Microsoft Surface 2 (2013)

1366 reviews

May, 2024

Positive
performance (4)
design (3)
usability (3)
screen (2)
durability (2)

Negative
portability (1)

General overview
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alaTest has collected and analyzed 1366 reviews of Microsoft Surface 2 (2013). The average rating for this product is 3.7/5, compared to an average rating of 4.2/5 for other products in the same category for all reviews. Reviews about the screen and durability are generally positive. The design and usability also get good opinions, whereas some have doubts about the portability.

performance, usability, design, durability, screen

portability

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other products in the same category the Microsoft Surface 2 (2013) is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 89/100 = Very good quality.

Review analysis

(Based on 1366 reviews)

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Showing 1 - 951 of 1208 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (153)

Consumer review (amazon.co.uk)

Amazon.co.uk review summary for Microsoft Surface 2 (2013)

alaTest has collected and analyzed 43 user reviews of Microsoft Surface 2 (2013) from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 4.2/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.3/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.co.uk.

86% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

May, 2024

Consumer review (amazon.com)

Amazon.com review summary for Microsoft Surface 2 (2013)

alaTest has collected and analyzed 895 user reviews of Microsoft Surface 2 (2013) from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 3.6/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.1/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.com. Reviewers are impressed by the usability, whereas many are critical about the performance.

usability

performance

71% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

May, 2024

Consumer review (amazon.ca)

Amazon.ca review summary for Microsoft Surface 2 (2013)

alaTest has collected and analyzed 3 user reviews of Microsoft Surface 2 (2013) from Amazon.ca. The average user rating for this product is 2.3/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.2/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.ca.

33% of the reviews on Amazon.ca give this product a positive rating.

May, 2024

Expert review by : GSMArena team (gsmarena.com)

Microsoft Surface 2 review: Sink or swim

There is a tall task ahead of the Microsoft Surface 2. The first generation of the Microsoft tablet arrived with much fanfare but had little success, and the newcomer has to entice new customers, proving along the way that Redmond can be a factor in...

10.6" FullHD LCD touchscreen, 1,920 x 1,080 pixels ; NVIDIA Tegra 4 T40 SoC with Quad-core 1.7GHz Cortex-A15 CPU, 2 GB of RAM, ULP GeForce 72-core GPU ; Windows 8.1 RT with deep Microsoft service integration ; 32/64GB of in-built storage; 200GB of free...

Windows RT app availability is still confined to the Windows Store ; Limited amount of good-quality apps available ; Heavy compared to most other 10" tablets ; Awkward to use in portrait mode ; Display resolution falls below the competition in the same...

Considering the different dimensions of user experience the Microsoft Surface 2 offers, we found it hard to make a definite judgment - a classic case of perception skewed by perspective.

Nov, 2013

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Expert review by : Jeffrey Van Camp (digitaltrends.com)

Microsoft Surface 2 review

There's a great tablet inside the Surface 2, but it's covered in too much muck from Windows' past. If you want productivity, we recommend a full PC or Mac.

The Surface 2 is a paradox. We love its hardware and the Start screen continues to improve, as does the Windows Store. If we never entered the classic desktop mode (old-style Windows), we’d enjoy this tablet a lot more. But, as Microsoft makes clear in...

Oct, 2013

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Expert review by (engadget.com)

Microsoft Surface 2 review: a second chance for Windows RT?

Microsoft has already proven it makes the best hardware of any Windows OEM, but the Surface would be more competitive if it ran full Windows and supported traditional desktop apps.

Thinner and lighter, sturdier kickstand ; Well-crafted, premium design ; Long battery life ; Sharper display, great viewing angles ; Full-sized USB port

Windows Store is growing, but still has holes ; More expensive than tablets running full Windows

There were lots of ways we could have framed this review, but ultimately, the most pressing question seems to be this : Is the Surface 2 enough to help Microsoft avert another massive loss? And is it the best Windows tablet you can buy right now?

Oct, 2013

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Expert review by : GSMArena team (gsmarena.com)

Microsoft Surface 2 and Surface 2 Pro: Hands-on

Microsoft is presenting two new Surface tablets, saying "reinventing the wheel is not the goal, making it better is." This better wheel of theirs features a more powerful chipset, improved battery life, better screen, more ports, and even the...

Sep, 2013

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Expert review by : Xiomara Blanco (cnet.com)

Microsoft Surface 2 4G LTE tablet lands at AT&T

For $679, you can get the Microsoft Windows RT 8.1 slate with 64GB and the perk of high-speed data on-the-go.

Mar, 2014

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Expert review by : Jon Phillips (pcworld.com)

Surface 2 review: Cautious upgrades don't help a tablet in desperate need of relevance

Microsoft needed to bring the razzle-dazzle. Instead we got a 40-degree angle and higher resolution screen.

Great battery life ; Beautiful, high-res screen

Too few distinguishing upgrade features ; Desktop remains in Windows RT 8.1 ; Apps ecosystem continues to stumble

Microsoft's second attempt at an entry-level Surface tablet includes negligible spec bumps, and not much more.

Oct, 2013

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Expert review by : Brian Westover (pcmag.com)

Microsoft Surface 2 (32GB)

The Microsoft Surface 2 brings the Windows RT tablet back with better hardware, a refined design, and expanded productivity tools.

Improves upon a great design with high-res display and improved kickstand. Faster performance thanks to Nvidia Tegra 4 processor. All-day battery lasts more than 14 hours. Comes with Office RT 2013 (now with Outlook), Best of Skype package, and 200GB...

TouchCover and TypeCover keyboards sold separately. App selection is still (relatively) small. Windows RT 8.1 is still limited and confusing

When the Microsoft Surface RT first came out, it was a very good product with a well-executed design and powerful productivity tools, but it was hard to recommend to all but the most ardent of early adopters. With the launch of the Microsoft Surface 2,...

Oct, 2013

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Expert review by : David Pierce (theverge.com)

Microsoft Surface 2 review

"At the office" has become a nebulous term in my life. I've been "at the office" in coffeeshops, libraries, planes, taxis, bars, and one time from my seat during the third quarter of the Super...

Great hardware design ; Beautiful display ; Fast performance

Weak, frustrating app ecosystem ; Awkward hardware for any use case ; Still not really a hybrid device

Jack of all trades, master of none

Oct, 2013

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Expert review by : Wired (wired.com)

After Problem-Plagued Year, Microsoft Re-Surfaces

Microsoft's Surface devices are the physical embodiments of its operating system. That was true of last year's devices, which, like Windows 8 itself, many people found perplexing. And the new Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, much like the new Windows 8.1 ,...

Delightful touch interface makes best use of gestures this side of a mime troop. Two angle kickstand. Gorgeous full-screen, high-definition video makes you want to skip the theater. Backlit Touch Cover 2 feels you, bro, and wants to help you express...

Developers, developers, developers: Wherefore art thou, developers? Desktop mode is a joke on Surface 2, and too minuscule to be much use on Surface Pro 2

Oct, 2013

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Expert review by : Eric Franklin (cnet.com)

Microsoft's Surface 2 is a high-quality tablet suffering from a lack of app support

The Microsoft Surface 2 gets some welcome hardware upgrades, but its biggest problems are software based.

The ; has a sturdy build, smooth gaming performance, and high-quality cameras. Windows RT 8.1 is easier to use than before, and the built-in photo-editing tools and Xbox Music are fantastic features. Office 2013 is included for free, and thanks to a...

App support still lags behind competitors, and Windows RT is still incompatible with legacy programs. It's too easy to mistakenly push the tablet into its lower stance, and the touch pad on the Type Cover 2 isn't as comfortable as it was on the...

The Microsoft Surface 2 is great for getting work done, but those looking for extensive app support (beyond Office) will find top Apple, Android, and Amazon tablets to be better options.

Oct, 2013

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