What you need to know
- Microsoft launched the Surface Hub 3 this week.
- The all-in-one hybrid meeting device improves on the Surface Hub 2S in several ways, including supporting Smart Rotation and portrait mode.
- The 50-inch and 85-inch Surface Hub 3 can be purchased through Microsoft for $9,499.99 and $22.999.99, respectively and through Microsoft resellers.
- A Surface Hub 3 Pack that upgrades the Surface Hub 2S is also available for $2,699.99.
Microsoft announced the Surface Hub 3 back in September. The collaboration device runs the new Microsoft Teams Rooms experience, which improves on the operating system that shipped with the Surface Hub 2S in several ways. The 50-inch Surface Hub 3 supports Smart Rotation and portrait mode as well. You can buy the Surface Hub 3 now in either a 50-inch model or an 85-inch version.
I haven't been able to find the Surface Hub 3 in stock, but Microsoft lists the device on its website. The Surface Hub 3 costs $9,499.99 for the 50-inch model. The 85-inch Surface Hub 3 costs $22,999.99. If your organization already has a Surface Hub 2S and just wants to upgrade it, the Surface Hub 3 Pack System costs $2,699.99.
What is a Surface Hub?
Generally, Microsoft uses its Surface branding on personal devices like the Surface Pro 9 or Surface Laptop 5. But the company also has its Surface Hub family of devices. These are massive collaborative whiteboards built for hybrid and in-person meetings.
The Surface Hub 3 comes with a Surface Hub Smart Camera that dynamically adjusts its video feed based on what's going on in a room. A Surface Hub Pen is also included with the device. You can actually use two pens at the same time on the Surface Hub.
The 50-inch Surface Hub 3 supports wall mounting, but it can also be wheeled around. It works with an APC Charge Mobile Battery that gives the device up to two hours of battery life. The mobile stand, Salamander Designs Electric Lift Mobile Stand, wall mount, and mobile battery are all optional add-ons for the 50-inch Surface Hub 3.
The 85-inch Surface Hub 3 works with the mobile stand, floor supported wall mount, and wall mount add-ons.
Microsoft highlighted the following capabilities of the Surface Hub 3 when it first announced the device family:
- Smart Rotation and Portrait: physically rotate Surface Hub 3 50” between Portrait or Landscape at any time to adapt the screen layout to suit your needs, whether for a natural Whiteboarding session or a more personable one-on-one call.
- Mobility and Versatility: The Surface Hub 3 50” is fully mobile on a Steelcase Roam Stand, offering flexibility in deployment. Choose from a variety of stands and wall-mounting solutions from Steelcase and our Designed for Surface partners. With the APCTM Charge Mobile Battery, the Surface Hub 3 50” can be taken virtually anywhere in the building.
- Premium Design: Surface Hub 3 prioritizes inclusive meetings with clear audio and visuals. The high-resolution, 4K PixelSense display with an anti-glare coating makes content visible in any lighting condition.
- Intelligent Audio: The Surface Hub 3 50” features two microphone arrays and speaker pairings. Smart AV optimizes audio based on device orientation, delivering the best stereo experience whether in Portrait or Landscape.
- Seamless Integration: Surface Hub 3 pairs with Microsoft Teams Rooms certified peripherals in larger conference rooms, thanks to the Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows platform. This creates a world of possibilities for different meeting spaces, from traditional setups to large classrooms, with external microphones, speakers, cameras, and more.
- Enhanced Collaboration: Surface Hub 3 supports active inking with up to two Surface Hub Pens or Surface Slim pens, providing 20 points of multitouch for immersive on-device collaboration. Built-in palm rejection ensures a natural interaction experience.
- Faster Performance: with a 60% CPU performance increase, and a 160% GPU graphics performance increase gen-on-gen, Surface Hub 3 customers will enjoy a more powerful system that is also primed to capitalize on future software innovation. With these capabilities and more, Surface Hub 3 revolutionizes meetings, offering a versatile and inclusive solution for modern workspaces.
The Surface Hub 3 can be purchased now as a standalone item. You can also upgrade the Surface Hub 2S with a Surface Hub 3 Pack that can be placed in the Surface Hub 3. The upgrade pack is a more affordable way to get the new Surface Hub experience without having to purchase entirely new hardware.
While it may seem odd to call a $2,699.99 device a more affordable option, Surface Hubs are aimed at businesses that have deeper pockets than everyday users. Upgrading a Surface Hub 2 for under $3,000 is an economical choice for organizations when compared to purchasing a new Surface Hub 3 for almost $10,000.
