Really surface don't have stylus, one note lose all its potencial... A few people only would buy a device for use office (and I said that it is a cheap way to use office). Almost all people that use office, will use desktop programs.
I love my surface pro 2 and I think that it is better than an iPad Air or nexus 10 but the first reason is not only that Windows 8.1 is better than iOS or Android, is that with desktop app, you can get a lot of programs that the store don't have. If you lose this way to get app... Only have a few apps on Windows store and office. Surface pro 2 is a great tablet with a potencial and screen of normal laptop like macbook air with a similar price, but if I search to play or video edit never would buy a surface pro and would buy gaming laptop.
But the reasons to buy a surface RT instead of laptop with Windows 8.1 or OSX, or iPad Air/Android tablet, are not sufficient for me. When window store have more apps it would be a great alternative to other tablet and to other laptop (this last for casual user)
I find it interesting that within the Surface Community there are already religious divides between ARM and x86 users. One of the strengths of the Pro Line is the backwards compatibility but the Surface Team wisely chose not to use an ATOM or the Haswell that supported S0iX on two counts, the would be limited to using 32bit Windows and legacy apps and driver models don't play well with Connected Standby.
Already we've found out the DisplayLink USB Video Adapter is preventing Bay Trail ATOMs from entering the S0iX power state.
I agree that the App story is a Red Herring, unlike iOS and Android, RT has a fully functional browser which deprecates the need for many of the Apps seen and the other App Store. Also to say that those who use Office need other x86 Apps is a very large leap and generalization, for many Office is the only x86 App they use. I would recommend RT to many people in multiple use cases, to professionals as a companion device, to students for class, to casual users looking for a light weight all day machine.
You say that the lack of stylus kills OneNote (I'm an inker don't get me wrong) but for most people they will never use the Stylus because they type faster. I do a lot of work with companies that have deployed Windows Tablets and Convertibles and I can tell you I'm the only one who inks. My wife is working on her Doctorate in Psychology, she uses her Surface Pro 2 with OneNote but only types her notes. My son uses his Surface 2 everyday in middle school and again, only types using OneNote.
I use both the Pro 2 and the Surface 2, of the two I much prefer the Surface 2, it is more reliable and is much more a joy to work with as a Tablet. The pro is used on a flat surface not on the couch or while mobile, its too heavy and thick.