Microsoft Surface Tablet Debuts: Reasons Why It Could Be True iPad Killer

By Johnny Wills | Jun 19, 2012 10:25 AM EDT

Previous image Enlarge Close Next image

Share This Story

Apple iPad has so far crushed any tablet thrown towards it for the sake of competition. Many tablets have been knighted as "iPad killer" but each of them failed to provide any serious competition to the mighty iPad. But things can change this time as Microsoft has revealed not just one but two Surface tablets running Windows 8 with impressive specs.

Windows RT Surface tablet will be the first Microsoft tablet to debut this fall. The tablet packs 10.6-inch display with resolution of 1366 X 768 pixels. It comes with sleek 9.3mm chassis and weighs 676g. Microsoft has confirmed that the tablet runs on Nvidia Tegra chipset.

The other powerful version, called Windows 8 Pro Surface tablet, runs on Intel Core i5 chipset with Ivy Bridge architecture. It sports 10.6-inch display with full-HD resolution of 1920 X 1080 pixels. The tablet is 13.5mm thick and weighs 903g.

When compared with Apple iPad, Windows 8 tablets are just built from scratch and lack versatile app support at the moment. However, for business users, Microsoft Surface tablets seem like a better option than iPad.

Here are the reasons why Surface tablets can turn out to be a true iPad killer.

Full Keyboard Support

Microsoft also showed off two magnetic covers for the Surface tablets, just like Smart Covers in iPad. But these covers are not just for protection. The Touch Cover is just 3mm thick and packs capacitive touch keys for faster typing. For traditional typing, 5mm thick Type Cover is available. These covers attach to the Surface tablet using built-in magnets. Utilizing the kickstand at the back, Surface tablet can turn into a full-featured ultrabook.

Microsoft Office

Apple iPad owners are still waiting for a perfect Office-alternative for their tablets. But it will not be the case in Microsoft's Surface tablets. The tablet comes preloaded with touch-optimized version of Microsoft Office. We can assume that the package will include text editor, spreadsheet tool, presentation software and PDF editor.

More Storage

Windows RT version of Surface tablets comes with 16/32/64GB internal storage, while the Windows 8 Pro version is at big with additional 128GB model. Both these tablets support external memory cards for expandable memory options. On the other hand, iPad only offers 64GB of internal storage and lacks any memory card slot for expandable memory.

USB Port

Both the tablets pack standard USB ports. Windows RT Surface tablet features USB 2.0 port, while Windows 8 Pro Surface tablet has USB 3.0 port. It is likely that the tablets will support a wide array of plug-and-play peripherals like flash drive and external hard drive. It is also believed that Surface tablets can be hooked up with local Ethernet network utilizing Ethernet-to-USB adapter. There is also a display port in both these device, which could be used to connect the tablet with external display unit like monitor or projector.