Microsoft launched the Surface Pro 3 with one of the most advanced digital pens available on the market, explaining that this little accessory is the foundation to what could be the first real tablet that can replace your laptop to get productivity on the go.

In fact, the company claims that despite the hefty price ($1,950/1,500 euros for the top-of-the-range model), the Surface Pro 3 is one of the best-selling Surface models to date, partially thanks to this digital pen that makes it just perfect for students, writers, artists, or photographers.

And since everything is going so well, Redmond is ready to continue investments in digital pens, predicting that very soon, the whole world would see this small device as a must-have device to do their work easily.

It all starts with a secret takeover

Rumor has it that Microsoft is trying to purchase N-trig, which is none other than the company that created the Surface Pro 3 digital pen. The reason is as simple as it could be: it wants to continue investments in this field, so why not buying the best company that makes digital pens and have it build new devices for its own purpose?

This way, Microsoft not only makes sure that it can bring out more advanced digital pens for future Surface models, but it also prevents other companies from signing deals with N-trig to ship their pens with their devices.

But this isn't all. People close to the matter revealed that Microsoft is currently preparing not one, but two different Surface models, both of which could come with a digital pen.

“The 8-inch Surface Mini still has a chance and it could launch as a note-taking device for teachers and students.”

First, we have the successor of the Surface Pro 3. Possibly called just Surface 4 (because the RT model is no longer part of Microsoft's plans) or Surface Pro 3, the future tablet is expected to come with a 12-inch screen and, just like the current version, to be offered with a digital pen that would provide artists and photographers with a way to do their work faster.

The second model could be the Surface Mini, an 8-inch tablet that would launch as a “note-taking device,” so yes, there will also be a digital pen. Microsoft's plan is to make this smaller Surface a replacement for traditional notebooks, so it would mostly tackle the education sector. Writing on the Surface Mini would be extremely easy thanks to the digital pen, so students and teachers would love it.

This isn't the first time we hear someone talking about the Surface Mini. A similar device was expected to launch last year, but the company decided to cancel the project at the very last minute because it didn't have too many innovative things compared to the existing small tablets on the market, namely Nexus 7 and iPad mini.

The Surface Pro 3 pen

When looking at the Surface Pro 3 digital pen, it's easy to understand why Microsoft hopes this device would become a must-have for everyone.

The digital pen is fully integrated with the SP3 and OneNote, so it can provide you with several features thanks to easy-to-reach buttons.

This is the Surface Pro 3 digital pen and the available buttons

First, if you press the top button, just like on a regular pen, you launch OneNote. If you double-press it, you take a screenshot on the Surface Pro 3. A secondary button placed on the side of the pen plays the role of a mouse click and provides you with access to a stand-alone menu that includes plenty of options, such as pen color and thickness, which are both very useful when drawing or writing. An eraser button is also offered on the side for an obvious purpose.

The SP3 pen uses Bluetooth to connect to your Surface Pro 3 tablet and get its power from an AAAA battery, and Microsoft guarantees that it can last at least several months on the same battery. Obviously, this depends on how much you use it every day.

Needless to say, the digital pen can be configured to be used with either left or right hand, so there's no doubt that N-trig and Microsoft tried to think about everything before bringing it to the market.

The future looks bright for Microsoft in this particular field, as more professionals are looking for digital pens to get their work done, but the company also needs to make the Surface a more appealing device, not only in terms of features, but also when it comes to price.