Initially, I just needed a large home tablet for Internet surfing, reading news, checking mail, and reading books at late hours of the day, as the buzzing warming laptop and the clicking of the keys interfered with his sleeping wife. Therefore, immediately my gaze fell on this device Because it was one of the cheapest videos on the site, as it was necessary to buy it here to use the existing coupon for a 50% discount. At first I was distrustful of windows 8 rt because I didn't know anything about the closed platform and a completely paid market. I bought it very cheaply - taking into account the bonuses spent. As soon as I connected the device to the access point, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety and the large actually presence free apps and games, immediately put asphalt 8, goes with a bang, and also pleased with the presence of branded Microsoft chips after the update, such as the application and health, which includes a bunch of fitness training programs. Updated Windows 8.1. For me, the presence of a stripped-down visible did not upset in any way, since there is a laptop to work with programs, but even if it was, it would immediately affect the speed and price, as well as the hardware of the device. As a result, I want to note the pluses: 1 this is a long work without charging at a very high intensity of work and maximum backlighting, and this is a longer game time of about 3-4 hours. 2 hours of Internet and 2 more installations of various updates and programs, the device lasted 8 hours, plus another couple of hours in standby mode and rarely checking mail, it sits down especially slowly after 20%, but nevertheless it is amazing that it charges very quickly for 2 hours maximum up to 100% while 1.5 to 90%. It's now the third day less active use and the battery is still 50% charged. The next big plus is the screen itself, it is unrealistically good for this price, I have not seen the image quality and video quality in any device at all. The work itself is visible, it causes only positive emotions, nothing hangs, everything just flies, Internet videos are loaded instantly, I don't know who's slowing down what, from the waffle it works perfectly like a laptop. As for the minuses, there is not even anything to say, they simply do not exist, of course those who want to install a bunch of programs from the laptop will break off, it's not Windows, on the other hand, you can't find anything on any other tablet for this amount. Someone will only lack any covers for him, but this problem for me was solved for 10 bucks from the Middle Kingdom. By the way, there is nothing else in the kit except charging from the outlet, those who like to light a cigarette in the car will also be upset, since charging is not universal, but if desired, this problem is also solved. Take it and you will be very happy.
On April 4, 2013, the official sales of the Microsoft Surface RT tablet started in Russia (previously this tablet was promoted under the name Microsoft Surface without the RT index). This device was in the spotlight last fall when Windows 8 and Windows RT came out. But for some unknown reason, the Russian start of Microsoft Surface RT was delayed by as much as six months. In the ultra-dynamic tablet market, this kind of lag is suicidal. Nevertheless, we cannot ignore this product, especially now, when it is not a problem to buy it, and Russian prices are known.
Before proceeding directly to testing the tablet, let's tell a little more about the history of this device. Originally, the name Surface was an experimental project by Microsoft, the surface of which was touch-sensitive.
This device was created in 2007 and had nothing to do with Windows 8 and tablets (then even Windows 7 and the first iPad had not yet seen the light of day). Innovative in its own way, Surface did not receive wide distribution and mass attention (although the head of the Russian representative office of Microsoft Nikolai Pryanishnikov told the author of these lines at the presentation of Windows 7 that the Surface table is used by some institutions, including one well-known Russian bank). Perhaps that is why they decided to borrow the name from the interactive table when Microsoft had the idea to release its own tablet.
The news that Microsoft will present a reference device on both versions of the new Windows - RT and 8 - sparked interest in the IT community, mixed with bewilderment. Microsoft has always declared that it prefers to do software, and relies on partners for hardware. In other words, "We make software, you are devices." This principle worked in the case of classic Windows, it was also transferred to mobile versions including the current Windows Phone(As you know, a key partner was chosen to promote Windows Phone, it was Nokia).
What made Microsoft abandon its old strategy is an interesting question. Moreover, already for the presentation of Windows 8 / RT, the partners presented a number of devices (tablets, ultrabooks, all-in-ones) that reveal the potential of the new OS. Perhaps Microsoft decided to exacerbate the competition with the release of a relatively inexpensive and high-quality device, thereby pushing partners to a more aggressive pricing policy. One way or another, in November 2012, sales of Microsoft Surface began in the United States (later the RT index was added to the name) based on Windows RT, and in February 2013 a version with a full-fledged Windows 8 appeared - Surface Pro.
Despite the fact that Microsoft tablets immediately became the focus of attention of the specialized press and people who are not indifferent to new products in the mobile industry, sales of Surface RT and Surface Pro were lower than expected: by mid-March, Microsoft only 1.5 million Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets instead of planned 3-4 million. In addition to this, at the end of March that Microsoft will not develop Windows RT as a separate branch of Windows. And this immediately raised the question: will the tablet receive an update to next version OS (at least intermediate), or with the owners of Microsoft Surface RT, the story of the owners of smartphones on Windows Phone 7, who were not allowed to upgrade to Windows Phone 8, will repeat itself.
Probably, all this news played a role in the modest start of Microsoft Surface RT on the Russian market. According to press reports, in the first four days of sales, Surface RT sold less than 300 copies, which is multiple less sales Apple iPad in the first days after appearing on the Russian market. However, here it would be more correct to compare not with the iPad, but with other devices on Windows RT (ASUS VivoTab RT, Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11). We have no exact information, but we assume that their sales were unlikely to be higher.
Perhaps the price played a role: for the minimum package (a tablet without a keyboard cover, the amount of internal memory is 32 GB) we are asked 20,990 rubles. For comparison, a third-generation iPad with the same memory capacity can be purchased from the largest Russian reseller Apple for 1,000 rubles cheaper (and even cheaper from smaller sellers).
The version that came to us for testing was equipped with a Microsoft Touch Cover keyboard cover (we will talk about it in detail). In this configuration, the 32GB version of the Surface RT will cost 23,990 rubles. For about the same money (and even cheaper), you can purchase the ASUS Transformer Pad Inifinity with a keyboard dock and 64GB of storage. Note that Microsoft offers two types of keyboard covers, Touch Cover and Type Cover, as an option. From the outside, they are no different from a number of other modern "smart" covers, but once you open them, the covers turn into a keyboard equipped with a touch panel. The difference between Touch Cover and Type Cover is that in the first case, data entry is achieved by touching the buttons, and in the second, by pressing the keys.
The table below lists the main characteristics of Microsoft Surface RT, as well as the aforementioned competitors (for clarity of comparison).
| Microsoft Surface RT | ASUS VivoTab RT TF600T | ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity | 3rd generation iPad | |
| Screen | 10.6 ″, Super IPS +, 1366 × 768 (148 ppi) | 10.1 ″, Super IPS +, 1366 × 768 (155 ppi) | 10.1 ″, Super IPS +, 1920 × 1200 (224 ppi) | 9.7 ″, IPS, 2048 × 1536 (264 ppi) |
| SoC (processor) | NVIDIA Tegra 3 T30 @ 1.4 GHz (4 cores + 1 auxiliary, ARM Cortex-A9) | NVIDIA Tegra 3 T30L @ 1.2 GHz (4 cores + 1 auxiliary, ARM Cortex-A9) | NVIDIA Tegra 3 T33 @ 1.6 GHz (4 cores + 1 auxiliary, ARM Cortex-A9) or Qualcomm MSM 8960 Snapdragon S4 Plus @ 1.5 GHz (2 Krait cores, ARMv7) | Apple A5X @ 1 GHz (2 cores, ARM Cortex-A9) |
| GPU | GeForce ULP | GeForce ULP | GeForce ULP @ 520 MHz or Adreno 225 @ 400 MHz | PowerVR SGX543MP4 |
| Flash memory | 32 or 64 GB | 32 or 64 GB + cloud storage 32 GB (3 years) | 32 or 64 GB + 8 GB cloud storage | from 16 to 64 GB |
| Connectors | USB 2.0, Micro-HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack, magnetic connectors for charger and keyboard | Micro-HDMI 1.4а, 2 docking connectors (one at the docking station), 3.5 mm headphone jack, USB 2.0 (at the docking station) | 30-pin dock connector, 3.5mm headphone jack | |
| Memory card support | microSD / SDHC (up to 64GB) | microSD / SDHC (up to 64GB) | microSD (up to 64 GB), SD / SDHC (up to 64 GB, on docking station) | No |
| RAM | 2 GB | 2 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Cameras | rear (1.2 Mp) and front (1.2 Mp) | rear (8 Mp) and front (2 Mp) | rear (5 Mp; video shooting - 1920 × 1080) and front (photo 0.3 Mp) | |
| Internet | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi (optional - 3G and 4G / LTE) | Wi-Fi (optional - 3G, as well as 4G / LTE without support for Russian networks) | |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows RT | Microsoft Windows RT | Google Android 4.0 (update to version 4.1.1 available) | Apple iOS 5.0 (update to 6.0 available) |
| Dimensions (mm) * | 275 × 172 × 9.4 | 263 x 171 x 8.3 | 263 x 181 x 8.5 | 241 × 186 × 9.4 |
| Weight (g) | 680 | 538 | 597 | 652 |
| Price** | 27 990 rubles | N / A (0) | $406() | 22,990 rubles |
* - according to the manufacturer's data; weight does not include keyboard dock or keyboard cover.
** - since ASUS VivoTab RT is sold with us only with a keyboard dock and with 64 GB of flash memory, and a similar option is the most common for ASUS Transformer Pad infinity, the price for Microsoft Surface RT and Apple iPad of the third generation is indicated taking into account the memory capacity 64 GB. In the case of Surface RT, it is also expected to be equipped with a Microsoft Touch Cover.
It is clearly seen that ASUS VivoTab RT and our today's hero are practically twins. True, the Microsoft tablet loses due to the resolution of the rear camera, as well as the greater mass and thickness. Also, don't forget that the keyboard dock ASUS tablets housed an extra battery which is very valuable.
As for the comparison with devices on other platforms, here the Microsoft tablet has only one trump card: the amount of RAM is 2 GB. In terms of other parameters (including the main screen), ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity and the third generation iPad look much more attractive (however, in the case of the iPad, it is worth remembering the limitations of the OS itself, which implies the impossibility of expanding memory due to removable media, etc.).
Here is a complete list of Microsoft Surface RT specifications.
Microsoft Surface RT specifications
- SoC NVIDIA Tegra 3 T30 @ 1.3 GHz (4 cores ARM Cortex-A9)
- GPU GeForce ULP
- RAM 2 GB
- Flash memory 16 GB or 32 GB
- Support for microSD / microSDXC memory cards (up to 64 GB)
- Operating Microsoft system Windows RT
- Touch display IPS, 10.6 ″, 1366 × 768 (148 ppi), capacitive, multitouch
- Rear cameras (1.2 Mp, 720p video shooting) and front (1.2 Mp)
- WiFi 802.11a / b / g / n (2.4 / 5 GHz)
- Bluetooth 4.0
- 3.5 mm headphone jack, USB 2.0, Micro-HDMI
- MHL (with HDCP support)
- Li-polymer battery 31.5 Wh
- Accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, compass, light sensor
- Dimensions 275 × 172 × 9.4 mm
- Weight 680 g
But let's not jump to specs alone and take a fresh look at the Microsoft Surface RT.
Packaging and equipment
The tablet comes in a massive black box, which is more suitable for a laptop in dimensions. From this black box with a beveled right side peeps out a white box, in which the tablet itself is located. There is also a keyboard cover next to the white box, and this explains the need for a common black box.
The charger is worth mentioning separately. It was obviously inspired Apple laptops with their famous MagSafe, and also uses a magnetic lock rather than physically securing the connector.
But unlike MagSafe Charger Microsoft Surface RT does not connect to a tablet as easily. It has to be adjusted to fit into the appropriate slot.
Design
The tablet looks nice and stern, although a little massive. On the front surface, only the Windows 8 lototype stands out, which is very interestingly beaten in the form of edges.
The fact is that the edges of the tablet are beveled, tapering towards the back, but without anti-aliasing. That is, the back surface is as straight as the front, but smaller in area.
The uppermost part of the rear surface - a narrow ruler on which the rear camera peephole is visible - is made of plastic. The surface below looks like metal, but we will not say for sure. Finally, the bottom-most part of the rear side is a metal plate that folds back 45 degrees and can function as a leg when the device is installed vertically.
This is one of the main strengths of the Microsoft Surface RT design. Having a convenient stand saves you the trouble of buying docking stations or looking for some other way of fixed vertical installation of the tablet.
There is a small ledge on the left side of the tablet for convenient prying of the stand.
In addition, the volume rocker, 3.5 mm audio jack and one of the two speakers are located on the same edge. On the right side we see a second speaker, contacts for connecting accessories, Micro-HDMI and USB 2.0 connectors.
The presence of a full-format USB is another big plus for the Microsoft Surface RT design.
On the top edge there are two microphone slots, as well as a Power button. And on the bottom edge, we see only contacts for connecting a key accessory: a keyboard cover.
This cover keyboard deserves a separate discussion, as it is both the most original component of Microsoft Surface RT, and the most recognizable (which, however, follows from its originality).
Microsoft Touch Cover keyboard
Tablet keyboards are no surprise today. There are serious solutions here, such as those used by ASUS in the devices of the Transformer and VivoTab lines, which actually turn the tablet into a netbook (or ultrabook), and compact external keyboards popular with iPad users. However, Microsoft offered its own take on the keyboard by pairing it with another popular tablet accessory: a magnetic cover.
Like Apple's cover Smart Cover(originally intended for the iPad 2), Microsoft Touch Cover not only protects the device's screen, but also wakes it up (when opened) or, conversely, puts the device to sleep (when closed).
However, the presence of touch buttons and a touchpad allows you to use this cover as a keyboard. At the same time, unlike more traditional keyboards, Touch Cover is quite light, not much heavier than covers. Therefore, the total weight of the device (tablet + keyboard) is significantly less than, for example, the ASUS Transformer tablets.
In addition, the material from which the back of the Touch Cover is made is delightful. This fabric is very pleasant to the touch. Thanks to this non-standard solution, the tablet immediately becomes closer, home.
As for the keyboard layout, the main complaints here are the absence of the PrintScreen button and the too small Enter. The rest is okay.
Of course, like any solution that claims to be versatile, Microsoft Touch Cover has several pitfalls. One of them is obvious: typing on a touch keyboard is much less convenient and pleasant than on a physical one. Typing a letter is still here and there, but I would not dare to create a full-fledged text in Word. It's uncomfortable. Unusual. In addition to the fact that you do not feel the response when you press, you need to press with some force, and not just lightly touch. Perhaps this was done on purpose to minimize accidental clicks... But because of this, for example, I never managed to press the Ctrl + Shift combination the first time, and sometimes I had to press individual buttons again. Probably in the case of using the Type Cover keyboard, where the keys are mechanical, there would be no such problem, but we will check it on occasion.
The second point is the impossibility of working on your knees. For example, you can work with Transformer Pad Inifinty just like with an ordinary netbook - in the subway, at a conference or any other event where there is no way to put the tablet on a hard surface. With the Microsoft Surface RT, this trick will not work, since the Touch Cover does not hold the screen. However, if you still have a table, then you can use the stand, and then it will be quite possible to work.
The third drawback (however, also quite obvious) is the less functionality of the Touch Cover compared to keyboards for ASUS and Acer tablets, which, in addition to typing, also increase the duration autonomous work(since they contain an additional battery) and expand the connectivity and memory expansion options.
And yet we value this decision purely positive. Despite the youth of the tablet market, fresh ideas are sorely lacking here. And Touch Cover is just a fresh idea, moreover, it is implemented quite well. But is this experiment worth the several thousand rubles that are asked for it? Here we can no longer give unambiguous recommendations - we must proceed from the needs and scenarios of use of a particular buyer. Probably, Touch Cover is not very suitable for typing large texts. But, however, the tablet, in principle, is not the best the best solution for such a task. Then you really need to take something like the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11. However, if you look at the Touch Cover not as a full-fledged keyboard, but as a cover with advanced features, then it looks very advantageous.
Summarizing our impressions of the design of the Microsoft Surface RT, let's say that it turned out to be decent and interesting. Almost everyone whom I showed the tablet to, expressed a positive assessment by twisting it in their hands, everyone liked the keyboard (at least the idea itself), everyone noted the retractable stand as a very useful solution. The designers managed to make a tablet that perfectly matches the style of Microsoft: rather strict, associated with the corporate world, but at the same time not boring and not old-fashioned; Moderately stylish, but not glamorous.
Screen
The tablet screen is covered with a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface and, judging by the reflection of bright light sources in it, has a good anti-glare filter. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) and rather effective coating, so fingerprints do not appear as quickly as in the case of ordinary glass, but are removed more easily.
At manual control brightness its maximum value was 445 cd / m², minimum - 9 cd / m². Maximum value quite high, so in bright daylight, the screen readability will to some extent be preserved, and the minimum brightness will allow you to work comfortably even in complete darkness. There is an automatic brightness control by the light sensor (the left eye on the top of the screen frame). The brightness adjustment range depends on the position of the brightness adjustment slider. If it is set to 50%, then in complete darkness, the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 80 cd / m2, in an office illuminated with artificial light, the brightness is set to a value of about 160 cd / m2, and in a very bright environment (about 20,000 lux, which is approximately corresponds to daylight outside the building, but not in direct sunlight) the brightness is again reduced to 80 cd / m²; if the slider is set to 100%, then under similar conditions the values are as follows: 200, 445 and 200 cd / m², if it is 0%, then the brightness always remains at the minimum value of 9 cd / m². From the results obtained, it follows that the sensor does not work properly in bright ambient light, so the automatic brightness adjustment function is of very limited value. There is no backlight flickering at maximum and minimum brightness, backlight modulation appears at medium brightness values, but it has a frequency of more than 20 kHz, therefore, no visible flicker is observed in this case either.
The tablet uses an IPS-type matrix. Here is a photomicrograph of the matrix of this tablet:
V this case each subpixel is divided into two domains oriented slightly at an angle to each other. The screen has good viewing angles without inverting tints and without significant color shift, even with large gaze deviations from the perpendicular to the screen. True, the black field, when deviated along the diagonal, is strongly lightened and acquires a noticeable purple tint. When viewed from a perpendicular view, the uniformity of the black field is not high, since at the edge of the screen in several places there are local areas with an increased brightness of the black field. The response time for the transition black-white-black is 17 ms (9 ms on + 8 ms off). The transition between mid-tones of 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes 31 ms in total. The contrast is high - about 1050: 1. The gamma curve plotted at 32 points did not reveal any blockage in highlights or shadows, and the indicator of the approximating power function is 2.18, which is close to the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve practically does not deviate from the power dependence:
Color gamut narrower than sRGB:
The spectra show that the matrix filters mix the components together:
This technique allows you to increase the brightness of the screen with the same energy consumption for the backlight. The balance of shades on the gray scale is good - although the color temperature is higher than 6500 K, this parameter changes insignificantly throughout the significant part of the gray scale, while the deviation from the spectrum of an absolutely black body (delta E) is less than 4, which can be considered excellent for a consumer device indicator. (The dark areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since the color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
In general, the screen has an acceptable maximum brightness, a fairly high contrast and has a good color balance, but the color gamut is narrow and the stability of black in relation to the deviation of the gaze from the perpendicular to the screen is low, the uniformity of black color, possibly due to poor-quality assembly, average, sensor external lighting fails. There are too many disadvantages for such an eminent manufacturer.
Platform and performance
The tablet runs on a single-chip NVIDIA Tegra 3. We are very familiar with this SoC, not only from Android devices, but also from Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 - a "laptop-tablet" on Windows RT. Therefore, we refer you to the article about him, because with the Microsoft Surface RT the situation is similar.
This is confirmed by the browser benchmark SunSpider 1.0, in which the Microsoft Surface RT scored a result almost identical to the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11. True, we note that all other devices (including Lenovo) we tested on benchmark version 0.9.1, but, apparently , the results of the new version are compatible with the results of the previous one.
Autonomous work
Battery life is one of the trump cards of Windows 8 / RT devices. And Microsoft Surface RT is no exception. The manufacturer does not report the battery capacity, but we can assume that it is quite decent, since the case is quite spacious (unlike, say, the case of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z).
In reading mode, with screen brightness set to 100 cd / m² and on Wi-Fi tablet worked for about 14 hours - this is a very decent result (although not a record one).
In the mode of playing YouTube videos through the browser Internet Explorer(with similar brightness) the runtime was about 13 hours. This is also a very good indicator, especially against the background of Android devices. However, if we connect a keyboard dock to the ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity, we get about the same video playback time.
Note also that the battery is discharged evenly, and the percentage of the remaining charge is displayed correctly.
HDMI interface test
To test the HDMI interface, we used an LG IPS237L monitor. As already mentioned, the tablet is equipped with a Micro-HDMI output. This connector is miniature (narrower than Micro-USB), but has 19 pins. HDMI cables for such a connector are usually quite stiff, which, during use, often causes a skew of the plug in the jack and a failure in image transmission. In general, the performance characteristics of this method of connecting to an external screen are extremely low. The use of the Micro-HDMI connector is somehow justified in the case of miniature devices such as phones, but in tablets it is necessary to use more reliable options such as Mini-HDMI or even a full-size HDMI option.
When connected via HDMI, the choice of the operating mode of the second monitor becomes available: duplicate the tablet screen to an external monitor, extend the desktop to an external monitor, output only to the tablet screen, or output only to an external monitor. In the screen mirroring mode, there is no automatic flip to portrait orientation. In landscape orientation, the picture on the monitor is precisely inscribed in the display area. When you select Expand or External Display Only, the external monitor can be set to resolutions up to 1080p at 50, 59, or 60 Hz. We tested in 1080p modes at 50 and 60 Hz. The sound is output via HDMI (in this case, the sounds were heard through the headphones connected to the monitor, since there are no speakers in the monitor itself) and is of very good quality. In this case, the volume is controlled by buttons on the tablet case. In general, the set of settings related to the output of image and sound to a device connected via HDMI is no less than in the case of normal Windows- placement and orientation of the second screen, the choice of sound output to an external device or to the speakers of the tablet, etc.
The video output by means of a standard player deserves a special description. To begin with, using a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see Methods for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1), we checked how the video is displayed on the screen of the tablet itself. Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped to determine the nature of the frame output of video files with different parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p) and 1920 by 1080 (1080p) pixels) and the frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps). with). The results of this (block titled as " Screen") And the following test are summarized in the table:
| File | Uniformity | Skips |
| Screen | ||
| watch-1920x1080-60p.mp4 | not reproduced | |
| watch-1920x1080-50p.mp4 | not reproduced | |
| watch-1920x1080-30p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1920x1080-25p.mp4 | OK | No |
| watch-1920x1080-24p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1280x720-60p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1280x720-50p.mp4 | OK | No |
| watch-1280x720-30p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1280x720-25p.mp4 | OK | No |
| watch-1280x720-24p.mp4 | Great | No |
| HDMI (monitor) | ||
| watch-1920x1080-60p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1920x1080-50p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1920x1080-30p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1920x1080-25p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1920x1080-24p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1280x720-60p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1280x720-50p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1280x720-30p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1280x720-25p.mp4 | Great | No |
| watch-1280x720-24p.mp4 | Great | No |
Note: If both columns Uniformity and Skips"green" ratings are set, this means that, most likely, when watching movies, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and skipping of frames will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. "Red" marks mark possible problems related to the playback of the respective files.
Full HD (1080p) files at 50 and 60 fps were output a little slower with intermittent short-term acceleration. It is impossible to watch the video in this mode, so we indicated that these files are not actually playable. The display of the tablet itself is carried out only in the 60 Hz mode, therefore, files with frequencies that are not multiple of this are displayed with alternating lengths of frame intervals, but these intervals do not always alternate strictly evenly. However, this is unlikely to be very striking, since the variation in the alternation is not very large. When playing video files with a resolution of Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) on the tablet screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the edge of the screen. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the original - in the shadows and highlights, all gradations of shades are displayed (for video in the range of 16-235).
When video is played by a standard player on a monitor connected via HDMI, a picture of video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels is displayed on the full screen in true Full HD resolution. The brightness range displayed on the monitor slightly does not correspond to the standard one - all shades of shades are displayed in the shadows, but in the highlights, a couple of shades merge with white. Since when outputting to an external monitor there is a choice of frame rates, in the table we present the results obtained for files of 24, 30 and 60 fps in the output mode of 60 fps, and for files 25 and 50 fps - in output mode 50 fps. Those who care about the quality of the output can always adjust the output accordingly. The test results are shown in the table above in the block “ HDMI (monitor) "... It can be seen that the ability to select the frequency made it possible to achieve an ideal result: the files are played back with a uniform alternation of intervals between frames and without frame skipping. Even if the frame rates in the file and the frame rate of the output do not match, the intervals between frames (or groups of frames, including inevitable frame drops) alternate strictly evenly. We also note the absence of problems with the image output of Full HD (1080p) files with frequencies of 50 and 60 fps. In general, the HDMI connection can be used for watching movies, playing games, displaying web pages and other activities. Only the HDMI connector and cable will have to be handled very carefully.
Operating system and applications
Again, we have nothing to add to the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 review. Windows RT on Microsoft Surface RT introduced in pure form so there are no surprises here. Confuses only one point: the main (and only) advantage of Windows RT over Windows 8, namely the presence Microsoft Word, somewhat devalued by the keyboard, which is difficult to type large texts. As a reminder, the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 has an excellent physical keyboard.
Camera
The tablet is equipped with two cameras - front and rear. But for inexplicable reasons, the resolution of both cameras is only 1.2 megapixels. For the front camera this is normal, but for the rear camera it is indecent even by the standards of budget devices.
However, resolution is far from the only characteristic that affects the quality of images. So let's take a look at the pictures before drawing conclusions.
Here's a snippet zoomed in to 100%. In principle, there are not so many defects as it happens on cameras. budget tablets... Although the image is still not perfect. Below is the same image without cropping, but scaled down to 600 dots horizontally.
Our test of shooting a page with a text, the rear camera of the tablet passed conditionally: the quality is decent, but the text is too small, and there is not enough resolution for a sufficient increase.
An example of shooting a video (31 seconds, 36.6 MB) can be downloaded. In general, the quality of the video is decent, except that the resolution is only 720p. As a plus, we note that the video is filmed with stereo sound.
conclusions
Microsoft has got a good tablet, with an interesting design and decent (for 2012) performance. But after getting to know him, we still did not understand why the Redmond company had to change its long-standing strategy and invade the market of device manufacturers. Apart from the keyboard cover idea, there is nothing here that we haven't seen from other manufacturers (including regular Microsoft partners).
If this was done in order to popularize the Windows RT operating system, then it was necessary to set significantly more low price... Because at the current price point, the Microsoft Surface RT isn't very relevant. Today, for the same money, we expect at least a flawless Full HD screen, a high-quality camera and a wide range of applications. If Microsoft just wanted to demonstrate the capabilities of the new OS, then it is not clear why the OS manufacturer was not satisfied with numerous devices from other companies (ASUS, Acer, Samsung, Lenovo ...) running Windows 8 or RT.
At the same time, we note that at least in the field of design there are interesting finds here, and if Microsoft wants to seriously develop independent production mobile devices, then we need to develop the ideas inherent in the design of the Surface RT. We, as a reward and at the same time - an advance (with the hope of releasing further devices with original design) present Microsoft Surface RT with our Original Design editorial award.
10.6 ", 1366x768, Windows RT, 64GB, memory card slot, 676g
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