New Member - Possibly Future RT Owner

[Fitdiculous]

I stumbled on this forum when I was searching for accessories for the Surface. This was after visiting a local Best Buy to see how this device stacks up to my needs. I don't own one... YET, and I don't think I'm on here to be convinced for or against getting one, but wanted to get some feedback from real people that have been using one for a while. This would be my first tablet purchase, and I'm sure not my last.

My primary needs for it now is a true mobile device that can last on a charge all day (8-10 hrs). Very basic usage, which will be mostly checking emails, browsing, working on Word, Excel and Power Point (mostly Excel). I don't think there are any tablets out there now that can act as close to a laptop, although I do wish the RT was a bit faster (ie. PRO specs). Also, nothing crazy like playing graphic-rich games or watching full movies on.

Hardware: I do plan on getting the type keyboard unless there is currently a similar/better option (I don't like the lack of feel on the touch). I also will be getting a bluetooth mouse, possibly the wedge. I wanted to get opinions on whether it would be worth the extra $100 for the internal 32GB space. I was originally going to get a 32GB and then get a class 10 64GB SD card, but will I notice much down time in accessing the files on the SD? Whether I get the 32GB or 64GB RT, I will still get the SD card regardless.

Software/Apps: Not too concerned here, I know there will be more out, I don't use half the apps installed on my Galaxy S3. I have Zero experience with Win8 though, as I'm using 7 on my lap top, but have heard 8 is good once you get used to it. I guess if I feel I need more programs, I would consider jailbreaking it down the road, but it'll definitely have pretty much everything I need on it out of the box.

I initially considered an ultrabook, but it would essentially replace my laptop which would make my current one a big paper weight. It's a couple of years old, but does the job. Plus, there are no Ultrabooks out there even close to the price range of an RT with the portability, and what I'm looking for (touch screen, SSD). They will go down in price, but I was also hoping that by now the RT would've dropped in price too. Any truth to these rumors?

I'd probably be close to a 50/50 split on getting an RT vs a PRO, but don't think I can justify the $300+ difference, especially with about half the battery life? I'd also have to get the MS office software separately

So for those that have gotten the RT, any regrets? (I realize I may get biased results here), has it met/exceeded your expectations? Thanks to all for any feedback, advice!

 

[leeshor]

Welcome to the forum

As with any newer technology it works for some people well and not for others. Tablets in particular are not for everyone, but if you have a look around the forum I think you'll find that the majority opinion is that the Surface RT is a great tablet. Keep in mind that many people you see on the forum with problems are here BECAUSE they had a problem. Most RT users are very pleased with the entire experience.

 

[bosamar]

I can vouch for Surface RT being an excellent tablet that will meet nearly all of your noted needs. If you go with the Pro I highly recommend Office 365 Home Premium for $99 a year or $9.99 a month. The ability to put it on 5 PCs can't be beat. On a sour note I find it extremely difficult to work with Excel RT files on my Surface. I also could not justify the price of the Pro, although IMO it is in a category by itself. I picked up my microSD 32GB Class 10 card for less than $20.

 

[jnjroach]

I use my Surface RT everyday as my primary compute device, with your major use case being Excel you will need to understand that you will not be able to run any VBA enabled Worksheets or any that require add-ins. I remote into a x86 Desktop from my Surface to do any complex Excel work. With that said I love my RT and have no regrets and have passed on buying any new x86 mobile solutions.

 

[Fitdiculous]

Thanks for the welcome, I can tell already there are tons of info on this forum, and I look forward to absorb all of it like a sponge. Like I said, I'll probably find a bit of a 'biased' feeling towards the Surface in general, but that's ok. There's a lot of biased information against it out there too. At this point, I just wish it was a little less expensive given I've been used to seeing the lower priced ones out there. Although when I considered an Ipad, the Microsoft stuff automatically caught my eye. They have catchy commercials too

Welcome to the forum

As with any newer technology it works for some people well and not for others. Tablets in particular are not for everyone, but if you have a look around the forum I think you'll find that the majority opinion is that the Surface RT is a great tablet. Keep in mind that many people you see on the forum with problems are here BECAUSE they had a problem. Most RT users are very pleased with the entire experience.

 

[Fitdiculous]

hmmm the trouble with excel scares me a bit, I will mostly be using it. What kind of issues are you having?

As far as the Pro goes, like I said, I don't think I can justify the extra price. At least not for my current needs, and the monthly fees or extra $ to pay for 365 is another deterrent.

How are you finding access to files on your microSD? do you have applications/apps on there or just media files?

I can vouch for Surface RT being an excellent tablet that will meet nearly all of your noted needs. If you go with the Pro I highly recommend Office 365 Home Premium for $99 a year or $9.99 a month. The ability to put it on 5 PCs can't be beat. On a sour note I find it extremely difficult to work with Excel RT files on my Surface. I also could not justify the price of the Pro, although IMO it is in a category by itself. I picked up my microSD 32GB Class 10 card for less than $20.

 

[J515OP]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you have your answers and the RT would be a good fit for you. Unless you are a power Excel user it's limitations are unlikely to effect you. If you do need the options you can always remote into your regular laptop or PC and run the Excel files from there on your RT. Price is unlikely to change on the Surface RT until the next version is released. There are no issues accessing the SD card tough you may need to mount or link to if for certain apps to pick up the files. After that you can't tell it isn't internal memory.

Battery life, stated use and cost put you pretty well into the RT camp.

 

[bosamar]

hmmm the trouble with excel scares me a bit, I will mostly be using it. What kind of issues are you having?

Currently I've got a large excel file on my Desktop at work with multiple linked worksheets (I'm tracking costs for a building renovation). Once the file is moved to my RT via USB I've found that even using my Type Cover I am challenged to manipulate the file without problems. Everything takes 2-3 times as long as it should. i.e., a simple act of selecting multiple cells and selecting Sum is awkward. I've just about given up on it. My fingers are too large and the 'touch' elements are too small.

 

[compnovo]

I opted for the 64GB Surface RT with a touch cover, to which I added a 64GB SD card and the wedge mouse. I've had it since it was released in October and have used it daily for play and work, usually in that order. I was more attracted to the RT (over the Pro) due to its lower cost, lighter weight, smaller profile, passive cooling, and longer battery life. Oh, and the fact that it came bundled with Office didn't hurt.

I think it's a superbly built piece of hardware, and it meets all of my traveling needs. I do a lot of trainings, and the Powerpoint capabilities can't be beat (I have both a VGA and HDMI adapter). My employer also uses Word and Excel extensively and it works great for that (the spreadsheets aren't as complex as what bosamar is describing, and when I'm in desktop mode the wedge mouse often comes out). I should mention that I have a Windows 8 desktop where I do serious content creation, and that's why I don't need an x86 capable portable (and why the touch cover is adequate for my needs.........and typing skills).

 

[smalltowngirl13]

Hello and welcome aboard!

Good luck on your tab research!

 

[jnjroach]

With Excel, linked worksheets tend to use large amounts of CPU and RAM which would be the limiting factor on the Surface RT. For basic to moderately complex workbooks it should work fine. I manage Workbooks that have 20+ Worksheets without issue.

 

[BillJ]

I have owned an RT and I have a Pro now. The RT performed perfectly well for e-mail, web surfing, and Office. I upgraded to Pro to add some desktop applications (Photoshop, etc), but I find that for 90% of what I use a computer for, the RT actually is a bit more convenient than the Pro: i.e. less weight, longer battery life. The improved performance of the i5 in the Pro is impressive, as is the better screen resolution in comparison to the RT.

Which device to get depends simply on what functionality you would like to have. I would not suggest the Pro if you don't really need any x86 Windows applications- the RT is a really great little device, especially considering that it comes with (nearly) full-featured Office.