Microsoft unveiled its new Surface tablet earlier this week, a product that will be in direct competition with Apple’s iPad. The 9.4 mm thick tablet is powered by Windows 8 and has a 10.6-inch ClearType HD Display. It is also equipped with a USB 2 port (which the iPad lacks) and is compatible with a magnetized stylus that uses digital ink.
Surface’s standout features include a full-sized, multi-touch keyboard with a trackpad that also doubles as the device’s case, as well as a built in kickstand.
It has a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels – much lower than the iPad’s new Retina display that clocks in at 2048 x 1536 pixels.
The company plans to market two versions of the Surface tablet, one running Windows 8 and powered by Intel Corp.’s Ivy Bridge chip technology, as well as a slimmed down version running Windows RT on an ARM chipset.
To break it down, Surface is a tad thinner than the iPad. It features a larger screen, a USB port, a built-in kickstand and keyboard, but lower resolution.
It sounds enticing, but what does it mean? Lets go through it step by step, shall we.
The thinner the product, the less room it will take up in your backpack or purse, but on the flipside, the more fragile it becomes. There’s no doubt that small touchscreen products are handled more than a regular computer or laptop – resulting in a higher chance of something happening to them. They may be fun to use, but consider case options and carrying cases for each tablet. Personally, I doubt I’d buy a tablet if I was going to be throwing it around on a regular basis.The screen is much too fragile for that sort of physical activity.
This brings up another point of conversation: screen space. Generally, screen space can either mean that you have a larger work space or that the items on the screen will appear larger. In Apple’s case, it usually means more work space. Similar to their 21.5 inch v.s 27 inch iMac, the larger the screen the more space you have on your desktop. Based on PC’s history, they have a less viewable workspace to advertised screen size ratio.
The same idea goes for tablets – just because you have a tablet that has a 16 inch screen doesn’t mean you get that much work space. Consider that the bezel, or rim of the screen, usually takes up at least an inch of space, leaving you with (in this case) 15 inches of viewable workspace.
If you want the extra work space, it would be wise to look into how much more you’d be willing to spend to get it.
With Surface, being equipped with similar accessories that iPad users would usually have to pay extra for, it is worth noting that the price may reflect it – but would also save you money in the long run. Apple’s iPad Smart Cover (cover and kickstand) can cost you up to $45 through the Apple Store, while the wireless keyboard can set you back another $69.
The last difference is the resolution. Resolution, to put it simply, is a term used to describe the number of pixels used to display an image. Higher resolution means that more pixels are used to create the image – resulting in a crisper image. In the case of the iPad’s new Retina Display, their resolution of 2048 x 1536 means there are 2048 pixels horizontally across the screen and 1536 lines of pixels vertically (equaling 3,145,728 pixels that make up the image you see on the screen).
Microsoft’s Surface has a resolution of 1366 x 768, resulting in a total of 1,049,088 pixels.
To put that in perspective, Samsung’s new Smart 55-inch Full HD LED TV has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 (2,073,600 pixels to make up the picture). Tablet sizes are obviously much smaller than that.
Resolution also impacts things like media playback, web browsing and the ability to view things without zooming. When looking at resolution numbers, just think about what you’re going to be using them for. If you’re into graphic design, high zooming and editing and HD quality video, then high resolution is something you should consider.
Tablets are often used as portable portfolios for art-related work. If you’re considering a similar use for your tablet, higher resolution will also make your pictures look sharper. On the other hand, if you’re going to be lounging around, using your tablet to show your friends pictures of your latest escapade, and perhaps looking at the occasional cat video on YouTube, then maybe save a few bucks with a lower resolution tablet.
With all that said and done, Microsoft has unfortunately decided to hold off releasing the price of their new tablet closer to the launch.
During the unveiling event, Windows chief Steven Sinofsky said that the tablet will be priced comparable with other ARM-based tablets, and that the pro version will be priced to compete with Ultrabook-class PCs.
Having a conversation about the new product’s price-point is very crucial to its success – but is being avoided at this time. There is speculation that it can be priced one of two ways. It can either be priced at the point of let’s say, a Kindle, or it can be priced a few hundred dollars higher at the price of an iPad.
Either way, consider what you’re going to be using the tablet for, what your budget is, and what is available to you.
_____
Nicole Siena is an intern for the Toronto Standard. Follow her on Twitter at @NicoleSiena.
For more, follow us on Twitter at @TorontoStandard and subscribe to our newsletter.
