Surface Pro 3 is the tablet that can replace your laptop -- if you ignore the small print

There’s no question that Surface Pro 3 is a nice piece of kit. My colleague Brian Fagioli loves his, and says it at last puts Microsoft ahead of the competition. It’s expensive though, and a lot of people will struggle to justify the cost.

With previous iterations, Microsoft pitched its slate against the iPad, but with this latest version the tech giant has decided to take a different tack -- positioning it instead as a laptop replacement.

A new 30 second teaser clip introduces this concept by asking the question: "How can a tablet replace your laptop?" and then goes on to show how. Well sort of. "Start with the best writing experience" is the first example given, which seems a bit odd. Seeing as laptops generally don’t offer any writing experience. It's like saying, "How can a cat replace a dog? Start with the best purring experience". Still it shows off the Pro 3’s pen in action.

Next the ad mentions the device’s thinness, the adjustable kickstand and keyboard, USB port, the freedom of touch and (of course!) Microsoft Office. The words "Office, keyboard and featured apps and programs sold separately" flash up in tiny writing.

So in other words, Surface Pro 3 is the tablet that can replace your laptop, provided -- as with all other tablets on the market -- you spend money on extras. I guess, "Surface Pro 3, the tablet that does a better job of replacing your laptop than other tablets once you've bought the pricey additional components that come as standard on a laptop" wasn't catchy enough for the marketing department.

But hey, I still want one.