Microsoft's recently released, first-ever tablet, the Surface RT, topped Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 in a "shoot-out," and even bested Apple's iPad 3 in a battery of tests conducted by display testing firm DisplayMate Technologies.
The Surface RT's display outperformed all of the standard resolution full size 10-inch tablets that DisplayMate has tested to date in its "Shoot-Out" series, said Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate Technologies, in a Nov. 13 research note.
"On-screen text is significantly sharper, it has a better factory display calibration, and also significantly lower screen reflectance than the iPad 2 and all full size 1,280x800 Android tablets," said Soneira in the statement.
For example, The Surface RT (1366x768) bested the 1,280x800 Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 on small-text readability - reportedly due to Surface's sub-pixel rendering - and on calibration. Surface RT's display got a rating of A-, versus B+ for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 display.
The Surface RT's screen was not as sharp overall as the high-pixel-density iPad 3 or 4, said Soneira, although the Surface RT "is comparable or better than the iPad 3 in all test categories except two: Screen Resolution and Color Gamut," he added.
Some of the first customers of the Surface RT have complained that the Touch Cover for the tablet, sold separately for $100, is splitting where it connects to the tablet, and that the Microsoft logo on the back is starting to rub off.
Ballmer off-set the lower-than-expected sales figures and assuaged any investor anxiety. The Microsoft CEO said he expects stronger initial results for the more advanced Surface Pro tablet - which runs the full version of Windows 8 -when it launches in early 2013.
Microsoft Surface tablet features
The RT sports a 1366x768 HD screen, while the PRO has a 10.6-inch Clear type Full HD (1920 x 1080) screen with 16:9 widescreen.
That means they are among the biggest tablets in the market. If you are not satisfied with the typical 10.1-inch tablet, you can go for the Surface tablet. Along with the touch keyboards with the device, you can turn the machine to a small notebook.
The Surface tablet comes with five Touch Covers. Different from typical keyboards, the Surface keypads provide a smoother typing experience thanks to their touch-based surface.
The Surface tablets mount both front and rear cameras. The front camera, named life cam by Microsoft, makes the tablet ideal for video chatting through Skype or other services. Using the rear camera, you can capture images and video clips.
Microsoft puts forward better memory options with the Surface tablets. The device comes in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB options. The 128GB is available only with Surface Pro. Further, you can expand the memory using external memory sticks thanks to microSD card slot. That is, you can store enough data including music, software items and video in external clips.
The 3mm Touch Cover can be connected to your Surface tablet with a single magnetic click, so, now you can type text and send messages quite easily.
The Surface's tablet housing features a revolutionary kickstand. Along with fully functioning keyboard and track-pad, the integrated kickstand helps you place the gadget in both portrait or landscape modes.
According to Bloomberg, Surface will only be able to go online using a short-range Wi-Fi connection. This is a stark contrast to Apple's iPad 3, which has a 3G option, and a faster LTE connection.
