POGUE: The Surface Pro Is 'The Right Machine For A Lot Of People'

Megan Rose Dickey
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Microsoft's Surface Pro tablet is going on sale this Saturday, and the reviews are already in.

While the Surface Pro "will be the right machine for a lot of people," it's not for everyone, tech columnist David Pogue writes.

Here's what he likes:

  • It looks like a tablet and can work as one, but on the inside, it's a full-on, powerful PC.

  • The design is beautiful.

  • The screen is bright and beautiful with 1080p high-definition resolution.

  • The second USB port built into the power cord makes it possible to charge your phone while you work, or connect things like external drives, a keyboard, or a mouse.

  • The kickstand totally disappears when you don't need it, but it's great for working or watching movies.

  • It's compatible with Microsoft's keyboard cover so you can instantly turn it into a PC.

Here's what he doesn't like:

  • Since the Surface Pro runs Windows 8, you end up with two Web browsers, two control panels, two Mail programs, and two entirely different looks, which can be a bit confusing at first.

  • The speakers aren't very good.

  • The screen and keyboard are smaller than what you'd get on a true laptop

  • Attaching the power cord "is still a flummoxing operation."

  • Only 23GB of the cheapest model's 64GB of storage are actually available for use. That means the Windows operating system eats up 65 percent of your storage.

  • The Pro only gets roughly half the battery life of the non-Pro.



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