You see to have a MBA bias. You either don't really highlight or you seem to downplay any plus for the Pro 3 and talk up any plus for the MBA, the same with cons. You even try to make the 12" a con. I mean its the size of a magazine. Could it be that Apple *trained* you into thinking that anything bigger than 10" in a tablet is too big? Where do you think you are getting your standards from (hence, bias).
What it boils down to is if you want a clamshell and only a clamshell and want Mac OS then you would get the MBA. The Surface on the other hand does everything the Mac does with better res, touch, stylus, tablet mode, and being able to double your storage with a SD Card is a HUGE plus for cost savings.

I agree with Rann. I would most likely not purchase either one, but I definitely felt bias seeping through almost the entire article.

Rann you seem to have a Microsoft Bias. This is the 4th version of the Surface (counting RT) and still no one is buying it. Microsoft is trying to squeeze a PC into a tablet. WHY? If you want a PC buy one. If you want a tablet why should you be strapped with a bloated PC OS (128GB storage uses about 64GB for the OS) If their paradigm was so right for the consumer, MS would have nailed the Tablet space 10 years before Apple released the iPad and changed everything. But they didn't their offerings were bloated, heavy junk. In an attempt to change their focus they took ZUNE and made it Windows. Really? Unfortunately for MS No one wants it and the sales figures back me up. PC Sales are tumbling. No one wants a Mobile OS on a PC and a PC OS on a tablet. People are tired of being forced to purchase substandard products when there are better alternatives available at a better price point. Maybe what you should do instead of blindly backing everything Microsoft take a look at the alternatives. Office is no reason for the purchase, it has had its clock cleaned by all the free office replacements available. They are more stable the documents can be opened in Office and most importantly they are FREE. You take Office out of the mix and the reasons to by a Microsoft product falls to ZERO. I could go on but I won't. Just be wary of Swiss Army Knife solutions they are always expensive and difficult to use. My proof Surface 3.

edski. You are purposely not mentioning the FREE version of Microsoft Office Online. Better than google docs, or whatever online version of iWork is available. And, its totally free. And yes it meets your criteria of "the documents can be opened in office, and more importantly FREE!".
www.office.com
If office was truely getting its "clock cleaned" by competitors, why did 27 million people download office for iPad already?

I agree with others this article was totally biased towards the MBA. I will admit I have a bias towards Microsoft as I despise anything that has to do with Apple. That being said I always try to look at everything objectively...even Apple products. The truth is both products have their points.
Where Apple seems to excel is in the entertainment industry. More Apple products are used by DJ's and video producers than Windows based PC. On the other hand, there is the inherent familiarity that comes with a Windows based product.
Both products are expensive. By the time you add the keyboard to the Surface your talking the same price as an MBA. While I like Microsoft I couldn't justify spending that much on a tablet.
The Surface has a lot going for it, unfortunately its price will be its demise. If your in the market for a new device I would suggest looking elsewhere. If I had a choice between the two, unfortunately the MBA wins this one (and I hate to say that). Bring the price of the Surface down and its hands down Microsoft. The features of the Surface don't justify its high price point.

I have to say that I have the original Surface Pro and my wife has the ipad Air that I bought her. But, she carries a PC laptop for work as well.So if you add up the Air 499.00 plus the PC laptop 599.00, you are at 1100.00 give or take a few bucks. Plus she has to take both if she wants to travel. I never cared for this idea which is why I got the Surface in the first place. The other big difference is the stylus pen. I have to get contracts signed all the time and it was scan, print, sign and scan and email process. No longer with the Surface Pro. Sign and send. That's it! I think the Surface Pro is like that SUV. Not a small car but not a full sized truck...It's a nice medium which is ideal for travel. On a side note, I'm hoping they make a touch cover still. I'm probably alone on this but I'm used to it now.

I thought this was an even-handed comparison. All the points raised were fair. The higher resolution screen and stylus of the Pro3 will come in handy for many, but some aspects of the overall form factor and performance/disk capacity work in the MBA favor. What is versatility for some is compromise for others, and this article provides a good amount of information to help make that assessment for ones own needs.
PS: In no way is Office Online a substitute for the real Office application. It is convenient, and quite nice actually, but it is no substitute. I have not tried the iPad Office app, but I use Office on both Windows and Mac. The real app is where its at...maybe that is why so many have downloaded the iPad version (although the fact that it is free--if only for use as a viewer--may have something to do with it).

I tire of articles that have very little good to say about any Microsoft Surface product. Most that I have read are diehard Apple fans. What is more disappointing is that the Surface 3 isn't even out yet and the writers are out in force to sway opinion on a product that isn't even on the shelf. Get a grip. I have owned a Surface since they came out and it is the only thing that I use. I have a top end laptop 18" laptop that stays home. I have been using the Surface Pro (1st Gen) for over a year exclusively for everything. I even at times have added a larger monitor when I want, even a full size 55" TV screen or a projector to display my screen. I have apps and full blown software on my Surface (Office 365, Visio, MS Project, Adobe Acrobat, etc.) with no problem running software and it isn't a slouch for capabilities. It is all in one device. All I ask is for the writers to give the product a fair review. But that as I have seen from the 1st Gen to the 3rd Gen seems to be all but impossible.

You Guys are just a bunch of haters
I like Apple as I like Microsoft, they are both good Companies. What I don't get is why you guys hate so much Microsoft? Ipad is for those ones who wants a device to navigate on the Internet, do some email, and do simple tasks. In that regards it is good, but when it comes to productivity it is a failure. Microsoft Surface is for those ones who wants more. So if you do not like it, don't bother just buy something else.
Microsoft is not forcing anybody to buy Surface you buy if you want to, and if you don't, don't buy. It is just as simple as that.

I have never commented here before, but as I read this article, I knew I had to comment even before I read the other comments.
This article is clearly biased towards Apple (or against Microsoft, however you want to look at it.) Almost every positive for Microsoft was downplayed, and almost every negative against Apple was downplayed as well. You can accuse me of bias all you want, but I am not a fanboy of either company. I just think the author needs to learn what unbiased writing really means. The bias was obvious to me.