We picked up our (err.. my) Surface Pro 2 tablet earlier today. Since the 128GB models were all sold out, we opted for a 256GB model with 8 GB of RAM.
So, I thought it would be helpful to put the tablets into a side by side comparison to show you what’s the same and what’s changed from a practical aspect – not just pointing at technical specifications. (Though if you want to see them, you can find them on Microsoft’s Surface Pro 2 page.)
Surface Pro 2 Side by side Comparison: Form Factor
The form factor is identical, right down to the weight (915 grams). In fact, I was getting them confused because the only obvious difference is on the kickstand: the Surface Pro has the Windows logo on it whereas the Surface Pro 2 has “Surface” written on the kickstand. So, if you’re looking for something noticeably lighter or thinner you may be a bit disappointed.
Surface Pro 2 Side by side Comparison: Performance
The subjective
The Surface Pro 2 is definitely much “snappier” than the Surface Pro. It’s obvious that it has more power than its predecessor. In addition, when in use, it didn’t get quite as hot as the original Surface Pro. I haven’t had time to do a good battery life comparison (stay tuned for that in the next couple of days) but in general, less heat = less wasted energy = longer battery life.
Inking with the stylus is all good and accurate and I found that I had to do fewer “re-swipes” with the Surface Pro 2 because the screen just seems more responsive.
The Quantitative
I used a app from the Windows store called The Surface Pro 2 had pretty good gains when it came to the Disk, CPU, and GPU but RAM numbers were only marginally higher.
Surface Pro 2 Side by side Comparison: Overall
Overall, I’m quite happy with my new Surface Pro 2. I’m planning on using it to completely replace my desktop machine and use it for everything. I will report on how it performs in gaming in the near future – stay tuned for more info.
So, I hope you found this helpful and come back for more information and reviews as we have more time to play with this new tablet.
Tim
