Microsoft Surface Pro 2 Review
by Anand Lal Shimpi on October 21, 2013 12:01 AM EST- Posted in
- Tablets
- Microsoft
- Mobile
- Surface
- Surface Pro 2
Final Words
Surface Pro 2 is a good improvement over its predecessor. The platform is quicker, quieter and boasts longer battery life as well. The new kickstand is awesome, as are the new touch/type covers, and the new display is a big step in the right direction. If you were tempted by the original Surface Pro, its successor is a solid evolution and that much more tempting.
I really like using Surface Pro 2 and Windows 8.1 in general as a productivity focused tablet OS. The screenshot below really helps illustrate what I would love to do on most tablets, but what I can only do (well) on a Surface:
Writing an article on the left, touch enabled web browsing on the right. Switching between both applications is seamless, and I’m just as fast (if not faster) from a productivity standpoint on Surface Pro 2 than on a traditional notebook/desktop – at least for this usage model. There’s really something very compelling about having the best of both worlds in one system. I literally can’t do this well on any other tablet, and ultimately that’s what Microsoft was trying to achieve with Surface. You can do it with Surface 2, you can just do it a lot better with Surface Pro 2.
When Surface Pro first launched, it wasn’t just a good device, it was arguably the best Ultrabook on the market. Surface Pro 2 launches into a much more competitive marketplace. I don’t know if I can make the same statement about it vs. Ultrabooks today. That’s not a bad thing as it is still a very different type of device, but it does make for a more difficult buying decision.
Surface Pro 2 isn’t the perfect notebook and it isn’t the perfect tablet. It’s a compromise in between. Each generation, that compromise becomes smaller.
What I was hoping for this round was an even thinner/lighter chassis, but it looks like we’ll have to wait another year for that. Battery life is still not up to snuff with traditional ARM based tablets, and Surface Pro 2 seems to pay more of a penalty there than other Haswell ULT based designs – I’m not entirely sure why. Parts of the rest of the world have moved on to things like 802.11ac and PCIe based SSDs. Microsoft appears to be on a slightly strange update cadence with its Surface lineup, and for the brand’s sake I hope we see that rectified next round. It’s not enough to just put out a good product, you have to take advantage of all technologies available, when they are available. Just like last year, my recommendation comes with a caution – Surface Pro 2 is good, I’m happier using it than I was with last year’s model, but the Broadwell version will be even better. What’s likely coming down the pipe are improvements in the chassis and in battery life. You’ll have to wait around a year for those things, if you can’t, then this year’s model is still pretty good.
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Anand Lal Shimpi - Monday, October 21, 2013 - link
I know they are, but they are no where near as good as the Windows 8.1 experience in doing the same. Hence my use of the word "well" in this line:
"The screenshot below really helps illustrate what I would love to do on most tablets, but what I can only do (well) on a Surface:"
doobydoo - Monday, October 21, 2013 - link
'Samsung galaxy devices have supported spilt-screen multitasking'Yes they also support S-Voice, S-Gimmick and S-Fail. Only problem is that they are all gimmicks rushed to market to be bullet points which only fool unsuspecting idiots.
Wade_Jensen - Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - link
I don't like to see less tech savvy people called idiots, but "S-Gimmick and S-Fail.... Hahahahaha!!rituraj - Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - link
As much as I wanted to call you an idiot, I shouldn't, because you really need to be taught.I agree with you about the SVoice. But the pen, split screen are the features that no one else is providing. Right now I am writing this with a whatsapp window open above my chrome browser in my note2. I forgot to sign a document once so I put my sign on the pdf file with my S *gimmick* pen and mailed it. So that's the *fail* I got out of S-stuff.
Yes you cannot expect windows7-like split window or the stylus quality of a wacom cintiq (if you even have the slightest idea what that is) but these features are in a fuckk8ng phone, let alone the tablets. Should I elaborate with more examples?
backbydemand - Monday, October 21, 2013 - link
Samsung may support split screen multitasking, but Win 8 will still let you use desktop mode and you can have any number of simultaneous windows open, hell as the desktop is an App you can have desktop using 70% of the screen and run a Metro App in a bar next to it - Android can't do thatHomeles - Monday, October 21, 2013 - link
Man, this tablet could have been so much better with just a tad more polish. It's still a nice hunk of hardware, but I guess we'll have to wait until next year to get the real deal.Microsoft is quite the OEM dinosaur... I just wished they were a bit more like Apple.
dtolios - Monday, October 21, 2013 - link
If this same device was an Apple product, consumers would be raving.sweenish - Monday, October 21, 2013 - link
I'm already raving, the Surface Pro line is what I expected to iPad to be from the beginning.doobydoo - Monday, October 21, 2013 - link
'If this same device was an Apple product, consumers would be raving.'What a silly comment. If this was an Apple product it would be EVEN MORE slated, because people hold Apple to higher standards.
You can't defend any product with a fake, unproven fanboy comment like 'if Apple made this it would be great'. How about accepting that it's actually not that good?
YuLeven - Monday, October 21, 2013 - link
You're commenting all over the article recommending people to use Apple products and yet you call other commenters to be fanboys. Oh, the irony.