tough sell unless you specifically need a cheap Windows tablet with LTE. The price spread across vendors is real, and you should absolutely shop around. The lower end of that range is more palatable, but even then, you're paying for a decade-old CPU. If you just want a tablet for media and browsing, an iPad or Android tablet will run circles around this thing. If you need Windows specifically, this is one of the cheapest ways to get it in tablet form, but you're making real sacrifices.
Newegg 1 aanbieding Vanaf US$ 219
Price History
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Overview
The Surface 3 is a weird little time capsule. It's a 10.8-inch Windows tablet running an Intel Atom chip, and in 2025 that's basically a museum piece. But here's the thing: as a refurbished budget device, it's not trying to compete with an iPad Air M4. It's trying to be a cheap, portable Windows machine for light tasks, and on that front it kind of works. The one thing to know? This is a 2015-era tablet with 2015-era performance. If you go in expecting that, you'll be fine. If you expect anything modern, you'll be disappointed fast.
Common Questions
Q: Does this come with a charger?
Yes, the refurb units include a charger. Multiple Q&A responses confirm it, so you won't need to hunt down a proprietary Surface charger separately.
Q: Is the LTE modem unlocked?
Yes, it's unlocked for 4G LTE. But compatibility with specific US carriers like Verizon is murky, so check with your carrier before buying if that's a dealbreaker.
Q: Does it come with a keyboard?
No, the keyboard is not included. You'll need to buy a Surface Type Cover separately, which adds to the total cost.
Who Should Skip This
If you're looking for a tablet for media, gaming, or anything remotely demanding, this isn't it. Go get an iPad or a Samsung Galaxy Tab instead. If you need Windows but want something that doesn't feel like it's running through molasses, look for a refurbished Surface Pro 6 or 7. The Surface 3 is only for people who need LTE and Windows on a shoestring budget and have the patience of a saint.
Verdict
The Surface 3 is a niche device for a niche buyer. If you need a cheap, portable Windows machine with LTE and you're willing to accept 2015-era performance, it's a decent refurb pickup. The condition of these units is genuinely impressive, and the unlisted LTE modem is a nice surprise. But for most people, this is a pass. The Atom CPU and 4GB of RAM make it frustrating for anything beyond the lightest tasks, and the battery life is a real problem. Buy it only if you know exactly what you're getting into.
