Surface RT - "Dead tablet walking?"

Here we are a month into Surface w/ Windows RT (Surface RT) and already I believe it's a dead tablet walking - Green Mile reference there :-)

This has more to do with Win RT than the Surface itself. There are two main reasons I think this.

1) Win RT is a feeble attempt to provide a Win8 experience on ARM chips. It has some lag issues with apps that otherwise run fine on the x86 version. Windows has always been a bloated OS and unfortunately that doesn't translate well to ARM. Eating up ~15gb of storage just ain't gonna cut it with the performance issues that have been reported in the month since release. While some are to be expected for a G1 device, overall it's just not going to cut it in today's tablet market.

Hardware is what will doom RT, which leads me to my second point.

Intel's Atom chips were slow coming to market which is why MS had to go the ARM route. Winsupersite has a few good articles on Win RT vs Win8 and ARM vs Atom. Well worth the read. The performance comparisons aren't even close in most cases. With Atom you also get x86 architecture, but with leaner performance and low power consumption vs the "i" chips. So in essence you can install all you traditional apps, but don't expect it to compete with say Surface Pro. It will still make for a better UX compared to an ARM. And, these current Atom devices are just getting started. The next version of Atom should really separate itself as a mobile chip.

Killing off Win RT will also leave one less ugly duckling for MS to support.

MS will push updates/patches that will improve Surface RT, but in the long run I don't expect Win RT to see its 2nd birthday. And, MS threw out a nice olive branch by supporting Surface RT for 4yrs.

What are your thoughts?

Hard to argue. I do still love it though - it serves me well for what I'm using it for - knowing its limitations. Browsing the web, netflix, working online. I am frustrated by the RT portion but I don't have many hiccups or bugs or performance issues myself. I'd like the Pro, but I'm not sure that's in my budget. :(

I agree. I foresee Windows RT eventually just dying off. There isn't enough reason for an OEM to use it over full Windows 8.

Besides an attempt to better keep devices in a tablet price range, that is..

Most likely dead but you have to wonder, once the Surface Pro becomes available will Microsoft push its marketing harder?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phases

Besides an attempt to better keep devices in a tablet price range, that is..

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I thought that would be a good reason too, but devices running full Windows 8 aren't really that much more expensive. RT devices needed to be around the $250-300 range, not $500.

Touche.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joe F.

I thought that would be a good reason too, but devices running full Windows 8 aren't really that much more expensive. RT devices needed to be around the $250-300 range, not $500.

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Agreed. Even knocking $50 off the price would still provide nice profit while under cutting the ipad.

Don't get me wrong, I like the Surface, but Win RT is half baked because hardware was set early on and MS needed to get a product out before holiday shopping. However, going forward using Atom and Core chips would be comparable to a Camaro vs Corvette. Both provide good UX, but one has the horsepower power users would need while the other (Atom) keeps the current form factor. Also branding would make more sense, Surface Atom and Surface Pro.

On a side note, I wish MS had used the Courier name instead of Surface. Much more applicable and catchy.

taking mine back. had magnent problems where the touch cover disconnecting would pull the magnets out of the bottom of the tablet. this is unacceptable for something that cost almost $700.

Ouch, can you get a couple pictures of that and post them here first?