The Right Click

Microsoft Surface RT review roundup: What people are saying about the new Windows tablet

·Editor

October 25, 2012 at 12:59 p.m.

After a big push to get the word out, it's almost here: Microsoft's new Surface tablet, designed to showcase its new Windows RT operating system, a simplified version of the upcoming Windows 8.

On Friday, everyone will finally have the chance to get their hands on Microsoft's first tablet offering: At least if you've pre-ordered one through Microsoft's online store, or plan on being in line at one of the four Canadian pop-up stores.

As with all big tech launches, among the Microsoft fanfare are the voices of tech journalists who have actually had a chance to go hands-on with the device, and it seems like it's been met with some mixed reviews. We've got a round-up of what some of the biggest voices in tech are saying about the Surface, in case you're still on the fence about whether it's worth the $519 CDN (starting price, without the seemingly-integral keyboard cover).

For starters, here's a rundown on what it looks like and all the features it has from ABC News:

And now, on to the text reviews:

The Verge

The Good	The Bad
Feels more substantial than an iPad	Kickstand is really only good for when it's on a table
Keyboard works fairly well (although type cover works better)	Picture quality on the two cameras isn't great
Multi-touch response is good on both keyboard covers	Display is awkward when being held in landscape and "really awkward" when being held vertically
Tile interface is actually quite handy	Multi-touch gestures not immediately obvious
Built-in browser is quite responsive and performs well (except with Flash playback)	Some third and first party apps took a while to get going
	Windows App store selection is currently "quite lacking"
	No legacy support for Windows software
	Form factor makes it awkward to use as both a tablet and a laptop

Gizmodo

The Good	The Bad
Videos are colourful, sharp	Parts of Windows RT are outright broken
Lots of attention to details (including that satisfying 'click' when you open and close the kickstand)	Loading can be very slow for content on the web, or in apps
Comfortable to hold with a well-angled bezel	Responsiveness differs between the touchscreen and the trackpad
"Handsome"	Typos are "inevitable and constant" with the barely distinguishable buttons on the touch keyboard
Bright display	Can only use the "floppy" keyboard on a rigid surface
Makes using a tablet as a regular work assistant more viable	Poor selection in app store, built-in apps feel like "lite" versions of what they should be
Navigating apps feels seamless	Can't write on Facebook walls in the People app (the social media option meant to be the only one you'll ever need)
The new Metro interface for Windows is well-suited to the device and is something to love	Desktop mode is pointless since you can't install any of the legacy applications

Wired

The Good	The Bad
Sturdy kickstand which takes some real effort to break	Would me more convenient if the kickstand had a finger hold on the right (not the left)
Screen looks nice despite being a lower resolution than comparable tablets	Adjustment to the touch keyboard is tough (and sometimes painful)
An informal test showed more people preferred the Surface screen to the iPad one	Keyboard cover is a better keyboard than cover (and the type cover is even worse)
Body quality is excellent	Front and rear 720p cameras are "junk"
Battery lasted 11 hours on typical use	iPad far superior at displaying and zooming text
Windows RT is just as gesture-friendly as Windows 8	16:9 ratio isn't well suited to reading in portrait mode
Gestures work well and are extremely useful	Desktop Mode not very useful on the device
Web browsing works well	Not enough apps available
	Microsoft Office apps included need the keyboard and trackpad to work well
	No 3G or LTE
	No Microsoft Outlook (although Mail is included)

Engadget

The Good	The Bad
Distinctive look and feel from other tablets on the market	Charging connector could be more "grabby" (compared to Apple's MagSafe adapter)
Vapor Mg process for creating tablet's exterior makes it feel "amazing"	No USB 3.0 (but does have full-sized USB 2.0)
Slightly larger display than the average 9 to 10-inch tablet	Opening kickstand with only right hand can be tricky at times
Quality of display mostly makes up for the lack of resolution	No option for 3G or LTE
Kickstand is a "major part of the DNA of the device"	Built-in speakers only adequate
Has Bluetooth 4.0 and wide range of Wi-Fi options	Lower resolution than the new iPad
Uses Microsoft's ClearType sub-pixel rendering technology to eliminate jagged edges	Some occasional pauses when swiping between open apps
Shows slightly deeper blacks than the new iPad	Can't install and run legacy programs on the desktop portion of Windows RT
Tablet boots in under 25 seconds	Limited video playback
Apps boot "briskly"	Everything needs to be downloaded from the Windows Store (which still has very limited selection)
Nearly 10 hours of battery life	Kindle app is poor
Windows RT looks and feels like Windows 8 (aside from the lack of legacy apps)	Poor image quality from the dual 720p cameras
Good audio recording when shooting video	Pricey compared to other comparable tablets on the market
Less prone to glare than the iPad
Great for people looking to get work done on a tablet

Final verdict:

From all the reviews out there, there seems to be a consensus on two points: The hardware is solid and includes lots of well-thought-out innovations, from the solid kickstand, to the innovative touch keyboard, to the smooth exterior of the tablet. The software, however, is lacking, showing lag in some of the showcase features of Windows RT and a poor selection of content available from the Windows Store.

The Surface Pro is still on the way, so there's time to fix many of the things that reviewers had a problem with, but it might be too little, too late for Microsoft's first attempt at a tablet.

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