Surface 2

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Surface 2
DeveloperMicrosoft
TypeHybrid tablet
Release dateOctober 22, 2013 (2013-10-22)
DiscontinuedJanuary 27, 2015 (2015-01-27)[1]
Operating systemWindows RT 8.1
System on a chipNvidia Tegra 4
CPU1.7 GHz ARM Cortex-A15 quad core with power saving 5th core
Memory2 GB
Storage32 GB (18 GB available) or 64 GB (47 GB available) internal storage[2] and a microSD card reader (Cards up to 64GB)
Display10.6 inches (27 cm) 1920×1080 px(208 ppi) ClearType HD screen with 16:9 aspect ratio
Graphics72 GeForce graphics cores (24 vertex shaders + 48 pixel shaders)[3]
SoundDolby Digital Plus stereo speakers[4]
Input5-point multi-touch screen, dual microphones for noise cancellation, 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, compass, ambient light sensor, GPS (with cellular model)
CameraFront: 3.5 MP, 1080p HD
Rear: 5 MP, 1080p HD
Connectivity2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, full-size USB 3.0, HD Video Out (micro HDMI), 4G LTE (with cellular model)
Online servicesWindows Store, OneDrive, Xbox Music, Xbox Games, Xbox Video
Dimensions10.81 inches (27.5 cm) (width)
6.81 inches (17.3 cm) (height)
0.35 inches (8.9 mm) (depth)
Weight1.49 pounds (680 g)
PredecessorSurface
SuccessorSurface 3

Surface 2 is a Surface-series Windows RT hybrid tablet computer created by Microsoft. It was unveiled on September 23, 2013, and released on October 22, 2013 and is the successor to the original Surface. As of January 2015, Microsoft no longer manufactures Surface 2, and provided security updates for the device until January 2023.[5] Microsoft's next attempt at a Windows-on-ARM tablet would be the Surface Pro X, released in 2019, six years after the Surface 2.

History

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Pre-orders for the Surface 2 were opened on September 24, 2013, and the device was released on October 22, 2013. As value-added services, the Surface 2 includes 200 GB of additional OneDrive storage for 2 years, 1 year of free Skype calls to landlines, and access to Skype WiFi hotspots.[6]

In January 2015, after its stock sold out on Microsoft Store online, Microsoft confirmed that it had discontinued further production of Surface 2.[1] After Surface 2, the Nokia Lumia 2520 was the only remaining Windows RT device on the market, before that being discontinued as well just a week later.

Features

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Hardware

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File:Microsoft Surface 2 - Back (12907873774).jpg
Back of the Surface 2 showing the kick stand.
File:Microsoft Surface 2 - Side detail (12907918574).jpg
Ports provided by the Surface 2 on the right side.

Made of magnesium alloy and toughened glass, the outer shell of Surface 2 maintains a similar design to its predecessor, but in a "bare metal" silver color scheme with a black bezel. Surface 2 is also slightly thinner and lighter than the previous model. Surface 2 uses a 1.7 GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 4 chipset with 2 GB of RAM; Microsoft claimed that the new chipset and other improvements to its internal hardware made the Surface 2 three to four times faster than the original Surface, and that it had 10 hours of battery life playing videos. Unlike the original Surface (which used a 1366 x 768 display), the Surface 2 uses a 1080p display, the same as in Surface Pro 2. This display is claimed to have almost 50% better color than the previous version, as well as the lowest reflectivity among competing tablets. The device also includes a full-size USB 3.0 port, 32 or 64 GB of internal storage, and a MicroSD slot. The Surface 2 ships with Windows RT 8.1.[7][8][9][10]

The 4G LTE model of Surface 2 was launched on March 18, 2014, and comes as a 64 GB model only.[11] AT&T is the Microsoft cellular partner and Surface 2 4G LTE comes with AT&T "All Access" app pre-installed but the device actually ships unlocked. The 4G models also come with GPS, Assisted GPS, and GLONASS. The Surface 2 includes what Microsoft calls a silver-magnesium color that is more scratch resistant compared to the original Surface.

Technical Specifications[12][13][14]
Surface 2 Surface 2 with LTE
Processor Nvidia Tegra 4 T40
Graphics Geforce ULP
RAM 2 GB
Internal storage 32/64 GB 64 GB
Display Size 10.6in ClearType Full HD Display
Aspect Ratio 16:9
Resolution 1920 x 1080
Touch 5-point Multi-touch
Exterior Height 6.79in
Width 10.81in
Depth 0.35in
Weight 1.49lbs
Casing VaporMg
Color Magnesium
Cameras Front 3.5 MP
Rear 5.0 MP
Audio Speaker Stereo with Dolby Sound
Microphone 2
Sensors Ambient light
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Magnetometer
Proximity
Digital Compass
Ports USB-A 3.0
microSD card slot
3.5mm audio socket
MicroHDMI
Cover port
- MicroSIM card slot
Wireless Wi-fi 802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
Battery 31.5Wh
Location - GPS
Assisted GPS
GLONASS
Network - 2G GSM
3G UMTS
4G LTE

Software

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The Surface 2 ships with Windows RT 8.1 and Office 2013 RT, unlike the original Surface which launched with Office 2013 RT Beta (but which later received the final release version). Other bundled apps include Mail, Calendar, People (contacts), Bing apps including Food and Drink, Health and Fitness, Weather, Travel, Stocks, and Sports. These apps were later renamed to be MSN apps. Just like its predecessor, desktop apps other than those already bundled with the OS are forbidden to run on the Surface 2, so the device, unlike its successor, Surface 3, cannot be classified as a 2-in-1 PC.

A notable change from the Surface to the Surface 2 is the hiding of the desktop tile from the Start Screen.[15]

Accessories

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File:Microsoft Surface 2 - Front detail (12907630783).jpg
Detail of the front of the device with the Type Cover accessory attached.

Updated versions of the Surface's cover accessories are available for the Surface 2; the Touch Cover 2 and Type Cover 2 are slightly thinner than the previous versions and now include a "dynamic" backlight system. The Touch Cover 2 has over 1,092 sensors on it compared to just 80 on the original Touch Cover.[16] The keyswitch length of the Type Cover 2 have been reduced from 2.5 mm to 1.5 mm. A new Power Cover accessory was also available to add 30 Wh additional battery capacity to the device. Accompanying the Touch Cover 2 and Type Cover 2 was a wireless adapter that allows them to be connected up to 30 feet away via Bluetooth. An updated kickstand can now be tilted at a 55-degree angle alongside the original 22-degree angle. During its unveiling, Microsoft also showcased the Music Cover; a variation of the Touch Cover that serves as a DJ mixer with playback controls, a 16-button sampler, and three sliders. While mainstream public release has been announced, it will be distributed to musicians through the Surface Remix Project campaign.[10][17]

Configurations

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Surface 2 Configurations[14]
Price Tier (USD) CPU Integrated GPU RAM Internal storage LTE
$449 Nvidia Tegra 4 Geforce ULP 2 GB 32 GB No
$549 64 GB
$679 Yes

Reception

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Initial reviews of the Surface 2 have been mixed. Reviewers have generally been positive about the device's hardware and improvements when compared to the original Surface. However, the Surface 2 was often criticized for a lack of support for traditional Windows desktop programs and the low number of high quality apps available from the Windows Store.[18][19]

In a financial report from Microsoft in second quarter 2014, revenue more than doubled from $400 million in the first quarter, to $893 million. However, Microsoft still lost $39 million since the development costs had equaled to around $932 million. But skeptics acknowledged that the growth was there despite still losing money on the Surface brand.[20]

Overheating issue

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The Surface 2 has been reported to have some overheating issues. Microsoft delivered an update to try to fix the issue.[21]

Timeline

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Timeline of Surface devices
<timeline>

DateFormat=mm/dd/yyyy Define $start = 10/01/2012 Define $now = 06/20/2026 Define $later = 07/20/2027 Period = from:$start till:$later Define $skip = at:end # Force a blank line Define $dayunknown = 15 # what day to use if it's actually not known ImageSize= width:800 height:auto barincrement:36 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:5 left:20 bottom:95 top:5

Colors =

    id:rtodd        value:rgb(0.65,0.95,0.99)    Legend:Surface_RT
    id:rteven       value:rgb(0.81,0.98,1)
    id:goodd             value:rgb(0.78,0.82,1)       Legend:Surface_Go
    id:goeven            value:rgb(0.88,0.91,1)
    id:goplus            value:rgb(0.93,0.95,1)
    id:proodd            value:rgb(0.75,0.86,1)       Legend:Surface_Pro
    id:proeven           value:rgb(0.86,0.92,1)
    id:proplus           value:rgb(0.81,0.89,0.99)
    id:xodd              value:rgb(0.87,0.84,1)       Legend:Surface_Pro_X
    id:xeven             value:rgb(0.93,0.91,1)
    id:bookodd           value:rgb(1,0.79,0.79)       Legend:Surface_Book
    id:bookeven          value:rgb(1,0.89,0.89)
    id:laptopodd         value:rgb(1,0.84,0.67)       Legend:Surface_Laptop_1
    id:laptopeven        value:rgb(1,0.93,0.84)
    id:laptopgoodd       value:rgb(0.99,0.90,0.54)    Legend:Surface_Laptop_Go
    id:laptopgoeven      value:rgb(1,0.95,0.78)
    id:laptopstudioodd   value:rgb(0.85,0.98,0.62)    Legend:Surface_Laptop_Studio
    id:laptopstudioeven  value:rgb(0.93,0.99,0.80)
    id:laptopseodd       value:rgb(0.73,0.97,0.82)    Legend:Surface_Laptop_SE
    id:laptopseeven      value:rgb(1,0.95,0.78)
    id:hubodd            value:rgb(0.8,0.84,0.88)     Legend:Surface_Hub
    id:hubeven           value:rgb(0.89,0.91,0.94)
    id:studioodd         value:rgb(0.98,0.81,0.91)    Legend:Surface_Studio
    id:studioeven        value:rgb(0.99,0.91,0.95)
    id:studioplus        value:rgb(0.99,0.95,0.97)
    id:duoodd            value:rgb(0.85,0.85,0.85)    Legend:Surface_Duo
    id:duoeven           value:rgb(0.92,0.92,0.92)
    id:bg                value:gray(1)
    id:lightline         value:gray(0.9)
    id:lighttext         value:gray(0.7)
    id:current           value:gray(0.95)             Legend:Still_produced

BackgroundColors = canvas:bg ScaleMajor = gridcolor:lighttext unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/2013 ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightline unit:month increment:3 start:10/01/2012 Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:1

BarData =

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 barset:bookstudio
 barset:laptop
 barset:laptoparm
 barset:laptop13
 barset:laptopgo
 barset:laptopse
 barset:hub
 barset:studio
 barset:duo

PlotData =

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 barset:rt
   color:rtodd              from:10/26/2012 till:07/18/2013 text:"RT"
 barset:break
   color:rteven             from:10/22/2013 till:01/27/2015 text:"2"
 barset:break
   color:rtodd              from:05/05/2015 till:12/31/2016 text:"3"
 barset:go 
   color:goodd              from:07/10/2018 till:05/21/2020 text:"Go"
 barset:break
   color:goeven             from:05/21/2020 till:09/22/2021 text:"Go 2"
 barset:break
   color:goodd              from:09/22/2021 till:09/21/2023 text:"Go 3"
 barset:break
   color:goeven             from:09/21/2023 till:$now       text:"Go 4"
 barset:break
   color:current            from:$now till:end


 barset:pro
   color:proodd             from:02/09/2013 till:10/18/2013 text:"Pro"
 barset:break
   color:proeven            from:10/22/2013 till:06/16/2014 text:"Pro 2"
 barset:break
   color:proodd             from:06/20/2014 till:01/01/2017 text:"Pro 3"
 barset:break
   color:proeven            from:10/26/2015 till:01/01/2018 text:"Pro 4"
 barset:break
   color:proodd             from:06/15/2017 till:10/16/2018 text:"Pro (2017)"
 barset:break
   color:proeven            from:10/16/2018 till:10/22/2019 text:"Pro 6"
 barset:break
   color:proodd             from:10/22/2019 till:01/12/2021 text:"Pro 7"
 barset:break
   color:proplus            from:01/12/2021 till:09/22/2021 text:"Pro 7+"
 barset:break
   color:proeven            from:09/22/2021 till:10/12/2022 text:"Pro 8"
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   color:proodd             from:10/12/2022 till:03/21/2024 text:"Pro 9"
 barset:break
   color:proeven            from:03/21/2024 till:02/18/2025 text:"Pro 10"
 barset:break
   color:proodd             from:02/18/2025 till:$now       text:"Pro (11th) (x64)"
 barset:break
   color:current            from:$now till:end
 barset:prox
   color:xodd               from:11/05/2019 till:10/13/2020 text:"Pro X"
 barset:break
   color:xeven              from:10/13/2020 till:10/12/2022 text:"Pro X SQ2"
 barset:break
   color:proodd             from:10/12/2022 till:06/18/2024 text:"Pro 9 (ARM)"
 barset:break
   color:proeven            from:06/18/2024 till:$now       text:"Pro (11th) (ARM)"
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   color:current            from:$now till:end
 barset:pro12
   color:proodd             from:05/25/2025 till:$now       text:"Pro 12" (ARM)"
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   color:current            from:$now till:end


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   color:bookodd            from:10/26/2015 till:10/17/2017 text:"Book"
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   color:bookeven           from:10/17/2017 till:05/21/2020 text:"Book 2"
 barset:break
   color:bookodd            from:05/21/2020 till:09/22/2021 text:"Book 3"
   $skip
 barset:break
   color:laptopstudioodd    from:09/22/2021 till:09/21/2023 text:"Laptop Studio"
 barset:break
   color:laptopstudioeven   from:09/21/2023 till:09/20/2025 text:"Laptop Studio 2"
 barset:laptop
   color:laptopodd          from:06/15/2017 till:10/16/2018 text:"Laptop"
 barset:break
   color:laptopeven         from:10/16/2018 till:10/22/2019 text:"Laptop 2"
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   color:laptopodd          from:10/22/2019 till:04/13/2021 text:"Laptop 3"
 barset:break
   color:laptopeven         from:04/13/2021 till:10/12/2022 text:"Laptop 4"
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   color:laptopodd          from:10/12/2022 till:03/21/2024 text:"Laptop 5
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   color:laptopeven         from:03/21/2024 till:01/30/2025 text:"Laptop 6
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   color:laptopodd          from:01/30/2025 till:$now       text:"Laptop 7 (x64)  
 barset:break
   color:current            from:$now till:end
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   color:laptopodd          from:06/18/2024 till:$now       text:"Laptop 7 (ARM)
 barset:break
   color:current            from:$now till:end
 barset:laptop13
   color:laptopodd          from:05/20/2025 till:$now       text:"Laptop 13" (ARM)
 barset:break
   color:current            from:$now till:end
 barset:laptopgo
   color:laptopgoodd        from:10/01/2020 till:06/01/2022 text:"Laptop Go"
 barset:break
   color:laptopgoeven       from:06/01/2022 till:09/21/2023 text:"Laptop Go 2"
 barset:break
   color:laptopgoodd        from:09/21/2023 till:$now       text:"Laptop Go 3"
 barset:break
   color:current            from:$now till:end


 barset:laptopse
   color:laptopseodd        from:11/09/2021 till:$now       text:"Laptop SE"
 barset:break
   color:current            from:$now till:end
   $skip
 barset:studio
   color:studioodd          from:12/15/2016 till:10/16/2018 text:"Studio"
 barset:break
   color:studioeven         from:10/16/2018 till:10/12/2022 text:"Studio 2"
 barset:break
   color:studioodd          from:10/12/2022 till:12/31/2024 text:"Studio 2+
 barset:hub
   color:hubodd             from:07/01/2015 till:06/18/2019 text:"Hub"
 barset:break
   color:hubeven            from:06/18/2019 till:09/21/2023 text:"Hub 2S"
 barset:break
   color:hubodd             from:09/21/2023 till:$now       text:"Hub 3"
 barset:break
   color:current            from:$now till:end
barset:duo
   color:duoodd             from:09/10/2020 till:09/22/2021 text:"Duo"
barset:break
   color:duoeven            from:09/22/2021 till:09/22/2023 text:"Duo 2"
   $skip

</timeline>

References

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