Microsoft Surface 2/Surface Pro 2 is not promising

Computer store news: Since the iPad was launched in 2010, Microsoft has been trying to get a slice of it in this huge potential market by releasing its own tablet products. The update of Microsoft's two tablet PCs shows that this software giant seems to have not yet set a target. Although Microsoft has made many updates to its low-cost Surface 2 (formerly Surface RT) and notebook replacement product Surface Pro 2, it seems that the market outlook is not optimistic.

Although Microsoft no longer emphasizes Windows RT, Surface 2 still uses this platform. This means that the tablet still can't run regular Windows programs, but the system can use Microsoft Office software. It is the previous generation of products using the Windows RT platform that caused Microsoft assets to write down $900 million in the near future and cut the price from $499 to $349. But Microsoft believes the new version should return to the $449 price.

For consumers, the price of this product compared to the Microsoft generation of Surface RT is only upgraded the display and bracket, the processor is not updated, and there is no keyboard that consumers have been expecting. If you need a keyboard, you have to spend more than 100 dollars to buy.

Compared to the previous generation, Surface 2 weighs about one ounce, and the thickness is almost unchanged, only less than half a millimeter. And because of its incredibly sharp edges, the tablet is lifted, especially when placed vertically, with poor stability. It seems that after the Surface 2 went on sale in October, it is likely to encounter Apple's lighter and smaller iPad. Previously, facing the iPad, Microsoft's previous generation of Surface products had almost no power.

Unlike Microsoft, Apple does not believe that the best way to satisfy customers is to provide them with endless options. Instead, the company tried to figure out how to satisfy a large number of customers with a small amount of products. This is not always true, but it is often correct. Steve Jobs was not optimistic about the 7-inch iPad mini, but the iPad Mini has sold 155 million units since its launch.

Although Surface 2 is a bit cheaper than the iPad, it's hard to imagine a lot of people skipping the iPad and choosing other tablets. Indeed, Surface 2 has Office software and Microsoft's 200GB of cloud storage capacity, but these are of no value to most tablet users. Of course, I am not just referring to 50% of the users who buy tablets mainly for entertainment. Customers in vertical markets such as the aerospace industry and the health care industry do not value the features that the iPad does not have on the iPad. Compared to iPads and Android tablets, the relative lack of applications can't help boasting Microsoft's 100,000 Windows RT applications. In July of this year, Microsoft announced that it had 100,000 Windows RT applications. After a month or two, the number is still intact.

Microsoft has lost most of its third-party manufacturers' support for Windows RT, and soon it will have the Nokia smartphone division, which will also become the main manufacturing arm of Windows mobile devices. “Whether Microsoft can move any of them out of the box” is still a problem to be solved, but it seems that there is nothing on Surface 2 that could lead to the implementation of the transfer.

So, what is the outlook for Surface Pro 2?

The prospect of Surface pro 2 with a price above $899 might look better? This device is essentially a very light notebook with a detachable keyboard, and HP and Lenovo also have comparable models. But unlike other competing models, the keyboard does not support the entire notebook vertically without the help of Microsoft's improved brackets. This rotatable device now offers two angles of rotation, but since the edge of the stand is still sharp, it does not actually help you use the device on your knees or uneven surfaces.

As a tablet, the Surface Pro is still heavier, even more clumsy than its "brother". It really comes with Intel's latest Core chip, and battery life is also improved from "very bad" to "worst". This chip brings Apple's Macbook Air and Sony's Vaio Pro to the "10-hour battery continuous use time" field. Microsoft may not be able to reach it, but the third version of the keyboard in 2014 will be equipped with an extra battery, which should be reached by then.

Surface Pro 2 is still very expensive. The $899 configuration includes only 64GB hard drives, and a significant portion of this capacity will be occupied by the Windows 8.1 system that comes with the device. Paying more than $100, customers get 128GB hard drive, which is enough for most people. In addition, Microsoft offers versions with more memory (8GB) and additional storage (256 or 512GB) for $1,300 and $1,800, respectively. At such a high price point, customers can buy some of the best touch screen Windows system devices on the market.

Every product has a trade-off: some have a touch screen, but they are straight notebooks; some are foldable, but not good enough as a tablet; others are not good enough as a notebook.

Microsoft's low-end tablets are not only facing constant competitive pressure from iPads and Android tablets, but also face competitive pressure from low-end Intel chips running the full version of Windows. Based on a new chip, they will start at a lower price than Surface 2. For anyone looking for some tablet features on Windows devices, they are the best choice for the cheaper notebook lineup.

In the high-end market, Surface Pro 2 will be a very interesting choice and a very strange choice. Microsoft wants users to choose between two devices that are loaded with Office and Windows, two keyboards, and two very different price points. It's very likely to keep telling you why they are better than the iPad. Unfortunately, it is always unable to grasp the essentials, so it is always impossible to achieve the goal.