I've recently got my hands on a 32GB Microsoft Surface RT, bundled with the much hyped Touch Cover. I haven't used it for long enough to write a detailed review, but enough people were asking me about it so I've decided to write a preliminary review.
Let's start off with the price (Canadian). This package is priced at $599 plus HST (or PST/GST, depending on your province). In Ontario, that puts the grand total at $676.87. Without the Type Cover, the Surface RT is $519 ($586.47 with HST). This is $19 more expensive than the current (4th generation) iPad (entry model: 16 GB WiFi) and $90 more expensive than Google's Nexus 10 tablet.
The iPad was never a contender for me. I'll admit that it's a great device, I will never be more than a toy to me. I've owned tablets before (Viewsonic G Tablet and BlackBerry PlayBook), but found that their main purpose was collecting dust. If I needed to read something on the go (or on the crapper - we all do it), my smartphone was always my first choice. I didn't need to find it; it was always in my pocket. If I was travelling, my laptop was my computing device of choice for both productivity and entertainment. So, I sold my tablets.
If I was getting a tablet again, it was going to have to replace the laptop and the laptop was to be sold to offset the cost of the tablet.
I need cheaper hobbies.
I was going to wait until the Surface PRO (and third party Core i3/i5 tablets) were released but I decided to try the RT first (I got a pretty good deal on a slightly used one). I know that the RT has no legacy app support, but that doesn't matter all that much to me at the moment. If you want to run your old Windows programs, then move along - this device isn't for you. Also, you have to ask yourself just how much you'd miss these programs. The cheapest Windows 8 (not RT) tablets are about $600 and come with fairly crappy Intel Atom processors. Sure, it'll run your old programs, but you may be tempted to smash it to bits in the process.
The design of the tablet is great. The magnesium alloy chassis and the screen are really top-notch. The tablet has even more of a premium feel than a PlayBook. While some have knocked the screen resolution, I'll say that the screen looks great and is quite responsive. Who cares how many pixels there are? Isn't the overall picture (no pun intended) more important. The built-in kickstand is also great. I've been able to use the tablet to watch a video while cooking. You don't need to hunt down a quality stand for this thing - it's built in.
The sound quality of the internal speakers is good, albeit quiet. In all but the quietest environments, you'll be reaching for your headphones or external speakers. I have a Bluetooth speaker set up in my living room and the sound is great. I will warn you that Bluetooth is severely crippled in Windows RT/8. You need to re-pair your device every damn time. This is not exactly a small issue. UPDATE (01/22): This issue does not apply to Bluetooth HID devices such as keyboards and mice.
It may be a bit early to comment on the battery life, but so far I'm happy. With casual use, I had to recharge it after three days. The Surface comes with a proprietary magnetic charger, which isn't good news if you're the kind of person that loses chargers or wants extra ones for various locations. I'm not so it doesn't affect me. The charger is very portable and more similar to cellular chargers so it won't be taking too much space in your bag.
The touch cover is a very unique thing. It has a magnetic connector that snaps into the bottom of the tablet. It's very easy to put on and remove. With the cover attached and opened (and kickstand extended), the tablet taken on a familiar laptop form. It looks great. The on-screen keyboard disappears. There is even a trackpad that you can use in this mode, but I find that I still just use my fingers on the screen for all but the finest of clicking tasks. If you fold the cover around the back of the tablet, the keys are deactivated so you don't have to worry about accidental key presses while using the Surface as a tablet.
That being said, I hate this cover. If you're a fast typist, the cover is a nightmare. There is audible feedback with each key press, but the response isn't nearly as precise as I'd like. It is better than the on-screen keyboard, but it doesn't suffice when creating long documents. I'd recommend getting the more expensive Type Cover for more serious productivity. UPDATE (01/22): I've recently purchased a cheap Bluetooth keyboard and it makes text input a breeze. While I'd still prefer the Type Cover, I can live with my $25 keyboard over a $139 Touch Cover.
Other reviewers knocked this device for the lack of available apps. The only apps I absolutely need are for e-mail, calendar, note taking, an office suite, Netflix, and a torrent client. The built-in calendar and e-mail apps are fantastic. OneNote is a great note taking app that syncs to your SkyDrive account, so I'm able to access my notes on my Android smartphone or Windows 8 desktop PC. The Netflix app on this thing is the best Netflix app I've used to date. The only thing I'd like to see added is the ability to have the video played directly on my PS3 like the iOS/Android apps. But, as I usually watch Netflix on my Xbox 360, I don't care all that much. The Surface RT comes with a full Microsoft Office Home Suite which is better than any iOS/Android counterpart. No native torrent app for RT exists, but I'm sure something will become available in the near future. For now, I just use uTorrent's WebUI on my Surface RT to control what's being downloaded on my desktop.
My absolutely favourite feature on the Surface RT has to be the ability to join my Windows Home Group. I can browse and use any file on my PC while connected to my home network. Any photo, video or song is within reach. In theory, you can also send your Office documents to your network printer, but I haven't tested this out yet.
I haven't touched on the memory yet. Critics are quick to point out that the 32 GB model only has 16 GB of free memory. To me, this doesn't matter since you can add an SDHC/SDXC card or USB device if you need more storage. I have not tested out external video playback yet.
It's a bit too early to tell, but I think that I may stick with this tablet. I just may swap the Touch Cover for a Type Cover.
I would definitely recommend the Surface RT to anyone wanting a tablet to replace a netbook. For a laptop/ultrabook replacement, wait for the Surface PRO (to be released in January 2013, US pricing starts at US$899 without a cover)
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