This time around (given the fact I was moved from the "banned" to the "approved" Surface tester list) I decided to wait to decide whether to buy the Surface 2 until I had a chance to test Microsoft's second version of its ARM tablet.
After using a Surface 2 tablet loaned to me by Microsoft for the past week, I've come to realize that many of the features I like about it have nothing to do with the new core device itself.
Yes, the new Tegra 4 ARM chip, a step up from the current Surface RT's Tegra 3 core, allows apps and Web sites to open more quickly. And the new higher-resolution screen makes colors really pop. I like the new dual-position kickstand better than the single-position one on the Surface RT. Like Peter Bright at Ars Technica, I still wouldn't call the new Surfaces truly "lapable," as they are still less stable on my lap than any laptop I've ever used.
The Surface 2's magnesium colored body shows fingerprints less than the original black. And the new "ring of light" power cord is easier to connect correctly than the original Surface power cord. (Microsoft is bundling this new cord with new Surface 2s, but not with Surface Pro 2s -- at least for now. So be warned.)
But, in the end, what I really like most about the Surface 2 is the new, backlit Type keyboard. In fact, I am pretty sure I am going to spring for a replacement for my existing Type Cover, at $129.99. The new Type 2 keyboard/cover makes typing on ARM-based Surfaces even nicer/easier than the original Type keyboard. Though I also received a Touch 2 keyboard for review, I didn't put it through its paces. I want and need something that allows me to type accurately and at full speed, and to me, the Touch covers are more novelty than useful peripherals. (Your mileage may vary.)
After a week with the Surface 2, I'll say I also like Windows RT 8.1. I'm reserving judgment about IE11.
I hesitate about the browser here because my experience with IE11 for the majority of the past week was non-optimal. And as ARM-based Surface users know, this is a problem, since our only browser choice on these devices, due to their locked-down nature, is IE.
Source : ZDNet
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