Review Microsoft Surface Pro 2

What is a PC? In reviewing the Surface Pro Microsoft, ask yourself this question is practically mandatory. After all, when the device is started almost five months, Windows 8 is still new, and the idea of ​​a tablet that is equally focused on productivity as a high-end handset was still a novelty. But today, I do not think there's any doubt. Devices such as the Surface Pro are not only the future of the Windows PC, they are already doing some interesting possibilities in the present. It 'a cruise of interest at this time? Or is it better to give them a couple of years to better flesh out? Let gettechmag lend a hand, as we look at the Pro Microsoft Surface.

In case you need a quick primer, the surface Pro is essentially a tablet with the guts of a laptop. You can use it only as you use an iPad, or you can take on one of the keys on the accompaniment keyboard covers Microsoft to bring his laptop inside? eh? surface. This is the type of device Windows 8 is designed to: on the border and blurring the lines between desktop and mobile.

Not to be confused with the RT area, which performs a much more limited (mobile processor-based) versions of Windows. Surface Pro works full applications of Windows 8 so as to work on Windows 7, Vista or XP are all fair game. Surface RT does not give you that luxury.

Big and beautiful

When using the Surface Pro strictly as a tablet, this is probably one of the hardest lists that get their hands on. To 907 g (2 lb), it is 39 per cent heavier than the iPad. It 'also 44 percent thicker than the Apple tablet. Surface Pro is many things, but a pen plate is not.

But do not let that scare you. Of course, it is so light and thin as an ARM-based tablet. The inner workings of this puppy compete more directly with a MacBook Air with an iPad. While the iPad is a tablet through and through, the Surface Pro is a PC in effect in the body of a tablet.

Keeping this in mind, the Surface Pro rarely felt too big and heavy for me. Of course, there are some extra height, and this is probably the most obvious when settling for reading electronic books long (is heavier than five Kindle combined). But all you have to do is open Photoshop, iTunes, or Skyrim to remember that the surface Pro is a different beast.

The tablet is made of a magnesium alloy that Microsoft calls "VaporMG" (thanks, Microsoft's marketing department.) The material feels much stronger and taller than plastic, and is a refreshing change from the old standard ratio aluminum surface . Pro Apple is smooth, solid and well built.

At the base of the rear face of the surface is a support leg, over the entire length of the tablet. Props to keep the drive unit with a fixed angle (about 26 degrees) and plays an important role in converting mode laptops / desktop computers in the computer.

We have only one USB 3.0 port on the left side of the unit. It would have been nice to see a second USB port on board, but rather the accessories that can connect wirelessly I have not found it too limiting. There is also a microSD card slot on the top right which can increase the storage capacity up to 64GB (more on that in a minute) side. In the lower right corner saw a Mini DisplayPort connector, which allows you to convert Surface Pro desktop replacement full or watching movies on your TV.

Surface Pro has a capacitive button below bearing the logo screen of Windows. This is your one-click shortcut to the Start screen. The power button / standby is perched on the top right edge of the tablet, with volume controls on the left side rounded things.

Microsoft Surface uses a proprietary charger that has more than a passing resemblance to a recent Apple MagSafe charger. As the Apple charger, not magnetically locks the door when you are in the dark. You can also store the pen around when not charging.

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Measured diagonally, the screen size is 10.6 Pro putting on long-term measuring rod for tablets (ie six per cent larger than the iPad screen) and the shorter end for laptops (which is 16 percent smaller of 11 - the MacBook Air).

He 1080p (1920 x 1080). At 208 pixels per inch (PPI), it is technically strong as a tablet like the iPad 4 or Nexus 10, but this is tempered by Microsoft ClearType subpixel rendering. It makes the text looks much sharper than it would be otherwise, and in my time during the use of Surface Pro, I never heard how the screen should be clearer. During normal use, I noticed little difference between the surface crisp Pro and MacBook Pro with Retina display, which has a density of 227 PPI.

One potential disadvantage of the screen refers to the way that Windows handles high-resolution screens. The default settings (native resolution, 150 DPI per cent) were perfect for the environment of the home screen, and it worked well for the majority of desktop applications. Desktop programs like Internet Explorer and Firefox gave me big problems with the size of the UI elements.

But then you fall in the third embodiment strange that developers desperately need to upgrade to these types of devices. Photoshop, for example, a ridiculously small icons and menu settings using native Surface Pro If you drop the resolution to configure the device with 1366 x 768 DPI 100 percent, Photoshop is almost perfectly sized. But then all other applications to look a bit 'confused, as they are no longer with full 1080p screen resolution. And who wants to change the settings back and forth every time you use the application that's giving you trouble?

As a whole, the question of scaling probably will not be a deal-breaker for most users. But if one of your favorite desktop applications fall into the category of negligence Photoshop developer, you might find some hairs as they struggle to identify targets for the small screen areas.

Justifying Windows 8

Microsoft has taken a lot of criticism to force the interface on startup screen modern desktop users in Windows 8. If you ask me, that flashback is justified: the tactile part centered on Windows 8 has a place, but it is certainly on a desktop PC from the old school. Giant squares you have to click with the mouse cursor small? No thanks.

But spend a few minutes with the surface Pro, or one of the other devices Windows 8 ultimate hybrid / convertible / touch-friendly, and you will soon learn to understand that the startup screen. The modern user interface (such as Metro UI) is the interface touch-based rare that it does not seem like it was mainly influenced by the iPhone and iPad. Live Tiles, beautiful font Segoe UI and access to a button from any Windows interface are ideal for devices like surface.

The lower part of Windows 8 is the selection of touch-friendly applications, windows to come. There are some current applications that replace the missing applications I usually use other platforms, such as NextGen Reader or RSS Accuracy (unofficial) as a service to read later. There are also applications for popular services like Kindle, Evernote, Shazam and keep the situation to be too bad.

But we should not delude ourselves here. The Windows Store has a long way to go to reach the App Store and Google Play. You should find applications of sufficient quality to make it work, but do not expect a wide variety of mobile applications preferred.

If part of Windows 8 Metro was all I had, you'd just be looking for a good iPad alternative with less app store (in other words, the surface RT). But what makes the area special Pro is the combination of modern user interface and the other half of the bipolar Windows 8: the office.

Surfing the desktop of Windows 8 on a tablet with your fingers is not a very natural. But no matter what. Because once you add Stylus Pro Surface (included) and the type of cover (not included), the office becomes a place where you can really get down to business.

Get the full version of Office Microsoft Office, and take your work on the go. Start iTunes and save the old iPad or download the discography of The Beatles'. Take a controller, install steam, and your Skyrim or Portal 2 on. Trailer surface to the TV, turn on Big Picture Mode steam and enjoy a luck game console.

The office is where you remember the surface Pro is not really a rival to the iPad, but a new convergent, PC, so that it could replace an iPad for some people.

The new mouse and keyboard

Zone Stylus Pro and the keyboard cover are essential pieces of the puzzle. If you buy the surface Pro, you can expect would add an additional cost of U.S. $ 120-130 for your purchase, because we do not see much interest in owning a shot also buy a keyboard as well. Microsoft offers two options in this category: the cover touch and type of coverage, the two magnetically snapped in the tablet, and folds to protect the screen when not in use.

The cover Touch, available in various colors, is slightly lighter and thinner, but I thought it was a pain to type on. Imagine a touch screen that is soft (but not too sweet) with slots for each key. I only spent a few minutes with it, but it's hard to type a word without cursing its very existence. Some customers, after having had a beginning like that, we say they are progressively adapted, and 'Now you can type fast enough. But if you plan to write regularly, you're probably better off with the cover type. Or, at the very least, you'll want to try before you buy.

So for this review, I used the cover type, which is more than a standard keyboard with physical keys. It gives you a much more successful experience who are familiar with feedback of pressing a physical key that I lost both the coverage and touch.

Both keyboards give you a small trackpad keys just to the south. This is a far cry from the large glass trackpad on Apple's MacBook sensitive, but in most cases, it does the job. Despite its small size and lack occasional (mainly due to the flexibility of the roof of the building), I was glad when using desktop applications.

Though the trackpad is not for you, there are other options. You can always do the good old days, and connect a USB cable or Bluetooth mouse. You can also join and drag on the screen, even when the surface is in portable mode (which is usually the easiest way to scroll through web pages).

Or you can use the bundled "surface Pen" (stylus). It makes a great replacement for the mouse, and is particularly useful for navigating desktop applications in tablet mode. The tablet has the palm of the hand to the use of the stylus, which has worked very well for me. It allows you to rest your hand on the screen when the parking lot, regardless of the keys unwanted recording.

The pen is also capable of pressure sensitivity, and if this part does not work out of the box in Photoshop, you can manually install a Wacom driver adds support pressure.

Performance and games

The sector's performance Pro is in the same general range of the end of 2012 or early 2013 Ultrabook. This is because you will find Intel Core i5 processor (Ivy Bridge) in many of these same machines. Here, we focus on a chip doubles heart, clocked at 1.7 GHz (beginning turbo up to 2.6 GHz). To complete the technical side, we plan also to 4GB of RAM and an Intel HD Graphics 4000 integrated GPU.

Most of the Metro applications (Windows Store) does not come anywhere near pushing the hardware to its limits. Mobile applications are a breeze for this Intel. So you'll need to visit the office to get a better perspective.

Surface Pro shone through everything I've thrown in Photoshop, and it did not take much time, even when the application of advanced filters. Overall, I left open a variety of applications, including multiple browsers with multiple tabs open. No problem whatsoever, I do not see many people who have a beef with the performance of the Pro Surface.

No dedicated graphics card designed for gaming, the surface Pro will do just fine in this department, but it did not quite disappointed either. In my tests, Batman: Arkham City has gone well, as I have not used the full HD resolution. Setting the game of 1366 x 768 with low graphics settings, everything was extremely smooth, without losing much visually. It worked just as well and always sounded great when it is connected to a TV 47 inch, 1080p.

Of course, we are talking about a game of two years here, so let's not start on us. A platform for high-end gaming, it is not. But the fact that the relatively recent games like Arkham City is still an option even remember once again that the Pro Surface is a new type of tablet. In game terms Hardcore is jumping Mobile iPad and other tablet processor power.

Battery

We have already covered several areas where surface Pro has great advantages compared to tablets made from mobile processors like the iPad. The battery life, however, is not one of those benefits.

In my test, I heard Netflix streaming video with all the brightness to 50 percent. There was nothing in the ordinary course in the background, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is turned off. In these conditions, the surface Pro lasted four hours and ten minutes.

In (web browsing, email, reading, the occasional video, work in Microsoft Office, etc.) the more traditional conditions, you should easily last longer than that, maybe five or six hours of continuous use. If you are using only the surface in bursts, such use could have lasted a whole day without recharging.

This is where your priorities come into play you need a tablet that you can carry around all day, travel, travel, using regularly landlocked in sight? Although this is not the tablet for you. But if you want an extremely versatile camera that you can use in home, office, or other places where you can easily upload if necessary, then it would not be an issue.

A brighter side of life of the battery, the charger is supplied Microsoft works pretty fast. You should be able to go from empty to full charge in about two hours and a half.

There is also an X factor when it comes to battery life. Although it is announced and confirmed, we would be surprised if Microsoft has not released a professional, finally, the surface of the second generation Intel Haswell based. This model should significantly improve the battery life of the current model. At that time (early 2014, perhaps?) You might be able to get the benefits of Windows 8 tablet and iPad-like or almost battery.

But if you can not wait that long, you need to ask yourself what is more important: the full power of your PC and the software, or the battery life every day?

Storage

Another potential disadvantage is the amount of memory usable surface of SSD (SSD). Microsoft sells 128 GB and 64 GB models Surface Pro (selected retailers now offer a 256 GB, but it is not yet widely available).

Windows 8 and its recovery partition, however, take up so much space that you are left with only 28 GB (64 GB model) or 85 GB (128 GB Model) of available memory. Or is it 43 percent or 66 percent of what you might be thinking that you will receive if you were not aware of how these things usually work on a PC.

So, once again, you'll want to take a good look at what you need this device. If you use the steam and leave several high end games on your PC at any given time, you will almost certainly want the model to 128 GB (256 GB version or the rare, if you can get your hands on one). If you leave all your photos and videos stored on your PC, then you might want a more expensive model. The same goes for HD movies.

Surface Pro does help a little ', though, that allows you to insert a microSD card. This adds up to 64 GB of storage, which can help with photo libraries, and movie collections. You can also get a USB external hard drive to store files and media that do not always have immediate access.

Also, do not forget to cloud storage. The Microsoft Skydrive is strongly characterized in Windows 8, and you can also use services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, or Bitcasa to untether the files from the hard disk surface. Native versions of these applications store copies of the files locally, but the web versions will leave their expectations in the cloud until you need it.

Covered

Surface Pro starts at Indian Rupee 56847/- (U.S.) $ 900 for the 64GB model. If you opt for the Revision Indian Rupee 63163/- ($ 1000) 128 GB.

As a tablet, the surface pro is thicker and heavier than something like the iPad, and it gives you almost the same selection of touch-centric applications or battery life.
Like a laptop, the keyboard gives you a flimsier and a smaller, less reliable than a trackpad quality Ultrabook. Its battery life is not in the same league as the new MacBook 2013, over coming laptops based on Haswell or air.

As a desktop PC, the surface does not give you the power of dedicated graphics cards and high-end personal computer can, and you can not break to update its components. You also need to have a monitor, wireless mouse and keyboard on a loan to build a real area real Pro workstation. Second-scale display of Windows 8 has prompted more than its fair share of headaches too.
But if these compromises are not a big problem for you, then you might be looking for a device that can replace $ 2,500 or more in value of IT products. From this point of view, $ 1000 + pill might be a little 'easier to digest.

Wrap-up

Are you the type of person who jumps from a laptop tablet PC, and wondered why you can not just have a computer that does all three? If so, then devices like the Surface Pro really starting to deliver on that promise. The "principle", however, is the key. The first lot is big and too short life of the battery to be seen as the perfect solution for multi-user device.

But this does not mean that the first surface generation Pro is not always worth it to take a long hard look. This is an exciting new type of PC. It is taking all trades machinery. And if you can be your own boss tablet, laptop or desktop, you can do all three very well which is brilliant in itself.