First Looks: Microsoft Surface Tablets

Since there are two kinds of tablets from Microsoft, the Surface and the Surface Pro, I'll analyze each of them seperately so that you can better understand what each one has to offer.

Microsoft Surface (Windows RT)

The first and the cheapest member of the Surface family is of course, simply, the Microsoft Surface. The Surface is powered by Windows RT unlike the original Windows 8. Well, if you're still unaware of Windows RT and you are drooling thinking about what it is, let me tell you in the simplest of words. Windows RT or Windows RunTime is the first member of the Windows 8 line designed especially for Tablets. The factor that seperates the Windows RT from Windows 8 is the lame fact that Windows RT can just run apps from Windows Marketplace. Yeah, no other stuff, not even the simplest of the program. That's what Windows RT is. But let's hope someone would find someway to turn RT to the original Windows 8. Ok, back to the specs.

The Surface has a 10.6" ClearType HD display with a USB port and a mini HDMI port for the fine media experience. Unlike other tablets, this one has a microSD slot allowing you to expand the memory for bulk data storage. It's a plus point I found as I usually don't notice one in the latest cheap tablets on the store. And I really expected there wouldn't be any microSD slot on the Surface. Surface is the first ARM powered tablet running Windows and from Microsoft. The Surface is powered by ARM chip from the GPU giant, Nvidia and is expected to be a Windows version of Tegra 3(Often seen as Tegra 3+). The Tegra is way enough to run the games and play media on the surface.

The Surface weighs just about 676g, slightly weightier than the iPad and has a thickness, just about 9.3mm. Surface is the lightest tablet among the Surface family. Surface tablet bundle includes Touch Cover, perhaps the slimmest keyboard created by Microsoft, having just about 3mm thickness. There are also additional Type Covers available for those who'd like to have a different colour to match the theme of your tablet.

In addition, the Surface will include some Office 15 apps to do your documents and works on the go, designed just for Windows RT models. The Surface comes in 32GB and 64GB models. Surface is expected to be out by July, at the same time when Microsoft launches Windows 8. Current pricing details are unknown but the bets are, it'd be around $300 (Rs. 17k and above). But you can be sure that it'd be cheaper than the iPad.

Microsoft Surface Pro

The Surface Pro, is the king of the Surface family. Surface Pro runs on Windows 8 Pro, the true Windows capable of doing all the things you'd do on a Windows PC. But along with the specs, comes a heavier and thicker machine. The Surface Pro weighs around 903g and has a thickness of about 13.5mm. So, it's not the lightest competitor for the iPad.

But what come with more weight, is more power. Surface Pro is powered by a Quad Core i5 Processor adding more performance and graphics for the finest performance, just like in an average PC. Surface Pro has a 10.6" ClearType Full HD display compared to the HD one in Surface. It also has a USB 3.0 Port and a mini DisplayPort for finer play and data transfer. The other specs match the Surface and in addition to Touch Cover and Type Cover, it also has a Pen with Palm Block, a kind of stylus just like in Note.

Surface Pro comes in two variants, 64GB and 128GB for much more data transfer as you'd be having both Apps and Programs in Surface Pro. And it's even expandable thanks to a microSDXC port. No exact pricing is available and Surface Pro is expected to release 3 months later.

So, there you have it, my first impressions on Surface Tablets. Pricing details are not yet known and release dates are not exact. But let's wait and see what the Tablet could really do after it's launch at the Windows 8 launch event, coming in July. The initial impressions tells us that the tablet is a real competitor for iPad. But, as I said, we only know when we have it in our hands. The big question still remains a mystery -- Is Surface enough to rule out iPad?