Surface 2 no game changer

Is the Microsoft Surface 2 a tablet worth buying? Not based on a recent review by PCWorld writer Jon Phillips. The reviewer claims that Microsoft’s second attempt to create an entry-level Surface tablet is far too cautious to give the struggling tablet relevance.

Too much competition?

Surface tablet sales have long been sluggish. It’s no mystery why. The tablet market is crowded. Consumers can choose from cutting edge products from companies such as Google, Microsoft and Samsung. The Surface 2 from Microsoft doesn’t jump out among this competition.

Missed Opportunity

This, Phillips writes, is Microsoft’s fault. The company really should have produced bigger changes for its Surface tablet. Instead, Microsoft settled for making relatively minor tweaks. The changes do improve the tablet. Nonetheless they don’t improve it enough to really make it a top option in the crowded tablet marketplace.

Tweaks

The main benefit of the Surface 2, when compared to its immediate predecessor, is increased speed. The tablet works adequately and is fast. It has a bright, vivid display. But, as Phillips writes, so do other tablets in the marketplace. And these other tablets also feature more apps. Surface 2 users have to shop for apps in the Windows store, and the pickings there are simply to slim. Until this changes, Phillips writes, don’t expect consumers to reach for the Surface 2.