Just purchased a Surface 2... My thoughts

[moneymikefromgr]

I just purchased a Surface 2. I was skeptical of Windows RT so I waited. I have a couple of thoughts about it.

1. Its still windows at heart! When I set it up, I was very eager to play with it, but didn't want to let all the updates finish before I started playing with it. Bad Idea, as I found myself searching forums to fix the broken store, and failing updates. After the updates finally successfully installed, it works like a charm!

2. Sound is terrible on this device! Turned off sound enhancements which helped as little bit, but the speakers are very weak, and pop on this device!

3. Type 2 keyboard is awesome. I thought I ordered a touch keyboard, so I was surprised when I opened the package that it was the other one. But glad I got this one.

After all the pain of getting it updated and getting it all personalized, I have to say that this device is great, and for what I need, Windows RT isdn not bad at all. I think the battery life and speed is worth the trade-off not being able to run x86 programs.

 

[Deihmos]

gg

I had the Surface 2 but got rid of it and got the Surface Pro for the same price. The surface 2 is ok but the limitations do not justify the price imo especially since you can get the Pro for the same price. The pen is a great bonus.

 

[moneymikefromgr]

I was wondering if using a capacitive stylus is worth anything on the surface 2? I know it would not be pressure sensitive, but usable?

 

[kristalsoldier]

I had the Surface 2 but got rid of it and got the Surface Pro for the same price. The surface 2 is ok but the limitations do not justify the price imo especially since you can get the Pro for the same price. The pen is a great bonus.

In my experience, having used both the original Surface RT and now the Surface 2 (which I continue to use everyday), I think the biggest drawback is the lack of the pen/ inking capability. If MS would have deemed it fit to include that capability, the Surface 2 would have been a stellar device - in its current avatar, it is a very good machine (at least in my context).

I too worried about the inability to use x86 apps. But I found that effectively, I use very few such apps. Indeed currently, what I find missing on the RT platform is good and robust academic reference software, which can integrate with Word on the one hand and IE11 on the other. (my reference example here is Zotero). But other than that, I don't seem to be missing anything. Of course, I should mention that I do have a full 2-monitor desktop machine. But I would have had that any way because while a 10" screen is convenient and is mobility-friendly, nothing really beats screen-estate.

I do like the Surface 2 - a lot actually!

 

[kristalsoldier]

I was wondering if using a capacitive stylus is worth anything on the surface 2? I know it would not be pressure sensitive, but usable?

Well...in my experience it is not worth the effort. Though some have said that the Adonit Jot (forget if they specified the pro or not) works to some degree.

 

[Deihmos]

In my experience, having used both the original Surface RT and now the Surface 2 (which I continue to use everyday), I think the biggest drawback is the lack of the pen/ inking capability. If MS would have deemed it fit to include that capability, the Surface 2 would have been a stellar device - in its current avatar, it is a very good machine (at least in my context).

I too worried about the inability to use x86 apps. But I found that effectively, I use very few such apps. Indeed currently, what I find missing on the RT platform is good and robust academic reference software, which can integrate with Word on the one hand and IE11 on the other. (my reference example here is Zotero). But other than that, I don't seem to be missing anything. Of course, I should mention that I do have a full 2-monitor desktop machine. But I would have had that any way because while a 10" screen is convenient and is mobility-friendly, nothing really beats screen-estate.

I do like the Surface 2 - a lot actually!

I got the Surface Pro for 450.00 with 128GB SSD. The performance between the Surface 2 and Surface Pro is night and day.

 

[kundas1]

I use a cheapy stylus pen from the dollar store and it works just fine, mind you it can't scribble thin lines like the pen on the SP 2 but you can still write with it no problems... I find the Surface 2 does 90% of what a full win8.1 obviously being it can't run legacy programs and all I do is open splashtop and log into one of my desktops and do what I need to do... which I almost never have to do...

 

[jnjroach]

The Surface 2's screen is less sensitive then the original RT and as much as enjoyed the Adonit Jot Pro on the original RT it has never matched the performance on the S2. My Wacom Bamboo Capacitive Stylus works better in the S2. I received the LinkTec Apex Glide last night which uses a battery to give a Capacitive Charge on a fine tipped stylus, still testing but early test are promising. Decent inking in OneNote, iffy in DrawboardPDF, excellent in FreshPaint.

It is amazing on my Lumia 1520 BTW... wish the S2 had the same type of screen.

 

[kristalsoldier]

I got the Surface Pro for 450.00 with 128GB SSD. The performance between the Surface 2 and Surface Pro is night and day.

Perhaps, but in my typical use-case scenario, the Surface 2 is more than adequate. That said, I will certainly consider the Pro version if (1) it is lighter than what it is currently; (2) it is a bit slimmer; (3) if there is a marginal improvement in battery-life. Don't get me wrong, I think the Pro is a very good idea - just that it is a bit of an overkill for my current uses (with the exception of the Pen capability).

 

[oion]

I had the Surface 2 but got rid of it and got the Surface Pro for the same price. The surface 2 is ok FOR ME but IS TOO LIMITED FOR MY USE CASE TO justify the price imo especially since you can get the Pro for the same price. The pen is a great bonus.

Fixed that for you.

Your needs do not match other people's needs. Keep that in mind while raining on the OP's parade.

The piss-poor battery life of the Surface Pro put it in the trash pile for my use case compared to the Surface 2.


As for the active digitizer and pen input, the iPad against which the Windows RT devices are primarily pitted don't have such things either (and most Android), and I expect the addition would raise both price and battery life consumption. We already talked about this vis-a-vis Tegra4 in that other thread, though. The primary productivity differential for the Surface RT line was pinned on Office; if you want to do art, you're supposed to buy a Pro to install your art software. The next iterations of Surface RT may include stylus support primarily for handwriting recognition, though I think it'd make more sense to activate the Tegra4 DirectStylus with palm rejection.


@OP: Congrats on buying a device that fits your needs/wants.

 

[moneymikefromgr]

Yes the surface 2 is more than adequate for me. I absolutely love the multitasking. It is so nice to be able to Skype while doing other things, surf the net and watch TV, and the office apps work great for what I do at work. I do prefer to adjust setting with the desktop control panel, since I am used to it. And the battery life is great!

 

[kundas1]

I'D suggest going over to YouTube and watching a vid by Sean Ong, titled "why I love my Surface RT" in the vid he does some pretty cool things with his RT that I bet you didn't know it could do! :wink: