On May 20, Microsoft announced Surface Pro 3 , its latest tablet with a power of a laptop. Judging by all reviews we’ve read, the Redmond giant has nailed it this time round, launching a device that is both easy to carry around and has enough horse power to replace your existing computer.

That prompted us to think – is Surface Pro 3 great for hospital environment and/or any other medical setting. And here’s what we’ve come up with.

Surface Pro 3 is the most powerful tablet, ever

Surface Pro 3 is a tablet with a power of a laptop. And it seems Microsoft has nailed it this time round!First thing you should know is that Surface Pro 3 is the most powerful tablet ever built. That fact alone will make many doctors crave for one as they can use it both for their work and… other things. Simply put, the Surface Pro 3 has all the bells and whistles of a full-blown laptop, including a powerful Intel Core-iX chip that can handle every task with ease. In comparison, pretty much all other tablets are powered by much slower Intel Atom or ARM-based chips. Moreover, Microsoft’s slate runs full version of Windows, allowing for more features. Forget about watered-down apps — Surface Pro 3 can handle all the tasks with ease, whether we’re talking about web-based apps/services or native applications.

But, it comes with a cost

Surface Pro 3 is the most powerful tablet ever, but that extra power comes with a cost.Surface Pro 3 is not a cheap device by any stretch of imagination. That extra power comes with a hefty price tag. The entry-level model will sell for $800 plus $130 for the TypeCover. Better versions with Core i5 processor start at $1,000. This in turn will make the Surface 3 Pro a niche device in the health space with only select individuals from within the organization and rich hospitals being able to deploy them. Which leads me to another important thing.

Extra features are not for everyone

While Surface Pro 3 can handle pretty much any task you through at it, that’s not necessarily a good thing.While Surface Pro 3 can handle pretty much any task you through at it, that’s not necessarily a good thing. In many instances, a dumbed-down interface with less features is better. Not everyone needs a full-blown PC in the hospital. For majority of tasks, a cheap Android tablet with special software will do the trick, leaving better device (such as the Surface Pro 3) for select users, only. With less options come less problems. You don’t want your physician to wander around all the apps he can use – it’s better to keep him/her focused on the task at hand. In other words, he/she could have a tablet for any specific function performed in the hospital (or wherever). The case for these “few-feature tablets” is even stronger for nurses and supporting staff.

But Surface Pro 3 is coming to select hospitals…

In February, Microsoft announced that Surface tablets have been deployed to more healthcare professionals than ever before. The other day they said that Avanade and Seattle Children’s Hospital have committed to purchasing and deploying Surface Pro 3 inside their organizations. As part of that news, the company has also shared the following video, providing a quick glance at how the clinicians and staff at Seattle Children’s plan to put Surface Pro 3 to use in their facilities to enable greater efficiency and improved patient care.

We’ve reached to Microsoft to ask about Surface Pro 3 in the medical setting, and here’s what their spokesperson had to say on the matter:

With Surface Pro 3, doctors can go from reviewing charts, holding it like a legal pad and scribe notes naturally; the design is based on a legal notepad with a 3:2 aspect ratio because it feels natural to hold in your hands, like writing and holding a pad of paper. At the same time it offers the power and security of a full laptop.