Microsoft tries yet again with its Surface Tablet to compete with Apple, one of the market leader in tablets, portable media players and mobile phones. Yesterday Microsoft announced its entry into the tablet computer market with its range of tablets known as the Microsoft Surface. Microsoft announced two versions of the surface, one for Windows 8 Pro and other one for Windows RT.
Microsoft Surface Vs Apple iPad
Lets start with the screen size, the Microsoft Surface has a screen size of 10.6” as compared to the iPad which has a 9.7” display. Microsoft said that it will be a HD display but we still don’t know how good or bad it is as compared to the retina display of the new iPad.
Both the surface tablets weigh slightly more than the Apple iPad but it is still on the lighter side. And thickness of the Windows RT version is the same as the iPad that is 0.37” but the Windows Pro 8 is slightly thicker at 0.53”.
Now lets talk about the key differences between Apple iPad and Microsoft Surface. Microsoft Surface as two USB ports which is something the iPad is looked down upon. USB ports really enhance the overall experience of using a device as it provides a plethora of options for connectivity. For instance it can be connected with USB dongles, external web cams, storage devices and much more. Other than the USB port it has microSD card slot, Micro HD video(only Windows RT) and WiFi. Nothing related to 3G or 4G connectivity was said by the company. On the other hand Apple iPad has only one 10 pin port which is used for charging and connecting to PC, WiFi and 3G/4G(optional).
The Microsoft surface is made up of VaporMG material which is lighter and makes the tablet easy to grip whereas the iPad is made up of aluminium. The body of the Surface also embeds a stand which is a part of the body of the tablet and makes it easy to use while watching videos or using it with a physical keyboard.
The most important accessory of the Microsoft Surface is the smart cover. It is something very similar to the smart cover that iPad 2 and the new iPad has as far as the mechanism is concerned. But Surface’s smart cover is also an external keyboard for the tablet. The cover is just 3mm thick and it has a full QWERTY keyboard with the touchpad like we have in the laptops. The keys on the smart cover are pressure sensitive and yes it has the normal on screen keyboard as well.
Microsoft also showcased a stylus cum pen which attaches to the tablet magnetically when not in use.
The tablets comes with 32GB or 64GB for Windows RT model and the Windows 8 Pro has 64 GB and 128GB storage options.
Microsoft Surface Tablet Price
Nothing was said about the pricing of the tablets by the company but as per our expectations it can vary from $500 to $1000 depending on the versions you want to buy.
So as I said earlier this is Microsoft’s new attempt to compete with Apple. If you remember Microsoft came up with its Portable media player called Zune in order to compete with Apple iPod and Windows Phone as a competitor for Apple iPhone but none of them were able to leave a big dent on the Apple’s range of products. Though the new tablet really looks great with the all new Windows 8 platform. The only problem as per now is the number and quality of apps in the Windows app store or marketplace, so if that improves somehow then Microsoft Surface can really have an edge in the market.
Here’s a small teaser by Microsoft
