Microsoft Surface RT Priced

[Amp34]

When they fit 64GB of RAM, dual xeon processors and a couple of SAS disks in a tablet I may also switch over to a tablet at work, until then it's the desktop like for me. Similarly at home, while I'd love a surface Pro to be my main machine (with dock) as I process photos I just don't think it'll be powerful enough to use for that. Whether it will take over my MBA duties is unlikely at the moment too, however as a travel unit it's a great idea, can I justify the Pro on portable/pen input photoshop though... An extra £300-400 is a significant amount...

As for the resolution, I did read that before posting. I'm still a little sceptical TBH. If resolution isn't everything then why give the Pro, with the same screen size, full HD? While what they are saying is true I think it's more a case of fitting facts to the real fact - the RT version may not work smoothly enough at 1080p with the current ARM technology...?

 

[Mr Krugga]

Have a dedicated GFX card in the dock, like the current Sony Z series.

Although the Post PC era will be for the vast majority of people, there will still be a few people that need/want desktops around. For example those that do CAD and other high end processing work. You'll still need workstations (and a few people may want super duper gaming machines), the standard desktop PC however may well go the way of the Dodo.

So very tempted by the RT. The resolution is questionable (why no 1080p - assuming performance issues) but it's a stunning device and may be worth getting to see if I can cope with/will actually use a windows tablet over my MBA. I currently have a touchpad with Android on it but rarely use it.

This, totally this. People who want to see PCs replaced with small factor tablets don't realise that there is a reason why we need and want larger computers/workstations - there's only so much power you can fit in a tablet, and technology advances in both hardware and software, whilst we're pretty much always limited by hardware in heavy duty scenarios.

Heat and power draw will always be an issue with high-end computers, so will storage and raw processing power. It's not like you can't have a small-factor, low-power PC these days, but if you want to use a proper graphics and audio card, multiple RAID arrays or dual-processors, you're still stuck with using a full tower. And that's unlikely to change, as we're always putting more and more into the current hardware.

 

[Fallen god]

Have a dedicated GFX card in the dock, like the current Sony Z series.

Although the Post PC era will be for the vast majority of people, there will still be a few people that need/want desktops around. For example those that do CAD and other high end processing work. You'll still need workstations (and a few people may want super duper gaming machines), the standard desktop PC however may well go the way of the Dodo.

So very tempted by the RT. The resolution is questionable (why no 1080p - assuming performance issues) but it's a stunning device and may be worth getting to see if I can cope with/will actually use a windows tablet over my MBA. I currently have a touchpad with Android on it but rarely use it.

This really, the next gen Haswell chips can run some games at 720p just fine, which would be okay for most people, off course not most of us since were here on OCUK. I also remember Intel opening up USB to transfer 100w which could power a decent sized external GPU and not that junk in the Sony Z.

I believe the future for most people will be a tablet that docks into some sort of station that gives it power plus allows connection to peripherals such as external displays, HDD for larger media collection, external GPU, and a bigger PSU. This with some sort of CPU that turns of some cores/downclocks + undervolts when away from the dock could be a real solution for most people.

Overally I think were at the point were majority people could survive solely on a tablet be it W8 tablet (not RT) and to a lesser extend RT/iPad/Android tablets to meet a lot of there needs. Generally people just read emails, go on the web, consume media, and do some work.

I agree there will always be workstations. I use my PC for CAD/rendering and video editing. No tablet would ever be good enough for this as desktop PC hardware will always be far more powerful and customisable.

As for the res on the Surface RT, MS explains that res isn't everything here

They also did blind tests on journalists comparing the Surface to the new iPad, and most thought the Surface display was clearer and sharper.

But I think when it comes down to using things like the web we will start to notice the difference. Also I tend to like the aspect ratio more for things like the web, I haven't used the Surface granted but most 16:9/16:10 tablets are either to narrow or wide depending on orientations where as the iPad just felt right for most thing. Off course it sucked for movies when you get those huge black bars.

 

[Caged]

Lol at those prices, good luck selling enough to make people bother to write apps.

Do they really think they can compete with the iPad without making it significantly cheaper to own a Surface?

 

[Glaucus]

Lol at those prices, good luck selling enough to make people bother to write apps.

Do they really think they can compete with the iPad without making it significantly cheaper to own a Surface?

It is, or do you not think 17% is significantly cheaper.
People are righting apps and it'll have far more users than other ecosystems, due to it all being windows 8.
Also MS isn't the only one making tablets.
alsox2 unlike apple, most if not all windows8 tablet manufactures do not fix the price. So they will come down. I mean amazon has already knocked $50 of all the acer tablets and that's only pre order.

 

[Bennie-Mac]

Its 17% cheaper, I would call that significant.

Edit - Beaten

 

[Caged]

£399 gets you a 16GB iPad with a retina display, a massive choice of Apps, and a large accessories market.

£399 gets you a Surface with ~20GB free space on it, a low-res display and no track record, from the company who brought us such mobile hardware successes as Zune and Kin. It's also about a mile thick.

Sounds like a deal to me. Obviously feel free to remind me of this post when Windows RT and Surface turns out to be a roaring success at these prices.

Edit: Oh, it's you. I can't really be bothered with the hassle I'm afraid – a Microsoft rep could break into your house and flat out brick in your mouth while you slept and you'd still sing their praises constantly.

 

[DeathStorm]

Lol at those prices, good luck selling enough to make people bother to write apps.

It's the platform that's going to make people write apps for it, due to Window's dominance on the desktop within a short time span you're going to have a bigger install base than all iPads combined.

I appreciate it's not a fair comparison because many of those are going to be desktop rather than portable devices but give it a year and we're talking pretty massive numbers.

Do they really think they can compete with the iPad without making it significantly cheaper to own a Surface?

If cost were such a major factor wouldn't that mean iPad would struggle against all those cheap Android tablets? It's not really a budget device category.

Personally I would have been happier on Surface if they'd had some clear hardware advantages over the iPad (i.e. screen resolution, battery life etc) but Windows 8 is a big step up from iOS. If Apple takes a few lumps because iOS is outdated when compared to Windows 8 they only have themselves to blame, it's not like they've lacked time or money to improve it.

 

[Glaucus]

It's hardly low res, and res is only one aspect, although it would be better high.
See Mr.Bs post a few up.

Free memory means a lot 16Gb is pathetically small these days. It's non expandable with ipad.

Also yes there's few apps, but then RTM hasn't been out long at all. However a large number of the big players have allready confirmed they will support it, with many making a ground up apps, rather than just a port.

Win RT also comes with free office, which is the most widely used office software in the world.

Again MS is not the only supplier of windows tablets.

 

[Caged]

If cost were such a major factor wouldn't that mean iPad would struggle against all those cheap Android tablets? It's not really a budget device category.

What? No, not at all. The iPad wasn't attempting to knock some random cheap Android tablets off their throne as being 'the tablet', the Android tablets came along after and since they can't compete on features because they are all universally crap, the only place left to go is to compete on price. The Surface is in the same category - it's not built like crap but it's also trying to knock Apple off the top spot, and pricing it the same and getting less won't do that.

With regards to Office, RT comes with an unfinished preview which isn't licensed for any sort of use other than private home users, I can't find any pricing to turn this into a commercial license. It also looks impossible to use on a touch screen. I wouldn't class it as a major selling point personally.

RT is to Windows what those fake iPhones that used the same icons as an iPhone but were different in every other way are to iOS. However Windows 8 Pro tablets will be 4 inches thick, cost a million pounds, get really hot and have a terrible battery life. So you can't really win.

 

[Glaucus]

And a tablet isn't only touchscreen, or are you so stick in the past, you haven't noticed every single window 8 tablet has a keyboard dock.

Windows isn't android though. Windows's is a full fledged OS, not ssome cut down mobile OS.

Uni finished maybe, but it is updated through windows update when it's completed (November to December depending on language)

As to comercial license you just need office 365, office standard/proffesional 2013 or a comercial volume license. All three of them gives you comercial license on the rt as well.

 

[Caged]

Haha yeah, I'm so stuck in the past that I haven't realised a trackpad and keyboard are the future input devices of this brave new post-PC world.

Good luck with your crusade, but I think it will be a lonely one.

 

[Glaucus]

Option is the future, who's going to write a report on a touch screen?
But who wants to lug two devices about. That's where keyboard docks come in.

Yes you are clearly stuck in the past.
Not really a crusade, have I once told you, you should link it or buy it.

 

[Photek]

£399 gets you a 16GB iPad with a retina display

£399 gets you a 32GB Surface with upgradable storage, the SDXC slot supports up to 64GB cards.

£399 also gets you a magnesium chassis, not some flimsy aluminium shell.

a massive choice of Apps

All Win 8 apps will work on Win RT as well. And this is Windows, the app count will be massive by xmas. The apps are growing fast and theres already over 5000 right now.

and a large accessories market.

Fail. Surface already has about 1000x more accessories. This is Windows and it has USB remember. Pretty much all PC USB peripherals that work on Win 7/8 with the built-in drivers will work on RT. External hard drives, mice, keyboards, printers and literally millions of other things that currently work with Windows.

It's also about a mile thick.

It's thinner than the new iPad. 9.3mm vs 9.5mm

Obviously feel free to remind me of this post when Windows RT and Surface turns out to be a roaring success at these prices.

I certainly will. It's going to be fun.

 

[Skeeter]

Lol. "Oh, its you, I can't be bothered", followed by a practically scripted Apple fan rant.

 

[Greenja]

However Windows 8 Pro tablets will be 4 inches thick, cost a million pounds, get really hot and have a terrible battery life. So you can't really win.

Hyperbole much?

Unless you've had extensive hands on with the various differant Pro tablets that haven't even been released yet.

The Surface Pro is 13.48mm thick, will cost roughly £800 - £950 (comparable to similar specced Ultrabooks) and have 8 hours battery life.

Seems pretty reasonable to me.

 

[Skeeter]

I think the problem with the Pro is that people seem to think of them as expensive tablets.

They aren't, they are ultrabooks with a removable keyboards.

I really hope Microsoft work hard to differentiate the 2 products and market them at the right people. Marketing the Pro at iPad people is dooming it to failure.

 

[jonneymendoza]

I think the problem with the Pro is that people seem to think of them as expensive tablets.

They aren't, they are ultrabooks with a removable keyboards.

I really hope Microsoft work hard to differentiate the 2 products and market them at the right people. Marketing the Pro at iPad people is dooming it to failure.

This^

The pro version is a ultrabook/laptop that can be easily carried around.

 

[Greenja]

Yeah exactly, its a touch screen Ultrabook with removeable keyboard.

I think this is why they are giving a 3 month gap beteen the RT and Pro models of the Surface. Let people get used to the new Surface as a tablet product / iPad competitor and then release the Pro when people are a bit more aware of the product.

I can see how to the general public it could be very confusing with the different models, especially if lauched simultaneously. Microsoft wouldn't want the average person looking at an iPad for £399 and a Surface Pro for £800+ thinking they were comparable products. Obviously he would go for the iPad.

 

[Skeeter]

I actually think its a mistake to call them both Surface.

Surface should be the RT brand, and the Pro's should have a completely different brand. UltraTab, or TabBook, or something.

You can guarantee that they will be on display in 'Generic large PC store' next to the iPads and RT tablets, nowhere near the laptops and ultrabooks.