I'd probably get the i3 version just because I don't like investing that much money into new tech like this. I'm not really concerned about the small SDD because I can just use a Micro SD, but the 4GB of RAM has me a little concerned in terms of longevity (and resale value).

I have a Nexus 7 that I've been using a lot, but the screen's a bit small, it's not as powerful as I'd like, and a tablet OS is pretty limited in terms of doing real work.

I'd mostly be doing stats analyses and reading science articles on the Surface, and having the pen would probably come in handy when doing presentations or lectures.

The 4GB of RAM and having to buy the keyboard, which isn't that great and kind of pricey, is keeping my from taking the jump.