I want your honest opinion on the Surface RT

v10type-r

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So I am looking at picking up the 64GB Surface RT. I think the Hardware is beautiful and being a WP user I am wanting another MS product to nicely compliment my L920.

I've seen so many mixed reviews on the Surface and Windows RT in general. Mainly lack of apps being the biggest flaw, but to me, I don't care about that so much. I have lived with my WP and have all that I need/want in apps, plus the MS apps will only gets better and stronger as time passes.

I don't need a laptop replacement, I don't need to install programs on the Surface. I have a pretty high spec'd PC that I use at home for big tasks etc.

I want a tablet for ease of access, quick searches on the internet, checking email, watching videos and for games with my toddler.

I think the Surface RT fits my needs, but all the reviews on "sluggish performace" with the Tegra 3 make me second guess my decision, especially when it comes to longevity of the device. I don't want it to become so slow and obsolete in 6 months to a year.

I've had the Surface in my online shopping cart for a week now, and still haven't pulled the trigger.

Can you ppl who have the RT please chime in on your experiences? ease of use? bugs? sluggish performance? Pros and Cons?

I want the 64GB version since I read that the 32GB really only has about 15GB once delivered with OS installed. Plus if I can add another 64GB microsdxc I will have a 128GB RT tablet which is pretty sweet.
 

ealexand#CB

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I don't have tome to go into full detail here. But the TL;DR is I really enjoy mine. It can't replace my main computer. But is is definitely enough for my main work travel/consumption/couch browsing/on the go machine.

Apps are coming in slowly but surely. The browser is good enough to make up the difference for now. Office and the touch cover are definite pluses. I haven't noticed any sustained sluggishness. Only when my girlfriend leaves 7-10 apps open. I notice a little hesitation between app switching. thats about it. I actually think msft should tout multi-user support on this. It's really great. I have been using remote desktop extensively for work and that is great too. There's definitely a learning curve for the gestures, but once you have them down it's really fast to multitask. I thought about waiting for the pro, but the price difference and the fact that i don't really need legacy apps made this the right choice for me.
 

gudnuf4u

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Hi,
I own a Surface for a month now and I say its a great tablet for daily use ...I have not seen any lagging except when my wife decides to open like 10-12 tabs on IE and have multiple apps in the background ....the one thing I really like about the Surface is the ability to connect to my home network and able to see my Attached Storages is a huge plus without having to download any apps ...the lack in apps compare to IOS and Andriod doesn't really hurt me since I don't use all the apps in the Store anyway ....

For the reviews online with the slugginess of the system...the last patch/firmware update MS had fixed a lot of slugginess from the system especially with IE and Mulit-tasking

The integration with SkyDrive, SKYPE and Windows Phone 8 is fantastic ....the gestures to executes to share something does take a learning curve, but it's not so difficult where you need to spend hours to learn it .....for example, if you're browsing pictures from your library and want to share via Email or Skydrive, just use the Charm Share icon and select email or SkyDrive...it'll automatically upload once the selection is made .....the same can be said when you're in the SkyDrive app...just click on the Charm Share icon and select the person you want to share with and it'll send an email notification to that person

The default video player plays pretty much most standards AVI videos but I'm still waiting for an MKV player ...I stream all my AVI files from my Network storage and works really good...if you stream from a Network, the video will need to buffer for a bit, but once it does ..it's awesome

Overall, my wife says this tablet beats out the iPads and Andriods in functionalities but lacks in Apps isn't a real bummer....for all the people that say Apple and Andriod has Openoffice and Quickoffice to compare to MS Office ....good luck with correct formats and Excel functionalities when you convert them over

And the ability with full USB integration is awesome...add that with Micro HDMI and it's a winner ...I showed my co-workers who had his iPad at work that I can read my work email using my Smart Card when I'm not at my desk, he was really surprised since now I don't need to bring my laptop on work travel

if you have any questions, just reply here and I'll answer them
 

Highdefjunkie

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"I think the Surface RT fits my needs, but all the reviews on "sluggish performace" with the Tegra 3 make me second guess my decision, especially when it comes to longevity of the device. I don't want it to become so slow and obsolete in 6 months to a year."

It's not sluggish by any means. Esp with the update two weeks ago. I had mine for three weeks and love the **** out of it.
 

Skaughtto

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Pro:
Modern UI - Once you learn all the touch commands, it works smoothly. Customizable, but has it's limits.
MS Office - The #1 reason to get the Surface. Works very well for creating, editing and viewing documents.
TouchCover - Slim, doesn't take long to get used to. Integrated touchpad.
microHDMI - Works well with generic cables for hooking up to TVs and monitors.
Remote Desktop - Works smoothly. Allows me to control my PC and view flash content via the Surface.
Build Quality - Feels solid, like a business grade ThinkPad. Much less dainty than an iPad.
Netflix - Smooth, works like it should.
News & Sports Apps - Great for catching up on events without having to go to a deskop or laptop.
Charms Menu - Easy place to find settings, seach, change options.

Middle:
Classic Desktop
- I like having it, but I wish MS would have moved away from it with WinRT. Not touchscreen optimized, but ok.
microSD slot - It's great to be able to add storage space, but I wish the device itself handled it better without user modifications.
Mail & Calendar Apps - I'm connected to Exchange, Live, Gmail and Yahoo, all work well.
SkyDrive - I love it, but why isn't it integrated into the classic desktop? Having to manually map it was disappointing.
Games - They run well enough, but do lag at times even if they are the only app open.
IE10 - Works quickly most of the time, but doesn't recognize a lot of mouseover menus. Can't navigate pages while they are loading.
Marketplace - Apps could be easier to find, needs a search by publisher. Microsoft needs to develop more.

Con:
Flash Whitelist - The average user isn't going to like it. Not a deal breaker for me, but is a pain sometimes.
1mp Camera - Good for video, don't use it for taking photos. My Lumia 710 is higher quality.
People App - Not a good way to view social networking feeds. Lots of wasted space, slow to navigate.
WP7.8 Compatibility - The Surface will charge your phone, that's it.
 

gudnuf4u

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Having flash built in is great, but the white list is a pain if you're going to non approved websites....but there is a hack for that and works great....just add the website to the list and good to go....i haven't experience side effects by adding a few websites yet
 

NickA

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The whole sluggish thing is blown out of proportion. Like a few other posters have said; it's slows down a bit when you have a lot of applications open. Some might say the Modern UI is a pro, but for me it's a con. I hate the constant jumping in and out of the desktop. I upgraded my laptop to Windows 8 and have the same gripe.

Anyway, it's a very capable tablet, and will easily suite your needs. I got mine on release day, knowing I was going to get a 920 when it was released. I basically wanted to see how being in the MS ecosystem fully would be, and it's not too bad.

Just being curious, but did you think about an iPad? I'm pretty agnostic when it comes to phones and tablets, and I"m not an Apple hater like some are. Anyway, I still reach for my iPad a lot. The size is nice, and it's easy to grab and start using when I want to search something, or check and fire off a quick e-mail. And to me it seems quicker. Well, more responsive is a better word. I find myself using the Surface more when I need to use remote desktop, or write a lengthy e-mail. And the biggest reason I'll reach for the Surface is Office. Like someone said, Docs to Go is not an Office replacement, I don't care what Android/iOS users say. There is nothing like having the full Office suite, with all the features available to you.
 

v10type-r

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I'm not much of an Apple lover in all honesty. I never hated them or disliked their products until a friend of mine who is a major apple ****** made some comments which really made me not want to purchase any Apple products.

I don't want to be associated with him in that way and I would never want to give him the satisfaction of saying "i told you so". iPads are nice, my dad has one and my in-laws are also pretty entrenched in the Apple brand. But I just find them boring, the UI is getting old to me.

Plus I have a Lumia 920 and my wife has a Lumia 900 (soon to be 8X or ATIV-S) and having a tablet that syncs with our phones will be quite welcomed I think.
 
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NickA

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I'm not much of an Apple lover in all honesty. I never hated them or disliked their products until a friend of mine who is a major apple ****** made some comments which really made me not want to purchase an Apple.

I feel the same sometimes. When I visit iMore.com, and read some of the stuff, it really makes me not want to be associated with Apple because of the way some of the users are.

Anyway, no doubt you'll be happy with the Surface purchase.
 

paulm187

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So I am looking at picking up the 64GB Surface RT. I think the Hardware is beautiful and being a WP user I am wanting another MS product to nicely compliment my L920.

The hardware is indeed nice and the 64GB version is the best choice if you can afford it. It will nicely compliment your Windows Phone and if you are already in the Microsoft eco-system. However be warned that this is still a version 1 product and there have been some minor issues reported. One such issue is an annoying sound muting problem and some touch covers splitting at the seams. Strangely enough the solution for both issues is to replace the touch cover. I've used the Surface RT for a while now and the only issue I've had was with the sound but so far hasn't re-appeared. The hardware to me seems solid.

I've seen so many mixed reviews on the Surface and Windows RT in general. Mainly lack of apps being the biggest flaw, but to me, I don't care about that so much. I have lived with my WP and have all that I need/want in apps, plus the MS apps will only gets better and stronger as time passes.

The lack of apps is the biggest issue but is expected with Windows RT which is basically starting from zero. At the moment the market place is filling at the rate of 300+ apps per day but the real question is whether the apps you care about are there. If you are like me and not crazy about apps then you will be fine. One great advantage of Windows "Modern UI" is that you can simply pin the website to your start screen. This nicely fills in the need for any missing apps. I hope when developers take full advantage of this, the pinned sites can even Live update like the Live apps. The mixed reviews are mainly because people are trying to categorise the device and comparing it to an iPad or a full laptop. Well, its neither an iPad nor a laptop but sits somewhere in between. It should be taken for what it is - a tablet device while also providing some laptop like functions. Put it this way, if one was to review an iPad based around a Surface it will fail miserably.


I don't need a laptop replacement, I don't need to install programs on the Surface. I have a pretty high spec'd PC that I use at home for big tasks etc.

As you know, desktop apps cannot be installed on Windows RT. However, the Surface RT is essentially the future of Windows as all new "modern UI apps" compiled for ARM will run on this machine. The only question is how far will ARM based devices go with Windows RT? Intel is hot on its heels with Clover Trail based tablets which can run the full x86 Windows 8 experience and nearly match ARMs battery performance.


I want a tablet for ease of access, quick searches on the internet, checking email, watching videos and for games with my toddler.

It can do all of the above and more but be warned if any sites are Flash based, then it will only work if its on a white-list. There is however a hack which can be used to add sites to the list but I haven't tried it yet.

I think the Surface RT fits my needs, but all the reviews on "sluggish performace" with the Tegra 3 make me second guess my decision, especially when it comes to longevity of the device. I don't want it to become so slow and obsolete in 6 months to a year.

At times I have noticed some sluggish performance, however I don't think this is down to the Tegra 3 SoC but rather the software still has some way to go for best performance on ARM. Remember, this is the first ever Windows running on ARM so there is still some way to go for optimised drivers and performance. My hope is that Microsoft will continue to release firmware and device updates to improve the performance on this device. If you buy the Surface RT, make sure you run a Windows Update as there is already a firmware and many updates for the built-in apps in the App Store which fixes some problems which I doubt was available when the reviews were published. One major point to take note - The Surface RT is classed as a device - meaning if Microsoft release Windows 9 you cant simply purchase and upgrade it unless it is pushed through Windows Update for Windows RT. However the good news is that Microsoft has committed to support the device through to April 2017.

I've had the Surface in my online shopping cart for a week now, and still haven't pulled the trigger
.

This is completely your decision, I made up my mind to purchase a Surface RT right from the get go - for good or for bad. As long as the hardware is great, I was happy to be an early adopter as I know the software will only improve over time. I'm happy to report the hardware is SOLID.

Can you ppl who have the RT please chime in on your experiences? ease of use? bugs? sluggish performance? Pros and Cons?

Pros

  • Great hardware
  • Love the touch type cover (although you don't need it all, the soft keyboard is great)
  • Love the kick stand
  • USB port
  • Dual monitor support
  • Can "air-play" music and videos to and from Xbox 360
  • Support for other devices - I can print from my Surface to my printer. Although I didn't find the exact match, a close enough driver does the job. I use my Xbox 360 controller to play games.
  • SD card slot to expand your storage capacity
  • Can multi-task between two apps, great for watching a video, listening to music while working on an e-mail or browsing
  • Microsoft Office 2013
  • Remote Desktop/Apps - I can basically work from my Surface RT without needing a PC or Laptop.
  • Great for watching movies on a 10.6" screen.

Cons

  • Noticeable sluggishness sometimes while switching between apps
  • Strange muting problem although it has gone away for now
  • Hack needed to make use of the SD card to add to your media library
  • Flash won't work on sites not white listed
  • No Silverlight support - baffling
  • Reports of the Windows Logo at the back fading away, I can see if I look very hard that a small bit of the logo's corner has faded away. I think this is a result of my next point
  • Easy smudges on the back which results in wiping to keep it clean, I am now avoiding the logo and looking for a transparent protective sticker to put over it.
  • There is still some Windows weirdness - yes those problems mysteriously solved by a reboot...sigh. However since the updates I have hardly rebooted it.
  • Desktop - why is it even there? Because Windows 8/RT is not finished. There are some options for which you do need the desktop like advanced settings but the times you use them is few and far between. Besides, the Office team didn't have time to make a Modern UI version of Office for Windows RT. I personally think Windows RT shouldn't ship with a desktop and all options should be made available in the Modern UI.
  • Built-in apps - they are not great especially the mail app but hopefully will be getting better.
  • Slightly heavier than an iPad 2
  • Portrait mode feels awkward.


I want the 64GB version since I read that the 32GB really only has about 15GB once delivered with OS installed. Plus if I can add another 64GB microsdxc I will have a 128GB RT tablet which is pretty sweet.

Yes, get the 64GB version and monitor usage to determine if you do need the expansion. For me personally after a long hard look I have decided I don't need an SD card for my 64GB Surface RT since most of my Music and Video is delivered over the cloud. I don't have to carry all that stuff with me and only sync what I listen to the most and the odd movie or two I want to watch. The Windows OS + Office + Built-in apps make up 8GB, about 5GB is taken for the recovery tools and partition so even on a 32GB Surface RT you still have 16GB free. But its nice to know that I have that option to expand to 128GB which is indeed sweet.

So overall, I'm happy with my purchase and the bits that annoy me are software related especially the built-in apps - Mail, Calendar, People, Xbox Music. I have the same complaint on my Windows 8 PC so its not strictly Surface related. But bear in mind that this is no iPad which sacrifices customisation and features for ease of use. And this is no laptop which sacrifices ease of use for customisation and features. The Surface sits somewhere in between and gives a great tablet experience and the usability of a productivity device.
 
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VidJuhEffex

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I love the surface but will disagree with a few points above.

The Desktop should (and hopefully is) here to stay. It is the best file management system and it would be pointless to reinvent the wheel.
 

Coreldan

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I love the surface but will disagree with a few points above.

The Desktop should (and hopefully is) here to stay. It is the best file management system and it would be pointless to reinvent the wheel.


This, the lack of desktop would've been a big downside for me and may have even lead to me not purchasing the thing. Although I think I would've but it's just a netgain here regardless and wouldnt give it up even if you paid me.
 

rich4A1

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I have owned my Surface RT for a month. In most cases it runs smoothly, but the sluggish responses did occur couple times, mostly when opening games and viewing the Windows Store. Office also takes a little while to launch, but mostly for a reasonable wait,except that one time I needed to open a huge PowerPoint file on my SkyDrive.

So far it mostly replaces my laptop at home, particularly enjoy using my Surface in bed. BTW the new PowerPoint is very nice for a real presentation. Only three features I rely on my laptop are Flash player on some websites, playing Amazon Instant Videos on TV (since I have't got the HDMI adapter), and the easy access to Bing Rewards. Desktop IE makes Surface a nice device for watching Amazon Instant Videos in bed. And why is that I can't pin desktop IE to the Start Screen?
 

badMojo69

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If you need something now (and I have both) I'm telling you buy and iPad now.
Why buy an iPad now you ask, because the RT OS isn't ready yet and in 6 months you'll be able to sell your iPad for $100 less than you paid for it.
So you get to have your cake and eat it to.
 

v10type-r

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I won't buy an iPad, I have now had a chance to play with the Asus VivoTab RT and the Samsung 500T. I actually liked the 500T, except for the fact that the Canadian Version is a rip off compared to the US version. No dock, no digitizer, only 5 pt touch vs 10 in US and no includes stylus.

I actually chatted online with a MS store person and they to my surprise recommended to get the Samsung 500T over the Surface.

I'm not really sold on that suggestion considering it is a bit more costly than the 64GB Surface and doesn't come with a keyboard dock which would add quite a bit to its price tag.
 
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StevesBalls

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The honest opinion is that the Surface RT is not yet what it should be. Either wait for the Pro version or get a x86 based system. If you look past the ****** love, there really is no good enough reason to get the RT right now.
 

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