Microsoft Surface 2 Review & Specification

Microsoft Surface 2 Review

Microsoft's Surface tablet was supposed to usher in a new generation of Windows RT products, targeted to compete more with iOS and Android tablets than full-featured laptops. The lukewarm reception Windows RT received meant that we've seen very few RT products since, and the Surface tablet itself was outshone by the superior Surface Pro, a slightly heftier version that ran full Windows 8 with an Intel Core i5 CPU.

It almost seems unfair to categorise the new Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 as tablets. Although they have touch-screen keyboards like regular tablets, they work best when attached to an optional cover with a keyboard on the inside.

The better one I tried was the Type Cover 2. In addition to coming in four fun colours - pink, purple, blue and black - that cover has backlighting, silent keys and a typing feel similar to that of a laptop keyboard. At $130, it is just $10 more than a Touch Cover 2, which doesn't have movable keys like real keyboards.

Getting our hands on the Surface 2, the tablet instantly feels sturdier than the last iteration. It might be partially because the tablet is now made of just two magnesium pieces (the shell itself and the kickstand), but it simply feels like a thin, solid slate of silvered metal topped with glass, giving it a very industrial look.
Although the Surface 2 scales towards the larger-end of tablets with a 10.6-inch screen, it's light in the hand. Its weight certainly didn't distract us as we flicked across the screen while holding it one-handed, something we can't say about the device's more power-trained brother.

The Surface 2 looks very similar to the original model in terms of design. Microsoft says that its goal was not to "reinvent the wheel", but simply make the tablet better. The biggest design change is a new two-stage kickstand, which can be set at two different angles. The new angle, pushed back further than the original one, makes it easier to use the Surface 2 on your lap, Microsoft says. Despite the improvements and additions, the Surface 2 is slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor.

The Surface 2 now comes in a new silver colour variant. The front of the tablet retains its traditional black bezel, but silver trim is used around the rest of the device, including the back. Interestingly, Microsoft has replaced the Windows logo on the back of the tablet with Surface branding.

The Surface 2 two retains a full-size USB port, but it has been upgraded to USB 3.0 for faster file transfers with a compatible device. Microsoft has also improved the front facing camera (3.5-megapixels) and the rear facing camera (5-megapixels): both are able to capture full HD 1080p video. Unfortunately, the Surface 2 is only available in Wi-Fi models, so there's no 4G option available.

The Microsoft Surface 2 tablet is powered by a 1.7GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor, has 4GB of RAM and comes with 32GB or 64GB of internal memory. There is also a concealed microSD card slot, so users can add more storage to the unit. Microsoft says the device has improved battery life, now offering up to 10 hours of video playback.

The Microsoft Surface 2 tablet will be available in 32GB and 64GB models and will sell for $529 and $639 in Australia, respectively. The Surface 2 and new Surface accessories will be available to purchase from Tuesday, 22 October through Microsoft's online store and though Harvey Norman and JB Hi-Fi retail stores and otherauthorised Surface commercial resellers.

Microsoft Surface 2 Specification

OS :– Windows 8.1

Display :- 10.6-inch ClearType capacitive touchscreen with 1080p

Processor :- Intel Core i5-4200U "Haswell" processor

Internal storage – 64 GB & 128 GB

Camera :– 1.9MP rear and front cameras

Battery Power :- 4,200mAh battery