Surface Pro: More Than a Tablet

Although pricing for the Surface Pro seems high, the tablet has Ultrabook-level specs and differs significantly from itsRT sibling.

THE SURFACE PRO is doomed—or so it would seem, given Microsoft’s prices of $899 (64GB) and $999 (128GB). But if you dig into the specs, it doesn't sound like a tablet. With a Core i5 CPU, 4GB of RAM, a USB 3.0 port, a memory card slot, and a mini- DisplayPort connector, the Surface Pro (slated for January 2013, though rumors hint it could arrive even before then) sounds more like an Ultra book with touch and pen, but with­out a built-in keyboard.How will buyers react to the Pro, considering that Micro­soft's own Surface RT has been out for a while? No one questions whether the Sur­face RT is a tablet. It's priced like a high-end tablet, it’s thin and light, and it has competi­tive battery life. But since that

Windows RT tablet usesNvid- ia's ARM-based Tegra 3 CPU, it can’t run desktop programs. (See our review on page 48.)

Buyers may view the Su rface Pro as just a pricey tablet as well. At the prices Microsoft is charging, shoppers who are not paying attention to its PC- like specs will likely ignore it.

Serious PC users who rec­ognize the Surface Pro as a thinly disguised PC may grab one; they might also buy the Type Cover, or maybe a Blue­tooth keyboard. Corporations may view it with interest too, as Microsoft has integrated enterprise-management capability. They'll be able to install all their software on it as well, since it's a full Win- dows8 PC underthehood.
Pro vs. RT If you’re trying to decide between the Surface Pro and Surface RT, you should be aware of the benefits and dis­advantages of each Windows platform. Since the Surface Pro isn't out yet, for the sake of comparison we looked at several other tablets running Windows 8 Pro.
Battery life: In this respect, Windows 8 Pro tablets com­pete with Ultrabooks more than they do other tablets. Our testing of the Samsung Series 7 Slate, for example, yielded more than 5.5 hours of battery life—and that's with an Intel Core i5 CPU rather than the more energy- frugal Atom chips used in many Windows 8 tablets.
Size and weight: Here the two platforms are a mixed bag, depending on the device model. At 1.9 pounds, the Samsung Series 7 Slate weighs almost half a pound more than the 1.5-pound Sur­face RT. According to a blog post by Panos Panay, general manager of Microsoft Sur­face. the Surface Pro will weigh less than 2 pounds too.

The Dell Latitude 10, in contrast, is a Windows 8 Pro tablet listed at 1.47 pounds. The difference is that the Samsung and the Surface Pro use a traditional PC architec­ture, while the Atom CPU in the Dell is an SoC (system on chip) that merges more func­tionality into less space.

Legacy software: This is where the balance shifts away from RT tablets. Win­dows 8 Pro behaves the same on a desktop, laptop, or tab­let, and all of the Windows software you rely on will work on a Wi ndows 8 Pro tablet.

Windows RT can run only apps developed for the Win­dows RT Modern interface. The volume and quality of available apps is under­whelming but growing rapid­ly. That won't do you any

good, however, if you rely on an industry-specific applica­tion that runs only in the full Windows operating system. The difference, again, is that Win dows RT is strictly for ARM-based processors, while Win dows 8 Pro works with x86 processors.

Advanced features: Anoth­er area where Windows RT is no match for Windows 8 Pro is in more-advanced features and capabilities. A Windows 8 Pro tablet, for example, can join a Windows network domain, and be managed and monitored just like any other Windows computer.

An x86-architecture tablet running Windows 8 Pro or Windows 8 Enterprise can encrypt data via BitLocker. A Windows 8 Enterprise tablet also opens up another realm of possibilities, including vari­ous Microsoft technologies that are not available for Win dows8 Pro—never mind RT.

Which One Wins?

If money is a factor, or if you want a tablet only to aug­ment your Windows PC, the Surface RT or another Win­dows RT tablet makes sense. But if you want to run tradi­tional software, or if you need a more robust device, a Win­dows 8 Pro tablet like the Sur­face Pro will serve you better.

In the end, what may kill the Surface Pro is its Surface name. It looks to be an im­pressive little Windows 8 PC. But if potential buyers see it as just a high-priced tablet, Microsoft could end up with a lot of excess inventory.