Reviews - Microsoft Surface with Windows RT

[HEXUS]

Redmond takes matters into its own hands.

Read more.

[cjs150]

"16:9 aspect ratio that makes it ideal for Windows 8's horizontal layouts as well as high-def movie playback"

Typical MS spin. To be fair much the same from Apple originally.

That would be high-def playback as long as you are using 720p. Sorry total failure by MS. I think most people would now count HD playback as 1080p which requires 1920x1080 pixels - certainly that is the definition for Blu ray movies and HD TV channels.

[dangel]

"16:9 aspect ratio that makes it ideal for Windows 8's horizontal layouts as well as high-def movie playback"

Typical MS spin. To be fair much the same from Apple originally.

That would be high-def playback as long as you are using 720p. Sorry total failure by MS. I think most people would now count HD playback as 1080p which requires 1920x1080 pixels - certainly that is the definition for Blu ray movies and HD TV channels.

The ratio is the important bit - my 4:3 ipad ends up letterboxed. Personally I down-convert to 720p for mobile viewing as I can't really tell the difference on such a physically small screen and space is at a premium. On a 40" screen things are somewhat different.
In any case, it's interesting to note that everyone other than Apple went 16:9 and yet you think MS are spinning it?

[TheAnimus]

"16:9 aspect ratio that makes it ideal for Windows 8's horizontal layouts as well as high-def movie playback"

Typical MS spin. To be fair much the same from Apple originally.

That would be high-def playback as long as you are using 720p. Sorry total failure by MS. I think most people would now count HD playback as 1080p which requires 1920x1080 pixels - certainly that is the definition for Blu ray movies and HD TV channels.

Whilst I agree with the comment about high def, they are right in as much as the ratio is perfect for 16:9 content such as most TV shows.

However, I wouldn't hate on the screen much, apple have created a brand around Retina, which actually hides the issues of their programing markup. All apps are for fixed ratios. This means they need to simply multiply by pixels. You think the perfect pixel density the human eye wants just happens to be a ratio of their original resolutions, hell no.

Which brings what do you want from a screen, just high resolution? The main thing is sharp whites with black edges, in otherwords text. Now MS on the other hand have spent a lot of money over the years on ClearType. This means the text doesn't need such high density to look good, and even dare I say looks better.

For me a screen is a balance of colour reproduction, resolution and viewing angles. Whilst any poke screen these days is going to be glass and sadly shiny, the viewing angles are generally easier to achive the lower the resolution, the same is often true for colour fidelity. This was one of the things that disapointed me about the iPad3, its high resolution screen wasn't very good for photographs compared to the iPad 2, due to the colours been frankly awful at most angles and not very good dead on.

So a screen is really about a balance of all these things, when you compared a web page on a surface RT next to an iPad 3, the surface fairs very well thanks to increased viewing angles, the fact most web content isn't high DPI aware, and the better clear type text rendering.

Now on to the review from Hexus, I'm saddened you guys didn't try the plug everything thats USB we have in the office in to it game. That for me is one of the most handy features.

[imunkee]

Nice review. Here is a handy tip for anyone who is considering a windows RT. Expand the built in storage with a micro sd card.

engadget.com/2012/11/01/junction-points-and-windows-8/

[cjs150]

It is not the aspect ratio which bothers me (I like 16:9 both for movies and excel spreadsheets!).

The fact is that at best it can do is 720p not 1080p. Dangel is right you can downscale but most people will not bother to do that - even though most people (including me) will not be able to tell the difference.

As far as I am concerned that it is not True HD, but MS marketing spin.

[Funkstar]

The playback software will down scale itself, it's not like you are going the just get the centre of a video or one corner. After that, it's down to how well this is scaled and how well the screen displays that footage. I know it's relying on what MS are saying, but I really do get the feeling that this is a better considered move by MS than just sticking a high resolution display in there and shouting about the numbers. They did research, this was found to be better.

[tekgun]

Well MS aren't lying, 720 is classed as HD, 1080 is known as Full HD.
Nice review btw.

[dangel]

It is not the aspect ratio which bothers me (I like 16:9 both for movies and excel spreadsheets!).

The fact is that at best it can do is 720p not 1080p. Dangel is right you can downscale but most people will not bother to do that - even though most people (including me) will not be able to tell the difference.

As far as I am concerned that it is not True HD, but MS marketing spin.

They claim it will do HD playback - 720p is HD, always was, always will be. 1080p came later and was described as Full HD in the telly shifter world by some. Both are technically HD, yes one is better than the other. On tiny screens the issue is moot for video you just aren't going to see any difference (I struggle on a 40" TV). I can't see the claim to "True HD" anywhere?

Play a 720p movie on a nexus 7, hold it next to an ipad 3 doing the same thing - the results will surprise you..

Still i'm interested in the Pro which has a higher res so

[cjs150]

Dangel I do not disagree with you but you have to look at what media are people actually consuming.

If most people are like me then what they consume in HD is all 1080p. I just do not think most people will want to downscale.

If however most people are consuming 720p media or SD media then Surface will be fine.

Obviously I believe most people are like me - the alternative is that I am sane and it is the rest of the world that is mad!

[dangel]

Dangel I do not disagree with you but you have to look at what media are people actually consuming.

If most people are like me then what they consume in HD is all 1080p. I just do not think most people will want to downscale.

Most people will go "ooh nice picture" and think nothing more of it Given that downscaling is completely automatic how will they know, especially when they'd be very hard pressed to tell the difference? Ask any man in the street why 1080i isn't as good as 1080p or even what either of them actually mean..

I'm sorry if i'm being argumentative - that's not the objective - i'm just struggling to understand how it would make a difference for video playback in real world conditions. For desktop apps/browsing that's a while different ballgame..

[j.o.s.h.1408]

Now on to the review from Hexus, I'm saddened you guys didn't try the plug everything thats USB we have in the office in to it game. That for me is one of the most handy features.

This is the killer feature for me. Finally a tablet where i can connect whatever usb device i wish.

[Brewster0101]

The piss poor eco system/App's don't stand a chance with Windows RT. I can't see developers wanting to make apps for iOs, Android, Windows 8 and windows 8 RT.

[j.o.s.h.1408]

The piss poor eco system/App's don't stand a chance with Windows RT. I can't see developers wanting to make apps for iOs, Android, Windows 8 and windows 8 RT.

Windows RT apps will run on winddows 8 machines too.

[zarnywoop]

Surface RT and other RT tablets "only" have USB2 because the ARM processor doesn't support USB3. Surface Pro and other win8 x86 tablets/pcs can support USB3

[Brewster0101]

Windows RT apps will run on winddows 8 machines too.

But not the other way round. Considering the pro tablet will run windows 8 like a desktop or mobile (ish) the RT seems like a expensive consumer experiment from Microsoft.