how much lighter is the surface 2 really?
- Thread starter Matthew
- Start date
Surface 2 is supposed to be lighter than the Surface RT, but honestly I couldn't tell.
I also believe there's some user psychology going on. Black is a "heavier" and more robust color than the lighter silver of S2. The Surface RT in certain reviews took a significant minus in weight compared to the iPad even though they are virtually the same in hand. 10 grams or whatever the difference was isn't going to break one's wrists.
Just say it's 1.5 lbs, and then add a bit with the keyboard cover (Type weighing more).
beman39
New Member
well for me when switching from my RT to the S2 I COULD feel a difference, also my wife too, so I don't think it's a psychology thing at all, that being said take it as you like but don't let that be just the deciding factor many many benefits to the S2 as compared to the RT which many times it has been posted
You didn't disprove it's psychological. It's the "practical" difference that matters. If you hold it in your hands for hours on end, then an ounce would matter. If not, then the discussion is moot.
If you wanted to do a real test, put them into identical covered boxes where you can't see them, then have a person hold them while blindfolded.
ZDnet claims 692g down to 654g, while TechCrunch says the difference is only 4 grams, and Hardware.info says the Surface 2 is 630g. The official MS website (going to UK since they use metric), the official difference is: 676g versus "< 676g" In other words, it's negligible.
To say "lighter" in this case is more of a marketing hook than a significant difference for people who use on table/lap/keep in a bag.
There are still specific advantages for RT; price, IE10/jailbreak (without 8.1) being the biggest ones. If a college student is worrying about price, then the RT gains more value.
Honestly, your best bet is to find an MS store and do the test I said above (or play around with both significantly--not sure they'll let you pick it up). I'm not convinced the differences are that significant when the OFFICIAL specs don't call out the weight loss in a meaningful way.
Edit to add:
You said nothing about your use case or priorities, but if you want a Windows RT tab specifically, there are other options (though discontinued, so that could be a problem), and Nokia is releasing one but I don't know the details. There are also other Win8 tablets, some of which are lighter and smaller. Then the usual iOS/Android options.
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kristalsoldier
Well-Known Member
Illusory or not, I'd say while the Surface 2 feels lighter, even more, it feels thinner.
The technical specs bear out that the S2 is lighter and thinner. But whether that's a practical difference for the OP is another story...
kristalsoldier
Well-Known Member
Well, given that there is a weight and profile difference which is, at best, marginal (the weight being more marginal than the profile), the OP is advised to look at the other criteria as inputs for a purchase decision - like the benefits of the Tegra 4 chip, which improves performance considerably and the two-step kickstand. Of course, the OP may argue that the deeply discounted price of the RT offsets these (and other advantages), but that is his/ her assessment and there is little that we may say in this regard. Didn't you post something somewhere recently on value and economics etc.?
Yes, and my point is that we still don't know the OP's use case.
For example, the difference in "practical" weight between two devices can be phrased like this: "Can I hold it for 10 minutes longer before feeling tired or an hour longer?"
Looking outside the box, if OP said his primary use case is actually as an e-reader, the Surface product line is actually NOT an ideal fit.
kristalsoldier
Well-Known Member
Hmmm...yes and no. For example, I have a iPad4, which I use primarily as an e-reader. Is it heavy? well, it feels similar in weight to the Surface 2. But for me it is the ideal e-reader because of other considerations, which override the issue of the weight. So, you are right when you point out that a lot about the use scenario needs to be known, which then needs to be augmented with the OP's preferences.
Well, weight distribution matters. Surface in portrait mode is very different from most other tablets on the market. My mom uses her iPad for reading too, but it's too heavy for her to hold for any length of time so she keeps it propped up in a case. I'm not sure any use case in portrait mode will favor the Surface products, honestly. Besides certain games like pinball.
Speaking theoretically on the idea that weight is highest priority since we have no idea what the OP's use case is
p), you're not going to get much lighter than a 7-inch plastic Android tablet. Oh, screen size helps too--an 8-incher or less may be ideal, for example. iPad Mini?My case use is... everything.
I bought the touch cover but I never use it. I'm holding one hand now and typing with the other. That's how I like to use it.
The weight gets to me after awhile. My mom bought a galaxy note 10.1 and its alot lighter than my surface. I was hoping the surface 2 was around that weight but I guess not.
I bought the touch cover but I never use it. I'm holding one hand now and typing with the other. That's how I like to use it.
The weight gets to me after awhile. My mom bought a galaxy note 10.1 and its alot lighter than my surface. I was hoping the surface 2 was around that weight but I guess not.
