Why you should consider getting a Surface 2 this week

This week, the Surface two is getting its price chopped by $100 officially, and fifty-fifty more if you lot opt for an official refurbished one. With Microsoft'due south sale, it brings the 32 GB version down to $349, and the refurbed at a very affordable $279 (while supplies last). Even the LTE-enabled style is discounted by $100, and information technology comes with 64 GB of internal storage.

Then, with all the focus and hype on the Surface Pro three, why should you even consider getting a Surface ii? Glad you asked considering I have a few reasons.

As some of you may know, I tend to take a rather larger drove of Windows and Windows Phone devices. Permit us call it a fortunate side effect of my job championship. As such, I am perhaps in a good position to tell you the pros and cons of the Surface two, especially compared to other options. Start, permit me share with yous my top tablet/hybrid devices, in no item order:

Surface 2 with LTE (64 GB)
Surface Pro 3 Cadre i7 (256 GB)
Lenovo ThinkPad 8 (64 GB)
Dell XPS 15 Touchscreen Laptop (512 GB)

I use all of these devices partially because I can, only mostly because I similar them a lot. The question you may be wondering is why I would fifty-fifty carp with the Surface 2 with all of those other 'Pro' devices. So hither is why yesterday, when I spent the day in Boston, I grabbed by Surface ii over all the others.

Size

At 10.six-inches, the Surface 2 is likewise ideally thin at just 0.35-inches (8.ix mm). It is just ane.5 pounds, making information technology even lighter than the Surface Pro 3. Even with the keyboard, you tin can toss this into a tiny shoulder handbag, barely noticing it as you lot take information technology everywhere.

The Surface 2 is not platonic for long hours of working (although you could if yous wanted to) but it is bully for quick emails, surfing the internet, Twitter, watching a movie, or working on that term paper anywhere, anytime.

Information technology is fast

This may surprise some people, especially if y'all had the first generation Surface RT, but the Surface two is remarkably speedy. Although a 1.7GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 4 chipset (with 2 GB of RAM) does not sound heed-blowing, when information technology comes to running Modern apps and the 8.1 operating organisation, the Surface ii is fantastic. Games like Total Defence 3D run smooth on the Surface 2 with no stutter or lag.

I say all of that as someone who runs a Core i7 Surface Pro three, too.

Battery life

Rated at 10 hours, give or take, the Surface 2 is one of those devices that lasts y'all all day. I wish it had amend standby time, akin to how a Surface Pro iii goes into a deep sleep later a few hours, merely equally long every bit you remember to toss it on the wall charger when you lot get dwelling house at dark, the Surface 2 is a fun all 24-hour interval tablet.

Optional 4G LTE connectivity

As someone who owns an AT&T 4G LTE hotspot (Unite Pro), I understand the benefits of having one over LTE being built in to the tablet. Withal, as someone who likewise owns a Surface ii with LTE, I relish even more having information technology "e'er on" without having to remember a second device and its battery.

Look, options are good, and given the selection to have LTE built in or not, I will take the LTE route any mean solar day. You can read my earlier thoughts on the LTE version in this article for more details.

Great display

In 2022, 1920 x 1080 is hardly ground breaking. On the Surface 2, information technology is ideal at 10.6-inches. The Surface 2's display is certainly an improvement over the original Surface RT, equally this screen has colors that are more than vibrant and Modern apps appear abrupt. Since the hardware is non overwhelmed by an Hard disk+ display, apps and games remain fluid.

Odds and ends

Other items we can check off for the Surface 2 include

Built in Office for students or business folks
Type Comprehend to make it a laptop-like device (additional purchase required)
A improve kickstand with ii angles
Better than average stereo speakers
USB iii.0 port

Who the Surface 2 is for

Students are obviously whom Microsoft is aiming for with this sale, and I practice non remember that audience is off the mark. Taking a Surface 2 to course for notes, writing papers and having information technology all the fourth dimension is certainly enticing if you are spending the twenty-four hour period campus. Throw in Skype and Office, and y'all have a nifty fiddling productivity tool.

I would also say this is great for people who exercise not plan to become a Surface Pro 3. Whether information technology is price, the lack of justification for Microsoft'south latest hardware or wanting to wait for the Surface Pro 4, the Surface Pro 3 has numerous dings against it for many people who would like it. More so, if you already take a solid habitation PC and a workhorse laptop, which makes the Surface Pro 3 difficult to defend for some people.

Here is how I apply the Surface 2:

My couch device – We all love to surf and look up things on the internet during TV or downwards fourth dimension. The Surface 2 and its smaller size is platonic for this task
Day trips – If it is a weekday and I know I have work to do, I take hold of my Surface Pro iii. If it is the weekend, and I do not expect to exist writing only desire a connected tablet, the Surface 2 is more fun due its size and weight. Almost people exercise not accept that luxury, but then again, many people exercise non have my chore and its requirements either.
Gaming – No, you cannot play PC games on the Surface two, but for those who like coincidental gaming and the Modern versions plant in the Windows Store, the Surface ii is a ton of fun
Writing – The Surface 2 is a fantastic word processor, and great for the coffee shop

Why you should Non purchase the Surface 2

Okay, with all my fawning over the Surface 2, should everyone go one? Non necessarily. For one, the Surface 2 cannot run desktop apps like a PC. You are strictly express to the Windows Store for apps and games, or using Internet Explorer. Depending on what you lot program to utilize this device for, that may or may not be a deal breaker.

Speaking of, y'all had amend savour Internet Explorer 11 equally you cannot install Chrome or Firefox (just hey, enabling that advertizing blocking and IE11 blazes for page loads).

If you do not similar using a 10.6-inch display, the Surface 2 can be tough to work on for hours at time. In an ideal earth, 15.half-dozen-inch displays on a laptop are perfect. The Surface two's 10.half-dozen-inch may exist besides pocket-sized for some.

If yous are waiting for the next version, you may want to laissez passer. There are rumors of a Surface 3 for the fall, although there is nil substantial at this point to back upward this claim. Presumably, the Surface 3 would exist a 12-inch variant of the Pro version but without the Core processor or full Windows. Counter statement: if you are always waiting for the next generation because information technology is amend, you volition either always be waiting or broke.

There is no stylus or smart pen. If you want to draw, putter, or accept notes, you are limited to your finger or a Touch embrace.

There is too a real question nearly what Windows 9 aka 'Threshold' ways for RT devices. Is RT going abroad? Is it merging with Windows Telephone? What does that hateful for electric current hardware, as flashing a new OS is not exactly an 'update' in the traditional sense. It is hard to believe Microsoft would screw over Surface ii owners by cutting support for the Windows RT, just stranger things take happened.

Have abroad

My Surface 2 with LTE is one of my favorite devices. Non simply in my current drove, simply my favorite hardware in the terminal few years.

Whether it is the new silvery color, its sparse profile or all the improvements over the first generation, the Surface 2 is a fun device. Justifying the cost is always hard, but if you $279 to spare, dipping your toe in the Surface ii globe is well worth it. Microsoft'south subsequent firmware and Bone updates accept only made this hardware amend over the last few months, and even with my Surface Pro 3 right next to it, I still grab my Surface 2 more ofttimes than you would recollect.

What is your take? Share your reasons why someone should (or should not) take hold of a Surface 2 this week. Become!

This huge Xbox 'Quick Resume' update will give gamers more control

Xbox Insiders Update

This huge Xbox 'Quick Resume' update volition give gamers more control

Microsoft is adding a new feature to Xbox consoles, assuasive you to permanently store upwards to ii games in a Quick Resume state at all times. The feature is heading out first to Xbox Insiders in the Alpha testing ring before hitting the general public.

Protect your Surface Pro with one of these great cases

Buyer's guide

Protect your Surface Pro with 1 of these great cases

You have a Surface Pro in your easily and you lot want to protect it. This roundup of cases uniform with Pro iv, Pro (2017), Pro vi, Pro 7, and Pro vii Plus covers rugged and stylish options so that you find something y'all like.