Microsoft Surface

[Jaketh]

Microsoft.com

Engadget

Difference between models


I've been conflicted on whether getting an Android tablet or wait for a Windows 8 tablet and after seeing those babies on Engadget today i think i'll hold off for the Surface Pro release. What do you guys think about these tablets?

[the_mango55]

Looks good, but don't expect the Surface Pro to be priced anywhere comparable to android tablets. I'd expect at least 8-9 hundred for the pro. It's not a media consumption tablet like an ipad or android tablet, it's an ultrabook in tablet form.

The windows RT model will be more comparable in price and specs to popular tablets today.

[Bolkonsky]

Surface Pro will be useless. Overpriced, and incapable of doing anything Android can't current do. Go with a Transformer Prime, honestly.

[DisgruntledGoat]

Surface Pro will be useless. Overpriced, and incapable of doing anything Android can't current do. Go with a Transformer Prime, honestly.

Ivy Bridge Core i5 (likely 1.8GHz), 128GB SSD and unknown GPU (likely Intel) and RAM (probably 4GB). But useless? Incapable of doing anything Android can't do? Its running full Windows 8 which means access to Microsoft Office, Photoshop, and any other software that runs in a windows environment. It has stylus input and what looks like an amazing keyboard and touch pad. Its a Microsoft Ultrabook that is smaller and lighter than most ultrabooks on the market. Its not a tablet and isn't competing with them its clearly going after the MacBook Air and current ultralight Ultrabooks.

[AqD]

Ivy Bridge Core i5 (likely 1.8GHz), 128GB SSD and unknown GPU (likely Intel) and RAM (probably 4GB). But useless? Incapable of doing anything Android can't do? Its running full Windows 8 which means access to Microsoft Office, Photoshop, and any other software that runs in a windows environment. It has stylus input and what looks like an amazing keyboard and touch pad. Its a Microsoft Ultrabook that is smaller and lighter than most ultrabooks on the market. Its not a tablet and isn't competing with them its clearly going after the MacBook Air and current ultralight Ultrabooks.

Why would anyone want to use Office or Photoshop with a tiny screen and a tiny keyboard? It would neither be comfortable nor efficient at all.


BTW a lot of people who bought Ultrabook or MacBook Air should really buy tablet instead....

[DisgruntledGoat]

Why would anyone want to use Office or Photoshop with a tiny screen and a tiny keyboard? It would neither be comfortable nor efficient at all.

Ah... With a stylus and 1920x1080 screen photoshop would be fully functional. It would be more than comfortable and just as efficient as one would expect for something that is not a workstation. Obviously you aren't gonna do major work on it, no one would but I was using it as an example of the software that can be used in such an environment.

BTW a lot of people who bought Ultrabook or MacBook Air should really buy tablet instead....

Yes they should. Just like many people who might buy the Surface Pro should probably get the RT instead. That does not make the Pro less functional somehow. Its called a Pro because it is targeting professional use I.E. workplaces. As an Engineer the Pro is an ideal tablet for my work place in the field or in the office. It will have way more functionality than any Ipad or Android tablet. Its ideally suited for an office environment.

[the_mango55]

Surface Pro will be useless. Overpriced, and incapable of doing anything Android can't current do. Go with a Transformer Prime, honestly.

Android tablets can run windows applications? News to me.

[Bolkonsky]

Android tablets can run windows applications? News to me.

Computers run Windows applications. Any Windows app on a tablet will be utter garbage. It's a gimmick.

Tablet apps will be developed for RT. Not Windows 8.

[the_mango55]

It's no more a gimmick than a Macbook Air or any other ultrabook.

[Bolkonsky]

Except that those have keyboards. And are ultimately overpriced gimmicks. Tablets will perform tablet functions. PC's will perform PC functions. It's not gonna change any time soon, as much as people want to embrace the Post-PC era. Production will never be good on tablets. At least not with their current input system.

[DisgruntledGoat]

Except that those have keyboards. And are ultimately overpriced gimmicks. Tablets will perform tablet functions. PC's will perform PC functions. It's not gonna change any time soon, as much as people want to embrace the Post-PC era. Production will never be good on tablets. At least not with their current input system.

Except the Surface has a keyboard. Oh and that PRESSURE SENSITIVE STYLUS!

You are obviously failing to see the mobile productivity trend in business and industry. Companies are screaming for it and have been buying IPads only to find out they are useless to their employees. As an engineer the surface presents a huge leap forward and with stylus input the leap is even bigger. I can now access my companies wireless networks to perform work in the field with a handheld device. Access drawing databases, make drawing revisions, call up equipment information all in the field. You can't do that yet unless you lug out a laptop which is far more difficult in that situation than a tablet will be.

[Bolkonsky]

Except the Surface has a keyboard. Oh and that PRESSURE SENSITIVE STYLUS!

You are obviously failing to see the mobile productivity trend in business and industry. Companies are screaming for it and have been buying IPads only to find out they are useless to their employees. As an engineer the surface presents a huge leap forward and with stylus input the leap is even bigger. I can now access my companies wireless networks to perform work in the field with a handheld device. Access drawing databases, make drawing revisions, call up equipment information all in the field. You can't do that yet unless you lug out a laptop which is far more difficult in that situation than a tablet will be.

No I see the point of tablets - though they're far more consumer based than production based. I don't see the point of running Windows 8 PC on a tablet. The UI and functions will primarily be PC based.

A stylus is still not as sensitive as a mouse, either. I have two tablets, I have a stylus, I have keyboards that can plug into them, I like them for what they are, but they aren't PC replacements and they won't be. Even if you put Windows 8 on them. Applications won't be, or very few will be, designed from the ground up for tablets. Those will be the Windows 8 RT applications.

[DisgruntledGoat]

No I see the point of tablets - though they're far more consumer based than production based. I don't see the point of running Windows 8 PC on a tablet. The UI and functions will primarily be PC based.

Except that Windows 8 Pro is designed to be run on a touch screen that is the whole point behind this. MS has created Windows 8 for tablets and touchscreens, they see where the world is heading. Windows 8, running on a PC with a keyboard and mouse is a secondary function for the OS. Its not its primary target.

A stylus is still not as sensitive as a mouse, either. I have two tablets, I have a stylus, I have keyboards that can plug into them, I like them for what they are, but they aren't PC replacements and they won't be. Even if you put Windows 8 on them. Applications won't be, or very few will be, designed from the ground up for tablets. Those will be the Windows 8 RT applications.

The stylus crap that is out for tablets now are glorified finger replacements. With the correct stylus (such as those built by Wacom) you have a very very high level of accuracy. Assuming MS uses one it will be golden. This thing could become a mobile Wacom Cintiq!

You seem hung up on this "designed for tablet software." You do realize that a lot of software out there RIGHT NOW runs on touch screens as primary input. Pretty much all content creation software works the same if not better in touch/stylus modes such as photoshop, SolidEdge/SolidWorks, 3D creation software such as ZBrush of 3D Studio. The benefits of running a Windows environment, designed for use on touchscreens on a tablet are HUGE for people using that kind of software.

Additionally, no one is calling this a workstation replacement. Its a supplemental thing, something you take on the road with you or out into the field.

[The Hedge Knight]

Im not sure I agree with you guys on the price. Tablets are clearly a market ms wants to beak into so is likely they will sell these at a loss as they did with the origbal xboxes simply to break into the market. They also clearly dont need to pay a license for th os unlike other manufacturers.

Also this clearly has an attachable keyboard Bolk (if we are really lucky it may have usb ports...) so I cannot see the problem there... As for power arm is clearly making gains on low end lightweight pcs so I cannot really see that as a problem. One doesnt buy a talet for 3d rendering anyway, its for portability and I am confident programs could be adapted to match that.

In other news apple have declared fat the new thin.

Also excuse my spelling, I agree tablet onscreen keyboards are errible...

[the_mango55]

Im not sure I agree with you guys on the price. Tablets are clearly a market ms wants to beak into so is likely they will sell these at a loss as they did with the origbal xboxes simply to break into the market. They also clearly dont need to pay a license for th os unlike other manufacturers.

Also this clearly has an attachable keyboard Bolk (if we are really lucky it may have usb ports...) so I cannot see the problem there... As for power arm is clearly making gains on low end lightweight pcs so I cannot really see that as a problem. One doesnt buy a talet for 3d rendering anyway, its for portability and I am confident programs could be adapted to match that.

In other news apple have declared fat the new thin.

Also excuse my spelling, I agree tablet onscreen keyboards are errible...

They won't sell these at a loss because they would be killing their own business in multiple ways.

First, they wont be making any profit selling the device itself, and second if they sell this at a loss nobody would even consider buying a windows rt tablet from Samsung, dell, acer, asus, hp, or any other manufacturer. That means they wont get the money from selling windows licenses either (which is what made microsoft so successful in the first place)

It is vital to their business strategy that they price these tablets similarly to other windows tablets.

[So Much Fire]

I'd honestly take a tablet that will run Photoshop. Doesn't mean much to many folks but it would be nice having solid image editing on the go. AFAIK, image editors on tablets don't play nice with RAW so they're useless to me. If it can run Photoshop, then it can run Lightroom and/or the Corel alternatives. I'd like that.

[Lord of Lost Socks]

It seems really nice and I'd love to get one, but I fear I won't afford it since I can't even afford an iPad and this will most likely be more expensive.

[Darkpriest667]

Its been leaked that the pro version is 999 and the RT version is 699.


FYI the most expensive Wifi Ipad you can buy is 699.


I never wanted an ipad. Ive always wanted a tablet but android and ipads are just too weak and non functional for me.

The Pro version is the first tablet Ive seen that can do what I want/need in a tablet. But at 1000 dollars Id be better off getting a nice ultrathin.


The guy above was right. If microsoft wants to break into the market they are going to have to sell these at a loss i.e. CHEAPER THAN AN IPAD.


I really wanted one but I wouldnt buy the RT version for 700 bucks. The pro version maybe but not an RT version with an ARM processor No way.

[the_mango55]

Its been leaked that the pro version is 999 and the RT version is 699.


FYI the most expensive Wifi Ipad you can buy is 699.


I never wanted an ipad. Ive always wanted a tablet but android and ipads are just too weak and non functional for me.

The Pro version is the first tablet Ive seen that can do what I want/need in a tablet. But at 1000 dollars Id be better off getting a nice ultrathin.


The guy above was right. If microsoft wants to break into the market they are going to have to sell these at a loss i.e. CHEAPER THAN AN IPAD.


I really wanted one but I wouldnt buy the RT version for 700 bucks. The pro version maybe but not an RT version with an ARM processor No way.

I never trust leaks like these. It's possible, but I'd expect the 64gb version to be that price and the 32 to be 599, matching the ipad pricing/storage system.

[Armenum]

mark my words...Microsoft Surface will be the next Zune....