Microsoft has announced Surface Pro 2 along with some interesting (good) upgrades. The screen resolution continues to support 1080p and USB 3.0 ports are still included. However, the Surface Pro 2 boasts better colour accuracy and when docked will support up to a whopping 3,840 x 2,160 resolution. The CPU has been given an upgrade to Haswell, no surprises here but what did surprise many was that Microsoft opted not to go with the Y series (designed specifically for low powered portable devices). Instead, Microsoft have gone with the Core i5-4200U (what you would find in an Ultrabook) 15W Haswell. Still, even with the more powerful processor, Microsoft claim a 75% battery performance improvement.
| Surface Pro 2 | Surface Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 10.81" x 6.81" x 0.53" | 10.81" x 6.81" x 0.53" |
| Display | 10.6-inch 1920 x 1080 | 10.6-inch 1920 x 1080 |
| Weight | 2.0 lbs | 2.0 lbs |
| Processor | Core i5-4200U with HD4400 Graphics (15W Haswell ULT) | Core i5-3317U with HD4000 Graphics (17W Ivy Bridge) |
| Wireless | WiFi | WiFi |
| RAM | 4GB or 8GB LPDDR3 | 4GB |
| Storage | 64 or 128GB (4GB RAM) 256GB or 512GB (8GB RAM) | 64GB or 128GB |
| Battery | 42.0 Wh | 42.0 Wh |
| Price | From USD$899 | From USD$899 |
The Surface Pro for me was good enough to be a desktop replacement, this new Surface Pro 2 with a more powerful processor and accessories such as the dock places a number of Ultrabooks and desktops in the firing line.
