Test finds Surface Pro's storage space comparable to MacBook Air
After wide-ranging media reports bashed Microsoft over questionable claims regarding the new Surface Pro's built-in flash storage, a side-by-side comparison between the tablet and Apple's 11.6-inch MacBook Air reveal the two devices share the same amount of disk space.
Source: ZDNet
A test from ZDNet's Ed Bott pitted Redmond's newest device against Apple's thin-and-light MacBook Air, arguing that the comparison is more than fitting given the Surface Pro's ability to run a full-featured operating system.
"Unlike the Surface RT, which is a tablet that does a few PC-like things, Surface Pro is a real, no-compromises PC," Bott wrote. "It can power a 2560x1600 30-inch display, it runs Windows 8 Pro, it supports Hyper-V virtualization, you can run PhotoShop and AutoCAD on it. It deserves to be compared head to head with another full PC like the MacBook Air."
It was reported in late January that the 64GB Surface Pro would ship with as little as 36 percent of its advertised storage accessible to users, mostly due to the installation of Windows 8 and a recovery partition. The 128GB model tested on Thursday was said to leave 83GB, or 65 percent, left for customer use.
With a few simple calculations, and accounting for the two different methods Windows and OS X uses to report storage capacities, the Surface Pro and MacBook Air were found to have nearly identical amounts of free space. In fact, after moving the Windows 8 Recovery partition to a USB drive, the Surface Pro actually bested the Air's addressable storage by over 5GB.
Bott noted the MacBook Air with 128GB of flash storage ships with 92.2GB (approximately 99 billion bytes in pre-Snow Leopard Base 2 calculations) available, while the 128GB Surface Pro with Recovery partition installed offers 89.7GB (approximately 96.3 billion bytes). Removing the partition brings the Surface's capacity up to 97.5GB.
While Microsoft is marketing the Surface as a hybrid device, many consumers and reviewers are comparing it to other tablets. It can be argued that the slate form-factor, lack of built-in keyboard and touch-driven interface put the Surface Pro in the basic tablet category, but the device's full Windows 8 OS and ability to install Windows programs brings it more in line with so-called Ultrabooks.
Although Bott did not have access to a 64GB Surface Pro for testing, he estimated a 64GB MacBook Air would "compare more favorably to a Surface Pro in this configuration."
"I consider the 64 GB Surface Pro and MacBook Air pure companion devices, designed for people who don't care about carrying around large amounts of personal data," A storage capacity of 30-40 GB is more than adequate for current work, especially when it's supplemented with external devices (SD cards, USB flash drives, external hard drives) and cloud storage."
Source: ZDNet
A test from ZDNet's Ed Bott pitted Redmond's newest device against Apple's thin-and-light MacBook Air, arguing that the comparison is more than fitting given the Surface Pro's ability to run a full-featured operating system.
"Unlike the Surface RT, which is a tablet that does a few PC-like things, Surface Pro is a real, no-compromises PC," Bott wrote. "It can power a 2560x1600 30-inch display, it runs Windows 8 Pro, it supports Hyper-V virtualization, you can run PhotoShop and AutoCAD on it. It deserves to be compared head to head with another full PC like the MacBook Air."
It was reported in late January that the 64GB Surface Pro would ship with as little as 36 percent of its advertised storage accessible to users, mostly due to the installation of Windows 8 and a recovery partition. The 128GB model tested on Thursday was said to leave 83GB, or 65 percent, left for customer use.
With a few simple calculations, and accounting for the two different methods Windows and OS X uses to report storage capacities, the Surface Pro and MacBook Air were found to have nearly identical amounts of free space. In fact, after moving the Windows 8 Recovery partition to a USB drive, the Surface Pro actually bested the Air's addressable storage by over 5GB.
Bott noted the MacBook Air with 128GB of flash storage ships with 92.2GB (approximately 99 billion bytes in pre-Snow Leopard Base 2 calculations) available, while the 128GB Surface Pro with Recovery partition installed offers 89.7GB (approximately 96.3 billion bytes). Removing the partition brings the Surface's capacity up to 97.5GB.
While Microsoft is marketing the Surface as a hybrid device, many consumers and reviewers are comparing it to other tablets. It can be argued that the slate form-factor, lack of built-in keyboard and touch-driven interface put the Surface Pro in the basic tablet category, but the device's full Windows 8 OS and ability to install Windows programs brings it more in line with so-called Ultrabooks.
Although Bott did not have access to a 64GB Surface Pro for testing, he estimated a 64GB MacBook Air would "compare more favorably to a Surface Pro in this configuration."
"I consider the 64 GB Surface Pro and MacBook Air pure companion devices, designed for people who don't care about carrying around large amounts of personal data," A storage capacity of 30-40 GB is more than adequate for current work, especially when it's supplemented with external devices (SD cards, USB flash drives, external hard drives) and cloud storage."
Comments
On the Macbook Air, notice how the display can be opened and tilted to a wide range of angles. You can actually use a Macbook Air on your lap, if you wish. Isn't that amazing? Yet, the Surface can not perform such a simple task. Does somebody using a Surface have to walk around with a fold up table in order to use it? Or do they have to lie down in the middle of the street if they wish to quickly check something?
One of the biggest drawbacks though is the fan IMO. I can't imagine ever using a tablet that has a ridiculous fan inside of it. I demand absolute silence from any mobile device, such as phones and tablets.
Surface pro is DOA but not because of storage. It's really a non-issue for most people
However...
The Air has a real keyboard (typing tests on both Surface covers have shown it to fall short). Backlit no less.
The Air has MUCH longer battery life.
The Air doesn't try to cram two totally different platforms into one confusing mess.
The Air's screen angle is adjustable.
The Air has OS X and the iTunes store.
The Air has a much bigger and better trackpad.
The Air is a good laptop. Not a poor laptop combined with a poor tablet.
But if you consider the Surface Pro to be a tablet (after all, the keyboard/trackpad isn't even included in the price, it's optional) then you'll be comparing its free space to the iPad, not the Air.
P.S. My 128 GB Air is not a companion--it's a full professional production machine for Photoshop, programming, office tasks, everything. It can drive a big external display and its storage is unlimited when I'm at home (external drives). I chose less internal storage to save money: SSD is well worth the performance, but it costs more per GB. If I saved even more money and got a 64GB, I'd use my Air for all the same things... but I'd rely a bit more on cheap, high GB Western Digital pocket hard drive beside it.
P.P.S. The Air has a recovery partition too--and [URL=http://osxdaily.com/2011/06/30/deleting-the-mac-os-x-10-7-lion-recovery-hd-partition/]you can delete it [/URL]for more space (less than a GB).
I think you get over 4GB back if you delete iPhoto, Garageband and iMovie. These comes with a Mac but they are not part of the OS.
Ed's methodology is flawed. It's fiction wrapped in some facts. Not what I'd call scientific at all.
I love how he tries to skewer Apple as not being honest about the drive space when both drives are marketed based on BASE-10.
Great don't compare the Surface to a Ipad(Market Leader) ..i've notice that the surface has been compared to everything except the device it was suppose to blow out of the water...some sites are only compare it to android tablets...this must be MS PR people's instructions...why would you not compare it to the market leader...other then it will look bad.
I want MS to produce a great device and software as android is just a rip off of ios...im still waiting for a new fresh software/device that makes everyone hold there breath.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anfboymn
If its not because of storage, then why do you think it's DOA?
1) Poor battery life (already proven by reviews) and
2) most of the apps there are desktop apps with poor touch support which will confuse the hell out of most casual customers when they try it out
I think that is why Apple doesn't build a 64GB notebooks.
They forgot to mention that the MacBook Air also comes with over twenty terabytes of style and class.
Unfortunately, the Surface does not.
Originally Posted by Mac101
I think that is why Apple doesn't build a 64GB notebooks.
*cough*
Quote:
Originally Posted by nagromme
True, both cram a desktop OS into 64 GB, leaving enough storage for most people's needs EXCEPT for music/photo libraries.
I would never recommend 64GB of storage for a general usage laptop!!!
However...
The Air has a real keyboard (typing tests on both Surface covers have shown it to fall short). Backlit no less.
The Air has MUCH longer battery life.
The Air doesn't try to cram two totally different platforms into one confusing mess.
The Air's screen angle is adjustable.
The Air has OS X and the iTunes store.
The Air has a much bigger and better trackpad.
The Air is a good laptop. Not a poor laptop combined with a poor tablet.
I'm sure MS had something to do with this article. Your points above are hard to ignore when dong a real comparison.
But if you consider the Surface Pro to be a tablet (after all, the keyboard/trackpad isn't even included in the price, it's optional) then you'll be comparing its free space to the iPad, not the Air.
P.S. My 128 GB Air is not a companion--it's a full professional production machine for Photoshop, programming, office tasks, everything. It can drive a big external display and its storage is unlimited when I'm at home (external drives). I chose less internal storage to save money: SSD is well worth the performance, but it costs more per GB. If I saved even more money and got a 64GB, I'd use my Air for all the same things... but I'd rely a bit more on cheap, high GB Western Digital pocket hard drive beside it.
P.P.S. The Air has a recovery partition too--and you can delete it for more space (less than a GB).
This is just another example of why the media can't be trusted. It isn't a question of being biased as much as bought.This comparison brought to you by our sponsor.... Microsoft!
Wait... aren't Tablet's and PC's the same? Didn't I just read AI, as well as a bunch of other AI commenters, try to make that argument all day?
Certainly seems to be a prevalence of short memory here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cash907
Wait... aren't Tablet's and PC's the same?
No.
The hint was in the spelling.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nagromme
True, both cram a desktop OS into 64 GB, leaving enough storage for most people's needs EXCEPT for music/photo libraries.
However...
The Air has a real keyboard (typing tests on both Surface covers have shown it to fall short). Backlit no less.
The Air has MUCH longer battery life.
The Air doesn't try to cram two totally different platforms into one confusing mess.
The Air's screen angle is adjustable.
The Air has OS X and the iTunes store.
The Air has a much bigger and better trackpad.
The Air is a good laptop. Not a poor laptop combined with a poor tablet.
But if you consider the Surface Pro to be a tablet (after all, the keyboard/trackpad isn't even included in the price, it's optional) then you'll be comparing its free space to the iPad, not the Air.
P.S. My 128 GB Air is not a companion--it's a full professional production machine for Photoshop, programming, office tasks, everything. It can drive a big external display and its storage is unlimited when I'm at home (external drives). I chose less internal storage to save money: SSD is well worth the performance, but it costs more per GB. If I saved even more money and got a 64GB, I'd use my Air for all the same things... but I'd rely a bit more on cheap, high GB Western Digital pocket hard drive beside it.
P.P.S. The Air has a recovery partition too--and you can delete it for more space (less than a GB).
well said. you should also add:
- with the "optional" (almost necessary) keyboard the Pro costs $30 more than the Air @ list price - and you can buy the Air for $100 under list nowadays, so the real difference is $130. the Microsoft Tax?
- the Air's 11.6" screen provides 19% more screen area than the Pro's 10.6" screen. that's enough of a difference to matter.
and that's just the base model Air. i don't know what % opt for that model, but those looking for real power can choose the 13.3" screen Air model, faster processors, and more RAM and flash storage - at a higher price, of course. which many do.
but there are no more powerful models of the Surface Pro, at any price.
I'll be interested to see the Youtube videos showing the Surface Pro in action. The RT was astonishingly slow. I would even say unusable. Booting, loading apps, interface sluggishness.
Just from what I've read, the battery life of the Pro seems like it's killer feature. Meaning it just kills it. The fact that you end up with crumbs left for onboard storage is just the bonus.