The current range of Microsoft tablets: Surface 2

When everyone expected it to complete its range of tablets below, Microsoft has decided to do the opposite. Those from Redmond have presented a new member of the Surface family in the form of a 12-inch device with which they try to further merge the two functions of tablet and laptop in an effort to address more sectors with their own hardware.

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 has arrived to complete Redmond's range of Windows 8.1/RT devices. The new team joins Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 on their journey to guide the other manufacturers towards what Microsoft expects of the hardware that runs its system.In the following lines we will review what each of them provides and compare them with each other.

Microsoft Surface 2

Microsoft updated its tablet with Windows RT in September of last year, taking advantage of the proximity of version 8.1 of the system. Microsoft Surface 2 lost the RT tagline along the way, improving many of its aspects to the controversial Surface RT. From the screen to the kickstand, including some of its features, they received a necessary update.

Microsoft Surface 2 is the most typically tablet device in the family. Although it shares a 10.6-inch screen with a 1920x1080 pixel resolution with the Pro 2, the Surface 2 works on the ARM architecture It has an NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor, 2 GB of RAM and a maximum of 64 GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD) that make it the least powerful of the group.

All this in order to make it the most characteristically mobile of the three. Although it maintains the size of the Pro 2, its weight is considerably reduced to 676 grams and its autonomy is capable of reaching 10 hours playing video. It also has better cameras, 5 and 3.5 megapixels and a future version with 3G/4G/LTE connectivity that has already been put up for sale in some territories. Here we are still satisfied with the price of 429 euros of the basic version.

In Xataka Windows | Microsoft Surface 2 Review

Microsoft Surface Pro 2

At the same time that it improved the version with Windows RT of its tablets, Microsoft also took the opportunity to update the version with full Windows 8. Microsoft Surface Pro 2 came to replace the Pro version of the family with a slight improvement in specifications and incorporating the news that we could also see in the Surface chassis 2.

Microsoft Surface Pro 2 features a 10.6-inch 16:9 display with 1920x1080 pixel resolution. A panel similar to that of Surface 2, although with the ability to detect up to 10 touch points simultaneously and the addition of the digital pen that its predecessor already included. Regarding the latter it improved the processor with a fourth-generation Intel Core i5 and increased the RAM memory up to 8 GB and the storage up to 512 GB, without forgetting the slot for microSD cards.

Similar specifications with the same screen diagonal as the Surface 2 had to suffer somewhere and that is why the Surface Pro 2 is the heaviest and thickest of the three tablets, at 907 grams and a thickness of 13.5 mm. It also yields in autonomy that is reduced to 7 hours in web browsing and in its cameras of just 1.2 megapixels both.The hope is that the starting price of 849 euros will soon be reduced after the new incorporation.

In Xataka | Surface Pro 2 Review

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

The Surface range was missing a third member and Microsoft has decided to make it even bigger than its peers. With the Surface Pro 3 Redmond's tablets grow in inches but also improve several sections to continue delving into their intention to provide the perfect device with Windows 8.1 Pro able to merge the worlds of the tablet and the laptop.

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is a laptop + tablet (laplet?) that features an extraordinary 12-inch screen and 2160x1440 pixels resolution. It has a touch panel capable of recognizing up to 10 points, with improved support for a digital pen and a different 3:2 aspect ratio than its little sisters.Not so different from the Surface Pro 2 is its Intel Core processor, although in this case it adds options that go up to the i7; nor RAM memory up to 8 GB; or internal storage, which can reach 512 GB without giving up the microSD option.

The incredible thing is that Microsoft seems to have achieved all of the above without giving up containing the weight or thickness of its tablet. With 800 grams and 9.1 millimeters Surface Pro 3 improves what was achieved with Surface Pro 2 and improves several sections such as autonomy, up to 9 hours browsing the web; the cameras, now both 5 megapixels; or the kickstand, fully adjustable. Plus, with a starting price of $799 it's not even the most expensive of the three.

The entire Surface range

Three Surface tablets that could well serve the needs of different users separately. From those who value the mobility of the Surface 2, to those who prefer the power of the Surface Pro 2, not forgetting those who are willing to replace their laptop with the Surface Pro 3.Microsoft thus achieves one of the most complete ranges of tablets on the market that are summarized in the following table.

	Surface 2	Surface Pro 2	Surface Pro 3
Screen	10, 6-inch	10, 6-inch	12 inches
Aspect Ratio	16:9	16:9	3:2
Resolution	1920x1080px	1920x1080px	2160x1440px
Tactile	Multitap 5 points	Multitap 10 points	Multitap 10 points
Processor	NVIDIA Tegra 4	Intel Core i5	Intel Core i3/i5/i7
RAM	2 GB	4/8 GB	4/8 GB
Storage(expandable)	32/64 GB(microSD)	64/128/256/512 GB(microSD)	64/128/256/512 GB(microSD)
Autonomy	Up to 10 hours (video)	Up to 7 hours (web)	Up to 9 hours (web)
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, BT 4.0, 3G/4G	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, BT 4.0	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, BT 4.0
Ports	USB 3.0, HD Video, Headphones	USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, Headphones	USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, Headphones
OS	Windows RT 8.1	Windows 8.1 Pro	Windows 8.1 Pro
Cameras(rear / front)	5 mpx / 3.5 mpx	1, 2 mpx / 1, 2 mpx	5 mpx / 5 mpx
Kickstand	2 positions	2 positions	Free adjustment
Stylus Pen	No	Yes (included)	Yes (included)
Dimensions	275 x 173 x 8.9mm.	275 x 173 x 13.5mm.	292 x 201.3 x 9.1mm.
Weight	676 grams	907 grams	800 grams
Price	From 429 euros	From 879 euros	From $799

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