Raw Stats And Hands On Notes For Microsoft’s New Surface 2 And Surface Pro 2

Today Microsoft announced the specifications and price points for its new Surface tablet hybrids. This post contains all pertinent statistical information regarding the Surface Pro 2 and Surface 2, as well as an initial few hands on notes regarding the devices.

The quick and dirty is that the Surface Pro 2 was spent the past year molting into a device similar to its predecessor, the Surface Pro, but with greatly extended battery life. The Surface 2 is a more holistic refresh of the Surface RT tablet, including new cameras, an updated screen, better audio, a faster processor, and longer battery life.

The Surface 2 is now a grey color, built using a new magnesium-based material that resists fingerprints. I touched it. It’s far, far, better. My Surface RT looks like something straight from the Smudge Factory, in comparison. The Surface 2, in my short experience, dodges hand-grease effectively. Now, to the raw specs.

Surface 2

The Surface 2 is Microsoft’s device built for students, parents, those who move around and want a computer that they can take with them and still accomplish lightweight work. That’s a decent chunk of the computing market, roughly tacking close to the users you might deem fit for Ultrabooks.

The Surface 2 looks and feels quite nice, even better than its mostly well-built Surface RT predecessor. If you want something more powerful, that can run more than apps from the Windows Store and Office, this device is not for you. However, Microsoft is betting that for the average PC purchaser – a large percentage of the PC OEM market – the Surface 2 is the correct blend of mobility, touch-capability, and Office.

Sales figures will bear out its wager. Here are the tablets figures, including notes from myself based on brief hands-on time with a number of Surface 2 devices last week.

• Thickness: 0.35 inches
• Weight: Under 1.5 pounds. It is only slightly lighter than the Surface RT, but the Surface 2 still feels substantial and not too heavy. If you are a hyper-light sort of person, it might be more than you like. Its weight suited me, however.
• Screen: 10.6 Inch 1080p display. Pixel count: 1920