Microsoft Surface Reviews

Microsoft Surface Review at TechCrunch

Should you buy the Surface RT? No. The Surface RT is a product of unfortunate timing. The hardware is great. The Type Cover turns it into a small convertible tablet powered by a promising OS in Windows RT. That said, there are simply more mature options available right now. Microsoft needs to court developers for Windows RT. As a consumer tablet, the Surface lacks all of the appeal of the iPad. There aren’t any mainstream apps and Microsoft has failed to connect Windows desktop and mobile ecosystem in any meaningful way like Android or iOS/OS X. Read more...

Microsoft Surface Review at PCWorld

Surface RT is packed with productivity potential, and finds a certain measure of success in reinventing the tablet form factor. But its hardware isn't perfect, and its Windows RT operating system lacks flexibility and app support. Read more...

Microsoft Surface Review at Engadget

The Microsoft Surface with Windows RT's $499 starting MSRP means those thinking about making the investment here will be carefully cross-shopping against same-priced offerings from Apple, ASUS and others. Where does this one rate? Very well -- but very differently. While those devices are primarily targeted at content-hungry consumers, the Surface is a slate upon which you can get some serious work done, and do so comfortably. You can't always say that of the competition. Read more...

Microsoft Surface Review at Mashable

Surface is so different from any tablet I’ve used before that it took me a few fays to fully warm to it, but now I like it — quite a bit. Part of this is because I am a Windows user with a Hotmail account and Xbox Live at home. This is a Microsoft ecosystem and the Surface fits it like a glove. While I’m not a huge fan of the email interface (it’s dull), I had no trouble accessing my Hotmail and adding Gmail, and Google apps accounts. Similarly, the somewhat dull-looking calendar smartly handled all my appointments and popped up gentle reminders at all the right times. I also like that files I store on SkyDrive are available on all my other logged-in devices (this can work on an iPhone or iPad, too, since SkyDrive has an iOS app). Read more...

Microsoft Surface Review at CNET

Is the Surface worth its price? I think a more useful question is this: if on a business trip, could I replace my laptop with the Surface? The short answer is no. The longer answer is also no, but these are the reasons why. The overall sluggishness and bugginess in the interface, especially when using IE10, are disappointing. Flash support for IE10 is currently lackluster. Also, more pointedly, IE10 isn't yet compatible with CNET's content management system (the tool we use to publish articles). There aren't nearly enough apps to support my entertainment social-networking needs when I'm not actually working. Read more...

Microsoft Surface Review at Gizmodo

Should you buy it? No. The Surface, with an obligatory Touch Cover, is $600. That's a lot of money. Especially given that it's no laptop replacement, no matter how it looks or what Microsoft says. It's a tablet-plus, priced right alongside the iPad and in most ways inferior. That could change. Maybe there will be a new Touch Cover that retains the original's terrific physical qualities while actually allowing good typing. Maybe the quasi-vaporware Surface Pro, which eschews Windows RT in favor of the real-deal Win 8, will make all the difference, opening itself up to the open seas of PC software (for several hundred dollars more). Maybe the app store will look different in a month, or a year, and have anything to offer. Maybe. But remember that Windows Phone—which has swelled from mere hundreds, to tens of thousands, to over a hundred thousand app offerings over the past two years—is still a wasteland compared to iOS and Android. Poor precedent. Maybe Windows RT will be different. Maybe. Read more...

Microsoft Surface Review at Wired

Yes, you can use it as your only computer. I would never have made that claim about an iPad or Android tablet. But if you only need to live in Microsoft Office and the web and e-mail, and use your computer for media consumption, you’ll do great with this. I used it as my primary computer for several days. There were applications I missed, and I would never want it to be my only computer (the keyboard and screen are just too small) but it worked. I was fine. Read more...

Microsoft Surface Review at SlashGear

In the end, it all comes down to ecosystem. If you’re already invested in Microsoft then it’s a good solution: if you’re a Windows Phone user, or an Xbox 360 gamer, or simply have a background with Windows 7, then Surface will likely fit into your world more smoothly than an iPad or Android tablet might. If you’ve considered subscribing to Xbox Music, Microsoft’s streaming audio service, then Surface makes sense there, too, considering cross-platform apps for that haven’t been released yet. Read more...

Microsoft Surface Review at Pocket-lint

We're sold, honestly, on the Surface RT. It's not cheap, but it's priced aggressively enough that people will give it some thought before they snap up an iPad. But, Surface isn't really competing with the iPad. It's looking to take the crown from laptops. And in that regard, we think it's doing some impressive work. For example, the battery life is such that it makes taking it on the road much more practical than a massive laptop. It's lighter, and it should last pretty much all working day. Read more...

Microsoft Surface Review at T3

Is the Microsoft Surface an iPad killer? The answer is that they are two very different beasts. The iPad is a sleek multimedia device that has the app capacity and power that can make it as work-friendly as it is amazing for watching films, reading magazines and playing games. The Microsoft Surface has the impressive keyboard cases, the expandable support, slick Windows 8 UI, and the multitasking prowess that is really a unique tablet feature. However, it's let down by some worrying performance issues, a disappointing screen, threadbare Microsoft app Store, the huge storage space Windows 8 RT takes up and we really think the restrictive design of the Surface only being made for flat surfaces and not lap use is a massive oversight. Read more...