The Microsoft Surface Review Thread

[ViRGE]

I'm surprised no one has already started a thread on this. You guys are slacking.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6385/microsoft-surface-review/

http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/23/3540550/microsoft-surface-review

 

[Compddd]

I want a Win8 Pro Surface, forget this RT crap

 

[Dominato3r]

I thought that was some tv magic tomfoolery in the commercials, guess it's legit!

 

[ChronoReverse]

I'm not interested until the Pro comes out.

Fix the power connector and give me at least 8 hours with the Pro for under $1k and you've got a sale.

 

[Sheep]

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/10/microsofts-first-stab-at-a-pc-surface-reviewed/

Still don't want one.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Like everyone else, I'm going to wait for the pro version.

Until the Haswell upgrade is released.

(I was going to go get it for the wife, but she decided she wants a new laptop instead.)

 

[SandEagle]

I'm not interested until the Pro comes out.

Fix the power connector and give me at least 8 hours with the Pro for under $1k and you've got a sale.

i wish they had kept the pro at the same specs as the RT. looks like it's going to be a bit heavier and thicker.

http://www.microsoft.com/global/surface/en/us/renderingassets/surfacespecsheet.pdf

 

[podspi]

Honestly, I wish they had added an active inking stylus, then it would have been a no-brainer.

Plus, it would have made a lot of sense for them:

Active inking + Office 2013 + Free Music Streaming (that still comes with RT right?) = Perfect student machine.

 

[ladin295]

The RT version doesn't really interest me. I want the Pro version after the hardware is refreshed with Haswell instead of Ivy Bridge. For now my kindle fire will have to make do.

 

[Aikouka]

ASUS's Transformer Book is rather interesting. Give me that bad boy with Haswell!

 

[s44]

Only Ars engages the obvious "why this and not the Vivo RT" question.

 

[gorcorps]

ASUS's Transformer Book is rather interesting. Give me that bad boy with Haswell!

I've been waiting for this and other more recently announced transformer laptops from other makers. I can't find anything on dates or price.

 

[Imp]

I could use this... but I barely use my laptop as is, so will pass. Windows on a tablet and with a keyboard is awesome though.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I don't understand why these keyboard covers are so darn expensive.

 

[Young Grasshopper]

it looks rediculous in portrait mode.

why did they add a desktop to it if its very very limited on software you can install?

 

[at80eighty]

thanks Virge.

excited for the Pro at this point -

as an aside, can anyone explain why there is so much irritation for the portrait mode performance?

 

[Jacko-J]

Hi,

I would like to know something (there is some differences between windows 8 and windows 8 RT). Does anyone know if the feature "Files History" is available on the Surface ?

Thanks

 

[SPBHM]

pretty cool, if only it wasn't locked to installing programs....

I don't understand why these keyboard covers are so darn expensive.

lack of competition?

 

[blurredvision]

I've read through about 4 reviews now, and the only complaints I'm seeing are as follows:

1. Power connector is finicky.
2. No kickstand indent on the right-side.
3. Not many apps.

The rest of it looks like a home run. If I had the money, I'd snatch one up. The Pro version doesn't excite me as much just because I don't think the regular desktop and regular programs would be of much use to me on a touch screen.

 

[Demo24]

After reading the verge review I get the feeling the hardware is largely there (refresh should improve most complaints ), and that its largely software that's holding it back. I don't really understand why things like office aren't just links in the tile interface. I get the feeling that with updates this should get to being quite good in practice . On one hand Microsoft won't have to deal with carriers to pushout updates, and does so every week as is, on the other let's just hope that these updates can smooth things out and improve functionality in some parts. I'm not too worried about the apps, although it would have been nice for them to be there for launch, but its windows and it will be popular and they can't ignore this new version for too long.

I'm still holding out hope for win8, just not quite sure they got it right this first go around. I'm far more interested in using win8 in this way than on a desktop PC.

 

[blurredvision]

I don't really understand why things like office aren't just links in the tile interface.

I agree, but you should be able to create shortcuts to them in metro even if it does go back to the desktop to open. Doesn't make sense why they wouldn't do this anyway, though.

 

[Infraction Jack]

I like the design and feature set. If it was an android device it would be perfect for me.

 

[KB]

I do like the kickstand and type cover. Give me the Pro/x86 version and good battery life and I am there.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Anand's comparison of Surface to a Clovertrail Windows 8 tablet makes Windows RT seem completely pointless. Not only are the Atom tablets faster but they are also available in competitive or even thinner form factors and they don't appear to suffer any price penalty either. Plus the x86 tablets will have far better driver support for peripherals and can use any of the millions of existing windows desktop apps.

 

[Kingbee13]

Anand's comparison of Surface to a Clovertrail Windows 8 tablet makes Windows RT seem completely pointless. Not only are the Atom tablets faster but they are also available in competitive or even thinner form factors and they don't appear to suffer any price penalty either. Plus the x86 tablets will have far better driver support for peripherals and can use any of the millions of existing windows desktop apps.

I agree with you, but also keep in mind for "normal" people they will end up with spyware and crapware, and startup programs that encumber an atom based system, and they will end up with a slow crappy experience, and while its their own fault they will just blame windows. The RT system while far more limited in it's capabilities will maintain a consistent experience over time. I feel there is something to be said for that.

I would rather have an atom device myself over RT. Maybe a surface2 RT if it had a15 and the windows store has matured it'd be different, but yeah just isn't there for me. I'm not even sure I could deal with atom either. Right now the Lenovo Yoga is most interesting for me. I really don't need a pure tablet experience, my smartphone is fine to bridge the computing gap up to a notebook.