Microsoft Surface Pro 3 vs. Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga Comparison Smackdown

Lisa Gade compares the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga Windows 8.1 tablet and Ultrabook. Check out our video review of the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 at: • Microsoft Surface Pro ...
Check out our video review of the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga at: • Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga R...
Check out our written review of the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga at: www.mobiletechreview.com/noteb...
Check out our written review of the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 here: www.mobiletechreview.com/noteb...
* Read our companion article here: www.mobiletechreview.com/noteb...

[@olliereed4206]

Looking at this vid 5 years later I am still using the ThinkPad Yoga. The Surface pro 3 purchased at a later time died.

[@Glamrgrl104]

Which version of thinkpad? What do you use it for?

[@JustinMikola]

Lisa, thank you for your in depth reviews. I just purchased a Think pad Yoga and your videos helped me make the decision. I am looking forward to getting in next week! You do a great job!

[@91722854]

I've been waiting for this video and now it's here! Lisa, thx for fulfilling the promise!

[@91722854]

one thing i'm a bit worried about the lift and lock keyboard on the thinkpad yoga is that would the keys mechanism break after like 2 years as no one can really see how the lifting keyboard feature works inside.

[@johnraymund2655]

Watching from my thinkpad yoga. The best laptop i ever had. Came accross so many laptops but thinkpad never let me down.

[@qantor]

I've bought a Surface Pro 3 and it die on me within a week... Impossible to access and/or remove the drive if you want to get back your data (outlook pst file...) So make sure you backup your stuff on a daily basis with this thing or use the cloud. I'm a longtime thinkpad user and I've decided to go with the surface pro 3 recently for the weight advantage. If you're always on the road, in and out the office, pulling in and out your computer from your bag multiple times a day, go with the thinkpad, these machine are solidly built and reliable. Now going back with my heavy w520 and waiting for the yoga.

[@mpxz999]

damn you really know your stuff! All the juicy terminology pertaining to the digitizer technology and everything. Great review! I was leaning towards the surface, but that ThinkPad has me fascinated now (due to the pen performance and keyboard type)

[@justintran9134]

hi lisa MobileTechReview great review. could you also review the hp revolve 810 g2? I am having a very hard time finding the perfect machine! but this looks promising

[@Soccercrazyigboman]

Good reviews as usual Lisa. I am glad I stuck with my Thinkpad Yoga. I needed a laptop with tablet capabilities for taking notes and drawing and I got it in this. I was a bit worried about the battery but it looks like its jsut about the same as the SP3. Thinkpad Yoga wins for me due to the amazing keyboard and trackpad, Wacom, and more ports. Yes its bulkier but I can manage with two hands and most times I am using it in tablet, I take notes and draw. I don't game much on mobile devices The Yoga is a godsend to students. And yes I get ghosting but its never noticeable unless I am on a gray or muted background color which rarely happens and it does go away. I tried SP3 but missed the wider screen for multitasking and the laptop feel. The Yoga is unmatched in versatility.

[@haechi21]

Great reviews! One question though.. are these two the only laptop/tablet with a stylus pen?

[@Bern.DeVille]

Hey lisa. which one would you recommend me for doing graphic and industrial design jobs? especially about the pen precision. Thank You! (:

[@caliskrit4349]

Hey! Great review! :-) In just wondering which of them is best for entertainment as well as using it for schoolwork? or should I just buy a macbook pro retina?

[@tonyaguilar2151]

I'm looking to edit my movies from my go pro.. which one would be good or should I get a mac or air.. I really want the sp3 but how would I download a CD?

[@xila8861]

you always make the perfect videos ,keep on ;)

[@quantumhunter181]

Have you had any ghosting problems with the thinkpad yoga, and how do you feel when writing on the SP3 compared to the TPY ?

[@hristinadimovska5789]

may on surface pro 3 put usb cabel to install and have a gps and navigation ?

[@KungFuMojo]

Hi Lisa, are they going to have a Thinkpad Yoga 2 anytime soon? Because I've seen your reviews comparing it to the Surface Pro 2, and now we're comparing it to the Surface Pro 3. So I'm wondering if they have a new one in the works, especially since they've had some ghosting issues. Do you know much about the ghosting issues and whether or not Lenovo has solved it?

[@johnlarson8028]

Thanks! I'm trying to decide between these two, and now I'm thinking I might want the Thinkpad Yoga.

[@ramuelbatuigas3964]

Hi MobileTechReview , did you experience scratches due to the use of digitizer on the TPY? How about now, do you still prefer TPY over SP3?

[@drexplordinaire]

do you experience no slow down with PS or lightroom? i have an ultrabook samsung i5-3317 1.7ghz series 9 8gb and these two really slows down with chrome on bc i have multiple internet windows open. how are the programs doing with chrome on?? i was told many with these applications i need a big laptop with dedicated graphics

[@kbrook1218]

Hello. I am a computer science major and I am highly considering the surface pro three right now. I really like the writings and note taking capabilities and I have no problem typing on the keyboard. What do you recommend? I need to make sure that it can run my programming software and still function as a laptop as well. Will this get the job done? Thank you in advance.

[@josemiguelalarcon8484]

Could you please make a review on the Lenovo Y50?

[@angelschic23]

This was really helpful. Thank you!

[@abdulhakeembinmoosa]

Which one is best surface pro 4 or thinkpad yoga 260??

[@sphynxalive]

How do you charge the surface pro 3?

[@DemeDemetre]

can that surface run windows 10 or 8.1?

[@bored78612]

I'll probably get the Lenovo. It seems better for my needs.

[@aewsdghjlookifjhdtgs]

im in college and i want to take notes. which one is the best for that

[@tomaskalmus9358]

Can I use mouse on Microsoft Surface Pro 3?

[@poolsharkal81]

Lisa thank you for your smackdown of these two products. I have a 2 year old thinkpad that I love but have really considered a Surface Pro 3 for its portability, flexibility, and a full operating system.

[@Aurkus23]

So the lenovo is better for drawing?

[@xDigitalMonster]

Very helpful review!

[@ledwardsak]

Great and balanced review on both the Surface Pro 3 and the ThinkPad Yoga. I have gotten the Surface Pro 3 and have been enjoying it immensely. With the expandable memory of the Micro SD Cards as well as the 1 TB of upcoming One Drive storage (I have the Office University 365 subscription). For items less of a need out of range of a network or my tether the usefulness of the device the cloud is great. The SP3 has me already tossing aside my iPad 4 and my touch Windows 8.1 laptop (which had already sidelined my desktop). For games I have been going to Xbox for a while though I have loaded Civ V on the SP3 and been having fun. Truly using touch interchanged with the keyboard had me at times wanting to rip off the keyboard on my laptop and my iPad was great though at times I had limitations that the available apps had an issue with. Windows 8.1 has been an important improvement over Windows 8 and the swipes and gestures at time makes me wish my work desktop would do the same. Sometimes have to hold back the urge to swipe at the screens. The SP3 and the Pro Type Cover keyboard are nice, however if you want a more solid feel there have already been 3rd party accessories that has a portfolio type cover with magnets and even a couple with Bluetooth keyboards for a decent price. Note taking on OneNote has been nice especially after I paired up the default as OneNote 2013 (free online) instead of the one that comes with the device. The top clicker on the pen can be reprogrammed to launch something else if you want but I will be sticking with OneNote. Oh while the Windows App Store doesn't have all the apps of iOS I have been able to get Pandora and iTunes loaded as I would any other laptop or desktop.

[@d0peusername]

Can you please do a review of the amazon fire phone :)

[@JG__chl]

Pretty plz! Microsoft Surface Pro 3 vs Sony Vaio Duo 13. Thank you for the amazing review and comparison.

[@wongpheng91]

Yoga 2 VS surface pro 3 please thank you..

[@sheisheiswit8008]

is there a waterproof laptop?. and screen that won't crack easily

[@slickswim5224]

Thank you this helped a lot.

[@PHeMoX]

I really want to know whether or not the pen pressure difference matters much on the Surface Pro 3. It seems the only slight downgrade compared to previous Surface Pros. I'd want one straightaway if they had kept the Wacom digitiser I think.

[@Taluct]

what's the black stylus she has?

[@picrustable]

Hello Lisa! I just wanted you to know that your review really helped in my purchase. I purchased the Lenovo ThinkPad with digitizer. It has been perfect for me to create my videos, write solutions to my math worksheets, and watch movies! Thank you again!

[@BandarOtayf]

Can you tell me of the SP3 overheating issues please? I am thinking to have the i7 version, but this issue is holding me back.

[@LatriciaTrites]

I love my ThinkPad Yoga2. I have the i5 version, though. I saw no need to get the larger system. I find the i5 works just fine with my new Windows 8.2. It took getting used to the new windows, but it is pretty easy to navigate. I have tried the SP3 and find that the keyboard is definitely lighter and flimsier and that the screen requires a kickstand when in an upright mode. The Yoga folds out like a typical desktop, yet also flips completely backwards for tablet use. I will say that the digital stylus for the SP3 is more substantial and feels more like a real pen; however, the digital stylus on the Yoga does work well. Both are marked improvements over using the touch pens or fingers on an iPad!

[@oimpe]

Ordered the i7 model of the lenovo thinkpad yoga before the SP3 was released. Had issues with wifi connection although many claimed this was not an issue with this model, I did have issues with it. Aside from that I really wished It would have worked, it felt great. I have the SP3 now and while it is awesome, especially for the pen use, working with Revit and Autocad on it really leaves more to wish for. I prefer a laptop. The keyboard on the Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga is very nice. The SP3 is truly a do it all machine. I am shopping for a laptop, 15" for 3D modeling but in no way to replace my SP3. Both units are great!

[@jcdebbs]

The Thinkpad Yoga has been out for some time and I wouldn't be surprised if a newer model comes out within the next 2-3 months. Any one know of such rumors? I was at BestBuy comparing this two devices and the thinkpad Yoga fits my needs better but the SP3 is a fantastic machine as well.

[@user-ln8fb8qt9e]

Do you buy every laptop?

[@ddmichimichi]

PLEASE HELP! In a couple of months im gonna buy a new laptop and i would like it to be a 2 in 1 laptop; tablet and pc. I have not decided which one to buy because the models coming out are all good but are also too expensive. Im willing todo use my laptop mainly for my art and media work. If anyone could recomend a good 2 in 1 laptop would help me a lot. Sadly i am not very experienced when it comes to this subject.

[@beaupang5261]

Lisa, which retailer should I choose to buy a ThinkPad Yoga? Thank you!

[@w3r0ification]

Microsoft store

[@misterspetsnaz]

Hey Lisa! I'm a student who will be taking notes, writing word docs/power-points, and homework. I will also be playing some games (Civ 5, Team fortress 2, bejeweled). I also will be moving around alot. Which one would you recommend?

[@jub_jub]

macbook air

[@tapia720]

I just made the conversion to digital notes and I love the note taking ability of surface pro 3 with onenote

[@cjthomp2005]

***** are you kidding me nobody likes macbook air!

[@jacob72499]

I just bought the thinkpad refurb on the outlet website! Intel core I5 4200U 4gb ram 128 ssd and 1080p display!

[@cjthomp2005]

Jacob Lechtenberg awsome!

[@ChuiStrong]

Did anyone notice that the ThinkPad Yogo isn't on their website anymore?

[@JohnDerek2]

which browser do you use? I use chrome primarily and nothing would show up for me on their website for the ThinkPad Yogo. Tried it with Safari and it was there. So try a different browser.

[@user-ln8fb8qt9e]

Do you every laptop?

[@mossimen]

I would most definetly get the surface pro 3!

[@thomasmulford9420]

I must have sat at the Microsoft store for an hour jumping back and forth between the two, ended up getting the surface (I was mainly testing the drawing). The pressure curve is still an prickly point for me, but I find some apps treat the Surface pro better, such as the Manga Studio demo and Photoshop CC. It's a tough pick for sure, just need more driver settings for N-Trig I guess. Thanks for making these videos!

[@luc7976]

Check out surfaceproartist.com/blog/2014/5/30/surface-pro-3-one-week-later. Try to adjust pressure curve as shown and hopefully that helps but not sure yet if there's a general way to adjust it everywhere like that.

[@bluefiretekken4836]

Could you do a smackdown between the new surface and the MacBook Air?

[@MrElectrifyer]

Good review. However, regarding battery life, you say you put it at 50% brightness; Windows clearly states that brightness level would reduced battery life (click the battery notification are icon). The max on battery is recommended to be 40%, with that on my Surface Pro 2, I get at least 8.50 hours of battery. Give it a shot.

[@dohyunjeong4154]

Nice review.

[@godisgreat88ify]

For me and my needs on the go college student surface pro 3 is best for my needs

[@weifengmao]

Just my 2 cents you can't upgrade wifi or hd on a thinkpad yoga. The factory firmware whitelists only Lenovo parts so off market wifi card and hdd will result in non boot.

[@ravipeiris4388]

Thank you ❤️😌

[@damstr]

I think the important thing to remember here is what you'll be using said device for. Some people like myself don't like have a keyboard attached all the time. Even though you can flip the keyboard behind the screen you are still left with a heavy a heavy tablet that is uncomfortable to use unless you have it leaning on something. I didn't feel like having a normal laptop and then say another tablet. Too many devices for me. The Surface for me is a perfect fit. I don't do that much typing at all and most of the time I use the Surface Pro 3 in its tablet form. I highly suggest going to a Best Buy and playing with both devices before making any impulse buy online.

[@trentlarson4861]

I guess you are one to use modern API. I can't stand it so the concept of surface is a waste to me. Its important to remember if you don't like modern API then stay away from any windows convertible, surface or what have you. Just buy a decent ultraportable and get a IOS/Android tablet and have the best of both worlds. If modern API was so good I think windows phone would be doing better. They are losing that battle with single digit market share fighting for the scraps with blackberry. Even Nokia brand will start selling handsets with Android just to get some ground in third world countries being MS wants money for the crap W8 phone OS. Higher end W8 phones are doing far worse. All MS can do is sell low end crap for less money then stuff like iphone or galaxy products from Samsung. Its dire IMO the whole modern API is whats really wrong with W8 and windows phone. And there is not much MS can do about it now.

[@Poohbify]

I thought I was going to get the Lenovo when I watched this review since the Lenovo is upgradeable and comes with Matte screen but I just really like the looks of the surface pro 3, plus it was something for glare reduction

[@greyareaRK1]

Argh! Great review, (I didn't know the Yoga could be used as a drawing tablet) but as with all information it begs more questions, namely how do wacom and n-trig compare in actual daily use, and how does the difference in colour gamut affect colour accuracy in practical terms?

[@Vidaljr88]

Thinkpad FTW. They have the S1. I'm getting as soon as my employer gives me a new budget :)

[@khamisi__6378]

Good review

[@learnbydoingdiy]

With a comparable 4th gen CPU to surface and the FHD screen I get $1350-1500 depending on if you get a SSD or not.

[@xxGLhrMxx]

I'm planning on having a Surface pro and a dock with a real mechanical keyboard + monitor as most of my typing work will be done at home anyways

[@davidnaber4325]

I'd love to see a smackdown between the IdeaPad Yoga 2 Pro and the Microsoft Surface Pro 3!

[@davidnaber4325]

Because maybe it's just me, but I think the ThinkPad machines are just plain ugly.

[@dominicdymond]

David Naber any thinkpad is a buisness line offering. The carbon series or idea pad offerings are consumer level with more frills. If you want more flash get the clementine orange yoga 2 pro or the yoga 3 pro. If you want power for gaming. ... go elsewhere. Actually they offer some models with dedicated graphics like the yoga 14 with the nvidia gt840m although it appears to be a slightly lower end mobile cpu

[@davidnaber4325]

Definitely. I just think the exterior chassis is super ugly...I hate the whole 'black square brick' aesthetic

[@dominicdymond]

Yes but picture sitting in a business meeting and wiping of a clementine orange laptop. It grabs too much attention. Keep in mind I have the i7 8gb ram, 1tb msata yoga 2 pro, as well as the i5 1Tb thinkpad yoga(both upgraded to samsung evo ssd's. One is for business meetings the other for when I'm every where else.

[@dominicdymond]

Whipping out a clementine orange yoga* (typo)

[@ZHR1234]

can we see a smackdown between the dell xps 12 vs surface pro 3

[@mobiletechreview]

Many of the things about the ThinkPad Yoga would hold true for the Dell XPS 12. However, the XPS 12 is a bit less of a direct competitor because it lacks the digital pen.

[@mc3939]

MobileTechReview :) Would you do a video about "Sony VAIO Flip" vs "ThinkPad Yoga"? They all have digital pens and all can be turn into a tablet. Which one is best for graphic designers?

[@brianrobles3941]

Surface pro 3 FTW nice video

[@KOSTAS5678727]

Note Pro 12.2 vs Surface 3!!! Thanks Lisa...............

[@voiceinwilderness7]

After 4 years most people will still be using their Lenovo TPY whole the Surface pro will be gathering dust. Wspecialy that keyboard will look incredibly worn by this time.

[@veryxcit]

You can buy it both with and without pen off lenovo.com. In fact 3rd parties stores are where the confusion ensues.

[@darthVikes]

re: Keyboard - add on price. We'll no you can put that on Apple which sells there Ipad w/o any keyboard or cover. So MS is doing the same by not adding the keyboard / cover / mouse into the price of the SP3. So you can put that on Apple.

[@jinmunsuen]

As a digital artist I think I'm more interested in the ability over the looks, seems like the lenovo wins for me. But I've only just begun my research on cintiq companion alternatives.

[@jinmunsuen]

I think what we're talking about is highly subjective- I actually think the surface looks fine. Apple ipads do not have a digitizer, so they are not even a comparison for these. I'm looking for something that accepts pressure sensitivity as an art tool. :)

[@Biddybalboa]

+Gemma Suen I want to go function over form ...but the thinkpad is so damn ugly.

[@JL-rb7ns]

+Biddybalboa what? its beautiful

[@Biddybalboa]

***** I don't know it looks bulky and heavy and that red dot and the keyboard sticking out is just gahh

[@jinmunsuen]

Waited for ages for a sign of a pen to go with the lenovo, but the lenovo failed to deliver on the newest models. :/

[@papayaman123]

I like the Thinkpad Yoga more, much more professional and tough with all the amenities!

[@adityaravishankar8344]

@polychronio : None of these lag... They are beasts in their ecosystem

[@Jesus4Karen]

I just bought the Surface pro 3 a few days ago and paid over a thousand bucks then bought a 128 gb micro Sd Card on Sale for 79.99 half off. I then seen The i5 500 gb ThinkPad yoga with the wacom pen brand new for 649.00 so I bought it now I'm returning the surface as its to much money for a tablet. I fed I got a good deal on the think pad.

[@Nam3l3ssOn3]

Whack 'Em Digital Pen, LMAO! I could have sworn it was pronounced Wah-Calm?

[@nikhilchakka]

Lenovo y50 vs dell xps 15

[@noelneil90rn]

I saw alot of Lenovo Yoga in Transformers 4. nice nice nice!

[@medman36]

wow, only 6,5 hours productivity for the surface pro 3??? That's poor.

[@ExposedRoot]

Why not compare it to the Yoga Pro 2. Why that bulky Yoga. Yes I do own the Surface Pro 3 but I decided between the Yoga Pro 2 and Surface 3. The YP2 was slim and very attractive but I still chose the Surface. Read terrible wifi issues with YP2 that are hardware related. SP3 has a few quirky wifi issues right now but they are software related and should be fixed in updates. Also wanted the pen tip. The SP3 is beautiful. No regrets so far. The pen is great.

[@abhs1141]

Thinkpad yoga is more flexible in terms of placement , ie while I am watching TV I just can place it on my lap , or arm rest , in tent style . I can switch to watching you tube , reading emails , anywhere .

[@Glamrgrl104]

I'm looking into a yoga for drawing. But the screen on the sp3 looks 10 x better.

[@toteu00000]

If i would have to spend my own money, the Lenovo would have a slight edge, but the SP3 is so much cooler :)

[@zombiedogentertainment2395]

That Lenovo looks like a 2001-2002 Dell laptop without the old ports for extensions. NOOO WAY

[@Carlovbasic]

I have a Lenovo S1 I5 240 4GB SSD Samsung (self upgrade) , and Surface Pro 2 8 GB 256SSD I5, and I'm not completely interested in the new Surface Pro 3 due to N trig Pen. Thank you Sony. Surface 2 Pro is ideal for creating thumbnails and raw drawings, Lenovo to more accurate work (I sold my Cintiq 13 HD). In contrast to detail 24HD Wacom is the best. Wacom may have problems at the corners, but it is best to draw. Complete with my Cintiq 24 HD, this is a superb trio.

[@jdn94]

I use fountain pens and we all know that fountain pens hardly need any pressure when on paper. I hate having to press too hard on my work...and because of that I'd pick Lenovo. But wait...I like my color accuracy cause I edit photos too...so I'd get the SP3 for that cause of better color gamut...CRAP.

[@profrook]

bullshit, MSP 3 just puts on its back when you press its surface like you did with lenovo yoga, you didn't even touched MSP 3 while showing that resistance to screen pressure.

[@gearsNtools]

I am a fan of the surface pro.

[@ZipingL]

WAY COM ---> how to say wacom.

[@deepsah662]

the key board looks like a toy keyboard on surface pro. bends. i am all for Thinkpad yoga 12

[@ExclusiveSigma]

Why doesn't Microsoft just eliminate the competition and not let them use windows on their hardware?

[@naka4214]

Lol they probably get more money this way and they are probably in shit ton of contracts. Lol and it is a dick move

[@gabbylapolito3444]

isnt windows and Microsoft the same thing

[@gabbylapolito3444]

ExclusiveSigma GOOD POINT

[@asabla]

You do know that Microsoft them selfs makes more money from letting other companies using their os (oem) then selling their own hardware? This could be compared to how nvidia does things, they've got a reference card that they sell and then let other 3rd part companies like asus create their own version

[@mw7967]

If Microsoft did that, all of their partnering OEM's would simply partner with Google entirely.

[@Nam3l3ssOn3]

HP is about to release the new Envy X2 redesigned with a bluetooth keyboard built with beats audio speakers on the sides of the screen and is a detachable. It's on their site, but no release date as of yet. Can't wait to get my hands on the NEW HP Envy X2 store.hp.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContentView?eSpotName=ENVY13x2&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&storeId=10151&jumpid=re_r11662_redirect_ETR&ts=20141030012238_dNhOD9X0ean3

[@rnegoro1]

The thinkpad is much superior with the 500gb storage, but it's not a tablet, it's more like a laptop.

[@holyshaman]

It's Wah -com not wackem.

[@pandabun9]

the yoga screen is plastic, it constantly disconnects to wifi so i have to restart a least once a day which is incredibly annoying, sometimes the touchscreeen won't work and sometimes the mouse won't even work which makes me restart over and over again, sometimes the yoga won't even restart, so i have to shut down instead, sometimes clicking on an application won't work so i have to restart once again. Just... whatever you do, DO NOT GET A LENOVO THINKPAD YOGA!!!!!!

[@BIG1TOWER]

Man this these things are expensive

[@luc7976]

Since they both have Core CPU's. Price difference between Yoga 2 11" Core and the Atom model is $260 less. So if Microsoft would release a model with (slower) Atom CPU it could be around $540. But I doubt we'll see that anytime soon.

[@benitez1de]

SP3 wins!

[@holyshaman]

Wacom Cintiq Companion > Microsoft Surface Pro 3 by a mile.

[@OghamTheBold]

No easy battery replacement = No sale

[@Realthinx]

i think the SP3 is just the King of all tablets in terms of productivity. but in the same time it cant handle ANY typical notebook-task as good as a notebook. here i cant see anything the SP3 does better than the Yoga. All the SP3 can offer in terms of mobility is its weight. not a big deal for me, regarding its laughable keyboard-cover in comparism to the Thinkpad. From my view the Surface isnt really "mobile", its meant to lie flat on a desk or with kickstand on a desk, in any other situation the Yoga wins also. Adding the Pen which is not part of the Surface-design but integrated in the Yoga AND the pricing - both no good for the surface. Given its price pre-installed full MS Office should be obligatory on the SP3! After all SP3 surely wins every surface vs tablet comparism but has to loose against a well-engineered stylus-2in1 like the Yoga.

[@seatibiza4639]

Apple ibook