Microsoft Surface with black Touch Cover
After two full weeks using a Surface RT as my primary tablet and media consumption device, I'm equipped to render a verdict on Microsoft's first foray into the PC hardware market.
Before you digest that verdict, it's imperative to establish what role you want the Surface to assume in your daily routine. For many of you, it may begin as an iPad replacement and unexpectedly blossom into a full-fledged laptop and productivity machine. For others, it will be nothing more than a novelty; beautiful hardware drowning in a shallow sea of software.
For me, it's nestled somewhere in between: A hybrid device that is more than a tablet, almost a laptop replacement, and patiently waiting for a robust software library to help fulfill its promise.
The moral of this introductory ramble? Reviews are subjective, and your mileage will vary. Microsoft has a 14 day return policy on the Surface and I'm pleased to not have exercised it — but the option is there for curious buyers.
Hardware and Design
Microsoft's VaporMg (pronounced "Vapor Mag") process is more than a marketing buzzword. It's three times lighter than aluminum but astonishingly strong, meaning the Surface's signature kickstand isn't just a gimmicky prop threatening to buckle under some minor bit of force.
This GIF from Wired's Matthew Honan shows how insanely durable the material is (Honan leverages nearly his entire body weight here before it snaps):
Beyond durability, the Surface's magnesium alloy shell is handsome, sleek, and cool to the touch. It feels slightly lighter in the hand than its actual 676 grams (1.5 pounds), and it justifiably gives the impression of a superior build quality. The final design reflects the lengthy R&D process and multiple revisions Microsoft cycled through before reaching this final retail version.
The Touch Cover Keyboard
The signature Touch Cover was the make-or-break component for me. I was pleasantly surprised when my initial use of it resulted in speedy typing and minimal mistakes. Of course, this was at a Microsoft pop-up store in an environment carefully crafted to sell hardware. How did it fare at home and at the office during routine use?
It took four days to become proficient with the thin Touch Cover, and I still can't type as briskly as I can with my trusty mechanical keyboard. That said, it's vastly more accurate than the keyboard dock on the Transformer Prime and more comfortable than Logitech's near-perfect Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad 2 and iPad 3.
So what makes all the difference? The Surface Touch Cover isn't as cramped as those aforementioned peripherals. This means an easier transition from your standard or laptop keyboard to the Touch Cover, and it's less jarring to shift back and forth.
A closeup of the Surface RT Touch Cover
While the Touch Cover lacks any tactile resistance, audio cues help to instill a sense of feedback while typing. Simple clicks are emitted with a successful key press, and higher tones are triggered for functions like Shift or Backspace. It all contributes to a cohesive experience, and after a few days you'll be astonished at how well you've adapted.
Still, the best argument in support of the Surface and Touch Cover combo is that I've used it to quickly write entire articles for Forbes, a task that was borderline excruciating on multiple iOS and Android devices. This encompasses opening Word to draft the initial post, having several Internet Explorer tabs open for research, downloading media assets, cropping and resizing with Paint, and navigating the back-end of WordPress.
Surface RT dangling from Touch Cover
Microsoft has the utmost confidence in the magnetic bonding power of its Touch Cover, by the way. Without hesitation a store clerk allowed me to dangle a Surface by the Touch Cover and it gave no signs of letting go of its attached slate. I've done it multiple times at home with the same pleasing result.
The Touch Cover also knows its place. Literally. Pull it back behind the slate and the onscreen keyboard will replace it. Close it over the display and the Surface will go into standby.
Praise aside, keep in mind that the Touch Cover performs exponentially better on a hard, flat surface (you'll struggle on the couch or in bed). It also seems susceptible to minor scuff marks, even from a fingernail.
Sidenote: The black Touch Cover has a pleasing felt-like texture to its underside. Microsoft also sells a more traditional Type Cover which is thicker and has physical feedback, though I haven't had the opportunity to test it.
Display
The 10.6" HD display delivers a 1366×768 resolution, 5-point multitouch, and a 400 nit brightness level. While Microsoft emphasizes its ClearType technology as being superior to similar screens, it's no substitute for a Retina display. First party apps like People and Mail boast super-sharp, very readable text, but things get less attractive when you begin browsing your favorite sites. Do they look bad? Not remotely. They simply don't look stunning.
Games like Angry Birds Star Wars and HD movies – especially in their native 16:9 aspect ratio — really pop. This is a roomy display with awesome color depth and minimal glare, but I do wish the resolution was higher. As it stands, the Surface display is perfectly acceptable. It's just not luxurious. Before buying one, I recommend you browse a few of your most frequented internet haunts, as well as some third party apps like Netflix or MetroTwit to evaluate the screen for yourself.
Fortunately there's the ease of connecting an external display via a Micro-HDMI port. As you'd expect with Windows, it's a simple plug-and-play process and can be used to duplicate, replace, or extend your Surface screen real estate. I found it useful for combining research with writing.
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