Interesting Review on Microsoft Surface Tablet RT

By Scorbing
in Hardware Hangout

 Share

Recommended Posts

Mentor

argonite

Posted
Posted

"Watch the Surface Reboxing" floating in the corner

All I needed to know to know that Chris did not approach this device with anything but contempt, then tried to spin it around later to be 'fair and balanced'.

  • ahhell and oliver182
  • Like 2
Grand Master

Scorbing

Posted
  • Author
Posted

"Watch the Surface Reboxing" floating in the corner

All I needed to know to know that Chris did not approach this device with anything but contempt, then tried to spin it around later to be 'fair and balanced'.

The one thing that he said that is very disturbing is the fact that the 32GB model only has 16 GB of space left for the user because the rest is being sucked by the OS. That is not right and I think its a rip-off. No wonder this lawyer is suing Microsoft over that issue:

http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_21997331/lawyer-sues-microsoft-over-surface-tablet-storage

Grand Master

Raa

Posted
Posted

Give me the TL:DW version?

The one thing that he said that is very disturbing is the fact that the 32GB model only has 16 GB of space left for the user because the rest is being sucked by the OS.

Even I had to double take when I read that article too. 50% of space gone with the preload, that's a bit excessive, surely?

Grand Master

Scorbing

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Give me the TL:DW version?

Even I had to double take when I read that article too. 50% of space gone with the preload, that's a bit excessive, surely?

Yes it is. Imagine if you buy the 16GB model. What are you going to have left? 6 gigs?...LOL...That is a rip-off and I see more law suits coming. The 50% of what you are promised for space is gone to the OS....not good.

Grand Master

Dot Matrix

Posted
Posted

First of all, it's full blown Windows. What did they expect? Second, I've been saying for a while now, they should have stripped out the legacy baggage. There's no reason Win RT needs to include all the legacy baggage Windows still carries.

  • Nashy, Shadrack and Calum
  • Like 3
Grand Master

Scorbing

Posted
  • Author
Posted

First of all, it's full blown Windows. What did they expect? Second, I've been saying for a while now, they should have stripped out the legacy baggage. There's no reason Win RT needs to include all the legacy baggage Windows still carries.

Yes Dot, but do you honestly think the OS takes 16 gigs of space? I have Windows 8 on my test PC, clean, no apps, and it doesn't take 16 Gigs of space!!!!!!

There is something wrong there.

Grand Master

Dot Matrix

Posted
Posted

Yes Dot, but do you honestly think the OS takes 16 gigs of space? I have Windows 8 on my test PC, clean, no apps, and it doesn't take 16 Gigs of space!!!!!!

There is something wrong there.

It does come with Office installed.

I already have 60 GB easily taken up space on my Windows 8 installation with only a handful of apps installed.

Grand Master

Scorbing

Posted
  • Author
Posted

It does come with Office installed.

I already have 60 GB easily taken up space on my Windows 8 installation with only a handful of apps installed.

Oh it has office? I must have missed that part. Well that explains it then. Still, people are going to be really ticked off that they are not getting the full 32 GB of space, or at least 80% of it. That probably explains why MS put an SD card slot on it for expansion.

By the way, did you see the prices for Skydrive expanded storage? Not bad at all. Compared to Apple. I got an extra 100GB of space for $50.00 a year. Apple wanted $100.00 for just 50GB of extra space and it doesn't have half the neat features that Skydrive does.

Grand Master

TruckWEB

Posted
Posted

Wow, for the first time I have to say.... He is right.... And I wish it could have been good, the hardware is simply awesome, but WinRT.... Or maybe it's the Tegra 3 that is starting to feel slow? And Office 2013 DESKTOP inside a tablet, it's nice but pointless with a finger, you really need the keyboard to use it and navigate the interface.

And Surface Pro will not be $500... So it better be a GREAT tablet and a good laptop replacement for the price they are going to ask...

Veteran

Stetson

Posted
Posted

Yes it is. Imagine if you buy the 16GB model. What are you going to have left? 6 gigs?...LOL...That is a rip-off and I see more law suits coming. The 50% of what you are promised for space is gone to the OS....not good.

There is no 16GB model. They entry level model is 32GB.

Grand Master

Scorbing

Posted
  • Author
Posted

There is no 16GB model. They entry level model is 32GB.

I know there isn't a 16GB model. I was just using that as an example (like what if there was) then you would be screwed with it. Just an example.

Grand Master

Dot Matrix

Posted
Posted

Oh it has office? I must have missed that part. Well that explains it then. Still, people are going to be really ticked off that they are not getting the full 32 GB of space, or at least 80% of it. That probably explains why MS put an SD card slot on it for expansion.

Yes, and it's a bit of an oddity... Because that space is going to be needed for updates. I saw this problem coming a mile away.

Grand Master

Scorbing

Posted
  • Author
Posted

You do realise that the word exists outside of your country? And not all countries have super high speed internet where cloud storage is even an option?

Dude I understand that, believe me, I do, but these companies do not seem to understand it. Apple, Amazon, Samsung and now Microsoft. Everybody wants to use the damn Cloud for everything and they think that every country in the world, that every nation and everyone in the world has high speed internet or any internet at all and they are wrong. There are countries where Dial-up is still being used because there is no high speed internet access, so yes I do understand you, but unfortunately, these companies that make these tablets do not.

Grand Master

astropheed Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

I agree with some points, disagree with others. Chris is an interesting character, some people may like that quality about him - I'm not one of those people. I find the points that mattered were quickly glazed over and the points that didn't matter (but were inherently negative) were talked about extensively. This does seem to border a bit on: "I didn't want to like it to begin with".

I'll stick with my Android tablet for the time being though as it's difficult to get a review of the Surface RT that I find has any merit at all. Maybe I'm just being biased and I'm waiting for the excuse to like it, and that excuse is never going to come.

Grand Master

+Warwagon MVC

Posted
  • MVC
Posted

I agree with Chris on letting users on an RT tablet access the desktop. From the MOMENT I heard they were going to let users do that on the ARM version of windows I said it was a HORRIBLE idea!!!

Veteran

neo158

Posted
Posted

I agree with Chris on letting users on an RT tablet access the desktop. From the MOMENT I heard they were going to let users do that on the ARM version of windows I said it was a HORRIBLE idea!!!

You do know that Chris bought his Surface without a touch or type cover.

Grand Master

+Warwagon MVC

Posted
  • MVC
Posted

You do know that Chris bought the Surface without a touch or type cover.

I don't think that matters. it's an ARM based version of Windows. None of your regular apps run in on the windows 8 ARM desktop (Except office and whatever other regular windows apps it has). I just think the arm tablet should stay 100% Modern UI. When you drop back to the desktop on the ARM tablet it just looks TACKY!

Grand Master

redfish

Posted
Posted

I don't think that matters. it's an ARM based version of Windows. None of your regular apps run in on the windows 8 ARM desktop (Except office and whatever other regular windows apps it has). I just think the arm tablet should stay 100% Modern UI. When you drop back to the desktop on the ARM tablet it just looks TACKY!

Why does it look tacky on ARM and not on x86?

My belief btw is Microsoft will eventually extend the WinRT API to desktop apps too, and those apps will be portable between ARM and x86.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Posts

    • Age of Empires Mobile comes to PC, here's how to carry over progress from your phone

      By Ivan Jenic · Posted

      Age of Empires Mobile comes to PC, here's how to carry over progress from your phone by Ivan Jenic Image: YouTube/Microsoft Microsoft just released Age of Empires Mobile for PC. The game, officially called Age of Empires Mobile: PC Edition, is available for free on Steam and Microsoft Store, almost two years after its initial release for handheld devices. Age of Empires is one of those franchises that entire generations grew up with. The original came out in 1997, and immediately got people hooked to building civilizations and crushing their enemies on the battlefield. However, the franchise today is a far cry from its roots, as Age of Empires Mobile is, well, a game optimized for handheld devices, and not a classic RTS title we’ve all loved for years. And, of course, it includes in-game purchases. The PC version is still a mobile game at its core, but it’s been optimized for desktop play. There’s mouse control, full keyboard compatibility, and a refined UI. Microsoft also refreshed the visuals with some 4k textures, so the game should look better on larger screens. The game supports Crossplay, so you can switch between your phone, tablet, and PC without losing anything. But linked progress doesn’t come out of the box, as you have to enable it first. Here’s how to link your progress: On your mobile device, open Age of Empires Mobile. Go to Settings (Gear icon) > Account. Select Bind Account and choose a sign-in option. Once you enable account binding, sign in on PC using the same method, and your progress will be accessible across all your devices. Xbox Game Pass subscribers also get a bonus reward pack on PC, which includes: 1 Monthly Pass Token 1 Custom Resource Chest 10 Universal 60-Minute Speed-Ups 1,000 Empire Coins Exclusive Player Portrait Frame You can find more info about Age of Empires Mobile: PC Edition, as well as download links, on the Age of Empires official website.
    • Apple Watch Series 11 GPS just crashed to 30% off in this fast-moving Prime Day deal

      By Karthik Mudaliar · Posted

      Apple Watch Series 11 GPS just crashed to 30% off in this fast-moving Prime Day deal by Karthik Mudaliar The Apple Watch Series 11 is available for $279, down from its $399 list price, saving buyers $120, or 30%. Amazon labels the offer as selling fast, so the current price may not remain available for long. This GPS model features a 42mm aluminum case, an Always-On Retina LTPO3 OLED display capable of reaching up to 2,000 nits, and an Ion-X glass surface with improved scratch resistance. Apple rates Series 11 for up to 24 hours of normal use or up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode, with fast charging providing up to eight hours of use from a 15-minute charge. Health and fitness tools include sleep scoring, temperature sensing, ECG support, heart-rate alerts, workout tracking, sleep apnea notifications, and hypertension notifications, where available. The watch also carries IP6X dust resistance and 50-meter water resistance. This configuration is best suited to iPhone owners who want comprehensive health tracking, notifications, contactless payments, and workout data without stepping up to a larger or cellular-equipped model. The smaller case should also appeal to buyers who prefer a lighter watch, while the S/M band fits wrists measuring 130mm to 180mm. With the current generation now significantly below its usual retail price, this is a strong time to replace an aging Apple Watch or buy a first model without compromising on Apple’s newest health and display features. Grab the discounted Apple Watch Series 11 (sold and shipped by Amazon) Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
    • Grand Theft Auto VI pricing revealed alongside Ultimate Edition and pre-loading details

      By Lamp0 · Posted

      Its in 3D now!
    • I restored the default settings to Secure Boot. Big mistake

      By +Edouard · Posted

      The laptop in the bedroom is an Acer with i7-10510U CPU. Acer's website states they will not be upgrading it so I had little choice other than disable secure boot. I know next to nothing on these matters so hopefully it will be fine.
    • GitHub removes manual model selection from Copilot free and student plans

      By Karthik Mudaliar · Posted

      GitHub removes manual model selection from Copilot free and student plans by Karthik Mudaliar GitHub is removing the ability to manually select an AI model from its Copilot Free and Student plans, making its automatic routing system the default and only way to choose a model. This means users on these tiers will no longer be able to deliberately select a particular OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, or Microsoft model for a task. In its announcement, GitHub said Copilot Auto will dynamically choose what it considers the best model for each request. Free and Student accounts will retain access to models from multiple families, although the available selection will continue to depend on the restrictions attached to each plan. GitHub did not identify a fixed pool of models that Auto will always use, and its documentation warns that model availability can change over time. GitHub describes Auto as more than a random fallback system. On supported surfaces, its task-optimization technology evaluates the complexity of a request alongside real-time information about model health and availability. Straightforward prompts can be routed to faster and less expensive models, while more demanding coding tasks may be sent to higher-cost reasoning models. The company says this approach should reduce rate limiting, latency, and failed requests. Auto generally selects one model along natural prompt-caching boundaries rather than repeatedly switching models during a session, as GitHub found that mid-session changes increased costs without producing sufficient improvements in output quality. Users can still check which model generated a response. In Copilot Chat, the information appears when hovering over an answer, while Copilot CLI and the Copilot cloud agent display the selected model alongside their output. Auto is available in Copilot Chat, Copilot CLI, and the cloud agent, with the exact implementation and release status varying between supported development environments. The latest restriction follows several months of adjustments to Copilot’s individual plans. GitHub temporarily halted new Pro, Pro+, and Student subscriptions in April as it sought to manage demand and service reliability. It later introduced token-based billing and began gradually reopening individual-plan registrations on June 17. Alongside the picker change, GitHub is retiring the “Preview” label from Microsoft-developed models. It argues that the label is no longer necessary because Auto handles model routing and models are continuously updated behind the scenes.

  • Recent Achievements

    • One Year In
      Philsl earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Dedicated
      Scoobystu earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • First Post
      Tom Schmidt earned a badge
      First Post
    • One Month Later
      D0nn13 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Rookie
      +ChiefOfNeo went up a rank
      Rookie

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      460
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      177
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      124
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      79
    5. 5
      Xenon
      76
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!