Tough Choice: Surface 2 64gb OR Surface Pro (original)

[Eren68]

Well, there you have it. Someone loves me. I was all set to buy myself the RT but I'm being treated to a Surface Pro as a gift.

Please, tell me would you take the original Pro 128gb, or opt for the Surface 2 with 64gb ? The payment is waiting to be made, pending my choice. For many, this would be a simple choice and they'd plum for the Pro, but it doesn't have Office, and I can reach all .exe's via Remote Desktop Manager.

I'm REALLY stuck !! In a good way obviously :smile:

Thanks.

 

[jaimeastin]

It is a tough choice. You seem to understand the two devices. Both times I could have purchased a pro or the pro 2, I chose the rt and now the surface 2... I have not really found the need for a pro that o would not rather do on my xps13. I remote to my desktop or servers from my surface and it does pretty much all I need to do while mobile or stationary.

Now that my girlfriend has a venue 11, I do think it is nice. I like that I could install anything I wanted, but windows rt is so stable and secure. I believe it is remarkable for mobile computing.

The surface 2 is lighter, does not get hot or will overheat in a bag if it awoke, can be used in all fashions as a pro... It is a my fav tablet out my previous iPad and my current nexus7.

Now the pro, you could install anything on it. Outside of working applications, I would love to install steam ok a pro foe mobile and docked playing on any ttv. I currently do play games on my surface 2 with an Xbox controller, so the pro would have more games. I am a programmer and I am also back in school... My surface 2 fits all my bills. I only use my ultrabook foe big projects or heavy productive work... Bur I have doe the same on my surface. Weather by remote desktop or on the surface 2.

My bet is on the 2...

 

[unstoppablekem]

They are both great! If you have a PC already, even a desktop, I suggest the Surface 2. If you don't, I suggest the original Pro.

 

[WanderingTraveler]

You can RDP? Surface 2 for you!

 

[MDak280]

Lucky you! I've been saving up to buy a Surface for a while now Here's a quick pros/cons list.

Surface 2 (only comes in white/silver):
Pros - Battery life, thinner/lighter, better front facing camera, full Office
Cons - Can't run legacy programs, not as powerful, less storage

Surface Pro (only comes in black):
Pros - Full Windows 8 pro, very powerful, double storage, Wacom pressure sensitive digitizer + stylus
Cons - Battery life, no Office, thicker/heavier

It all depends on what you need. I am going to buy the Surface 2 because I am a student and Office is really the only program that I need to run. Not to mention the extra battery life, and it's cheaper (didn't mention that since you are receiving this as a gift). The digitizer is a nice plus for the Pro, but it's not a deal breaker for me because I am not an artist.

Congrats on whichever Surface you decide on

 

[Eren68]

Can't thank you all enough for your feedback. My much better half has even twisted my arm in accepting a purple Type Cover 2 to go along with my Surface 2 . Everything I have read above makes perfect sense and I'm so pleased she didn't order the Pro in my absence. Surface 2 for me !!

Best regards and thanks to all. :smile:

 

[christenmartin]

You will like it. I have been nothing but impressed with the surface 2. If it was another tablet, it would have went back!

 

[HeyCori]

Even though the original Pro is a processing beast, its weight and poor battery life is a turn off to me.

 

[Eren68]

Yes, my 3 main concerns about the Pro were the lack of Office, weight and heat. I've done the reviews and looked at both good and bad, but WPCentral is where I really take note. As I'm a Windows Phone user, I trust the advice on this forum above any half baked comment on Youtube, and I happen to like Microsoft products.

I just happen to like them more when I get a free Windows Store voucher worth ?25 and a 2 year warranty included in the normal price. It's being delivered on Monday and I can't wait to get it. Micro SD card ordered via Amazon Prime, so that'll be here Monday too. :smile:

From a maintainance point of view, with a 2 year warranty I don't really care how difficult these devices are to open when compared to the RT, as I won't be the one doing the opening, should any problems arise further down the line.

I really do appreciate all the comments, they've helped me immensely.

 

[hagjohn]

If you don't need to run desktop apps, I would suggest getting Surface 2.

 

[angusdegraosta]

I have been thoroughly digging Surface 2... I have a laptop too though.

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

I actually just got a Surface Pro(OG) on Friday
I owned the Surface RT and i was going to get a Surface 2 with my boyfriend but they were sold out for me.

In all honesty, I love windows rt and i think the software is great and just needs a little bit better execution but i am glad to see you opted for the Pro. Since owning the pro and using full windows, it is definitely night and day using Windows 8.1 vs windows 8.1 rt.

Yeah i don't need to download a crap ton of apps or software but it is so good to have the option. I do was worried about the lack of office but tbh, I can just sell my OG surface and get my own office licence

And like you said, the $25 credit makes it even sweeter lol I already had $80 credit voucher from buying to Nokia devices, so this definitely just expanded my microsoft wallet lol

Yes, my 3 main concerns about the Pro were the lack of Office, weight and heat. I've done the reviews and looked at both good and bad, but WPCentral is where I really take note. As I'm a Windows Phone user, I trust the advice on this forum above any half baked comment on Youtube, and I happen to like Microsoft products.

I just happen to like them more when I get a free Windows Store voucher worth ?25 and a 2 year warranty included in the normal price. It's being delivered on Monday and I can't wait to get it. Micro SD card ordered via Amazon Prime, so that'll be here Monday too. :smile:

From a maintainance point of view, with a 2 year warranty I don't really care how difficult these devices are to open when compared to the RT, as I won't be the one doing the opening, should any problems arise further down the line.

I really do appreciate all the comments, they've helped me immensely.

 

[sedo]

Well... I have the Surface 2 and I kinda love it as a concept. There are some issues with the actual execution but, hopefully, these will be ironed out by MS. One factor that you should take into account, in my opinion (and this is something I did not quite consider), namely that it is possible that in 99.9% of the cases the windows store software will do what you need, however, there are some cases where you cannot do something simply because no solution exists under RT. For example, I like to stream movies to my notebook while I am in bed and currently there is no video player that can stream mkv's over wifi. There is no full featured ftp client let alone server program etc.

I do not need these things on a daily basis, however, if you do need them no amount of hacking, tweaking, advanced user tricks etc. can help you. The 0.01% of the cases is why I would prefer to have a pro 2 now.

 

[11B1P]

You first need to look at the specs of both and pick the one that will do what you want it to. Then if they both meet your needs, obviously buy the newest you can afford. The newer hardware will offer a longer lifecycle.

 

[Eren68]

I think it's a case of whichever I got, I would be left wondering if I made the right choice, but I just need to factor in my lifestyle, and what I need it for.

The only legacy software I use productively are an FTP Client, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Microsoft Office. I already have laptops and desktops, so I didn't see the need for another PC in the form of a Surface Pro.

I also like to cycle and wanted something that I could throw into a backpack and still be able to carry on working from either one of two locations. So, with this in mind, I got the Surface 2 running RT. I have to say, the backlit Type keyboard will take some getting used to..... The mousePad in particular. I'm thinking maybe just invest in a wireless mouse. Problem solved :smile:

Having extensively tested Remote Desktop, the Surface 2 more than meets my needs, and I can still use the tablet for quiet and convenient study/films/music/games etc. What is also appealing, is there are zero moving parts. I understand why the Pro would need fans atc but when it's going to be thrown into a backpack, that's just begging for trouble.

I'm sure as my knowledge and familiarity of the device grows, I'll find more uses for it. All said, I'm well happy with my choice, and for me, it was the right one :smile:

 

[jaimeastin]

Yeah the wedge mouse or arc touch mouse are great choices. I have a wedge keyboard, but like to use my type cover more. The touch keyboard is what I keep on my surface daily as it is light and a good cover.

You will get the hang of it. There are just times when you need a laptop, but for the most part those times have dropped by half for me, including work. The surface has been a fantastic purchase for me.

 

[kristalsoldier]

I have been very surprised - pleasantly, I should add - with my Surface 2. While I do have a full-fledged Win 8 desktop machine at home, my go to device is now the Surface. I have found - to my surprise - that I rarely need to use so-called legacy apps when moving around. The entire package - weight, user experience, form factor etc. - has proved to be exactly what I need. I also find that the inclusion of Office has helped me a lot. But it would not have been a killer if it had not been as long as I could have used Office 365 (to which I am already subscribed) on it. But having it on is a bonus. I particularly like the SkyDrive integration, which works well across the Surface, my desktop machine and my Windows phone. The only stumbling block that I have faced thus far with the Surface is the lack of printer compatibility - while there is some, I would have like a much more comprehensive compatibility. But this is not something drastic as I always have a USB stick and there is always someplace or the other which can print stuff. I must also add, my shoulders and back thank me a lot because I am carrying much less weight than what I used to earlier. My work bag now contains an old fashioned diary (for the just in case scenarios), my iPad 4 (which will soon be replaced by an iPad Air) and my Surface 2 (which is never without its Purple Type 2 Cover!).

 

[GreatCanadian]

In my opinion it IS heavy for a tablet. But for me that's a worthwhile trade-off as Office is a must have for me. As for printers, what printer do you have? The Surface is pretty good at picking up just about any wireless printer.

 

[kristalsoldier]

In my opinion it IS heavy for a tablet. But for me that's a worthwhile trade-off as Office is a must have for me. As for printers, what printer do you have? The Surface is pretty good at picking up just about any wireless printer.

I don't think the Surface 2 is heavy at all. Rather, I think the iPad 4 feels much heavier, which is why I am going to sell it and get the Air. As for printers, I have a HP 3-1 ePrinter (3520).

 

[Matt J]

I originally had a Surface RT (which I enjoyed), but then upgraded to the Surface 2. To be quite frank, I quickly realised that I don't depend on "legacy applications" outside of MS Office (which comes with the Surface 2). Most of my work is covered by IE 11 and Office 2013. Adobe Reader works for my PDF just fine. PDF Creator Pro allows me to make PDFs. Note Anytime and Scrble are great for notes. Dropbox, Box, Skydrive, SugarSync and Evernote have the cloud covered. Skype has the videoconferencing covered. Kindle and Kobo have my books. Netflix and Crackle for entertainment... And Remote Desktop for the *rare* occasion of accessing a "legacy app", which is very, very, very rare. Heck, I even found an AutoCAD replacement (Back to the Drawing Board) in the Windows Store that works well for basic engineering drawing.

I never realised how good IE 11 was at rendering the web. So much better than anything on the iOS and Android for compatibility. Everything just works. Realistically, most mobile sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are better through IE 11 than the app (across all platforms). Flash sites work perfectly. As Microsoft keeps optimising IE 11, the experience just gets better.

Really, the Surface 2 can do 99% of what the Pro can do. Battery life is much better and, remember, the Pro is not "always on" like the Surface 2. I can also hook up to all the peripherals that I have thrown as it.

I say Surface 2.