Most of us see Microsoft as a software company, achieving success through their Windows OS and Office suites. But over the past couple of years, the company has started to focus on hardware and devices. It started with the XBox and Windows phone, and now Microsoft has a new tablet – the Surface Pro. Will the tech specs be enough to entice interest from small to medium businesses?
Here’s a brief overview of the main technical specifications of the Windows Surface Pro.
Physical size
The Pro measures 10.81 x 6.81 inches. By comparison, the iPad is 9.50 x 7.31 inches. The thickness of the machine is just over half an inch, and it weighs 2 pounds. On size alone, this makes the Pro a highly portable device, though it is a bit too big to comfortably hold in one hand.
Processor, memory and battery
The Pro has a third generation Intel i5 processor with 4GB of RAM, which is more than enough to run nearly every program currently available for Windows. This means that you should be able to access and run all of your work programs, but the battery life is only around 4 to 5 hours, which falls short of other tablets and even some laptops.
Storage space
The Pro comes with two different storage options: 64GB and 128GB. On paper, this sounds like a solid amount of storage space, but these numbers don’t take into account the size of the OS, which will take up 41GB. With the OS installed the 64GB version will have 23GB of free storage, while the 128GB version will have 83GB free.
While this is a bit of a let-down, the Pro does have a USB port with which you can attach an external hard-drive for extra space, and there is also a MicroSD port which will allow you to extend storage space even further.
Display
One of the main reasons users pick tablets is because of the display. The Pro does not disappoint, offering a 10.6-Inch widescreen HD display with 1920 x 1080 pixels. From reviews that we’ve seen, the display quality rivals that of the iPads. This high resolution means that all of your Windows programs will display nice and sharp.
Software
The Pro runs a full version of Windows 8, which means that any software that desktops and laptops can run, it can also run. This feature sets the Pro apart from any other tablet. You don’t have to buy mobile versions of your favorite software, just install your existing software on the Pro, and away you go.
Pricing
The cost of the Pro starts at $899 for the 64GB model, without the Touch Pad cover. For businesses to get the most out of this tablet, you’ll really need to spring for the cover which costs another $119, putting the price up to $1,018 total.
This seemingly high price will have many small business owners cringing. The thing is, the Surface Pro is more of a laptop with a touch screen than it is a tablet. Looking at it another way, it’s the most powerful tablet on the market, and gives many laptops and desktops a run for their money.
If you are interested in learning more about the Surface Pro, please let us know, we’d be happy to share more ideas with you.