Microsoft Surface 2 RT - powerful, cool, controversial
Tablets have a relatively long time came into use, replacing part of laptops and netbooks. Such mobile gadgets are especially popular among young people, but even in the business sector for tablets, demand is only growing every year.
If initially this category of devices was associated mainly with the iPad, then recently Apple’s share in the tablet market has been falling. On the one hand, numerous cheap Android competitors are attacking, on the other hand, Windows models have begun to appear. Among the latter, a special place is occupied by the Microsoft Surface line of tablets, which also seeks to take up its position in this market. And today we will talk about one of these devices - Surface 2 RT.
The Surface 2 tablet comes preloaded with the Windows RT 8.1 operating system — an operating system that is optimized for thin and light computers. The resolution of a 10.6-inch display is 1920x1080 pixels. Inside it has a quad-core Tegra 4 processor with a clock speed of 1.9 GHz and a 72-core (sounds terrible) NVIDIA GeForce ULP video accelerator. Other features include 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of user memory (+ slot microSDXC). Some Surface 2 tablet models: Surface 2 (AT & T 4G LTE) and Surface 2 (4G) have built-in connectivity to mobile broadband networks, which you can use to connect to the Internet if the Wi-Fi network is not available. In addition, a version with 64 GB of internal memory is sold.
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Screen: 10.6 ", 1920 Ă— 1080 px, ClearType Full HD
Processor: NVIDIA Tegra 4 (Cortex-A15, 1.9 GHz, 4 cores)
Video accelerator: 72-core NVIDIA GeForce ULP
Operating system: Windows RT 8.1
RAM: 2 GB
User memory: 32 GB + microSDXC slot
Camera: front - 3.5 megapixel, rear - 5 megapixel
Optional: 2 Ă— 2 MIMO Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.0, microHDMI, USB 3.0 port, 3.5 mm mini-jack, light sensor, acceleration sensor, gyroscope and compass
Battery: 31.5 watt hour
Dimensions: 275 x 173 x 8.9 mm
Weight: 676 Grams
Price: $ 374 (13,000 rubles)
The tablet comes in a strict and massive black box, in size more suitable for ultrabook. From this black box with a sloping right side, a white box peeps out in which the tablet itself is located.
On the back of the package are the main advantages of the tablet in three languages ​​(English, German and Italian) and license information with a guarantee. On the side is the memory version.
Next we are greeted by the bright side of the box with the lonely inscription '' Surface ''.
The box opens like a huge book. Inside the tablet lies neatly and charging to it.
There are also booklets and some bonuses. When you buy a Surface 2 tablet, the user gets 200 GB of space in the OneDrive cloud storage for a period of two years (there is a promotional code for activation). And besides, Skype gives an annual subscription, namely unlimited free calls to landline numbers in 60 countries ( Russia is on the list, despite sanctions ), unlimited Internet connection via Skype Wi-Fi in public Wi-Fi access areas (more million worldwide), technical support in the chat format, and of course the disconnection of third-party advertising in Skype. Please note: a free Skype subscription is available for 90 days from the date of purchase of Surface 2.
The power supply as with other similar devices, only with a color sticker Windows 8.
Output current - 2A.
There is no USB cable or headset.
Together with the tablet, I also ordered a Type Cover 2 keyboard (it is purchased separately and is not included in the package). The box she is certainly not as cool as the main device, but it looks decent. The accessory is simply attached to the cardboard frame and tucked into transparent plastic.
The keyboard material is pleasant to the touch, it looks more like a velvet, rough fabric, but most likely it is fine textured hard plastic. Only here the keyboard collects dust very well ... Like the Smart Cover for iPad or Galaxy Tab, Type Cover 2 not only protects the device’s screen, but also takes it out of sleep mode (when opened) or, on the contrary, puts the device into sleep mode (when closing).
The keyboard module has standard keys, as well as support for combining them for typical tasks, and a touchpad with recognition of various gestures. The keys have a good move and quite thoughtful arrangement. Only the lack of the PrintScreen key and too little Enter (the still one of the popular buttons ;-)) are distressing. And, perhaps, one more minus - a small touchpad area (and the place allows you to increase it, a strange solution), as well as its material. The fact is that it does not visually stand out, and you will not feel its tactile border. On the one hand it is beautiful, but from a practical point of view it is not always uncomfortable. Surprisingly, the touchpad works well and quickly recognizes scrolling or scaling.
The keyboard is attached to the tablet with a magnet: it is enough to bring them together by 5-7 mm - and they will literally be attracted to each other, accompanying the process with a characteristic click.
Microsoft for the new generation of tablets has significantly improved Type Cover 2, it has become even thinner, now the thickness is only 5 mm. In addition, added and built-in key illumination. Moreover, this backlight is adaptive (there is a proximity sensor)! Everything is very simple - they presented a hand to it, and it caught fire, well, or you can just press any key.
An interesting point: Type Cover 2 can be wrapped on the back side of the case, and it will stop working until you bring it back - the intelligent accessory determines not only the connection, but also the orientation in order to avoid accidental clicks. But still, the feeling of the keys under the fingers is not the most familiar, it is very confusing.
Since the device was ordered from the United States, of course, on Type Cover 2 only English letters. There are three solutions to the problem: do laser engraving, draw the letter itself with a felt-tip pen, or stickers. Oh, or do nothing at all and leave only the Latin alphabet. I decided to go the first way and for 500 rubles in local service in 10 minutes inflicted Russian letters. Externally, the printed letters look exactly the same as their English, the backlight also works on Russian letters. What happened - you can see in the photo above. Well, now let's quickly move on to our device.
The tablet looks strictly and massively, but pretty. The edges are not sleek and beveled, as is now fashionable, but rather clearly defined. Because of this, the device looks a bit angular. The display is surrounded by wide fields, for which it is convenient to hold the tablet, not obscuring the screen.
At the top is the front camera, front microphone, light sensor and indicator of the working camera.
On the front surface, only the Windows 8 logo stands out, which is very interestingly beaten in the form of faces. Touch button, by clicking on which, you can always get to the OS main menu.
The Surface 2 RT case is made of magnesium alloy (Microsoft itself calls it VaporMg ), which is lighter and stronger than aluminum, and has only a plastic insert on the upper end in order to skip the WiFi signal. Behind the face of the tablet beveled, tapering to the back side, but without smoothing. That is, the back surface is as straight as the front, however, it is smaller in area.
On the plastic insert is placed the rear camera and microphone.
The most important feature of the tablet is of course the stand! The presence of it saves you from having to buy a docking station or look for some other ways of fixed vertical installation of the tablet. True, this metal plate occupies half of the device (although it does not protrude at all), but it can bend back to two positions. All this construction is held very firmly, there is no feeling that now something will work out or change to another mode.
One position is ideal for typing on the table, and the other for typing on your lap. The only, though very significant, drawback of the stand is the impossibility of adjusting its angle of inclination. But experts from Microsoft have provided angles at which it is comfortable to work with the tablet.
For easy poddevaniya stand on the left side of the tablet there is a small ledge. And the microSDXC slot is located behind the stand.
On the right side, we see one of two speakers, a microHDMI connector and a full USB 3.0 port. As for the USB-port, external hard drives and flash drives are quietly connected to it, and also other gadgets can be charged through it. Adapters and cables for connecting the Surface 2 tablet to an HDTV are sold separately and are not included in the package.
Below is the connector for the charger, which uses a magnetic lock, and not the physical fastening of the connector.
The 5-pin connector is connected to the device (in this case, it is even appropriate to use a “snap”) with a magnet, and no matter what polarity. After connection the white LED lights up. In the photo it does not burn, because there was no outlet for connection.
On the left side is the second speaker, volume rocker and a 3.5 mm audio jack. The sound quality itself is good, reproduces clean, but not very loud. To watch the show at home or on a trip is fine.
By the way, special “ears” have already appeared on Kickstarter , which are worn on the corners of Surface, amplify the sound by ten decibels, but do not require additional power. They simply prevent the sound from scattering and direct it directly to the user. I tried to just hold the speakers with my hands and, indeed, the volume increased slightly. So a pretty useful accessory for Surface owners!
On the top of the power button only. What I didn’t really like was switching on with one click. Sometimes you just want to check if the device is working or turned off, and you press it and it turns on immediately.
And on the bottom there are contacts for connecting the main accessory: keyboard covers. The tablet is quite thin - not like the MacBook Air, but still thinner than most other models.
The whole design looks really beautiful. Looks like a laptop, only more portable and compact.
However, the paint, which is covered with the device, with time, with frequent friction on the surface can peel off, exposing the true color of the material. Therefore, it is better to take care of the case before buying.
The tablet is equipped with a screen with a diagonal of 10.6 inches and a resolution of 1920 x 1080, which ultimately amounts to 208 pixels per inch (ppi). The Surface display is covered with glass, has an anti-glare filter and oleophobic coating.
Acceptable colors, high contrast. The image is dominated by a “cold” hue. The white color is really white, but black colors, especially at an angle, acquire a slightly violet hue. In bright sunlight, you can see something only at maximum brightness. By the way, there are no problems with it - it is here with a margin. With dim daylight and artificial lighting for me, the brightness was about 50-60% comfortable.
The Surface 2 RT display supports ClearType technology and multi-touch on five points.
The front camera Surface 2 allows you to call even in low light. The picture through the darkness turns out quite juicy. Microsoft really responsibly approached the implementation of the WEB-camera, positioning Surface as a reference device for making video calls in Skype. The front camera at 3.5 MP gives an excellent high-resolution picture, even in low light.
On a 5 megapixel camera in normal lighting, you get good photos with natural color, if you do not find fault with the details. There were no problems with focusing.
The quality of the video is generally decent, it allows you to shoot in 1080p resolution and with stereo sound.
Surface 2 RT is running the mobile tablet operating system Windows RT 8.1. Today, when the market is filled with tablets on a full-fledged Windows 8, the choice of a less functional Windows RT can only be explained by the need to install a single-chip system on the ARM architecture in the tablet.
With the arrival of the last major update, shortcuts for the search bar and tablet power management menu appeared right on the start screen next to the avatar and username in the upper right corner. And near the button for switching to the “Applications” panel, an indicator of the number of new applications installed in the system appeared from the initial screen.
Attachments have appeared sorting by name, installation date, frequency of use and categories. I like the third sort more, and left it.
On the RT version, the only significant difference from the older version and the main drawback of the OS is the inability to launch applications from other versions of the Windows family. This means that in addition to the pre-installed software, it’s simply impossible to install anything there, and the choice of software is limited only by offers from the Windows Store. By the way, at the moment the store has about 160,000 applications.
The problem is also aggravated by a strange company policy - a ban on installing applications from any sources other than the App Store. True, you can do a kind of "jailbreak" to lift this ban. After that, it will be possible to run any application compiled under the ARM architecture, since the list of such applications has already been sufficiently large. Only unfortunately, for the new version of Windows 8.1, a jailbreak has not yet been released, but it will definitely be soon!
On Windows RT, there is a traditional desktop with a panel, notifications, and shortcuts. You can create folders and documents, sort them and change the desktop background.
There are also Explorer, as well as the ability to work with files, as in Windows 8. However, only a few pre-installed programs work in the desktop interface - Office, Scissors, Paint, and some others. And let me remind you: you cannot install new programs that would have the familiar Windows 8 window interface (in the Store all programs work in a tiled interface and are moderated for this).
The disadvantage that I noticed when using the window interface is the blurring of some elements. Most likely, this minus is associated with unfinished scaling. If at HD resolution the blur of fonts is not so noticeable, then on FullHD it does not look very nice. It is possible that with the update this bug will be removed, but so far it looks like this.
Windows RT has a significant advantage compared to Windows 8: this is the presence of a pre-installed and completely free office suite Microsoft Office 2013 (whereas in a regular Windows 8 there is no pre-installed Office, you have to buy it).
However, be prepared for the fact that MS Office on Windows RT is not exactly the same Office as for Windows 7/8. First, it contains only four applications with a familiar interface: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. Outlook comes as a tiled Mail app. In addition, the Office interface is slightly different from the standard PC version (it shows the desire to optimize for touch control), and most importantly, there is no support for macros and ActiveX.
Another interesting point is multitasking. In RT, it is implemented at a good level, familiar to the full Windows. Up to the point that the Flash player can be active on a web page, while the user is engaged in other tasks at this time.
In the tiled interface, there is also a convenient switch between applications. There is a way to simultaneously view and control two applications. You can, for example, open a browser or video on 75% of the screen, and correspond with Skype for the remaining 25%. On other operating systems, you have to switch between applications, which is not always convenient.
And it is not necessary that the second application has a Metro style.
We should also talk about Internet Explorer. You will not believe, but this is not the old and buggy Internet opener, but a convenient browser with support for gestures. I am sure that many owners of touch tablets or laptops will agree with me. By the way, a full-fledged Flash player works in IE. For many, this is an important parameter, for example, to play your favorite social game. networks. But Java and Silverlight plugins cannot be installed.
Very cool integration with OneDrive cloud service. We edit the document on a PC or laptop, save it. Then we start Microsoft Word on the tablet and in the last documents our file is already visible, open it and you can continue working with it. If you want your files to always be synchronized and available offline, then do not forget to enable this feature.
The tiled interface for touch screens is implemented very conveniently and beautifully, with an emphasis on gesture support, it is pleasant to use. If I immediately disconnected it on a PC, then my hand stretches to open the Start menu or close the application with a swipe down (now, so on Android I often try to do it unaccustomed). I would like to mention the response to the touch. It is instant, the image moves immediately with a finger. Perhaps, a similar fast response can only be compared with the Nexus 7, because on the other devices the brakes are immediately visible. I am glad that many file types are supported out of the box, for example, PDF or ZIP. Therefore, there is no need to reinstall applications from the Store.
And I will write a list of applications that I use (maybe someone will come in handy).
Hyper for YouTube - YouTube Client
Online Movies - a huge number of films of different genres
CyberLink PowerDVD Mobile - a functional player that understands the mkv format
8 Zip - Archiver
Files & Folders - file manager
ivi.ru - Russian service to access a bunch of movies
VKontakte - besides communication, you can also listen to music
Twitter - I write different things
Dropbox - a cloud with the right files
Viber - an alternative to Skype
There are only standard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Wi-Fi works in dual-band mode (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
. There is no GPS or GLONASS. LTE module is installed only in special versions of the tablet.
Surface 2 RT runs on an NVIDIA Tegra 4 chip, which includes a ARM Cortex-A15 quad-core processor with a frequency of 1.71 GHz.
RAM is 2 GB.
Now we study speed. PC Benchmark contains several subtests showing the speed of reading and writing in different conditions, performance tests of CPU, GPU and RAM.
Relative Benchmark is a graphical test showing the average frame rate (FPS).
The Prime Test makes the tablet find all the primes from 0 to 30 million.
3DMark is a popular benchmark from Futuremark.
In general, the issue of performance is not so acute for devices on Windows RT, since there are practically no demanding applications for Windows RT. If only we consider heavy games in the Store, which so far are not so many. And professional applications for working with graphics or video are almost not created for this OS, since it was originally designed specifically for tablets, and not for laptops. As for working in the operating system and pre-installed applications, everything works smoothly, but when you open Metro applications, the device “thinks” for a few seconds (as usual for tiled Windows 8 / RT applications).
The Windows Store doesn’t have as many serious 3D games that support touch controls. I will tell about the most interesting of them.
A toy that is available only on the Windows platform: Halo: Spartan Assault. Here we control a little man, complete missions and kill enemies. Made beautifully and tastefully, the whole game was a pleasure.
GTA San Andreas is available on all OSes and therefore all the saves were transferred without problems. Conveniently, when I played on the phone, and continued on the tablet.
There is also a football simulator FIFA 14. The game is distributed for free.
LEGO Hero Factory Invasion - dynamic action, designed in the corporate style of the designer. Throughout the game you need to fight in a collapsing city and be sure to kill five terrible monsters so that they do not capture the city. Hike the game you can improve your battle skills.
Asphalt 8: Airborne - the famous series of races. The game is also distributed for free, has a rather beautiful graphics and easy control.
Problems with the launch or performance was not observed. There were no overhangs and departures either. Games for Surface 2 are quite well adapted and support touch control. At first glance, there are not so many games in the Store, but this is not so. If you dig, you can find yourself a few interesting for a couple of hours, especially since the list is constantly growing.
The battery life is one of the strengths of Surface 2. In principle, this is not surprising: Windows RT was designed with maximum energy efficiency. The battery in this case can be quite capacious, since the case is large.
Microsoft says Surface 2 can work up to 10 hours in video playback mode, and 7 to 15 days in standby mode.
I tried to start the video from a local disk, set the brightness to 50 percent and turned on Wi-Fi. In this mode, Surface 2 played my movies for 14 hours and 32 minutes. In surfing mode with Wi-Fi, the tablet lasted almost 9 hours.
Surface 2 RT at the moment looks more competitive compared to the younger model, which was released in 2012. Microsoft did a lot of work on its brainchild (faster processor, extended battery life, improved display) and fixed many shortcomings. Surface 2 has several competitive advantages: design, stuffing and firmware. Plus, you can buy a convenient keyboard, activate bonuses and synchronize the tablet with your home PC. However, the Store with a small number of applications is still not able to withstand the Play Store and the Apple Store.
And most likely you need to add that Surface is more suitable not for the consumption of content, but for its creation. For those people who spend more time behind a web browser or office and are looking for a portable PC replacement. That is why I still have not bought myself a tablet on Android or on iOS, simply because I did not see the point in it. With Surface, the situation has changed. The tablet not only allows me to watch TV shows and spend time with toys, but also to fully work with documents and files. Personally, I did not feel a lack of applications. Many services that do not have their own app in the Store offer a fairly user-friendly web interface. However, by the second course I will need to work with narrower software and then my view slowly falls on Surface 2 Pro, but it will be a completely different story.
Original design
High-quality and clear display, responds quickly to response
High performance
Good camera
Full USB 3.0 port
MicroSDXC slot
Comfortable and durable stand with two modes
Long battery life
Fast and beautiful Metro interface
Microsoft Office is free.
Bonuses in the form of coupons for OneDrive and Skype
Small number of applications (compared to other OS)
Unable to install application from other sources
Quiet speakers
Keyboard not included
Own charger
High price
In Russia, Surface 2 RT is not yet for sale, but you can easily buy a tablet in the United States using the services of the Shop4import.com intermediary. I advise you to buy the device in the official store of Microsoft Store .
Microsoft often makes discounts and therefore the device can be bought much cheaper. For example, for students the device is sold with a 16% ($ 75) discount !
It is not difficult to buy a discounted device, for this it is enough to complete several points:
1. Go to www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/edu
2. Indicate that we are a student, a place of study and put a tick.
3. Select the required memory version and put it in the basket.
4. In addition, you can buy a keyboard and choose another case as a gift.
5. Click Checkout and enter the delivery address (warehouse address at the intermediary).
6. We pay for the goods through a bank card or PayPal.
7. We are waiting for the package to arrive at the warehouse.
8. We collect the parcel in your personal account Shop4import .
9. We send in the way convenient to you. I advise fast delivery Shop4import Express .
Student discounts are also available on Surface 2 Pro. For example, you can buy a version with 128 GB of memory for $ 799.10 , instead of $ 999.00 (do not forget to use the coupon GRADUATION ). The version with 64 GB will cost $ 709.10, 256 GB — $ 1069.10, 512 GB — $ 1519.10. Let me remind you that Surface 2 PRo has a full-fledged Windows 8.1 Pro, an Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB of RAM for the 64/128 GB version and 8 GB of RAM for the 256/512 GB version.
If you are unable to pay for the device or have problems with the purchase, then the whole process can be charged to Shop4import . It is enough to add a link to the desired lot, specify its name and delivery method. The employees themselves will buy the device and bring it to the warehouse, then add it to your personal account.
Tablet Surface 2 RT: $ 374.00
Keyboard Type Cover 2: $ 116.99
MailForwarding service: $ 5
Shop4import Express Delivery: $ 68.44
Total: $ 564.43
In rubles (the average rate of 35 rubles.): 19 755 rubles
The weight of the package was (2182 grams), the package reached me in 12 days. If you buy a tablet without a keyboard, then about 440 $ (15 370 rubles) will be released with the delivery.
And finally, a video review!
Do not forget to follow us on Vkontakte , Twitter and Google+ ! And of course, subscribe to our blog on Habré in the profile .
If initially this category of devices was associated mainly with the iPad, then recently Apple’s share in the tablet market has been falling. On the one hand, numerous cheap Android competitors are attacking, on the other hand, Windows models have begun to appear. Among the latter, a special place is occupied by the Microsoft Surface line of tablets, which also seeks to take up its position in this market. And today we will talk about one of these devices - Surface 2 RT.
â–Ś TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
The Surface 2 tablet comes preloaded with the Windows RT 8.1 operating system — an operating system that is optimized for thin and light computers. The resolution of a 10.6-inch display is 1920x1080 pixels. Inside it has a quad-core Tegra 4 processor with a clock speed of 1.9 GHz and a 72-core (sounds terrible) NVIDIA GeForce ULP video accelerator. Other features include 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of user memory (+ slot microSDXC). Some Surface 2 tablet models: Surface 2 (AT & T 4G LTE) and Surface 2 (4G) have built-in connectivity to mobile broadband networks, which you can use to connect to the Internet if the Wi-Fi network is not available. In addition, a version with 64 GB of internal memory is sold.
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Screen: 10.6 ", 1920 Ă— 1080 px, ClearType Full HD Processor: NVIDIA Tegra 4 (Cortex-A15, 1.9 GHz, 4 cores) Video accelerator: 72-core NVIDIA GeForce ULP Operating system: Windows RT 8.1 RAM: 2 GB User memory: 32 GB + microSDXC slot Camera: front - 3.5 megapixel, rear - 5 megapixel Optional: 2 Ă— 2 MIMO Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.0, microHDMI, USB 3.0 port, 3.5 mm mini-jack, light sensor, acceleration sensor, gyroscope and compass Battery: 31.5 watt hour Dimensions: 275 x 173 x 8.9 mm Weight: 676 Grams Price: $ 374 (13,000 rubles)â–Ś PACKING AND COMPLETE SET
The tablet comes in a strict and massive black box, in size more suitable for ultrabook. From this black box with a sloping right side, a white box peeps out in which the tablet itself is located.
On the back of the package are the main advantages of the tablet in three languages ​​(English, German and Italian) and license information with a guarantee. On the side is the memory version.
Next we are greeted by the bright side of the box with the lonely inscription '' Surface ''.
The box opens like a huge book. Inside the tablet lies neatly and charging to it.
There are also booklets and some bonuses. When you buy a Surface 2 tablet, the user gets 200 GB of space in the OneDrive cloud storage for a period of two years (there is a promotional code for activation). And besides, Skype gives an annual subscription, namely unlimited free calls to landline numbers in 60 countries ( Russia is on the list, despite sanctions ), unlimited Internet connection via Skype Wi-Fi in public Wi-Fi access areas (more million worldwide), technical support in the chat format, and of course the disconnection of third-party advertising in Skype. Please note: a free Skype subscription is available for 90 days from the date of purchase of Surface 2.
The power supply as with other similar devices, only with a color sticker Windows 8.
Output current - 2A.
There is no USB cable or headset.
â–Ś KEYBOARD
Together with the tablet, I also ordered a Type Cover 2 keyboard (it is purchased separately and is not included in the package). The box she is certainly not as cool as the main device, but it looks decent. The accessory is simply attached to the cardboard frame and tucked into transparent plastic.
The keyboard material is pleasant to the touch, it looks more like a velvet, rough fabric, but most likely it is fine textured hard plastic. Only here the keyboard collects dust very well ... Like the Smart Cover for iPad or Galaxy Tab, Type Cover 2 not only protects the device’s screen, but also takes it out of sleep mode (when opened) or, on the contrary, puts the device into sleep mode (when closing).
The keyboard module has standard keys, as well as support for combining them for typical tasks, and a touchpad with recognition of various gestures. The keys have a good move and quite thoughtful arrangement. Only the lack of the PrintScreen key and too little Enter (the still one of the popular buttons ;-)) are distressing. And, perhaps, one more minus - a small touchpad area (and the place allows you to increase it, a strange solution), as well as its material. The fact is that it does not visually stand out, and you will not feel its tactile border. On the one hand it is beautiful, but from a practical point of view it is not always uncomfortable. Surprisingly, the touchpad works well and quickly recognizes scrolling or scaling.
The keyboard is attached to the tablet with a magnet: it is enough to bring them together by 5-7 mm - and they will literally be attracted to each other, accompanying the process with a characteristic click.
Microsoft for the new generation of tablets has significantly improved Type Cover 2, it has become even thinner, now the thickness is only 5 mm. In addition, added and built-in key illumination. Moreover, this backlight is adaptive (there is a proximity sensor)! Everything is very simple - they presented a hand to it, and it caught fire, well, or you can just press any key.
An interesting point: Type Cover 2 can be wrapped on the back side of the case, and it will stop working until you bring it back - the intelligent accessory determines not only the connection, but also the orientation in order to avoid accidental clicks. But still, the feeling of the keys under the fingers is not the most familiar, it is very confusing.
Since the device was ordered from the United States, of course, on Type Cover 2 only English letters. There are three solutions to the problem: do laser engraving, draw the letter itself with a felt-tip pen, or stickers. Oh, or do nothing at all and leave only the Latin alphabet. I decided to go the first way and for 500 rubles in local service in 10 minutes inflicted Russian letters. Externally, the printed letters look exactly the same as their English, the backlight also works on Russian letters. What happened - you can see in the photo above. Well, now let's quickly move on to our device.
â–Ś DESIGN, DIMENSIONS, CONTROL ELEMENTS
The tablet looks strictly and massively, but pretty. The edges are not sleek and beveled, as is now fashionable, but rather clearly defined. Because of this, the device looks a bit angular. The display is surrounded by wide fields, for which it is convenient to hold the tablet, not obscuring the screen.
At the top is the front camera, front microphone, light sensor and indicator of the working camera.
On the front surface, only the Windows 8 logo stands out, which is very interestingly beaten in the form of faces. Touch button, by clicking on which, you can always get to the OS main menu.
The Surface 2 RT case is made of magnesium alloy (Microsoft itself calls it VaporMg ), which is lighter and stronger than aluminum, and has only a plastic insert on the upper end in order to skip the WiFi signal. Behind the face of the tablet beveled, tapering to the back side, but without smoothing. That is, the back surface is as straight as the front, however, it is smaller in area.
On the plastic insert is placed the rear camera and microphone.
The most important feature of the tablet is of course the stand! The presence of it saves you from having to buy a docking station or look for some other ways of fixed vertical installation of the tablet. True, this metal plate occupies half of the device (although it does not protrude at all), but it can bend back to two positions. All this construction is held very firmly, there is no feeling that now something will work out or change to another mode.
One position is ideal for typing on the table, and the other for typing on your lap. The only, though very significant, drawback of the stand is the impossibility of adjusting its angle of inclination. But experts from Microsoft have provided angles at which it is comfortable to work with the tablet.
For easy poddevaniya stand on the left side of the tablet there is a small ledge. And the microSDXC slot is located behind the stand.
On the right side, we see one of two speakers, a microHDMI connector and a full USB 3.0 port. As for the USB-port, external hard drives and flash drives are quietly connected to it, and also other gadgets can be charged through it. Adapters and cables for connecting the Surface 2 tablet to an HDTV are sold separately and are not included in the package.
Below is the connector for the charger, which uses a magnetic lock, and not the physical fastening of the connector.
The 5-pin connector is connected to the device (in this case, it is even appropriate to use a “snap”) with a magnet, and no matter what polarity. After connection the white LED lights up. In the photo it does not burn, because there was no outlet for connection.
On the left side is the second speaker, volume rocker and a 3.5 mm audio jack. The sound quality itself is good, reproduces clean, but not very loud. To watch the show at home or on a trip is fine.
By the way, special “ears” have already appeared on Kickstarter , which are worn on the corners of Surface, amplify the sound by ten decibels, but do not require additional power. They simply prevent the sound from scattering and direct it directly to the user. I tried to just hold the speakers with my hands and, indeed, the volume increased slightly. So a pretty useful accessory for Surface owners!
On the top of the power button only. What I didn’t really like was switching on with one click. Sometimes you just want to check if the device is working or turned off, and you press it and it turns on immediately.
And on the bottom there are contacts for connecting the main accessory: keyboard covers. The tablet is quite thin - not like the MacBook Air, but still thinner than most other models.
The whole design looks really beautiful. Looks like a laptop, only more portable and compact.
However, the paint, which is covered with the device, with time, with frequent friction on the surface can peel off, exposing the true color of the material. Therefore, it is better to take care of the case before buying.
â–Ś DISPLAY
The tablet is equipped with a screen with a diagonal of 10.6 inches and a resolution of 1920 x 1080, which ultimately amounts to 208 pixels per inch (ppi). The Surface display is covered with glass, has an anti-glare filter and oleophobic coating.
Acceptable colors, high contrast. The image is dominated by a “cold” hue. The white color is really white, but black colors, especially at an angle, acquire a slightly violet hue. In bright sunlight, you can see something only at maximum brightness. By the way, there are no problems with it - it is here with a margin. With dim daylight and artificial lighting for me, the brightness was about 50-60% comfortable.
The Surface 2 RT display supports ClearType technology and multi-touch on five points.
â–Ś CAMERAS
The front camera Surface 2 allows you to call even in low light. The picture through the darkness turns out quite juicy. Microsoft really responsibly approached the implementation of the WEB-camera, positioning Surface as a reference device for making video calls in Skype. The front camera at 3.5 MP gives an excellent high-resolution picture, even in low light.
On a 5 megapixel camera in normal lighting, you get good photos with natural color, if you do not find fault with the details. There were no problems with focusing.
The quality of the video is generally decent, it allows you to shoot in 1080p resolution and with stereo sound.
â–Ś SOFTWARE PLATFORM
Surface 2 RT is running the mobile tablet operating system Windows RT 8.1. Today, when the market is filled with tablets on a full-fledged Windows 8, the choice of a less functional Windows RT can only be explained by the need to install a single-chip system on the ARM architecture in the tablet.
With the arrival of the last major update, shortcuts for the search bar and tablet power management menu appeared right on the start screen next to the avatar and username in the upper right corner. And near the button for switching to the “Applications” panel, an indicator of the number of new applications installed in the system appeared from the initial screen.
Attachments have appeared sorting by name, installation date, frequency of use and categories. I like the third sort more, and left it.
On the RT version, the only significant difference from the older version and the main drawback of the OS is the inability to launch applications from other versions of the Windows family. This means that in addition to the pre-installed software, it’s simply impossible to install anything there, and the choice of software is limited only by offers from the Windows Store. By the way, at the moment the store has about 160,000 applications.
The problem is also aggravated by a strange company policy - a ban on installing applications from any sources other than the App Store. True, you can do a kind of "jailbreak" to lift this ban. After that, it will be possible to run any application compiled under the ARM architecture, since the list of such applications has already been sufficiently large. Only unfortunately, for the new version of Windows 8.1, a jailbreak has not yet been released, but it will definitely be soon!
On Windows RT, there is a traditional desktop with a panel, notifications, and shortcuts. You can create folders and documents, sort them and change the desktop background.
There are also Explorer, as well as the ability to work with files, as in Windows 8. However, only a few pre-installed programs work in the desktop interface - Office, Scissors, Paint, and some others. And let me remind you: you cannot install new programs that would have the familiar Windows 8 window interface (in the Store all programs work in a tiled interface and are moderated for this).
The disadvantage that I noticed when using the window interface is the blurring of some elements. Most likely, this minus is associated with unfinished scaling. If at HD resolution the blur of fonts is not so noticeable, then on FullHD it does not look very nice. It is possible that with the update this bug will be removed, but so far it looks like this.
Windows RT has a significant advantage compared to Windows 8: this is the presence of a pre-installed and completely free office suite Microsoft Office 2013 (whereas in a regular Windows 8 there is no pre-installed Office, you have to buy it).
However, be prepared for the fact that MS Office on Windows RT is not exactly the same Office as for Windows 7/8. First, it contains only four applications with a familiar interface: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. Outlook comes as a tiled Mail app. In addition, the Office interface is slightly different from the standard PC version (it shows the desire to optimize for touch control), and most importantly, there is no support for macros and ActiveX.
Another interesting point is multitasking. In RT, it is implemented at a good level, familiar to the full Windows. Up to the point that the Flash player can be active on a web page, while the user is engaged in other tasks at this time.
In the tiled interface, there is also a convenient switch between applications. There is a way to simultaneously view and control two applications. You can, for example, open a browser or video on 75% of the screen, and correspond with Skype for the remaining 25%. On other operating systems, you have to switch between applications, which is not always convenient.
And it is not necessary that the second application has a Metro style.
We should also talk about Internet Explorer. You will not believe, but this is not the old and buggy Internet opener, but a convenient browser with support for gestures. I am sure that many owners of touch tablets or laptops will agree with me. By the way, a full-fledged Flash player works in IE. For many, this is an important parameter, for example, to play your favorite social game. networks. But Java and Silverlight plugins cannot be installed.
Very cool integration with OneDrive cloud service. We edit the document on a PC or laptop, save it. Then we start Microsoft Word on the tablet and in the last documents our file is already visible, open it and you can continue working with it. If you want your files to always be synchronized and available offline, then do not forget to enable this feature.
The tiled interface for touch screens is implemented very conveniently and beautifully, with an emphasis on gesture support, it is pleasant to use. If I immediately disconnected it on a PC, then my hand stretches to open the Start menu or close the application with a swipe down (now, so on Android I often try to do it unaccustomed). I would like to mention the response to the touch. It is instant, the image moves immediately with a finger. Perhaps, a similar fast response can only be compared with the Nexus 7, because on the other devices the brakes are immediately visible. I am glad that many file types are supported out of the box, for example, PDF or ZIP. Therefore, there is no need to reinstall applications from the Store.
And I will write a list of applications that I use (maybe someone will come in handy).
Hyper for YouTube - YouTube Client
Online Movies - a huge number of films of different genres
CyberLink PowerDVD Mobile - a functional player that understands the mkv format
8 Zip - Archiver
Files & Folders - file manager
ivi.ru - Russian service to access a bunch of movies
VKontakte - besides communication, you can also listen to music
Twitter - I write different things
Dropbox - a cloud with the right files
Viber - an alternative to Skype
â–Ś WIRELESS NETWORKS
There are only standard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Wi-Fi works in dual-band mode (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
. There is no GPS or GLONASS. LTE module is installed only in special versions of the tablet.
â–Ś PRODUCTIVITY
Surface 2 RT runs on an NVIDIA Tegra 4 chip, which includes a ARM Cortex-A15 quad-core processor with a frequency of 1.71 GHz.
RAM is 2 GB.
Now we study speed. PC Benchmark contains several subtests showing the speed of reading and writing in different conditions, performance tests of CPU, GPU and RAM.
Relative Benchmark is a graphical test showing the average frame rate (FPS).
The Prime Test makes the tablet find all the primes from 0 to 30 million.
3DMark is a popular benchmark from Futuremark.
In general, the issue of performance is not so acute for devices on Windows RT, since there are practically no demanding applications for Windows RT. If only we consider heavy games in the Store, which so far are not so many. And professional applications for working with graphics or video are almost not created for this OS, since it was originally designed specifically for tablets, and not for laptops. As for working in the operating system and pre-installed applications, everything works smoothly, but when you open Metro applications, the device “thinks” for a few seconds (as usual for tiled Windows 8 / RT applications).
â–Ś GAMES
The Windows Store doesn’t have as many serious 3D games that support touch controls. I will tell about the most interesting of them.
A toy that is available only on the Windows platform: Halo: Spartan Assault. Here we control a little man, complete missions and kill enemies. Made beautifully and tastefully, the whole game was a pleasure.
GTA San Andreas is available on all OSes and therefore all the saves were transferred without problems. Conveniently, when I played on the phone, and continued on the tablet.
There is also a football simulator FIFA 14. The game is distributed for free.
LEGO Hero Factory Invasion - dynamic action, designed in the corporate style of the designer. Throughout the game you need to fight in a collapsing city and be sure to kill five terrible monsters so that they do not capture the city. Hike the game you can improve your battle skills.
Asphalt 8: Airborne - the famous series of races. The game is also distributed for free, has a rather beautiful graphics and easy control.
Problems with the launch or performance was not observed. There were no overhangs and departures either. Games for Surface 2 are quite well adapted and support touch control. At first glance, there are not so many games in the Store, but this is not so. If you dig, you can find yourself a few interesting for a couple of hours, especially since the list is constantly growing.
â–Ś BATTERY, CHARGING, TIME OF WORK
The battery life is one of the strengths of Surface 2. In principle, this is not surprising: Windows RT was designed with maximum energy efficiency. The battery in this case can be quite capacious, since the case is large.
Microsoft says Surface 2 can work up to 10 hours in video playback mode, and 7 to 15 days in standby mode.
I tried to start the video from a local disk, set the brightness to 50 percent and turned on Wi-Fi. In this mode, Surface 2 played my movies for 14 hours and 32 minutes. In surfing mode with Wi-Fi, the tablet lasted almost 9 hours.
â–Ś CONCLUSION
Surface 2 RT at the moment looks more competitive compared to the younger model, which was released in 2012. Microsoft did a lot of work on its brainchild (faster processor, extended battery life, improved display) and fixed many shortcomings. Surface 2 has several competitive advantages: design, stuffing and firmware. Plus, you can buy a convenient keyboard, activate bonuses and synchronize the tablet with your home PC. However, the Store with a small number of applications is still not able to withstand the Play Store and the Apple Store.
And most likely you need to add that Surface is more suitable not for the consumption of content, but for its creation. For those people who spend more time behind a web browser or office and are looking for a portable PC replacement. That is why I still have not bought myself a tablet on Android or on iOS, simply because I did not see the point in it. With Surface, the situation has changed. The tablet not only allows me to watch TV shows and spend time with toys, but also to fully work with documents and files. Personally, I did not feel a lack of applications. Many services that do not have their own app in the Store offer a fairly user-friendly web interface. However, by the second course I will need to work with narrower software and then my view slowly falls on Surface 2 Pro, but it will be a completely different story.
â–Ś ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
Original design High-quality and clear display, responds quickly to response High performance Good camera Full USB 3.0 port MicroSDXC slot Comfortable and durable stand with two modes Long battery life Fast and beautiful Metro interface Microsoft Office is free. Bonuses in the form of coupons for OneDrive and Skype Small number of applications (compared to other OS) Unable to install application from other sources Quiet speakers Keyboard not included Own charger High priceâ–Ś PRICE AND PURCHASE
In Russia, Surface 2 RT is not yet for sale, but you can easily buy a tablet in the United States using the services of the Shop4import.com intermediary. I advise you to buy the device in the official store of Microsoft Store .
Microsoft often makes discounts and therefore the device can be bought much cheaper. For example, for students the device is sold with a 16% ($ 75) discount !
It is not difficult to buy a discounted device, for this it is enough to complete several points:
1. Go to www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/edu
2. Indicate that we are a student, a place of study and put a tick.
3. Select the required memory version and put it in the basket.
4. In addition, you can buy a keyboard and choose another case as a gift.
5. Click Checkout and enter the delivery address (warehouse address at the intermediary).
6. We pay for the goods through a bank card or PayPal.
7. We are waiting for the package to arrive at the warehouse.
8. We collect the parcel in your personal account Shop4import .
9. We send in the way convenient to you. I advise fast delivery Shop4import Express .
Student discounts are also available on Surface 2 Pro. For example, you can buy a version with 128 GB of memory for $ 799.10 , instead of $ 999.00 (do not forget to use the coupon GRADUATION ). The version with 64 GB will cost $ 709.10, 256 GB — $ 1069.10, 512 GB — $ 1519.10. Let me remind you that Surface 2 PRo has a full-fledged Windows 8.1 Pro, an Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB of RAM for the 64/128 GB version and 8 GB of RAM for the 256/512 GB version.
If you are unable to pay for the device or have problems with the purchase, then the whole process can be charged to Shop4import . It is enough to add a link to the desired lot, specify its name and delivery method. The employees themselves will buy the device and bring it to the warehouse, then add it to your personal account.
The final cost of the console with delivery with insurance via Mail Shop4import Express :
Tablet Surface 2 RT: $ 374.00
Keyboard Type Cover 2: $ 116.99
MailForwarding service: $ 5
Shop4import Express Delivery: $ 68.44
Total: $ 564.43
In rubles (the average rate of 35 rubles.): 19 755 rubles
The weight of the package was (2182 grams), the package reached me in 12 days. If you buy a tablet without a keyboard, then about 440 $ (15 370 rubles) will be released with the delivery.
And finally, a video review!
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Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/171307/
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