Microsoft unveiled their new tablet offerings earlier this month. The new tables are the Surface 2 and the Surface Pro 2. Gone is the ‘RT’ designation from the Surface 2 model but not from its operating system, Windows RT 8.1.
Surface 2 & Surface 2 Pro- How are they the same?
Both the “personal use” Surface 2 and “business use” Surface Pro 2 sport a 1080p 10.6-inch display. They both also come with one year of free voice-to-landline calls via Skype as well as free Skype Wi-Fi at selected hotspots. Both models support USB 3.0 connectivity. 200GB of SkyDrive storage is provided – for one year for the Surface 2 and two years for the Surface Pro 2.
Pre-orders for either model can be placed online or at Microsoft Stores or Best Buys now with their release scheduled for October 22nd. Pre-ordering is available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the US.
Surface 2 & Surface 2 Pro – How are they different?
The Surface Pro 2 is definitely the ‘beefier’ of the two models, rightfully so since it is targeted for business users. Below is a comparison of the features that are different across the two models.
| Surface 2 | Surface Pro 2 | |
| Processor | Nvidia Tegra 4 | Intel Core i5 Haswell |
| RAM / Storage. | RAM to be announced. Storage is 32GB or 64GB. MicroSD card slot | 4GB / 64GB; 4GB / 128GB; 8GB / 256GB; 8GB / 512GB. Storage is flash memory. |
| Connectivity | HD Video Out | Mini DisplayPort; audio in/out; Ethernet |
| Battery Life | 10 hours | No projected battery life provided but is said to be 60 – 75% longer than the original Surface Pro |
| Operating System | Windows RT 8.1 | Windows 8.1 |
| Camera | Rear: 5-megapixel 1080p video. Front: 3.5-megapixel 1080p video. | |
| Price | 32GB model is $499. 64GB price not yet announced. | 64GB model is $900, up to $1800 for the 512GB model. |
Surface 2 – The Bottom Line
The significant differences in RAM / Storage combinations, operating systems and, perhaps most importantly price, definitely play to the personal vs. business space argument and makes this a pretty easy decision of which model to buy if you decide to go the Surface route.
