Surface 2 or these new 8 in pro tablets?

[donebrasko]

These tablets are going for 299. Other than screen size, what other advantage would there be to go with the surface 2 (its still a rt).

 

[neo158]

Battery life is a big plus for Surface 2. No matter what others say, Intel can't create a low power processor that can beat ARM processors for power saving.

 

[Kebero]

Surface 2 is a more secure device. Also, the 8" tablets are not Windows 8 Professional, they are Windows 8 Core.

 

[TachyonicCargo]

Here are a handful more.

• Metal chassis (magnesium) versus plastic.
• Full-sized USB 3.0 port vs. having to purchase a separate dock for a full-sized USB port.
• Microsoft extras - in a page I think they are taking from Nokia, Surface 2 is getting tons of extras other tablets won't get:
  1. unlimited, free Skype for two years
  2. 200GB of SkyDrive storage for two years
  3. full Office 2013 suite (most tabs only offer the Student version)
  4. no doubt, more of that kind of stuff to come
• ability to upgrade beyond the standard functionality of a normal tablet/notebook via smart blades - the Surface Music Cover being the first in that line, but I can easily imagine tons of others that would either be useful, or fulfill an important niche . . . personally, I am hoping for a touch e-ink cover that works seamlessly with any book reading app in the Microsoft Store, so when I want to use Surface as a tablet, I am obviously covered, but when I want to do some serious reading, with no eyestrain, in direct sunlight, with very little draw on the battery, I'd be covered as well.

 

[jaimeastin]

Still getting surface. Skype calling will be used until the wheels fall off. Shoot, I have 25GB of SkyDrive, but will use a ton more, especially since you can select which files to actually save locally to each device. Full USB and micro HDMI ports are constantly in use by me and my surface rt now. Screen size and resolution is good on the surface in mobile and productive environment. Covers for the surface Re really underrated and available no where else .

Yeah, many other things. O can't wait to get my 64GB surface 2 next week.

 

[Dos101]

You get what you pay for. Yes those under $400 tablets run a full version of Windows 8, but you sacrifice build quality/design, possibly battery life, and overall experience (although this can vary from individual to individual). But, that's the beauty of competition, isn't it? Something for everyone.

 

[jason8957]

I am planning to get a Surface 2 next week, but these various 8.1 tablet launches have me thinking and comparing.

The best thing that I can compare is the coming Dell Venue 11 Pro, which is to launch at about $500.

• Windows 8.1
• Intel Atom CPU.
• 10.8, 1920 x 1200 (I think)
• Office home and student

The Surface 2 starts at $449,

• Windows RT
• NVIDIA Tegra 4.
• 10.8, 1920 x 1080
• Comes with a lot of software and Skydrive

I haven't seen available full options pricing on the Dell yet, but I am sure that when you add RAM, storage, cover, it goes up pretty fast in to Surface Pro 2 territory.

Not sure about full Windows on an Atom. I am afraid that it will be slow and I already have a good desktop anyway. Plus, I am thinking that full Windows will take up a bit more storage space and make me want to upgrade if I got the Dell (I don't know what it will launch with in the storage department). If you upgrade to core i5, the price will likely go up quite a bit.

I don't want to afford a Surface Pro 2, even though it looks nice. I am afraid if I went with the Dell, it would go up in a hurry past the entry pricing when I'd increase storage, RAM, and probably CPU, and then I'd be in the Surface Pro 2 boat that I don't need to be in and would be back to the Surface 2.

This is hard to compare without complete Dell pricing yet. Just going on a gut feel based on purchasing Dells in the past (and being horribly disappointed by one).... I'm still leaning Surface 2.

 

[Doctor Pork]

Battery life is a big plus for Surface 2. No matter what others say, Intel can't create a low power processor that can beat ARM processors for power saving.

You do realize that the MacBook air with haswell gets a quite similar battery life normalized for battery size as the iPad? Bay trail is significantly less power hungry...

 

[berty6294]

You do realize that the MacBook air with haswell gets a quite similar battery life normalized for battery size as the iPad? Bay trail is significantly less power hungry...

And that battery is significantly larger than the Surface's battery

 

[neo158]

You do realize that the MacBook air with haswell gets a quite similar battery life normalized for battery size as the iPad? Bay trail is significantly less power hungry...

Bay trail is still more power hungry than ARM based processors, there's a reason why ARM processors are used in mobile devices like smartphones and tablets!!

 

[navidee]

I am forgoing a Xbox one so I can save up for a surface 2 pro. My desktop was bought in 2006 and I use my phone for my daily needs. I am looking to get back into music production and be portable. And I refuse to buy a MacBook.

 

[bsd107]

Actually, no, the Surface 2 does NOT come with full Office 2013 suite. It comes with Office 2013 RT, which is basically equivalent to the Office 2013 Home & Student that comes with the 8" Bay Trail based tablets. And since the 8" tablets are running on Intel, that copy of Office is actually fully featured (e.g. the RT version cannot run macros or addins), and the copy on the Intel platform can be upgraded to the next versions of Office when they are released.

Also, don't forget to mention that the 8" Bay Trail tablets can run ANY Windows desktop apps, which is not possible on the Surface 2.

I'm currently also debating between the Surface 2 and one of the nice 8" tablets (Dell, Toshiba, Lenovo). I own a Surface Pro and really like the idea of the Surface 2, but I really wish that MS had put a Bay Trail chip in Surface 2 - that would make this device a no brainer. And don't tell me that MS couldn't have put Bay Trail in the Surface 2 chassis - if Asus can put it in the T100 for $350 (including a hardware keyboard!), MS could have done it in Surface 2.

 

[bsd107]

Not sure about full Windows on an Atom. I am afraid that it will be slow and I already have a good desktop anyway.

I understand and agree with your concerns. Just keep in mind that the Surface 2 is not going to be any faster than a Bay Trail. Both will be very slow compared to a Core i5 desktop. This does not mean that they are useful machines. The iPad is just as "limited" in horsepower, yet people do a lot of stuff on those devices, too.

I have to say that playing around with the Surface RT in stores, I've found that it seemed to perform well enough with light tasks (e.g. Office, web browsing, etch) as long as you had iPad-like expectations for speed. Yes, the Surface 2 and Bay Trail tablets will be faster than the first gen Surface RT, but don't expect desktop (or laptop!) type performance.

I think the key is to have the right expectations.

 

[KoukiFC3S]

I understand and agree with your concerns. Just keep in mind that the Surface 2 is not going to be any faster than a Bay Trail. Both will be very slow compared to a Core i5 desktop. This does not mean that they are useful machines. The iPad is just as "limited" in horsepower, yet people do a lot of stuff on those devices, too.

I have to say that playing around with the Surface RT in stores, I've found that it seemed to perform well enough with light tasks (e.g. Office, web browsing, etch) as long as you had iPad-like expectations for speed. Yes, the Surface 2 and Bay Trail tablets will be faster than the first gen Surface RT, but don't expect desktop (or laptop!) type performance.

I think the key is to have the right expectations.

The Surface 2 sure seems to benchmark better according to the Anandtech reviews. I wonder if that will apply to real life performance? Either way I am really happy with my Surface 2.

 

[timanderson]

Actually, no, the Surface 2 does NOT come with full Office 2013 suite. It comes with Office 2013 RT, which is basically equivalent to the Office 2013 Home & Student that comes with the 8" Bay Trail based tablets. And since the 8" tablets are running on Intel, that copy of Office is actually fully featured (e.g. the RT version cannot run macros or addins), and the copy on the Intel platform can be upgraded to the next versions of Office when they are released.

Correct on macros and VBA, but Office 2013 RT has Outlook which is hugely important if you use Exchange or Office 365.

I own a Surface Pro and really like the idea of the Surface 2, but I really wish that MS had put a Bay Trail chip in Surface 2 - that would make this device a no brainer. And don't tell me that MS couldn't have put Bay Trail in the Surface 2 chassis - if Asus can put it in the T100 for $350 (including a hardware keyboard!), MS could have done it in Surface 2.

One of the reasons I suspect is that Surface 2 with RT is a different concept, more appliance-like. If you could install x86 desktop applications it would be just another Windows device, more vulnerable to malware, and more likely to get broken by some wretched 3rd-party toolbar or rubbish like that. I am sure you are clued up enough to know how to manage Windows but the majority are not, from what I see. Windows RT puts all that behind you.

Tim

 

[timanderson]

The Surface 2 sure seems to benchmark better according to the Anandtech reviews. I wonder if that will apply to real life performance? Either way I am really happy with my Surface 2.

In my tests it is roughly 4x Surface RT for graphics and more than twice as fast for general processing.

Tim

 

[neo158]

Correct on macros and VBA, but Office 2013 RT has Outlook which is hugely important if you use Exchange or Office 365.

Exactly, It doesn't have the "For non commercial use only" marking now which makes it more of an equivalent to Office Home & Business 2013 than Home & Student 2013.

One of the reasons I suspect is that Surface 2 with RT is a different concept, more appliance-like. If you could install x86 desktop applications it would be just another Windows device, more vulnerable to malware, and more likely to get broken by some wretched 3rd-party toolbar or rubbish like that. I am sure you are clued up enough to know how to manage Windows but the majority are not, from what I see. Windows RT puts all that behind you.

Tim

There's also one other reason, if they put Bay Trail into Surface 2 then who would buy the Surface Pro 2!!