Brotherluv
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- First ReviewOctober 24, 2013
- Last ReviewOctober 24, 2013
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- Average Rating5
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- First AnswerOctober 24, 2013
- Last AnswerOctober 24, 2013
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Brotherluv's Reviews
Microsoft - Surface 2 - 10.6" - 32GB
Microsoft Surface 2 - 10.6" - 32GB: Mix work and play with a tablet that juggles business or homework just as easily as it keeps pace with your gaming and Skype chats. The touch-optimized version of Microsoft Office RT keeps you productive on the go, and the built-in kickstand features just the right angle for viewing, whether on a table or your lap.Learn more about Windows 8.1 ›Free Windows 10 UpgradeUpgrade for free to Windows 10 when it's available*, and get the best combination of the Windows you know, plus lots of improvements you'll love.
More than meets my needs
Customer Rating
5.0
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Setup was a breeze, browser is fully capable, full-size USB
What's not so great: A tad heavy and wide, touchscreen not quite as sensitive as I would expect
I waited a year for Surface 2. I was adamant that I would wait for the second generation so the bugs could be worked out of the RT. I'm really glad I waited.
This thing is VERY cool. I have a laptop and PC that had already been upgraded to Windows 8.1, so when I turned on the Surface, it pulled all of my settings from the cloud and was ready to go in minutes. It had tiles in the correct order on my Start page. All I had to do was click on them and if the app needed to be downloaded it was taken care of without any further effort beyond the click. My wireless printer was waiting for me, and I never had to plug in my wifi information because it grabbed all of that saved data from my laptop. It was mind-bogglingly easy to start using.
I only briefly played with the original RT so I can't really compare the two, but I know enough about hardware to tell you I'm CERTAIN that the cameras they put on the 2 are a big improvement. I snapped good quality selfies of myself and of my family behind me. Normally front-facing cameras are pretty basic on tablets, but this one is very capable.
I'm loving the touch cover more than I thought I would. I was worried about the "learning curve" many tech reviewers commented about when it came to typing on it. Well, that was not an issue at all. I was typing efficiently and effectively within minutes of hooking it on. I've read complaints about the touch-pad on the cover being too small as well, but I don't have a problem with it at all. It's responsive, appropriately sized and convenient if you don't want to lift your hands from keyboard to touch the screen. And really, most of us are so used to using touch-pads at this point it's muscle memory.
I've worked with multiple versions of iPads, and my family has three generations of iPod Touch devices, so I'm very familiar with the Apple world. I will say that within the first hour, I'd copied two large video files via a USB stick to the Surface and it was like doing it on any laptop. You just can't do that with an iPad. I added a 64 GB microSD card as well. Also no possible with an iPad.
I know there are some key missing apps in the store. However, one of the first things I wanted to see was how well some of those missing games played within the browser. My wife has a Windows Phone and complains regularly about not being able to play Candy Crush on it. That would be a big hole on the Surface too, BUT of course with a fully capable version of Internet Explorer, I was playing Candy Crush through my Facebook account on the browser. this process will work for MANY of the missing apps that people want to use. Is this ideal? Of course, no, but at least you don't have to go without. To paraphrase A Field of Dreams, as far as apps go I'm betting that if we buy it, they will come.
I haven't been a college student in 20 years, but I can only imagine that the Surface 2 would be the PERFECT college device. With the new back-lit keyboard, full Office suite (no copy of Access BTW), and it's ability to use the USB sticks and anything else you want to plug into that port, it is meant to be used by students. Oh, and as far as it having Outlook now, when I first saw last year that Outlook wasn't included I was stunned because the native Mail app was so poor. The improvements that have been made to Mail are so good that I haven't even set up Outlook. I find that for a tablet I don't need more than what can be done in that native app, AND it keeps me off the desktop side of Windows, which I find less and less necessary.
Okay, sorry this is so long. I'm not a regular reviewer of products, but I know that unless people give these things a try, they might not make it. I highly recommend that if you're on the fence, make the plunge. I doubt you'll be disappointed.
This product is... easy to set up, lightning fast, Perfect for Business, Variety of apps available, A nice compact size, Easy to navigate, Great screen size
About me... Budget Conscious, Parent with kids, Comfortable with technology
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Best Buy number: 2219044189
+120points
121out of 122found this review helpful.
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Brotherluv's Answers
Microsoft - Surface 2 - 10.6" - 32GB
Microsoft Surface 2 - 10.6" - 32GB: Mix work and play with a tablet that juggles business or homework just as easily as it keeps pace with your gaming and Skype chats. The touch-optimized version of Microsoft Office RT keeps you productive on the go, and the built-in kickstand features just the right angle for viewing, whether on a table or your lap.Learn more about Windows 8.1 ›Free Windows 10 UpgradeUpgrade for free to Windows 10 when it's available*, and get the best combination of the Windows you know, plus lots of improvements you'll love.
Can I connect to a PC projector?
I would like to know if I can connect this device to a PC projector for presentations? Can it connect for audio and video output?
Depending on the available connections that your projector will take, yes, you can use the Surface 2. It will require purchasing the Video connector that works with the Surface tablets. Once you have that you can push video from the tablet out to other video monitors or projectors.
10 years, 6 months ago
by
Posted by:
Brotherluv
from
Erie, PA
Microsoft - Surface 2 - 10.6" - 32GB
Microsoft Surface 2 - 10.6" - 32GB: Mix work and play with a tablet that juggles business or homework just as easily as it keeps pace with your gaming and Skype chats. The touch-optimized version of Microsoft Office RT keeps you productive on the go, and the built-in kickstand features just the right angle for viewing, whether on a table or your lap.Learn more about Windows 8.1 ›Free Windows 10 UpgradeUpgrade for free to Windows 10 when it's available*, and get the best combination of the Windows you know, plus lots of improvements you'll love.
What is the difference between a Surface 2 and a Surface 2 Pro?
It's like comparing an iPad to a Macbook. In this case however, the Surface Pro can run all of the same store apps that you can run on the Surface 2. There are a couple of major differences between the two which lead to the large price difference. First, the Pro comes with an Intel Core i5 processor and runs a full version of Windows 8.1. That puts this into the laptop category. It is essentially a laptop in a tablet body. You can install and run anything you can install on your PC or laptop/ultrabook. The Surface 2 runs on an ARM processor (Tegra 4) and a stripped down version of Windows 8.1 called RT, therefore it can only run the programs that either came preinstalled or can be downloaded from the online store. This is exactly how an iPad works. The Pro is thicker and heavier due to it having full laptop hardware under the hood, but it's also WAY more powerful and comes in several different hardware configurations that include extra storage and extra RAM. The Surface 2 comes in just two versions with the difference being either 32 or 64 GB of storage. Hopefully that answers you question.
10 years, 6 months ago
by
Posted by:
Brotherluv
from
Erie, PA
Microsoft - Surface 2 - 10.6" - 32GB
Microsoft Surface 2 - 10.6" - 32GB: Mix work and play with a tablet that juggles business or homework just as easily as it keeps pace with your gaming and Skype chats. The touch-optimized version of Microsoft Office RT keeps you productive on the go, and the built-in kickstand features just the right angle for viewing, whether on a table or your lap.Learn more about Windows 8.1 ›Free Windows 10 UpgradeUpgrade for free to Windows 10 when it's available*, and get the best combination of the Windows you know, plus lots of improvements you'll love.
What are my options for watching movies/TV?
What are my options for watching movies/TV? Particularly while on a plane and NOT connected to the internet, so not via Hulu or Netflix.
There is a native video app in Windows 8.1, plus there are other apps for watching video files in the store. Because of the ability to use microSD cards and USB sticks, external HDDs, whatever, you're ability to bring videos with you is nearly unlimited. I saw on a tech site that when they did a battery drain test by looping a movie with the screen set to 50% brightness, the battery lasted more than 14 hours. That's insane!! For the traveler who wants to watch videos, I don't think you're going to do much better.
10 years, 6 months ago
by
Posted by:
Brotherluv
from
Erie, PA