Panos Panay and the Surface team just finished their Reddit AMA, here are the highlights

“Hi, this is Pete from the Surface Team. The mDP port on the device can drive a 4K display - this is true for the i7, i5, and i3 - while still running the Surface Pro 3 display.” (Source)

"Great question- high level, our statement says it all. It is the tablet that can replace the laptop. This is the one product you need to do it all. It acts as a tablet, and can be used as a laptop. It is great in both scenarios. There is no product out there that compares. Too many times folks are stuck in the middle, have to carry two devices, or don't want to lug around the weight.” (Source)

“The ability to click in is something that was part of Surface from the very beginning. With the new Type Cover for Surface Pro 3, we take productivity to the next level with the double fold hinge adding magnetic stability and a much larger track pad for even more accurate 'mousing'. As for any additional covers, you'll just have to wait and see.” (Source)

“Windows on ARM continues to be an important part of the Windows strategy. The Surface 2 (which runs Windows RT) is a great choice for both play and getting work done. Windows on ARM got even better with recent additions including third-party MDM, workplace join and Outlook, which is preinstalled along with the other Microsoft Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote), with the Windows RT 8.1 update.” (Source)             

“The battery performance is the same across the i3, i5, and i7. The i7 will see benchmark scores appx. 15-20% better than the SP3 i5.” (Source)

“Yes the track pad supports both edge gestures and two finger gestures for scrolling and zooming.” (Source)

“We have done a ton of research and design work in the new Type Covers. All materials have improved. We have a team that focusses on materials design exclusively. The whole construction of the Type Cover is redesigned to be more robust and more productive.” (Source)

“Glad to hear you love the new pen! With regards to OneNote metro -- we are making it configurable to launch the classic desktop for users who want that experience. With regards to general configurability of the top buton -- at this point, we are not planning to make it generally configurable. Eraser on the top button -- great feedback.” (Source)

“A couple of things that we have done with the new TypeCover. 60%+ larger trackpad area, embedded glass beads for smoother feel, and a mechanical button...provides greatly improved feel. Trackpad also support Precision Track Pad features with Windows to support gestures including; Edgy, Pan, & Pinch/Zoom.” (Source)

“Thanks for the questions. Few things I'd call out based on spending a bunch of time with students using Surface today. First thing is the device itself. It is super thin, much lighter than earlier versions of Surface Pro and as a student, you will love the note-taking experience.” (Source)

“The i5 is definitely powerful enough to run Office, Visual Studio Ultimate and other powerful software. If you missed the launch video, we showcased Surface Pro 3 running Revit (powerful building modeling software from Autodesk), Adobe Photoshop and other cool software and apps.” (Source)

“You will love the new trackpad. We reduced friction by 78% vs. our previous trackpads, it is 60% bigger than the previous Surface Pro. This is as good as trackpads you will find on some of the best laptops.” (Source)

“The best Type Cover is whatever color you like best. The blue one is awesome IMO, but I'm writing on a purple right now.” (Source)Bottom of Form

“The Pro2 was not designed for Connected Standby. Pro3 is.” (Source)

“Pro 3 is a Connected Standby system, it will wake up in half a second. If you do not touch the system for more than 4 hours, it will go to hibernate, and then deep sleep to go to single digit miliwatts. At that point it will take longer, like a pro2 coming out of hibernate.” (Source)

“We're working with a bunch of partners to get great accessories out there. You’ll see cases more quickly than other things, but you'll see mounts, protective cases, etc.” (Source)

“The ability to click in is something that was part of Surface from the very beginning. We're always exploring new products that will make Surface awesome for our customers. Stay tuned for more.” (Source)

“When we first launched Surface, we sold it only in a bundle format. The top feedback we got was that people loved the color covers and wanted full choice (but stores wouldn't sell all color bundles) and some people definitely wanted to buy without cover.” (Source)

“SP3 will charge from 0% to 80% in 2 hours and to 100% in 4 hours.” (Source)

“The batteries on our Surface products are designed with some of the highest charge cycles for consumer electronic devices. This means that the battery can get charged daily (5 days a week) for over 4.5 years and still maintain 80% capacity.” (Source)

“The battery can be replaced, but not by the user. The process would be to contact support and send the device in to have it replaced.The response above that "the battery can get charged daily (5 days a week) for over 4.5 years and still maintain 80% capacity." reflects the testing we've done on the battery. If the battery life becomes an issue you should contact Microsoft support.Bottom of Form” (Source)

“IF the battery fails during the warranty period, we’ll replace the battery. IF the battery fails after the warranty period, you’ll call Microsoft support and arrange for the battery to be replaced. The cost will be $200 USD.” (Source)

“Hi, the i7 has Intel HD graphics 5000, the i5 has Intel HD Graphics 4400, and the i3 has Intel HD Graphics 4200.” (Source)

“When we made Surface Pro 3, we wanted a device that worked not only in landscape mode, but worked beautifully in portrait mode. This is super important for things like reading, annotating docs, etc. Putting the home button where it is in SP3 makes working in portrait natural. Now that said, we also invested a ton of effort into ensuring that when working in landscape mode, you don't trigger the button by accident. This includes things like palm rejection, guard sensors that prevent inadvertent hits, etc. Mike (Gabe) is one of our favorite Surface fans, so we're working closely with him to understand and address the issues he is specifically having.” (Source)

"Not a thermal decision, related to connected standby. We are continuing to review options.” (Source)

“Pro3 has 802.11ac -- if you have an 802.11ac access point, you will see much higher throughput.” (Source)

“Demo units will be showing up on June 6th in Best Buy stores.” (Source)

“Yes. Whatever the next version is called.” (Source)

“Not many people were buying white, so we did not launch it this time around.” (Source)                                                                 

“It’s not in the roadmap right now, but we hear the requests. We have USB so lots of people are using those and "mifi" tethering solutions. Battery certainly has been a consideration to date...” (Source)

“When you buy your Surface Pro 3, do me a favor, and take a close look at the power connector." (Source)

“The dark titanium was great. We spent a lot of time to study and develop extremely scratch resistant finishes. The magnesium, Surface is made from has a silver sheen and we decided to have it shine through the semi clear top coat of Surface Pro 3.” (Source)

“One of the goals with Surface Pro 3 is thin. Space inside the device is critical and always a valued resource. SD functionality was important for us and has been since the first products introduced. Options are the adapter you mention or connecting your camera directly to full size USB.” (Source)

“We chose 3:2 cause it works great both in landscape and portrait. It is a 1.5 aspect ratio... vs. 16:9 which 1.77 is really geared more towards landscape. 3:2 is also more a kin to paper… something natural and familiar for people. Given we wanted to build a device that worked well in all 4 modes of input: it had to be wide enough to house a full keyboard, tall enough in landscape so you can see all your emails lists.. Facebook posts, etc… and it had to be balanced in your hand to hold it in portrait so you could write like you would on a notepad and touch the screen. We mapped a lot of the available digital content… took their aspect ratios... and the aspect ratio that was a balanced fit for all.. was 3:2. I really like 3:2... Cause when you divide 3:2 in half in landscape... you get two 4:3 screens in portrait. So Pro3 in split screen mode is like running to 8” 4:3 screen side by side... pretty cool! The other reason why we like 3:2.. is cause of its kinship with paper. 8.5x11 piece of paper is 1.33 ratio... but once you take into account the margins... about 1.25” on both sides... and 1” top and bottom (various standards).. means an “Active area” of 9”x6”.. that is where 9x6 comes from.. now take 9/6 and reduce the fraction.. (divide by 3).. and your 3:2 J . For the flexibility in experience we have designed pro 3 for... typing, mousing, touch, and pen: 3:2 is a great choice... hits a sweet spot in productivity, is compact and easy to carry, and adapts to both landscape and portrait well.” (Source)

“Here you go: i3 – 4020Y - 1.50GHz with Intel HD graphics 4200 I5 - 4300U - 1.6GHz with Intel Turbo Boost up to 2.90GHz with Intel HD Graphics 4400 i7 – 4650U – 1.7GHz Intel Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz with Intel HD graphics 5000.” (Source)

“We looked at many different options to address 'lapability', both how much space on the lap and more stability. The 'fold' addressed both of these pieces. When you try it, try it both with fold down and fold up striking improvement. Another element we included was to change the substrate on the keyboard to a honeycomb structure. This let us take weight out, make thinner, and increase stability.” (Source)

"Ya.. we use an oleophobic coating." (Source)