Wi-Fi glitches, begone: Another Surface Pro 3 firmware update tries to improve stability

By Adrian Diaconescu Published November 20, 2014

To assert Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 has experienced Wi-Fi stability issues since its inception back in June would be a gross understatement. To say Redmond’s been incapable of ironing out the connectivity kinks, delivering flawed fix after fix would also be a slight misrepresentation of the facts.

In truth, MS has updated the Surface Pro 3’s software once a month, every month, for as long as the “laplet” has been around. Yet nothing has completely cleared up persistent Wi-Fi malfunctions, leading some to presume the problem lies in the hybrid’s hardware.

Recommended Videos

No one can prove that, of course, and Microsoft keeps trying to find a firmware antidote. The newest system update is rolling out over-the-air as we speak, and the changelog includes a hefty section dedicated to “Wireless Network Controller and Bluetooth driver” tweaks.

Apparently, connecting to an 802.11AC network should be more reliable with the patch, which also “enables better throughput after waking from sleep.” Several other very specific Wi-Fi pickles are allegedly solved, although you should probably hold off on that celebratory dance.

Microsoft has promised similar improvements in the past, the words “Wi-Fi connection” and “better throughput” coming up more than once. So it’s best to keep your expectations low. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll be pleasantly surprised for a change.

Fairly small, at under 8MB, the latest Surface Pro 3 firmware upgrade only targets bugs. There are no new functions, no add-ons, no unexpected holiday goodies. Just the above mentioned Wi-Fi optimizations, plus pen settings and home button glitch repairs.

Last but not least, a “scenario” where the device boots to a black screen with McAfee Defense Encryption 7.1.1 installed is a thing of the past, and so are system clock time anomalies with sub-3 percent battery life.

Did anyone experience those mishaps, and thus feels Christmas is coming early, thanks to the firmware update? What about Wi-Fi? Is it all good now, or just as unstable as Mac connections on OS X Yosemite? Sound off your joy and/or frustration below.

Adrian Diaconescu

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Adrian is a mobile aficionado since the days of the Nokia 3310, and a PC enthusiast since Windows 98. Later, he discovered…

Topics

Computing

Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) vs. Microsoft Surface Pro 11: two diminutive laptops fight for the top

Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 front angled view showing display and keyboard.

It might seem strange to compare a clamshell laptop with a detachable tablet 2-in-1, but the fact is, if you're look for a small yet powerful, highly portable PC, you have two great options. The Apple MacBook Air 13 (M4) is the best 13-inch laptop you can buy (maybe the best ever), and the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is the best 2-in-1.

Both are very small, both are fast and get great battery life, and so both can serve anyone well who wants a real PC that feels more like a mobile device. But which one is the right choice for you?
Specs and configurations

Computing

Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is $500 off at Best Buy (with a bonus)

The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 with Surface Slim Pen 2 and Surface Pro Flex Keyboard.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 can combine all the best things about laptop deals and tablet deals if you pair it with the Surface Slim Pen 2 and Surface Pro Flex Keyboard. Fortunately, you can buy all of these with huge discounts from Best Buy! The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 is on sale at $500 off, bringing the device's price down to $1,600 from $2,100, while a bundle that includes the Surface Slim Pen 2 and the Surface Pro Flex Keyboard is available at $100 off, so you'll only have to pay $350 instead of $450. That's a total of $600 in savings, so you'll only have to pay $1,950 for everything instead of $2,550, but you better hurry because either offer may expire at any moment.
Microsoft Surface Pro 11 -- $1,600 $2,100 24% off

We described the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 as a "spectacular" device in our review, and we awarded it a score of 4.5 stars out of 5 stars -- so it's a steal at a 24% discount that translates to $500 in savings. The 13-inch PixelSense touchscreen with 2880 x 1920 resolution and OLED technology is simply stunning, and it will be able to handle demanding tasks with its Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor, Qualcomm Adreno GPU, and 32GB of RAM. It's also a Copilot+ device, which means it ships with Windows 11 Home pre-installed in its 1TB SSD and it's designed to fully take advantage of Microsoft's Copilot. The Microsoft Surface Pro 11 headlines our list of the best 2-in-1 laptops, but you'll need to buy the following accessories to maximize its potential.

Computing

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is on sale for $700

Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 front angled view showing display and keyboard.

You won't always get the chance to enjoy discounts from Surface Laptop deals because offers involving this line of devices from Microsoft rarely happen, but there's one from Best Buy right now if you're interested. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which originally sold for $800, is on sale with a $100 discount that brings its price down to $700. We're not sure how much time is remaining before it goes back to its regular price, so if you want to secure the savings, you need to hurry up with your purchase.

Why you should buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 didn't receive a good score in our review of the device when it launched in late 2023, but with this discount from Best Buy and the arrival of Microsoft's Copilot, it should be up for consideration for anyone who wants to buy a new Windows 11 laptop. It's got what it takes to support the powerful AI assistant with its 12th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, Intel Iris Xe Graphics, and 8GB of RAM, and while it's not going to challenge the performance of the best laptops, it will be more than enough to handle your daily workload.