The Microsoft Surface Pro debuts Feb. 9 - midnight on Feb 8. in New York City -- but Microsoft recently revealed that the 64 GB version of the Windows 8 powered ultrabook/tablet hybrid will only have 23 GB of available space -- the operating system hogs 45 gigs of the device's memory.
The 128 GB Surface Pro fares a bit better, with 83 gigs free, but does the lackluster storage capacity really matter? It depends on who you ask.
ZDNet is blunt about the drawbacks. "Yes, it's a big deal," screams the headline.
"It shows that in spite of Microsoft's attempts to make the Surface a new course for Windows, it's still business as usual." Consumers buy tablets for portability, and small storage capacity means you might not have the file or data you need with you while you're on the go, says ZDNet.
"Competitive tablets, specifically the iPad and Android tablets, lose little of the system storage to the OS, but not much. When you buy a 64GB iPad, you have most of that storage space available to add apps and media. It's the same for Android."
"Let's face it, if consumers buy the Surface, it is for the tablet capabilities. Otherwise, they'd just buy a Windows 8 laptop or hybrid."
Engadget laments the lack of space, noting that it plagued the Surface RT, the tablet version of the Surface Pro, which has a smaller operating system but even less storage space.
"The situation is what we'd call less than ideal, though you can always expand the on-board storage via the solutions Microsoft proposes. Of course, that means doling our more cash on an already expensive tablet -- not the best thing to find out after you've shelled out $900."
For it's part, Microsoft says there are some ways to get more storage if you need it. "If you do run out of space on your Surface, there are several easy ways to expand your storage. Surface comes pre-loaded with the SkyDrive app allowing you to store up to 7 GB of content in the cloud for free," says the Microsoft webpage posted after the uproar.
"The device also includes a microSDXC card slot that can be used to store up to 64 GB of additional content to your device," they say, and that's a decent point -- most tablet don't offer SD slots. But as Engadget points out, those SD cards aren't cheap.
InformationWeek is less sure that the storage issue will prevent many people from buying a Surface Pro. "From a certain vantage, the 128-GB iPad is actually more limiting; though iOS occupies only a little more than 3% of the device's capacity, users who fill the onboard solid-state drive (SSD) will be forced to delete content, offload files to the cloud or perhaps even purchase a new device. Still, if storage concerns are plaguing iPads, sales certainly haven't indicated as much. Despite taking heat from investors, Apple sold a record 23 million of the devices last quarter. That volume far outpaces the sub-1 million tally Microsoft achieved with Surface RT, a number that was less than half what it had hoped."
It's possible businesses will flock to the full-featured Windows 8 operating system. Many companies don't want their employees bogging down hardware with games or music files anyway, but regular consumers who buy most of the computers in the country could shy away from the device if they find its offerings unimpressive.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
