Although the Surface Windows RT only a week in Belgian stores seems just about everyone there is already an opinion about it. And that is not always positive. A common criticism is that Microsoft's first tablet too limited and therefore expensive. High time for the unit even on the bench to explain.
Thanks to its magnetic snap keyboard is used as the hybrid Surface tablet and as a mini-laptop. The device is powered by Windows RT, a version of Windows 8 which is adapted for devices with a so-called ARM processor. This conversion involves a significant limitation with it, but we will soon be expanded to return.
Microsoft offers you a choice of two different keyboards: a thin 'touch' copy and a slightly thicker model with traditional keys. The first keyboard looks stylish and type certainly not bad, but give us the longer pieces of text anyway but the 'classic' model. You can buy or immediately release tablet bundled with a keyboard. In that case you pay for the keyboard but no € 129.99 € 100. Unfortunately you can not choose which keyboard you want in the bundle, which is by definition the touch variant - in Belgium, available in black, white and blue. Behind the Surface is a sturdy folding kickstand which screen a pleasant viewing angle of 22 degrees gives.
Sturdy but elegant
With its 10.6-inch HD widescreen ClearType is a tad narrower the Surface but considerably longer than, say, an iPad. The 16:9 ratio is particularly pleasant in the horizontal position (the Metro interface with tiles is really made for), but in portrait mode feels somewhat unnatural - perhaps because a 4:3 ratio (like the iPad) more associations evokes the familiar format of a page from a magazine or book. The screen resolution of 1366 x 768 is pretty standard for such a tablet, but no match for Apple's Retina display. Especially small letter may eyes not nearly as sharp. About the build quality then nothing but praise: the surface looks and feels very robust, while he yet elegant look.
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In laptop mode initially hardly noticeable difference to a normal, albeit small Windows 8 notebook with touchscreen. So you have a full keyboard with touchpad, USB 2.0 port, micro SDXC card slot (well hidden behind the kickstand), stereo speakers and two 720p HD cameras, front and back. With its quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and 2 GB of RAM feels pretty smooth to the Surface moreover.
The main difference lies in the fact that you are on a Windows machine RT-only applications can install from the Microsoft Store. Apps, in other words. Standard desktop programs such as Microsoft Outlook, Adobe Photoshop or iTunes are not supported by Windows RT. The only exceptions to this rule are using Internet Explorer 10, Windows Explorer and the free included Office 2013 Home and Student, consisting of the components Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote. For whom the full Windows 8 experience on a hybrid device will, at a later time the Microsoft Surface Pro (Intel-based) on the Belgian market launch. Not that you do have to wait, because many competitors have such a device is already in the range. Consider the Samsung Ativ Smart PC Pro, Acer Iconia Tab W510 or ASUS Vivo Tab.
Difference
"In comparison with such devices, the Surface RT indeed its limitations, but you can also reverse", Microsoft responds to the mouth of Jean-Benoit Van Bunnen, in Belgium and Luxembourg is responsible for the Windows division. "Many other tablets also run only apps, but at the Surface RT get two extras: a clip-on keyboard (in the bundle, ed) and a copy of Microsoft Office 2013." There's something about that. On an iPad is something you can not install Mac OS X software. Is that annoying? For one user, but not for the other. Why Microsoft thinks that the two concepts are tradable. Or, as the company puts it: "The Surface RT is a tablet PC capabilities," companion ", while the Surface Pro more should consider a notebook with tablet functionality".
If that is not immediately explain the choice easier, it helps the difference in price might: in the United States, where the Pro version is now already in the shops, the device is available from $ 899. That's eighty percent more expensive than the entry-level model with Windows RT (32GB, WiFi-only) that with us - no keyboard - 479 euros. In comparison to the entry-level iPad (16GB WiFi only) you pay € 499. Keep in mind that the cheapest Surface RT in practice only 16 GB of free memory space. The other half is already immediately seized by the operating system and Microsoft Office. Fortunately, you can use this limited capacity or add a memory card. Whether you buy the more expensive model course immediately (€ 579) with 64 gigabytes. The lack of 3G, according to Microsoft are collected with a 3G USB dongle, but that we ourselves have not tested it. Eventually, according to a Microsoft Surface model with 3G "on-board" appear, but further details about it are not yet known.
Conclusion
Should a tablet, hybrid or not, necessarily the experience and functionality of a full laptop offer? The success of the iPad proves not. There are users who do need? In a world where 90 percent of people using Windows: doubt. Microsoft's choice not to choose, and the two solutions in spacious separate price ranges, according keeps us therefore best stitch. What we do question places the Apple-like price tags that Microsoft uses for the Surface RT. For where Apple empire alone, there are Windows-country many pirates on the coast. And some of them are not afraid of special value. For € 499 you have for example an Acer Iconia Tab W510, complete with keyboard and have the entire Windows 8 environment. With such devices, you can continue to compete in only one way, and that is by itself sooner or later a price reduction to take effect.
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