The Surface 2 is better than its predecessor in every way. But it's still not as good as the Apple iPad.
Microsoft this week began selling the latest generation of the Surface, the tablet it launched late last year and then struggled to sell.
The Surface 2 is smaller, has a better screen and improved performance compared with last year's model, the Surface RT. It even has a cheaper price tag of $ 449 than the Surface RT did last year when it debuted for $ 499.
All in all, the Surface 2 is a nice device, but it still fails to present a good reason why consumers should pick it over the iPad or cheaper Google Chromebooks.
But lets start with what's different.
The Surface 2 is now available in black and silver. This year has been all about giving users more color options, so the addition of silver as a choice is certainly an option consumers will appreciate.
Microsoft has also improved the Surface's helpful little kickstand and given it two angles at which it can rest. The first angle is the same as that of the Surface RT's, but if you push the kickstand further back the Surface 2's kickstand will lean back even more. That's helpful, especially if you're a taller person or if you are using the Surface 2 on your lap.
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With the Surface RT, resting the device on your lap could be a struggle. That's no longer the case with the Surface 2.
The other smaller changes users might like are the Surface's improved screen and slightly slimmer build. The Surface RT used a 720p HD screen and was 0.37 inches thick, but the Surface 2 features a full 1080p HD screen and is 0.35 inches thick.
One of the most unique things about the Surface 2 is its super wide 10.6-inch screen. It comes in a true 16:9 screen ratio, which is the way widescreen videos appear. If you love video and hate black bars, you'll appreciate the Surface 2's display, especially now that it comes with more pixels.
The other standout feature of the Surface continues to be its attachable keyboard covers. The covers protect the Surface the same way the iPad's cover protects it, but unlike the iPad's cover, the Surface's double as keyboards.
Microsoft sells the keyboards separately and offers two choices: touch and type. The touch cover is completely flat and only shows the imprint of a keyboard, but many users still prefer it over a touch screen. Meanwhile, the type cover offers clickable keys just like a real keyboard while also remaining relatively flat. And the generation of the covers have been improved with new backlights, making them more useful in low-light situations.
On the exterior, the Surface 2 continues to offer the same useful ports as its predecessor: a USB 3.0 port, microSD memory card slot and an HD video out port. Inside, the Surface 2 runs on Windows 8.1 RT, a slight improvement over last year's Windows 8 RT. The new software offers users more features and gives them the ability to customize more than before.
My favorite part of Windows 8.1 RT was how much better it made multitasking on the Surface 2. Now, users can split the screen in half and run two apps at the same time. They can also split it in many other different ways. Previously, users could run two apps at once, but one app would take three-fourths of the screen while the other was limited to a tiny column and became relatively useless. If you're a multitasker, you'll appreciate this feature.
But for all the improvements that Microsoft has made, the Surface 2 continues to lag behind its main rival: the iPad. Don't get me wrong, the Surface 2 offers a perfectly fine experience, but there's simply not much that will convince most consumers to pick it over the iPad.
Let's start with the size and design of the two devices.
The Surface 2 weighs 1.49 pounds, which is slightly heavier than the fourth-generation iPad's 1.44 pounds and will be half a pound more than the iPad Air, which comes out Nov. 1. The Surface 2 is by no means a thick tablet, but the new iPad Air will be ultra-thin at 0.30 inches. The Surface 2, in my opinion, is also a well polished machine, but the iPar Air was designed by Jony Ive of Apple and looks extremely beautiful.
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When it comes to apps, Microsoft has also continued to improve. Last year, it didn't have a Facebook or Twitter app — that's changed and both apps work great. But Apple's App Store continues to remain top dog with the most apps and the most high-quality apps. Among those still noticeably missing on the Surface 2 are Spotify, Pandora and HBO Go.
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