Just got surface RT. LOVE IT!! Why all the hate?

[DrHoads]

Hi all,

I just picked up Surface RT on the price drop ($350) with the touch cover ($90). I was very apprehensive due to all of the negative press and that I already have an iPad, but I was too curious to resist. I have to say that I am absolutely in love with this thing.

Hardware: Screen is great, plenty good for me vs. the retina display. Kickstand, which I thought would be cheap and make it thick is actually perfectly done. Touch cover is a must have addition and I love it.

Windows 8 RT: Mapped my network drives on my NAS like a champ. Picked up my 3 year old wireless printer (Brother 7840W) automatically and prints fine. Office and Skydrive integration is awesome (I get the same experience from my chromebook, but Office/skydrive is certainly equivalent if not better).

Windows 8 Apps: SSH/Telnet, Remote Desktop, a mobi reader and all of the standard stuff (Netflix, kindle, etc.). The built in news reader app is AMAZING. I like it a lot more than flip and it syncs TONS of stuff so you can read for a long time offline.

Negatives: Agree with the press about the 32Gig and 16Gig free. I could care less because I understand that windows 8 RT is doing so much, but MS should just advertise it as a 16Gig version to avoid bad PR. Missing some apps. Zynga (Words and Hangman) that I play with my mother and children's educational apps are not as interesting or prevalent as in the Apple app store. (yet)

SO!! Before I get everyone I know angry at me by recommending that they get a surface instead of an iPad (which they get and then hate).. haha... Why do you all like/dislike the surface? I hardly ever used my iPad (Mostly to entertain my daughter at restaurants) but I am loving the surface... Maybe it is just the honeymoon but now I feel like I have a REAL tablet computer.

 

[clutchc]

I think we talked about this on a previous post. As long as you are happy, that's all that counts. The Surface Pro wasn't for me, but that is just a personal choice. I hated the tiny screen with the tiny icons in desktop mode that made me use the stylus. And Metro wasn't to my liking. Enjoy.

 

[Josh Krynski]

I bought a surface RT against all the advice I read and I love it. I don't expect laptop performance. The battery life is amazing. coupled with the way office is integrated and skydrive syncs everything what isn't to love. sure they don't have a gazillion apps but I don't use it for more the surfing and documents... If I'm going somewhere I 9 times out lf 10 take my surface over my ipad hd, the ease at files on and off the device without being slaved though communism / iTunes is fantastic.

didn't think I would like this thing as much as I do. Microsoft can definitely improve this product, but it is definitely a solid offering.

 

[jaguarskx]

I never really paid much attention to the Surface RT because I have my 2012 Nexus 7" tablet.

However, I will simply state that if I wanted to buy a Windows tablet I would prefer it to be able to run standard Windows applications rather than software which must be designed to run on the RT tablet. However, in the end I am simply happy with my Nexus 7.

 

[g-unit1111]

I never really paid much attention to the Surface RT because I have my 2012 Nexus 7" tablet.

However, I will simply state that if I wanted to buy a Windows tablet I would prefer it to be able to run standard Windows applications rather than software which must be designed to run on the RT tablet. However, in the end I am simply happy with my Nexus 7.

That's the exact reason why I returned mine to the store. The reason why I did not like the Surface RT was because you have no choice but to run applications designed for ARM rather than x86 applications. Which means no Firefox, no iTunes, no Steam, no CS5, no ACAD, no Office legacy applications, you get the idea.

 

[stopstop]

The needs are the key factor to evaluate the tablet.

I never really paid much attention to the Surface RT because I have my 2012 Nexus 7" tablet.

However, I will simply state that if I wanted to buy a Windows tablet I would prefer it to be able to run standard Windows applications rather than software which must be designed to run on the RT tablet. However, in the end I am simply happy with my Nexus 7.

That's the exact reason why I returned mine to the store. The reason why I did not like the Surface RT was because you have no choice but to run applications designed for ARM rather than x86 applications. Which means no Firefox, no iTunes, no Steam, no CS5, no ACAD, no Office legacy applications, you get the idea.

 

[g-unit1111]

The needs are the key factor to evaluate the tablet.

Exactly, and now that there's tablets coming this week that run full Windows 8.1 and MS Office, and are less than the Surface it's like what's the point?

 

[tomate2]

Windows RT are obviously optimized for ARM processors, I own a Surface RT and it feels slow at some times but nothing unbearable.
A full blown Windows 8.1 is a pretty demanding operating system and putting it in systems with underpowered hardware (underpowered in my opinion) may cause pretty noticeable performance issues.