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Microsoft Surface Pro vs. Surface RT: Which One Should You Buy?

How does the new Microsoft Surface Pro stack up against its little brother, the Surface with Windows RT? Check out our spec comparison to find out.

February 6, 2013
Surface Pro

Microsoft's Surface Windows 8 Pro (or Surface Pro) is the ultrabook-class tablet that people have been waiting for. Question is, is it worth the extra price premium over the Surface that (only) comes with Windows RT? The Microsoft Surface with Windows RT does a decent job running Windows RT, a lighter version of Windows, but to get older programs running on your tablet, you'll need a tablet that runs Windows 8.

If you grab one of each tablet in either hand, and view the Start screen, you'll be hard pressed to spot the difference between the two. The new Windows interface (formerly known as Metro) gives you a minimalist interface, which you can use to open programs, check weather and sports, and use the tablet in general. True, the Surface Pro is a little thicker to accommodate the ultrabook-level components, but they look almost identical from the front at first blush. Below the surface (pun intended), however, the two tablets are as different as night and day.

The Surface Pro is a little thicker to give the Intel Core i5 processor some breathing and cooling room. The ARM-based Nvidia Tegra processor in the Surface Windows RT model needs no active cooling. Predictably, the Surface Pro models come with more SSD storage space, system memory, and a larger resolution screen. Of course, the top of the line 128GB Surface Pro comes in at $999, $300 more than the $699 64GB Surface with Windows RT.

The Surface Pro comes in a 64GB model for $899, but is otherwise identical to the top of the line model. Both Surface Pro systems come with a digitizer stylus (a la Wacom), but no Type nor Touch Covers. Microsoft has released a new $599 64GB Surface with Windows RT model without the cover, which lets the end user choose another Touch Cover color aside from black.

For more on the Microsoft Surface Windows 8 Pro, check out PCMag's full review, as well as our unboxing.

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About Joel Santo Domingo

Lead Analyst

Joel Santo Domingo joined PC Magazine in 2000, after 7 years of IT work for companies large and small. His background includes managing mobile, desktop and network infrastructure on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. Joel is proof that you can escape the retail grind: he wore a yellow polo shirt early in his tech career. Along the way Joel earned a BA in English Literature and an MBA in Information Technology from Rutgers University. He is responsible for overseeing PC Labs testing, as well as formulating new test methodologies for the PC Hardware team. Along with his team, Joel won the ASBPE Northeast Region Gold award of Excellence for Technical Articles in 2005. Joel cut his tech teeth on the Atari 2600, TRS-80, and the Mac Plus. He’s built countless DIY systems, including a deconstructed “desktop” PC nailed to a wall and a DIY laptop. He’s played with most consumer electronics technologies, but the two he’d most like to own next are a Salamander broiler and a BMW E39 M5.

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