Yes, everyone is referring to the Surface as Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s iPad, but is that a correct description? Well, yes and no. This next generation of the Surface hardware comes primarily in two formats, the Surface 2 – which should be compared positively to the iPad – and the Surface 2 Pro – which goes beyond that, and should be compared to a powerful laptop.
The Surface 2 (prices starting at €439) is a thin, light tablet that is available in 32Gb or 64Gb of memory, comes in with an average of 10 hours battery life, as well as a basic package of 200GB of SkyDrive storage (that’s the “cloud”, or an online hard-drive if you’re not that tech adept) and unlimited Skype minutes.
The Surface 2 Pro (prices starting at €899) is a powerful device, all in the palm of your hand, and is available in 64, 128, 256 and a staggering 512Gb of memory, and also comes with the same SkyDrive and Skype offer.
Both tablets come in-built with the new Windows 8.1 operating system, which is pretty much as top of the line as you can get, and are also pre-installed with the likes of Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Other tech stuff includes an always-on processor (for the Surface 2 only), a two-position kickstand, USB 3.0, Bluetooth 4.0, Micro SD accessible, front and rear facing camera, click-in keyboards (should you want it), and the gorgeous 1080p wide-screen display.
Very easy to navigate and master, the Surface 2 should become your one-stop shop for all things internet and entertainment, with free access to over hundreds of thousands of songs, and that immaculate screen letting you watch movies at the highest quality. The Surface 2 Pro, however, is for those looking for more from their tablet, needing something in their briefcase that comes with the same power as their PC at home.
For anyone looking for a non-Apple alternative to the iPad or Mac laptops, and for the product to be ready to use almost from the moment you turn it on for the very first time, both easy and impressive with its looks and capabilities, then the Microsoft Surface 2 range is the one for you.
