Microsoft has officially announced the Surface 2. The new tablet features a 10.6-inch full HD 1920 x 1080 display, Tegra 4 processor, Windows RT 8.1, and more.
The company's first-generation Surface was more of a failure than a success, but the company has decided to give it another try and launch a second-generation Surface 2. At first glance, the new Windows RT tablet looks a lot like its predecessor, but Microsoft has made some important changes that it hopes will make the Surface 2 a serious contender in the tablet market.
One of the most welcomed changes the Surface 2 offers over the original is a higher-resolution 10.6-inch display. The new screen is full HD at 1920 x 1080 compared to the first-generation Surface's 1366 x 768 display. Microsoft is using the new Tegra 4 processor to power the Surface 2, it has also doubled the RAM by using 4GB of RAM, and the company claims that the new model should run three to four times faster than its predecessor. The new tablet also comes with a USB 3.0 port compared to the USB 2.0 port on the original model. Microsoft has been able to increase the battery life of the Surface 2 as well, and it says battery life is now 25 percent longer and should provide up to 10 hours of video playback.
The Surface 2's design is virtually identical to its predecessor, but Microsoft has tweaked it ever so slightly to make it more comfortable and functional. It still comes with the very popular kickstand Microsoft debuted with the Surface RT and Surface Pro, but it's now a two-stage kickstand, which allows the user to choose which angle works best for them. It also makes using the Surface 2 on your lap an easier task, thanks to the new angle. The tablet's case is also thinner and lighter than the original, coming in at 8.99mm and 676g.
The Surface 2 will be available in two color choices, silver and black, though both options use a black bezel around the display. The new tablet comes in two configurations: 32GB for $449 and 64GB for $499. The Surface 2 will be available for pre-order through Microsoft's online store beginning Sept. 24 and will go on sale Oct. 22.
