There are basically two tablets that Microsoft releases. Surface with Windows RT and Microsoft Surface Pro. In CES, the Surface Pro has made an appearance, and this is the first time that anybody got a good look at the Windows ‘Tablet PC’. Here in, we will look at the specs and know why Surface costs a lot more than the regular Surface RT tablet.
Tech Specs Comparison
Feature
|
Microsoft Surface RT
|
Microsoft Surface Pro
|
Display
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10.6 inch LCD HD
1366x768 px resolution
5-point multi-touch
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10.6 inch LCD FHD (Full HD); 1920x1080px; 10-point multi-touch
|
Processor
|
NVidia Tegra 3 quad-core
|
Intel Core i5 dual core
|
RAM
|
2GB
|
4GB (dual channel)
|
Storage
|
32 GB, 64 GB
|
64 GB, 128 GB
|
OS
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Windows RT
|
Windows 8 (Pro)
|
Battery
|
31.5 W-h
|
42 Wh
|
Cameras
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720p HD front & rear 1MP cameras
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1MP cameras, 720p HD
|
Other features
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USB 2.0 port
Micro SDXC card slot
HDMI port
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Software: Office Home & Student RT Preview
|
Pen input available with pen shipping with the tablet
USB 3.0 port
Micro SDXC slot
Mini DisplayPort
Software: Windows Mail, Messaging, SkyDrive, etc.
|
The Price
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$499 (base model)
|
$899 (base model)
|
As you can see, there is no huge difference between the hardware specifications of these tablets. Surface Pro has a higher amount of RAM, a different kind of processor, a little better internal storage option, better battery, resolution, and support for USB 3.0. You probably feel these minor upgrades are not enough to demand a price tag of an extra 400 dollars, do you not?
Combining all the extra features available in Surface Pro, let’s look at the prices. You should check this out to know the price of the Surface RT tablet, compared against the actual parts price.
While the Tegra 3 processor on RT costs around 20 dollars to Microsoft, Intel Core i5 processor on Surface Pro costs much more than that. I mean, you cannot compare the prices of these processors. Core i5 is a family of processors for desktops and laptops that cost anywhere from 150 to 300 dollars. We don’t have any specific information as to which Core i5 processor is used in Surface Pro or what its clock rate is.
Another factor is, the Intel Core i5 mobile processors are all dual-core in nature, and they come at maximum clock rate of around 3.2 GHz, which is pretty good for 64-bit computing.
The dual-channel RAM available in Surface Pro is another reason why the tablet will perform much better. It increases the data transfer rate between the memory controller and the RAM.
These are not the major reasons why Microsoft commands such a big price tag on Surface Pro. The actual reason is as follows…
Surface Pro is not a regular old school tablet you are familiar with. It is a toned down version of a regular PC or laptop. It has the specifications of a small laptop, and it works exactly like one. If you have been using Surface RT tablet, you may have noticed that none of your old school Windows applications can be installed and run on Surface RT. It works with only the apps available in the Windows app store. The same is the case with your Apple iPad or any Android tablet. They cannot ever be a proper replacement for an actual Windows PC. Surface Pro can!
There are only a limited number of apps available in the Windows store, but there are a million different applications available for Windows desktop operating systems, Windows 7, 8, XP, etc.
Surface Pro tablet will work perfectly with any desktop application specifically developed for Microsoft Windows operating system. It will be regarded as a regular touch-capable laptop that you have been dreaming about since the beginning of laptops and tablets.
Also, the tablet comes with a pen that works like Samsung Galaxy Note’s S-pen. You can use it to take notes, create drawings, or work more efficiently with your applications.
However, I will look at the tablet specs once it actually comes to the market to learn more about battery life and processor power. Based on that only, I can give you a purchase recommendation. Earlier we posted, based on the price, Surface RT was not a good purchase, and there are other Windows 8 tablets that work exactly like a PC. Some of them, like Sony Tap-20 for have huge screens as well; Read more here. Surface Pro had better perform well to be successful in this rat race.