It was only back in June when Samsung announced a refresh to some of their Windows 8 devices, including the ATIV Tab 3, which takes their previous 11.6 inch ATIV tablet down to a more nimble 10.1 inch format.
The 32-bit Windows 8 device features a 1366x768 display with an 1.8 GHz Atom Z2760, along with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of on board storage (expandable with microSD). The device also become a smidge thinner and more refined in design, adding a metal band around the edge for a more premium feel.
The device when announced had no release date, though we heard August being bantered around by Samsung reps. Now that information looks to be accurate as a third-party seller on Amazon.com is now offering the ATIV Tab 3 (XE300TZC-K01US) for $599 plus free shipping. That puts the device at $100 less than its older sibling, the ATIV Tab 5 (XE500T1C-K02US) with its larger 11.6 inch display (the specs are otherwise similar).
In our hands on with the device, we were impressed with Samsung’s refinements, though they seem to have omitted the super useful S-Pen, which can be found on the ATIV Tab 5. Weighing in at 1.28 lbs., the ATIV Tab 3 is certainly easier to handle than an 11.6 inch device and with the smaller display, the pixel density is higher as well.
You can head here to Amazon.com (opens in new tab) for more information, though we imagine other retail outlets will be getting this device soon too. [Note: you can try searching in your local Amazon store using the model number; it should be available in other regions too, not just the US]. Thanks, Win C., for the tip!
Daniel Rubino is the Executive Editor of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft here since 2007, back when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, next-gen computing, and arguing with people on the internet.
