Microsoft unveiled a brand new line of tablets yesterday to compete with Apple’s iPad (via The Verge). The new Surface tablets will come in two separate versions: An ARM processor powered version which will run Windows RT, and an Intel version which will run Windows 8.
The 10.6″ Surface tablets are extremely thin and light, with the ARM version coming in at 9.3mm in thickness, and weighing just 1.5 pounds. They also feature a built-in kickstand, a magnesium case, and capacities up to 128GB (64GB for the ARM version).
The Intel version is significantly thicker and heavier, coming in at 13.5mm and 1.9 lbs, although the Intel version will feature USB 3. The Intel version will also include a stylus pen with “digital ink” support. The specs of the two Surface tablets can be compared in the table below (click to expand).
Alongside the tablets themselves, Microsoft also unveiled a pair of Smart Cover-like devices called the Touch Cover and Type Cover. Both of these will feature a full-sized keyboard with a built-in trackpad. The Touch Cover features low-profile keys, while the Type Cover features traditional clicky laptop-like keys.
It will be interesting to see how well this competes with the iPad. At first glance, it strikes me as more of a touch-enabled netbook than an actual tablet, and the fact that Microsoft has introduced fragmentation within a single product line (ARM vs Intel) doesn’t seem to bode well.
For more information, visit Microsoft’s Surface website.
