Microsoft Surface 2 (2013)

86% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

usability

performance

71% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

33% of the reviews on Amazon.ca give this product a positive rating.

Type Cover is outstanding ; Good battery life ; Very good colour, contrast and brightness ; Slick, fast and responsive

Windows RT still confusing in places ; Dreadful speakers ; Too few quality tablet apps

The final upgrade is an important one: the screen. The Surface RT had a rather disappointing 1,366 x 768 resolution, but the Surface 2 has a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution screen. This doesn’t make this a ‘retina’ screen in the popular parlance, but it’s an...

Thin but solid build ; Two kickstand positions ; Great performance ; Microsoft Office included

1080p screen lags behind other tablets ; App selection limited ; So lack of desktop apps still a problem ; No LTE option

Surface 2 4G reviewScores Microsoft has launched its next-gen tablets, the Surface Pro 2 and this - the Windows RT-toting Surface 2, a direct replacement for the original Surface RT. The Surface 2 4G has also landed, bringing faster LTE connectivity...

Kickstand & keyboard combo ; Vivid display ; Useful multitasking

Barren Windows Store ; Desktop mode ; 16:9 ratio not great on tablet

Decent picture quality ; Comes with Microsoft Office pre-installed

Disappointing sound quality ; App store is limited ; Can be unwieldy

Full Windows 8.1 needs to be let loose on the Surface 2 to make it a real alternative to the attractiveness of iOS and Android tablets.

Great screen, Outlook now on board and works, microSD expansion, decent battery life, good prospect for business users, a step up compared to the original, Marketplace will continue to grow

Windows RT a confused experience, naming convention is odd, lacks app support of rivals, odd aspect ratio for a tablet, need to add a keyboard for best experience as virtual keys obscure view, no mobile connectivity

Surface 2 might be thinner, lighter and faster than before - but only just on all counts. And as much as those three words might read well on page, the latest Microsoft offering is, above all, a confusing prospect.

Touch/Type Covers work well

OS takes up a lot of storage

There's nothing wrong with the Surface 2, and there's a lot that is very right about it. But it's not a full Windows device, despite appearances. Given that, it's a well put together and stylish Windows consumption device, a tablet with some unique and...

Gorgeous 1080p screen ; Improved kickstand, excellent range of keyboards ; Tegra 4 + Windows 8.1 = usable as an ad-hoc laptop

Restricted to Windows RT apps ; Gets expensive with a Touch/Type Cover

Impressive as an ad-hoc laptop but restricted as it is to Windows RT apps, doubts quickly creep in

The ; has a sturdy build, smooth gaming performance, and high-quality cameras. Windows RT 8.1 is easier to use than before, and the built-in photo-editing tools and Xbox Music are fantastic features. Office 2013 is included for free, and thanks to a...

App support still lags behind competitors, and Windows RT is still incompatible with legacy programs. It's too easy to mistakenly push the tablet into its lower stance, and the touch pad on the Type Cover 2 isn't as comfortable as it was on the...

The Microsoft Surface 2 is great for getting work done, but those looking for extensive app support (beyond Office) will find top Apple, Android, and Amazon tablets to be better options.