Microsoft Surface Pro - Review

Computing gets its hands on the new Surface Pro, and asks whether this is the one-size-fits-all device enterprises have been waiting for

Microsoft's second foray into the modern tablet market, the Surface Pro, will launch in the UK on 23 May 2013. Its lower-specced sibling, the Surface RT, was released on 26 October 2012, to generally unappreciative reviews and a largely uninterested audience.

But where the RT offered an awkward mix of sub-standard hardware and demanding applications, the Pro beefs things up considerably, with impressive results.

Specifications

OS: Windows 8
Dimensions: 27.46 x 17.30 x 1.35 cm
Weight: 910 grams
Storage: 64GB or 128GB SSD
Display: 10.6" ClearType Full HD Display, 1920x1080 pixels, 16:9 (widescreen), 10-point multi-touch
CPU: 3rd Gen Intel Core i5 Processor with Intel HD Graphics
Memory: 4GB RAM-Dual Channel Memory
Cameras: Two 720p HD LifeCams, front- and rear-facing
Ports: Full-size USB 3.0, microSDXC card slot, Headset jack, Mini Display Port, Cover port
Sensors: Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass
Power Supply: 48W power supply (including 5W USB for accessory (think smartphone) charging
Bundled Apps: Windows Mail and Messaging; SkyDrive; Internet Explorer 10; Bing; Xbox Music, Video and Games

One of the key differences between the Pro and RT versions of Surface is the processor. Intel's Core i5 is a seriously potent component, especially compared to the quad-core Tegra 3 found in the RT. Thanks to this desktop-grade processor, the user-experience on the Pro is uniformly fast and smooth, with apps and videos whizzing along very happily on an excellent screen.

The screen itself is extremely crisp at 1,920 x 1,080, which while not quite up to the latest iPad's Retina display resolution of 2,048 x 1,536, is more than adequate. It's also as smooth and responsive to touch as you could wish.

The 4GB of RAM helps the device cope with multiple browser sessions and apps being open concurrently - Computing experienced no slow-down despite several Office applications and browsers running simultaneously.

And it's these Office applications that will prove the big draw for enterprises. Everything the business user expects to find on the desktop is alive and present on the Pro - or at least a one-month trial version is. In what will be seen as a stingy move from Microsoft, the Office suite doesn't come free with the Pro. However, 2013 versions of Excel, Word, OneNote, PowerPoint, Access and Publisher are all available, optimised for the form-factor with touch interactivity and pinch-zoom present and correct.

OneNote is especially pleasing on the device, as it's able to translate handwriting into text with reasonable accuracy - though proof reading is required - which will be a boon to anyone who's still faster at writing than typing.

Speaking of handwriting, the pen that comes with the Pro as standard is a great piece of kit, and really helps to get more out of the Surface. Besides being able to write directly onto the screen, it's also something of a godsend for those with, to put it delicately, less than svelte digits. One of Computing's criticisms of the RT was that it often throws the user out into what basically amounts to Windows 7 when you want to do something non-tablet-traditional, like check why the Wi-Fi adaptor isn't working - and attempting to click the right button at high resolution with a finger that doesn't end in a needle-point is hard work. Fortunately, the pen simplifies that interaction considerably, and similarly helps hugely when selecting cells in Excel, or navigating menus across the whole Office suite.

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Microsoft Surface Pro - Review

Computing gets its hands on the new Surface Pro, and asks whether this is the one-size-fits-all device enterprises have been waiting for

An enterprise-grade tablet

Bringing this business functionality to the tablet form factor is the Pro's huge strength, and should be the principal reason why CIOs will investigate the device. When on the move, at a conference or meeting, having seamless access to everything you'd want on your desktop can be crucial, and with Microsoft's cloud storage service SkyDrive packaged as standard, transferring files to other devices is extremely simple. Don't trust the cloud? The USB 3.0 port offers up the potential for the Flash drive of your choice to help you out.

Back in the office or at home, Microsoft's contention is that users can plug in one of the available keyboard covers, prop it up on its stand and hey presto, you're basically using an Ultrabook. Alternatively, you could plug in a keyboard and monitor and it's a desktop replacement.

That's the essence of Microsoft's argument, and leads in to a discussion of the device's drawbacks. As seen in the specs, the Pro weighs in at a fairly hefty 910 grams, just shy of a kilogram. It's thicker than both the RT, and the iPad's various iterations, and heats up noticeably during use, although stops short of being uncomfortable to hold.

Sticking with the specs, it takes a fair amount of power to run that processor and integrated Intel HD Graphics chipset, so don't expect stellar battery performance. It will last something in the region of six to seven hours of general use, less if you play a graphics-intensive game, more if you dial down the screen brightness and stick to basic browsing or document creation.

So, it's hotter, heavier and shorter-lived than the iPad, the tablet which so far has seen the deepest enterprise penetration.

But, that's not comparing like for like, or apples with Apple, if you want to mutilate a metaphor. With its power, ease of enterprise management (how many IT departments aren't familiar with Windows?), and ease of file compatibility for any business running a Microsoft ecosystem, it's more relevant to compare the Pro to an Ultrabook than a tablet, and here it scores well. Compared to most Ultrabooks - defining the term as a modern, thin clamshell device with a solid-state drive (SSD) - the Pro is lighter and has a comparable battery life.

This comparison also applies to the price. The 128GB iPad 4 will currently set you back in the region of £640, whereas you'll be lucky to get change from £1,000 for a touchscreen Ultrabook with specs comparable to the Pro. The Surface Pro itself will retail in the UK for £719 for the smaller 64GB SSD, whilst the larger 128GB version will cost £799.

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Microsoft Surface Pro - Review

Computing gets its hands on the new Surface Pro, and asks whether this is the one-size-fits-all device enterprises have been waiting for

Software

So the hardware is impressive, but what of the software? Windows 8 has been knocked by critics since launch, so much so that Microsoft has announced Windows Blue, or Windows 8.1, in an effort to placate them. However, much of the negativity has stemmed from the operating system's suitability, or lack thereof, to its hardware.

The Modern UI (or Metro, if you're a few months behind Microsoft's capricious naming conventions) is great with a touch interface, but less good on a desktop. The Windows 7 environment it dumps you in in order to download some software updates, check drivers, or use the Office suite is sometimes clunky with touch, but great with a keyboard and mouse.

Windows 8 works best when you have both, and is the perfect engine for the Pro - and the fact that it also throws in a very capable tablet-pen further sweetens the deal.

The tile-based front end works extremely well for the Surface, and the tiles' dynamic nature serves to draw users in to the apps in a way that doesn't happen on the iPad, or other devices. The photo tile rotates through pictures from its library, news stories scroll across the Bing news tile, updates from contacts appear on the social tiles - they each give you a reason to click on them beyond simply existing. For that reason, a quick glance at the front screen can sometimes be all you need.

Windows Store

Microsoft's own app store continues to grow, though it can't boast anything like the breadth of support of Apple's version yet. There are 532 business apps on Windows Store at the moment, ranging from cloud storage offerings like Box, various creative apps from Adobe, to financial packages from SAP. Given that the Pro is more likely to find traction with businesses than consumers, it's this area of the Store that's most likely to see apps proliferate and succeed, so expect to see the numbers swell in the coming months.

Popular games like Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja are there for your down-time, but if it's a stellar collection of the latest games you want, you're probably not looking at the Surface Pro. Having said that, given that it's running a Windows environment, and the Windows PC has a strong legacy of games going back decades, the potential is there for this to become a popular device for enthusiasts too.

Verdict

The Surface Pro is a seriously strong contender to be the enterprise tablet of choice. Running the Windows environment with which most businesses are familiar, and with access to the standard Microsoft suites and tools, based on very capable hardware that can effectively operate as a tablet or desktop replacement, this could prove to be a one-size-fits-all device for many use cases.