Surface 2 and Pro 2

Overheal · 20-10-2013 10:04PM

some locations probably have the display out already but its not yet able to be sold

Surinam · 23-10-2013 04:58PM

Does anyone know where in Dublin I can buy a surface 2? PC world in Jervis only had the old rt on display (!) and the guy didn't have a clue about any new one.

If I ordered from their website (Microsoft's) how long would delivery take?

I'm now sold on the regular surface 2 rather than the pro since I found out it can work with my printer, can transfer files to USB and includes full Office for free. One review got 14 hours battery life out of it- this will be great for plane trips and way more useful than an iPad.

perfectblue · 23-10-2013 05:11PM

I have the first Surface Pro (bought in the US in the spring). I'm curious about the Pro 2, though, and wondering if it's a totally crazy idea to buy it also for its better battery life and larger storage. I use my Pro 1 as my main computer for work (I work from home) - it's hooked up to a screen and a wireless keyboard. I like that, despite it looking like a tablet, it runs as a full computer. Do I want the Pro 2 because it's simply new and shiny, or is there real value in having both?

The downside of the Pro for me is that I can't actually use it as a laptop. It's not stable in my lap with the Type cover and kickstand, and I wish I could change the angle of the screen. Basically, I can only use the Surface on a flat surface/table. Or of course, as a tablet.

Surinam · 23-10-2013 05:14PM

Yep the surface 2 fixes that by having a second stand position for lap use - works very well now: http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=c4-feed-u&v=s6EHbegA-HU

New kickstand obviously on the Pro 2 also BTW.

perfectblue · 23-10-2013 05:45PM

Surinam wrote: »

Yep the surface 2 fixes that by having a second stand position for lap use - works very well now: http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=c4-feed-u&v=s6EHbegA-HU

New kickstand obviously on the Pro 2 also BTW.

Thanks! But not sure if that will help with my laptop typing issue which I think has more to do with the weight imbalance between the unit and the keyboard...

That being said, using the Pro as a computer hooked up to a second screen on my standing desk does mean I can't sit down and work, thereby forcing me to stand more.

Overheal · 24-10-2013 01:52AM

Surinam wrote: »

PC world in Jervis only had the old rt on display (!) and the guy didn't have a clue about any new one.

Well thats another company thats going to be bankrupt in a couple years

wheresmybeaver · 24-10-2013 04:20PM

The new surface 2 is on display in Harvey Normans (€430 ish) and also on display in Argos (€440 ish). Also saw surface pro 2 in Harveys. Prices are best that i can remember. In fairness both places had the new tablets in stock, but didn't see any new keyboard covers, still just the old ones. I can confirm the PC world / Currys in Mahon in Cork does not appear to be at the races with only the old rt on display as of yesterday evening.

AlmightyCushion · 24-10-2013 04:40PM

I had a play with the surface 2 and pro 2 in PC World. The pro 2 is heavy compared to the surface 2 but I don't think you'd be long adjusting to. The silver back on the surface is really nice. It's a lot nicer than the silver back on the iPads which I never liked and I'm glad apple got rid of.

The new type keyboard is class. It's very rigid and they keys are great given its size. I wasn't great at typing on it but with a bit of playing about I reckon it will be grand. The backlight is very faint. In a well lit room you wouldn't notice it's on. No idea what it's like in the dark though. I imagine it would perform well simply because I doubt Microsoft would screw it up.

I think I'll treat myself to a non pro and a type cover for Christmas. It works out about €560. I was expecting it to be close to €600 so it's not bad.

caster · 25-10-2013 03:46PM

Anyone know if the Surface 2 is on display anywhere around Dublin? I want to go take a look at it over the weekend!

Hector Mildew · 28-10-2013 02:02AM

Bought a Surface 2 with the new Type cover last Wednesday and really liking it after my first few days.

My previous tablet was a 1st gen. IPad which served me well but as it was stuck on IOS 5.1 and slowing down a bit, it was time for a change. My first thought was to upgrade to the IPad 5 but having already switched from IPhone to a Lumia 920, I was also open to Windows tablets. The new full Windows devices from Dell, Lenovo, etc. look great but I have no need for desktop applications on a tablet. Also I’m not a big app user (don’t have many apps on my IPad) so decided on the new Surface. For my needs, better support for full websites (including flash) makes up for the lack of many apps.

After the single user IPad, multi user support is a real bonus, making it easy to keep work and personal stuff separate. It also supports a special child account type which allows apps and websites to be restricted according to age and other criteria.

I’m typing this in Word using the Type Cover 2 – first time I’ve tested it properly, it’s quite nice to use and accurate for my use (I’m not a touch typist). The magnetic attachment is amazing – just place the Surface and cover close together and they attach by themselves – with enough strength so that it takes a real effort to separate them. The on-screen keyboard is also excellent, making great use of the wide screen by including a numeric pad. I bought the type cover based on reviews which convinced me that the Surface is useless without a touch/ type cover. In reality, it’s only really needed for the office apps and desktop where the track pad is more accurate than the touch screen.

The SD card, USB 3.0 port, and HDMI output are also very useful, making camera and TV connectivity easier and less expensive compared to my IPad.

On the negative side, the App store is hit and miss and Microsoft are obviously desperate to up their app count. Most of the major apps are available but there are too many ‘fake’ apps which look like they’re fully functional but are actually just reviews or descriptions of apps and games from other platforms. Many of these ‘apps’ use familiar names and icons - giving the impression that they’re legitimate. Even worse, many of are paid apps.. As I said, I’m not a big app user, but Microsoft really need to sort this out or risk pissing off anyone who is.

Overall I’m very happy with my Surface 2 and recommend giving one a try before buying a new tablet.

Overheal · 28-10-2013 02:14AM

Every app store suffers that problem. Android last I checked had an official-looking "Microsoft Office" app which in reality was a rather expensive user-guide in app form. Same thing would show up on iOS also. It just comes down to checking app reviews, knowing who the app developer is (its listed) and if something is really dodgy, report it.

One thing I don't even think about is Windows is the only app store that lets you Try before you buy. Every app store has "free" versions, but the windows store rightly makes the free/paid version the same app. eg "$1.99 (Free Trial)".

Granted, there are some ugg examples in there like the "Pinterest!" app (note the !), but a cursory glance of the reviews is enough to warn you something is wrong.

Hector Mildew · 28-10-2013 02:44AM

That's true Overheal, just noticed a higher proportion of my search results were of that type in the Windows store compared with IOS (don't have much experience with Android).

Didn't realise that providing a free trial is required for paid apps, that's very helpful.

caster · 29-10-2013 12:51PM

Hector Mildew wrote: »

Bought a Surface 2 with the new Type cover last Wednesday and really liking it after my first few days.

.......................................

The SD card, USB 3.0 port, and HDMI output are also very useful, making camera and TV connectivity easier and less expensive compared to my IPad.

On the negative side, the App store is hit and miss and Microsoft are obviously desperate to up their app count. Most of the major apps are available but there are too many ‘fake’ apps which look like they’re fully functional but are actually just reviews or descriptions of apps and games from other platforms. Many of these ‘apps’ use familiar names and icons - giving the impression that they’re legitimate. Even worse, many of are paid apps.. As I said, I’m not a big app user, but Microsoft really need to sort this out or risk pissing off anyone who is.

Overall I’m very happy with my Surface 2 and recommend giving one a try before buying a new tablet.

Thanks for the detailed report. I'm very tempted by this as well even though I have a Surface Pro (first version) already! The Pro is great but heavy, gets very hot and most importantly has very poor battery life. I'm thinking about the Surface 2 for general browsing, watching movies etc. I had a Samsung Tab before and don't remember using the various apps much, just stuck with the browser most of the time - I have an Android phone (Galaxy S3) and do use apps on that alot and feel that's mainly where I'd want to use them.

The lightness and battery life of the Surface 2 appeal to me. Having Office available for work stuff is a big bonus over iPad, Android etc for me. I would still keep the Pro anyway to have the full blown Windows and full power CPU when needed.... Decisions, decisions .....

perfectblue · 29-10-2013 02:35PM

I have the first Pro as well and hearing the Pro 2 is lighter and has a better camera is tempting. Can you attach the old Type (1) cover to the Pro 2?

FrankGrimes · 29-10-2013 02:47PM

I'm looking to get a 64GB Surface 2 (not Pro) - anyone know anyplace that has them in stock? Are they all silver by the way, thought there was going to be some black some silver, as it is silver is what I'm after.

Overheal · 29-10-2013 03:30PM

caster wrote: »

Thanks for the detailed report. I'm very tempted by this as well even though I have a Surface Pro (first version) already! The Pro is great but heavy, gets very hot and most importantly has very poor battery life. I'm thinking about the Surface 2 for general browsing, watching movies etc. I had a Samsung Tab before and don't remember using the various apps much, just stuck with the browser most of the time - I have an Android phone (Galaxy S3) and do use apps on that alot and feel that's mainly where I'd want to use them.

The lightness and battery life of the Surface 2 appeal to me. Having Office available for work stuff is a big bonus over iPad, Android etc for me. I would still keep the Pro anyway to have the full blown Windows and full power CPU when needed.... Decisions, decisions .....

Wait to buy the Battery Cover, it's a Type Cover with a battery pack which will improve on your lifespan a bit. Cheaper than upgrading for sure.

perfectblue wrote: »

I have the first Pro as well and hearing the Pro 2 is lighter and has a better camera is tempting. Can you attach the old Type (1) cover to the Pro 2?

You can. Its really not lighter by much. In fact I'd call it scientifically lighter.

Surinam · 29-10-2013 10:48PM

FrankGrimes wrote: »

I'm looking to get a 64GB Surface 2 (not Pro) - anyone know anyplace that has them in stock? Are they all silver by the way, thought there was going to be some black some silver, as it is silver is what I'm after.

I picked up a surface 2 and type cover from pc world, I think they're all silver yes. Really liking this machine since I got it. Infinitely more useful than an ipad (full usb 3.0 and office 2013 included). It has been working very well so far and battery life is quite impressive. Really beautiful hardware. I am very impressed Microsoft built this, would only expect such good looks and build quality from apple. Feels really well put together.

Type cover has been surprisingly nice to use too, backlight turns on when it senses your fingers over it. Can do some proper typing on it, feels very comfortable.

There are one or two quirks though - skydrive integration is confusing sometimes (in trying to understand how it works) and the metro app cannot be uninstalled (wanted to do this because it got stuck uploading documents). Also, there must be a few bugs yet to be ironed out because my surface randomly shut down and restarted today without warning. Other than that though it has been excellent.

AlmightyCushion · 29-10-2013 10:55PM

The Pro 2 is only available in black, the non pro version is only available in grey. I actually really like the grey. When I seen that they changed it, I wasn't too sure about it but it looks good.

wheresmybeaver · 30-10-2013 12:02AM

Surinam wrote: »

There are one or two quirks though - skydrive integration is confusing sometimes (in trying to understand how it works) and the metro app cannot be uninstalled (wanted to do this because it got stuck uploading documents). Also, there must be a few bugs yet to be ironed out because my surface randomly shut down and restarted today without warning. Other than that though it has been excellent.

The Skydrive integration in Windows 8.1 needs a bit of work - most importantly, some sort of notification area where you can see if anything is being synced. You need to know this sometimes if you know you're going to be offline later and you've set a large folder to be offline. There are few visual indicators to let you know you can disconnect from the network and get going. Skydrive functionality should be updated via the Store in the coming months so fingers crossed. Even as it stands its a great facility on Surface RT and Surface 2 - it means you only effectively need a 32GB device and can store everything else on Skydrive or a NAS at home.

vard · 07-11-2013 08:17PM

I'm in the UK (London) and looking to buy a Surface 2. In an ideal world I'd be going for the pro... anyone have any experience with the RT version? The cheaper price is an obvious advantage, but the potential for the pro to act as a fully fledged laptop replacement would be nice. It's that little bit bigger though, and of course it's more expensive. I wonder how long it will take for the prices to fall a bit? Rambling... can't decide!

AlmightyCushion · 07-11-2013 08:26PM

vard wrote: »

I'm in the UK (London) and looking to buy a Surface 2. In an ideal world I'd be going for the pro... anyone have any experience with the RT version? The cheaper price is an obvious advantage, but the potential for the pro to act as a fully fledged laptop replacement would be nice. It's that little bit bigger though, and of course it's more expensive. I wonder how long it will take for the prices to fall a bit? Rambling... can't decide!

I can't see the price dropping until close to the introduction of the 3rd gen.

vard · 07-11-2013 08:41PM

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

I can't see the price dropping until close to the introduction of the 3rd gen.

Cheers. I happened to find a second hand Surface 2(RT) going for a decent enough price on ebay. It includes a blue touch cover; with import / customs charges & shipping it comes to just under 400 Eur - or $530.

Might hold out and buy new though... or wait for the influx of abandoned xmas pressies.

AlmightyCushion · 07-11-2013 09:00PM

vard wrote: »

Cheers. I happened to find a second hand Surface 2(RT) going for a decent enough price on ebay. It includes a blue touch cover; with import / customs charges & shipping it comes to just under 400 Eur - or $530.

Might hold out and buy new though... or wait for the influx of abandoned xmas pressies.

Haven tried both, I'd go with the type cover. The stiffness works better for typing on uneven surfaces (no pun intended). I haven't tried the 2nd gen touch cover though.

Surinam · 08-11-2013 12:13AM

Type cover 2 has been fantastic for me so far. 2 weeks with Surface 2 and no complaints so far, a really useful machine that is incredibly flexible for my needs.

Tenger · 08-11-2013 08:52PM

Could I jump in here....

am thinking of getting a Surface 2 for my 16 year old. He was using my old laptop which has finally died recently (needs screen replacement)

We were looking at some laptops at approx E450-500 however the Surface 2 looks like it may well be a suitable laptop replacement.

Expected usage would be browsing and some word processing. Maybe some movie/TV watching. Doesn't require large SDD capacity. Nothing too hi spec

No iPad in the household but had been thinking of getting one. However online reviews seem to suggest the Surface is more of a laptop alternative than a pure tablet. From that PoV the Surface seems better buy than the iPad.

Any thoughts?

vard · 08-11-2013 11:16PM

Tenger wrote: »

Could I jump in here....

am thinking of getting a Surface 2 for my 16 year old. He was using my old laptop which has finally died recently (needs screen replacement)

We were looking at some laptops at approx E450-500 however the Surface 2 looks like it may well be a suitable laptop replacement.

Expected usage would be browsing and some word processing. Maybe some movie/TV watching. Doesn't require large SDD capacity. Nothing too hi spec

No iPad in the household but had been thinking of getting one. However online reviews seem to suggest the Surface is more of a laptop alternative than a pure tablet. From that PoV the Surface seems better buy than the iPad.

Any thoughts?

It would be best described as a hybrid. The Surface 2 is closer to a tablet, both in function and in size/heft. The Surface pro 2, while still a tablet, by all accounts, would be better suited as a laptop replacement. I'm still deciding between the two. If desktop programs are necessary then you have to go with the pro - but based on the requirements you listed it sounds like the RT version would do perfectly - perhaps it would be the better choice, considering the slimmer frame etc.

perfectblue · 15-11-2013 06:10PM

i have the first pro, using it as a laptop replacement. it is a smaller screen than my old laptop, but i have it hooked up to a screen. so it's really a desktop replacement, i suppose! as i noted before, though, i cannot type on my lap with the surface pro - the weight imbalance makes it too difficult for me. (i also often sit cross legged, so that definitely don't work).

Overheal · 15-11-2013 10:01PM

Tenger wrote: »

Could I jump in here....

am thinking of getting a Surface 2 for my 16 year old. He was using my old laptop which has finally died recently (needs screen replacement)

We were looking at some laptops at approx E450-500 however the Surface 2 looks like it may well be a suitable laptop replacement.

Expected usage would be browsing and some word processing. Maybe some movie/TV watching. Doesn't require large SDD capacity. Nothing too hi spec

No iPad in the household but had been thinking of getting one. However online reviews seem to suggest the Surface is more of a laptop alternative than a pure tablet. From that PoV the Surface seems better buy than the iPad.

Any thoughts?

The Surface 2 seems perfectly adequate for that. No extra software needed. While any new iOS devices include free iWorks, your son will want to have MS Office for school in most cases, just ease of use. That said, in the Irish education system when did anyone have to turn in a powerpoint? I could be 10 years out of date on that, but we did everything by hand, the ballsy way.

For productivity, Surface 2 wins. Keyboard covers, MS Office, USB Port. Speakers leave much to be desired.

Speakers are a little better on the iPad Air. The screen is definitely higher resolution. Battery life is comparable if not equal. Movies and games, both are decent choices, but the iPad has Airplay if you buy the Apple TV box. If you have a 360 though or definitely plan on the Xbox One a certain degree of streaming capability works with the Surface as well.

I don't think a laptop for movies is a great idea. I'd personally the Surface 2. For direct comparison, compare the Surface 2 64GB to the 64GB Air, throw in a case (because it needs to stand, arguably), and a keyboard (or even just a keyboard case /w stand), and you can see pretty quickly the Surface 2 also represents better value. Even compared to the 32GB Air, frankly.

32GB Air, $100 keyboard case combo - $699
64GB Surface 2, $129 Type Cover 2 - $680

Not to mention the Surface 2 has a Micro SDXC slot - the design limit of SDXC is 2 Terabytes. The largest produced micro though is still only 64GB, but its a pretty reasonable $50 to get a hold of.

wheresmybeaver wrote: »

The Skydrive integration in Windows 8.1 needs a bit of work - most importantly, some sort of notification area where you can see if anything is being synced. You need to know this sometimes if you know you're going to be offline later and you've set a large folder to be offline. There are few visual indicators to let you know you can disconnect from the network and get going. Skydrive functionality should be updated via the Store in the coming months so fingers crossed. Even as it stands its a great facility on Surface RT and Surface 2 - it means you only effectively need a 32GB device and can store everything else on Skydrive or a NAS at home.

If you open your SkyDrive folder in Windows Explorer (Press Win+E and its on the sidebar) you can see which items are "Available Offline" or "Online-Only". Depending on the app you can see sync status. Office programs show sync status. The One Note app will show you Syncing activity if there is anyway when you slide to the left to see your list of available notebooks.

For smartypants, you can change the location of your SkyDrive (google the eHow) and point it at a Micro SD card. Something I prefer as it frees C:\ to install programs while the card handles the synced copies of my files. That, and if you have a 32GB tablet but say a 200GB SkyDrive (quite possible now, though most people will have between 7GB and 25GB) the MicroSD will be able to accomodate the full size of that drive into the future. However pretend for the moment you won't sync your entire photo or music library to your tablet, just the essentials. In which case you can access most of your SkyDrive pretty comfortably on a 32gb or 64gb card. On my Desktop my SkyDrive is a solo partition on a secondary HDD leaving my SSD a lot more wiggle room.

shuffles03 · 19-11-2013 10:25PM

I came across this cool YouTube video showcasing Surface 2 tips:

Has anyone watched movies/music on the Surface 2 using a connected external HD? Do the videos etc need to be in a specific format to play? Does the S2 need an app ie VLC to play the files on the external HD?

vard · 19-11-2013 11:44PM

shuffles03 wrote: »

I came across this cool YouTube video showcasing Surface 2 tips:

Has anyone watched movies/music on the Surface 2 using a connected external HD? Do the videos etc need to be in a specific format to play? Does the S2 need an app ie VLC to play the files on the external HD?

Well I jumped to it and bought a Surface 2 last week. I must say, so far I'm really impressed. The selection of apps is the only drawback really.

I have been playing videos from an external hard drive, accessed via smb network share, and all my videos have been playing without issue. A varied range of formats. So far no issues.

I believe there is a good app which is in development by VLC. I was hoping to find a replacement for XBMC.

Surface 2 and Pro 2

Comments