What to Get?

[rsh]

Hey,
Hoping that I will be able to make a decision based on your opinions.
I would like to purchase a Microsoft surface but don't know which one to get.
I am planning to use it for university work for the first year which means it needs to be able to run several tabs at the same time.
Please help!
Rebecca

 

[kristalsoldier]

Hey,
Hoping that I will be able to make a decision based on your opinions.
I would like to purchase a Microsoft surface but don't know which one to get.
I am planning to use it for university work for the first year which means it needs to be able to run several tabs at the same time.
Please help!
Rebecca

You got to share some more information - like, aside from having several tabs open (in the browser, I assume), what other applications would you want/ need to use. The key thing to remember is that while the Surface Pro can handle ALL applications/ programs that any Windows 8 computer can, the Surface RT can only handle the applications that are available in the Windows App Store. So, for example, if you use different browsers - Chrome, Firefox, etc., you can only use them on the Surface Pro. You would not be able to use them on the RT. Or, if you have, say, statistical programs that you use in university, which can be used on normal Windows computers, then those can be used on the Pro, but not on the RT.

That said, I use my RT in an academic setting with no problems whatsoever. But that is specific to my usage scenario.

Also, check out this link: http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-gb/which-surface-is-right-for-you

 

[oion]

Yeah, need a use case. It's impossible to give any sort of advice without knowing what you need it for.

The web browser thing is pretty minor either way; even if you prefer non-IE (I'm a hardcore Opera user, the only downside to my Surface RT), IE10 is perfectly fine for tasks, especially if you're going to be using school resources so you don't have to worry about a ton of ads. If your school web resources require Java in any way, then that's a no-go for Windows RT. If you're in a major that ends up using a lot of hand-written notes or drawing, then a Pro is a better bet with the active stylus.

You have to give a whole lot more information.

 

[SopranoSV]

Well, I would also think about "am I replacing my laptop/desktop with it or not". I've had the Surface RT for almost a year and have used it for creating/editing documents, reading my email, reading books and watching movies while on the go (mostly on a plane). Think of the RT like an impressive tablet with a bigger screen than the standard in the market and a really portable keyboard.

Now, as kristalsoldier stated, if you want to run more specialized software, then get the PRO.

 

[rsh]

I will mainly be using word on it as I have to write essays but will also need to able to easily switch between word and the internet. I also need to be able to access e-mails easily and quickly. Basically would like to use it as a portable more lightweight laptop.

 

[SopranoSV]

I will mainly be using word on it as I have to write essays but will also need to able to easily switch between word and the internet. I also need to be able to access e-mails easily and quickly. Basically would like to use it as a portable more lightweight laptop.

That sounds like the Surface RT or the Surface 2 to me. If you have a laptop or PC at home, then you could use your Skydrive (cloud storage) and Evernote to keep both devices sort of up to date...

Switching between apps in the Surface RT is great...just remember, if you have a 8-16 GB of RAM device at home, then you may feel a little-nothing-to-worry-about lag

 

[kristalsoldier]

I will mainly be using word on it as I have to write essays but will also need to able to easily switch between word and the internet. I also need to be able to access e-mails easily and quickly. Basically would like to use it as a portable more lightweight laptop.

That's similar to my use case - and, as I mentioned earlier, the RT works brilliantly! But you really need to be careful here. Note what Oion says about your school/ univ resources using Java. Just ask your Comp Services people in the Univ. and most likely they will be able clarify these issues for you. (I usually ignore the Comp. Services people in my work place though...

 

[rsh]

I will also be using it to access videos from places such as youtube and catch up sites does the RT accommodate this?

 

[oion]

I will also be using it to access videos from places such as youtube and catch up sites does the RT accommodate this?

Youtube works fine. If you mean "catch up sites" as social networking, Facebook certainly works fine. Haven't tried much else, honestly.

 

[oion]

That's similar to my use case - and, as I mentioned earlier, the RT works brilliantly! But you really need to be careful here. Note what Oion says about your school/ univ resources using Java. Just ask your Comp Services people in the Univ. and most likely they will be able clarify these issues for you. (I usually ignore the Comp. Services people in my work place though...

Also, if possible, OP might want to try out a Surface RT in a store (MS store would be best since they should be able to answer questions better)--write down some school-related URLs to test. I don't have access to my uni's internal "blackboard" system anymore, but I can verify that Adobe Connect mostly works in IE/WinRT (several of my online courses were taught using that): desktop sharing in Adobe Connect requires an add-in, but IE in Windows RT does not support 3rd party add-ins. Webcam sharing, whiteboard, chat, and document sharing* work fine.

*Document sharing: PPTX works best with add-in support unless they're very simple Powerpoint presentations. PDFs appear cleanest.

 

[smalltowngirl13]

Hello and welcome to the forum Rebecca!

 

[cali]

Welcome to the site.