Microsoft Surface RT

alaTest has collected and analyzed 220 reviews from magazines and websites. Views about the design and usability are on the whole positive. The build quality and screen also get good feedback, whereas there are some mixed reviews about the apps. The GPS navigation and value for money get less positive comments.

responsiveness, screen, build quality, usability, design

value for money, GPS navigation

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Tablets the Microsoft Surface RT is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 97/100 = Excellent quality.

Review analysis

(Based on 220 reviews)

Expert Reviews  

User Reviews  

Review Ratings

  (23% of reviews)
Show all 5 star reviews   (40% of reviews)
Show all 4 star reviews   (20% of reviews)
Show all 3 star reviews   (9% of reviews)
Show all 2 star reviews   (7% of reviews)
Show all 1 star reviews

Features

Responsiveness
  Show positive (49%)Show negative (27%)(Show all)
Screen
  Show positive (46%)Show negative (10%)(Show all)
Build quality
  Show positive (83%)Show negative (3%)(Show all)
Design
  Show positive (64%)Show negative (3%)(Show all)
Usability
  Show positive (33%)Show negative (24%)(Show all)
Apps
  Show positive (19%)Show negative (20%)(Show all)
Battery
  Show positive (71%)None yet(Show all)
Value for money
  Show positive (15%)Show negative (44%)(Show all)
Portability
  Show positive (45%)Show negative (14%)(Show all)
Camera
  Show positive (50%)Show negative (40%)(Show all)
More features

Showing 102 review(s)

Expert Reviews User Reviews
Showing 1 - 10 of 102 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (119)

Expert review by:

Review Microsoft Surface RT Tablet

 

PC? Tablet? A Different Approach. Microsoft calls its long-awaited tablet Surface a PC: the first PC from Redmond. We extensively tested the tablet and Windows 8 RT and found that this device truly is a PC, and a very exciting one at that. ...

Bright display with good contrast ; Very good workmanship ; Low temperature emissions ; Intuitive interface ; Touch cover increases productivity

External monitors require an adapter which has to be purchased separately ; Display only has a HD-ready resolution ; Performance can be further increased

Microsoft produces a good tablet on the first try

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Expert review by:

Microsoft Surface RT Review

 

With the Surface for Windows 8 RT tablet, Microsoft introduces a Windows computer that runs with the same chip which powers Android competitors. To consumers, it means that they can now have a Windows computer that looks like a tablet, [...]

The Microsoft Surface for Windows 8 RT ($499.99) represents an important step in Microsoft’s entry into the tablet market. While it does not even try to win the “specification” war, it is important to note that it has a unique value-proposition for...

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Expert review by:

Microsoft Surface review: Ripples of change

 

Having powered anything from personal media players to enterprise servers, Redmond once again has a little something to call its own. It must wish it's bigger than the Xbox and sure hopes no one remembers the Kin phone.

10.6" ClearType HD LCD touchscreen, 1366 x 768 pixels ; Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity with Wi-Fi Direct ; Quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A9 chipset ; 2 GB of RAM ; ULP GeForce GPU ; Windows 8 RT with SkyDrive support and activation ; Standard...

Windows RT works with Windows Store apps only ; Heavier than most 10-inch tablets ; Quite awkward to use in portrait ; Proprietary connector for charging ; Touch Cover build materials are extremely poor and the keyboard does not make for a good typing...

Microsoft like being pushed, it seems. No other explanation of how well it did with the Surface considering the pressure pot of high stakes and overwhelming expectations. It didn't take its eyes off the target either, knowing (though hardly enjoying...

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Expert review by:

Microsoft Surface review

 

Microsoft's ARM-based tablet has plenty of good points, but there are enough downsides to make caution advisable. The hardware platform and the Windows RT ecosystem will undoubtedly improve, so we'd suggest giving version 1.0 a miss unless you're an...

Solidly built hardware ; Modern' tile-based UI looks clean and works well with touchscreen ; Useful add-on keyboard/covers (especially the Type Cover) ; Full-size USB port ; Office 2013 bundled with Windows RT operating system

Cannot run third-party desktop Windows applications ; Vestigial desktop UI jars with its 'modern' successor ; Kick-stand is not adjustable ; Hard to use with Touch/Type Cover on the lap ; Magnetic power connector is fiddly ; Lacks mobile broadband, GPS...

This is a decent tablet with plenty of good points, but there are enough downsides to make caution advisable. The hardware platform and the Windows RT ecosystem will undoubtedly improve, so we'd suggest giving version 1.0 a miss unless you're an avid...

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Expert review by:

Microsoft Surface with Windows RT

 

Microsoft has a lot to prove with Windows 8, but it may have even more to prove with the Surface. This is one of the first times the software company has ventured full-bore into hardware (Xbox and Zune are two other examples), and in some ways, the...

Incredible design and feel ; Magnetic TypeCover rocks ; Runs Windows RT faster than other tablets ; Kickstand works wonderfully ; Durable hardware ; Made me enjoy Windows RT

Legacy desktop is slow and difficult to navigate with touch ; Currently lacking solid app selection ; Lacking a good tutorial ; Price is too high

The Microsoft Surface is such a well-designed and innovative piece of hardware, with it's elegant Type/Touch covers and kickstand, that it makes a strong case for Windows RT. The classic desktop is cumbersome and the app catalog has not yet filled out,...

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Expert review by:

Microsoft Surface review

 

The Microsoft Surface is no minor thing to review, especially when you consider the stakes for this product. The tablet / laptop hybrid — which was announced at a surprise event in Los Angeles back in June — is not just a unique product in the market,...

Ambitious new software ; Solidly made, handsome hardware ; Full Office suite with no compromise ; Excellent battery life

Performance is hit or miss ; Weak ecosystem ; Buggy software ; Doesn't live up to hybrid promise

Instead of being no-compromise, it often feels like more-compromise

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Expert review by:

Microsoft Surface with Windows RT

 

The Microsoft Surface with Windows RT ($699 as tested) is Microsoft's first entry into the wild world of tablets. Priced to compete with the Apple iPad , the Surface tablet with 64GB of storage comes with a 10.6-inch, five-point multi-touch screen. As...

Comes with a full version of Office 2013 (Home and Student). Good battery life. MicroSDXC slot. USB 2.0 port. Compact. Includes Touch Cover. Touch Cover sleeps and wakes the tablet. Micro-HDMI port. No fans. "Always connected." Dual band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz...

Kickstand assist only on left face. Only one angle on kickstand. Requires flat surface to use with Touch and Type covers. Speakers are very soft. Few apps on Microsoft's Store. Not compatible with existing Windows 7 and XP programs. Proprietary charger...

The Microsoft Surface with Windows RT bridges the distance between tablet and laptop for many users, particularly if you use the Web or Microsoft Office constantly. The Surface has very good hardware and some innovative design, but Microsoft Office RT...

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Expert review by:

Microsoft Surface RT

 

Microsoft Surface is the best productivity tablet yet, and it had better be. As the only Microsoft-branded Windows RT hardware to launch with the new operating system (Windows 8 launches this week as well), the tablet serves as ambassador and flagship...

The Microsoft Surface 's Metro interface is innovative, elegant, powerful, and versatile. The tablet feels strong and well-built, runs Office 2013, and includes rich video and music services. Its keyboard cover accessories are the best ways to type on...

The tablet's performance can be sluggish, its Windows Store is a ghost town, Metro takes getting used to, and the Desktop interface feels clunky and useless.

If you're an early adopter willing to forget everything you know about navigating a computer, the Surface tablet could replace your laptop. Everyone else: wait for more apps.

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Expert review by:

Microsoft Surface Review

 

A week ago, I sat in an auditorium and listened to Steve Sinofsky talk about the tablet market. He talked about how the iPad was a great device, and a logical extension of the iPhone. Give iOS a bigger screen and all of the sudden you could do some...

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Expert review by:

Microsoft Surface with Windows RT

 

The Surface and its innovative Touch Cover proves that Microsoft can make hardware to rival the iPad, but the app ecosystem needs to catch up.

Striking industrial design ; Innovative Touch Cover ; Sharp display ; Microsoft Office included; Long battery life

Few high-quality apps available for now ; Poor-quality cameras; Sluggish and unresponsive at times

Click to EnlargeThe Surface with Windows RT proves that Microsoft can beat its own partners on hardware. Between the build quality, kickstand, and truly innovative Touch Cover, this is a tablet whose design and fresh interface will turn heads away from...

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Product Specifications

Microsoft Surface represents a fundamental change in the way people interact with digital content. With surface, you can actually grab data with your hands, and move information between objects with natural gestures and touch. Surface features a 30-inch tabletop display whose unique abilities allow for several people to work independently or simultaneously - all without using a mouse or a keyboard.
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