The Windows Surface RT tablet is available for sale now, but it’s a toss-up between the RT and Pro. You’d be forgiven for thinking they’re basically the same thing but they are very different in many ways. So before you choose one or the other brush up on which would be best for you.
Windows RT (with no clarification from Microsoft on what RT stands for yet) tablets all use ARM chips that cut down on power usage, and come with a version of Windows 8 that is not compatible with older Windows software. Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro surface tablets run off Intel chips and do support the established older Windows programs.
The Surface RT, announced June 18, is expected to cost US$499 for the 32GB version and US$699 for the 64GB version. It will be available for purchase on October 26th in the US and Canada, the same day that the Windows 8 Pro is set for sale.
Under the hood, the Surface RT features an Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, an optically bonded display (to reduce screen glare), and a resolution of 1366 by 768 with a pixel density of 148 pixels per inch. The battery spec is 31.5 Wh, and with 2GB of RAM the RT is very much like the everyday laptop. It’s small and light, too, weighing only 1.49 pounds and 0.37 inches thick.
Those amongst us who crave a decent word processor will breathe a sigh of relief to hear that the Surface comes with Microsoft Office Home, with the Windows 8 versions of Word, Powerpoint, Excel, and Onenote, as well as Student 2013 RT Preview. Note that the Student RT Preview is just that: a preview. The final version will be installed via automatic Windows Update later.
The RT version of Office actually runs in the desktop side of Surface RT, and is not a new Windows 8 app.
In comparison, the Surface Windows 8 Pro supports all desktop applications of both old and new Windows programmes, is 10.81 x 6.81 x 0.53 inches, weighs a bit more at 2 pounds, and comes with either 64GB or 128GB. It has a 10.6 ClearType displace with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, Intel Core i5 (third-generation, “Ivy Bridge”) with Intel HD graphics 4000, and 4 GB RAM.
Both the RT and the Pro come with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, and both feature two 720p HD front and rear-facing cameras. As for battery life, the Pro beats the RT with 42Wh.
The Surface Pro obviously comes with more bang for your buck, but is bound to be more expensive than the RT. So when it comes to the two Microsoft Surface tablets, which one would you be tempted to pick: RT or Pro?