When Microsoft
decided to enter the tablet market, they tried to keep it secret, but everyone
expected them to announce a tablet. However, what they didn’t expect was
Surface, a product with a recycled name, ultra-thin profile, keyboard attachment, and
two different flavors (one running Windows RT and one running Windows 8). But
how does Microsoft’s first trip into making tablets, Surface with Windows RT
(Surface RT), compare to the other options out there?
Display
When Surface came
out, some commented that the display isn’t as high of resolution as the latest
products from Apple. However, the display, running at 1366X768 is bright, rich,
and beautiful. Using ClearType, text is easy to read. Video looks brilliant.
Colors pop when they need to, images are well defined. Video works very well.
Given the resolution, it is an HD display and it is a beautiful one. At 10.6”,
Surface RT offers plenty of viewing space for a tablet. For those looking for a
little extra viewing space, Surface comes with HD video out. With a separately
sold adapter, it can be connected to a television, projector, whatever one
needs. It would be nice if the port was a bit more universal, but then in order
to keep the profile of the device thin (.37”), that would be tough to do.
Side by side, the
display on other tablets such as the latest iPad can appear to be better, but
not by much. People who are familiar with both devices would have a hard time
identifying the tablet by just seeing a video playing on one device. The
Surface display leaves little to nothing to be desired. Any increase to the
price to improve the display wouldn’t be worth it.
Exterior
Microsoft hit the
ball out of the park when it comes to the exterior of the Surface. The VaporMg
casing is solid. It’s softer than metal so it doesn’t feel like an industrial
machine, but more solid than plastic so it feels like it could last the test of
time.
The kickstand is
excellent. It doesn’t have the feel of a luxury car door opening and closing
like some have said. However, it is extremely useful. It seems like it should
be standard on all tablets. It doesn’t matter where someone is or what they
brought. Surface RT can be set up anywhere, allowing you to simply sit back and
enjoy. The only drawback to the kickstand is that the notch to
open it is only on one side. There have been times when I happen to be holding
the tablet in my left hand and try opening it with my right. Doesn’t work too
well. If it is to be on one side, I would think the right would be better. I’m
not the only right handed person out there and I hold a tablet in my left hand
so I can use my right to poke at the touch screen. However, if you’re left
handed, you may find Surface to be a bit friendlier to you in that regard.
While the hinge for
the kickstand doesn’t have the same luxury car door thunk as some have said,
the click for connecting a TouchCover or TypeCover does. The magnetic bond is
great. It does have a very satisfying sound when connecting. And, yes, the
connection is strong enough that one can hold on to just the cover and the
tablet will hold on. We’ll have more on the covers in another review.
I’ve mentioned the
video port, but there’s another port right next to it. Surface provides a full
sized USB port. This allows users to connect just about anything out there.
Obviously, one can connect a USB flash drive to increase their storage or to
share files, but it goes beyond that. If you find the cost of the TouchCover to
be a bit too much, it can be used to connect a keyboard, mouse, etc. Microsoft
lists over 1000 printers that will work with Surface (So your printer has a
good chance of working with it). There are external hard drives, headsets,
cameras, the list goes on. This opens up Surface RT to be more flexible and
capable of doing more than just about any other tablet out there. It can even
be used to charge your cell phone. Try doing that with other tablets.
Surface RT also
features a microSDXC port hidden behind the kickstand. This gives users the
ability to expand their storage for a fairly good price. More on the microSDXC
later.
On the right side,
there’s also the charging connector. The charger connects using magnets and has
a small light on it to let the user know that the connection has been made. It’s
a small, touch, but a nice one.
Cameras
Surface RT has two
cameras where you would expect them. There’s one on the front and one on the
back. Compared to the wide world of cameras, the cameras on Surface leave a lot
to be desired. I would never dream of using the cameras on Surface to take
snapshots of a vacation. That would be a terrible idea.
But then I don’t
believe that was the main purpose in mind when Microsoft selected these
cameras. They do make quality cameras for things such as Skype. So for that
video call to a loved one who lives far away or for a video conference, the
cameras are great. And besides, anyone who really cares about quality images
has a digital camera or a smartphone with a quality camera on it. With the
microSDXC slot on the Surface, those who want great pictures on their tablets
can take them on their digital point-and-shoot or DSLR and take the card and
put them on their Surface using the microSDXC port. From there, they can be uploaded to Facebook, Twitter, or other sites.
So while the
cameras leave something to be desired, it’s not a huge loss. That is unless you
don’t own a digital camera or a smartphone with a quality camera.
A quick and easy
fix for those looking for better cameras on their tablet would be for Microsoft
to create drivers to allow some of their higher end web cameras to connect with
Surface. However, there is currently little to no support. I would almost prefer
this fix as opposed to better cameras on the device because it really does make
the sky the limit and doesn’t require a price increase on the device for those
who would never use the cameras or barely use them.
Operating System
Surface RT runs Windows RT, a version of
Windows designed to run on chips such as the NVIDIA Tegra 3 found in the Surface RT
compared to Windows 8 which runs on x86 processors from AMD and Intel. Windows
RT is to Windows 8 as iOS is to Mac OS.
So what does this
mean to users? Unlike iOS, Windows RT is almost identical to its x86 brother.
This helps limit, if not eliminate, any learning curve for those familiar with
Windows 8. It’s an extremely pleasant experience firing up a new device using
an operating system you’ve never used, and you know exactly how to run it. The
downside is that it has the potential to create some confusion. But the name is
different, anyone who does minor research will know the difference. Given the price of a tablet, hopefully consumers do their homework before buying anything.
What are those differences?
The main thing that consumers will deal with is that all the software designed
for Windows 7 won’t run on Windows RT. Surface RT won’t run Photoshop or
Counter Strike. It will run apps available in the online store or already on the device. It
also comes with a host of programs including simple email, calendar, and
messaging apps, Internet Explorer (both a version when in desktop mode and a
more “Don’t call it Metro” touch friendly version), SkyDrive for accessing the
cloud, and a Bing app. The biggest and most notable addition is Microsoft
Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote). That’s something not included in
Windows 8 and brings great value to Surface RT.
There are a few
other additions that surprised me. Microsoft Paint is there and there’s even
command prompt and NotePad. Windows Explorer is there for moving files. There
is no Windows Media Player (although the device has other programs for
listening to music or playing videos). However, that was about the only
application that’s really noticeably missing.
Some have made
negative comments regarding the inclusion of the Windows desktop in Windows RT.
The main critique is that it’s not very finger friendly. That’s very true. But
then this isn’t an iPad. There are other ways to interact with the device. There
are the TouchCovers and there is that USB port for connecting other input devices.
Is everyone going to have these all the time? No. But then failure to include
desktop for that reason would annoy me as much as when my elementary teachers
would say “If you didn’t bring enough for everyone, then you can’t have it in
class.” This isn’t the Soviet Union. To deny some a bit of functionality
because some will never use it is silly. The desktop is not essential to use
the device. It’s more of an extra. And it’s a welcomed addition.
The platform is
lacking in a number of big name apps. Which apps are missing that you might
find important will vary from user to user. Only start screen friendly apps
will work (outside the ones Microsoft includes). The apps that are missing that
bother me aren’t really available on any tablet platform. There’s no Visual
Studio (it would be nice to write and edit code on the go and then compile it
later on my Windows desktop). Steam doesn’t work on it. Adobe Premiere doesn’t
work. I can’t put Zune on it (leave me alone. I love the Zune desktop software
and I don’t care who knows it).
There were a few
surprises when I fired up Windows RT. A lot of my desktop computer’s settings
were brought over. The background image from my desktop was automatically
there. The picture I use for my lock screen was automatically brought over. And
these aren’t images that came with either OS. Using my LiveID/Windows ID/ whatever Microsoft is
calling their account program these days, it automatically brought over a
number of settings. It helps the device feel more personal and saved me the
time of setting up the device. The biggest cross-over surprise was the fact that
Internet Explorer brought over my frequently viewed sites and favorites. This
saved me the trouble of rebuilding my favorite list on the tablet.
Speaking of Internet
Explorer, it works pretty well. It’s pretty much what one would expect from the
Internet Explorer on their computer (Unless it’s an older version from when
Internet Explorer stunk like a skunk). I’ve heard of some websites not running
as advertised, but they’re few and far between. YouTube works. Hulu functions
pretty well. Flash seem to work well. No
promises that you won’t run into any sites that don’t work perfectly, but they’re
few and far between.
Battery
Surface RT comes
with a 31.5 W-h battery. In my experience, this is enough to power the device
for three days of moderate use and stand by time. How much the device is used
and what it’s used for will impact the battery life, but I’ve found the battery
life to be better than the average laptop. For those looking to replace their
laptop with a tablet, that’s a big plus.
Storage
Surface RT leaves a
bit to be desired at first glance when it comes to storage. It comes in 32GB
and 64GB flavors, but a portion of that is taken up by the operating system
itself and the applications, including Office. The 32GB model has about 16GB of
free space. It may leave a bit too little for some. However, unlike many other
tablets, there’s other ways to get more storage than to buy the larger
model. First, we have SkyDrive. I keep most of my Office documents on SkyDrive
so they don’t take up space on the Surface and also so I can access them on my
desktop and Windows Phone.
There’s also the
USB port. One can load up movies, pictures, and music on a flash drive, plug it
in, and go.
We also have the
microSDXC card slot. For about $70, one could add a 64GB microSDXC card and
instantly expand the amount of storage on the device. It costs $100 to go from
a 32GB iPad to a 64GB iPad. For $30 less, a Surface can increase its storage
size by twice as much and it can be done at any time, not just the point of
purchase. That’s extra nice if you’re new to tablets and not exactly sure how
much storage space you’ll need.
I’ve also found a
fourth way to increase the storage space of the Surface: Networked drives. I
can set my larger hard drive on my desktop computer that I use for media as a
network drive and easily get to it from my Surface. That added 1 TB of storage
to my Surface, at least when I’m at home. It does make it nice when I want to share
a video or something of that sort with someone in the household as I don’t have
to drag them to my computer. If you’re going to do this, make sure you’ve
secured your wireless network. The last thing anyone needs is their neighbor
snooping around their files.
Who would benefit
from Surface?
Surface is great for
a wide audience. I could see this being THE device for a college student. With
Office preloaded, the ability to use flash drives, printers, and the cloud to
share and print documents, a compact form factor, the ability to connect a
keyboard, and an almost fully functional web browser, it’s a great device for
students. The fact that the operating system is familiar means those that aren’t
tech savvy will feel comfortable. Movie lovers will benefit from the fact that
the display is great and can be connected to a larger screen. Those just
looking for a computer to do some basic work will enjoy Surface.
The only crowd that
should possibly consider another tablet is the crowd that’s heavily invested in
the Apple ecosystem. There’s no support for iCloud, it loses that level of
familiarity if you’re used to Mac OS and iOS, and it might require the
repurchase of some apps that you regularly use.
Summary
The thing that
amazed me most about Surface RT is how complete it happens to be. It looks and
feels like Windows 8 to the point where it’s hard to tell it’s not Windows 8. Microsoft
didn’t limit the OS based on the fact that not everyone would be using it with
a TouchCover/TypeCover or mouse and keyboard all the time. That means it has
functionality that other tablets who limit themselves will never have. The same
goes for the fact that they included so many ports. There aren’t many tablets
out there that I could also use to charge my cell phone or install a microSDXC
card.
Sure, Microsoft
ruffled some feathers when they decided to release Surface. Acer CEO JT Wang
said it would hurt the ecosystem and said that it’s something that Microsoft
has never been good at (but then Acer’s never been great at building computers
either). But this is a beautiful device. It’s a solid device. The other
companies out there that make Windows computers should take a few pages out of
the Surface playbook. Microsoft didn’t use cheap materials or cut a bunch of
corners. If all desktop computers were built with the care and attention to detail that was applied to Surface RT, I wouldn't feel the need to build my own.
If nothing else,
Microsoft has changed the game when it comes to Windows computers. Many say
that Apple products have better quality. Surface RT makes most Apple products
look like children’s toys. I’ve been waiting for a Windows tablet of this
quality. Previous tablets running Windows left plenty to be desired. Windows RT
brings the operating system to the point where it feels like it’s in the right
environment on a tablet. The build of the tablet is the perfect mate for the
OS. Wang said Microsoft has never been good at this sort of thing. Well, if
they weren’t before, they are now.
