A recent survey from the International Data Corporation (IDC) states that PC sales will fall another 7.8 percent in 2013 as buyers delay PC purchases or choose an alternative device. IDC also said that in April, the worldwide sales of PCs drop by 13.9 percent in the first quarter of 2013 and is now considered as the worst contraction since the firm started tracking the market in 1994.
On the other hand, IDC also said on a separate report that tablets sales are now expected to grow by 58.7 percent in 2013 as more and more people now prefer mobile devices for everyday computing.
See Also: Review – Microsoft Surface Pro
Having said this, it’s already quite expected that PC manufacturers may soon if not already made the leap to the production of mobile devices over traditional stationary systems. In fact, a rising trend among manufacturers these days is for them to have at least one tablet-convertible model in their line-up.
For HP, there’s the Envy X2, Asus has its line of transformer and vivo tablet-transformers, Samsung has their Ativ Smart PCs and for Toshiba, they have the Portégé. And the recent addition to this list is no other than Redmond, Washington’s Microsoft with their Surface line of tablets.
See Also: Review – Toshiba Portégé Z10t
And although we all know that Microsoft is an industry leader when it comes to software, hardware development is quite another thing. So the question now is, will Microsoft’s software development expertise make it a better tablet-PC manufacturer? Well, if you’re asking yourself the same question, we’ve put its Surface Pro head-to-head with Toshiba’s Portégé Z10t to help us determine if Microsoft has what it takes to be a major player in the PC hardware market.
FORM FACTOR
Although the Toshiba and the Surface Pro are both windows 8 tablets that can transform into a table-top work machine, the two devices are actually built differently, which is most noticeable when the keyboard is attached.
On the one hand, the Portégé is made the same way as other tablet convertibles in the sense that the tablet goes with a keyboard with a solid base which makes it easy to use as any other notebook. On the other hand, the Surface Pro comes with a thin keyboard that doubles as a screen cover.
The Surface Pro features a kickstand that allows the device to stand with or without the keyboard but will only work on a flat surface. So for those looking forward to use this tablet on your lap, it’s a no go.
| MS Surface Pro | Toshiba Portégé Z10t | |
| Dimensions | 10.81×6.81×0.53 inches | 11.77×8.68×0.78 inches |
| Weight | Approx. 2 pounds | Approx. 1.87lbs |
| Accessories | Surface Pen, Touch/Type Cover | Detachable full-size keyboard |
DISPLAY
When it comes to display the Portégé and the Surface Pro are almost neck-to-neck. Both devices have Full HD displays with a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. However, the Toshiba sports a slightly larger display at 11.6” compared to the Surface’s 10.6 inches.
Both tablets have the same aspect ratio as well as multi-touch screens with support for digitisers.
| MS Surface Pro | Toshiba Portégé Z10t | |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Display Type | 10.6" ClearType Full HD Display | 11.6" Full HD Display |
INPUT
Input methods for the Portégé and Surface are the same. They both support an add-on keyboard, pen input and both have cameras for video calls. The only difference in this department is of course the keyboards. While the Toshiba uses a traditional full-size keyboard with keys that have adequate travel, the Surface Pro uses a so called Touch Cover.
The Touch Cover is a proprietary accessory for the Surface that features pressure-sensing input technology. It’s incredibly thin at just 3.25mm and weighs less than 0.46lbs. It has a capacitive-sensing trackpad and comes in a variety of colours.
| MS Surface Pro | Toshiba Portégé Z10t | |
| Camera | Supported (2x 720p HD life cams) | Supported (1x HD Webcam) |
| Pen Input | Supported | Supported |
| Keyboard | Removable, magnetic | Dock-style keyboard |
PERFORMANCE
In terms of performance, the Toshiba and the Surface Pro are quite evenly matched. Both run on Microsoft’s Windows 8 and both models are equipped with 4GB of RAM. The Surface Pro comes standard with an Intel Core i5 processor with Intel’s HD Graphics 4000 GPU. On the other hand, consumers can get the Portégé either with an Intel Core i5 or an Intel Celeron processor.
But when it comes to storage, the Toshiba trumps over the Surface Pro as it offers at least 128GB of disc space and can go up to 256GB in contrast to what the Surface Pro can offer at only 64GB or 128GB max.
| MS Surface Pro | Toshiba Portégé Z10t | |
| OS | Windows 8 | Windows 8 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 with Intel HD Graphics 4000 | Intel Core i5 or Celeron with Intel HD Graphics 4000 |
| RAM | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| HDD | 64/128 GB | 128/256GB |
CONNECTIVITY
In the connectivity department, both devices are also evenly matched. Both the Portégé and the Surface Pro come equipped with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and support for USB.
| MS Surface Pro | Toshiba Portégé Z10t | |
| WLAN | Supported | Supported |
| Data | Not supported | Supported (4G) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v4.0 | Bluetooth v4.0 |
| NFC | Not supported | Not Supported |
| USB | Supported (1x USB 3.0) | Supported (1x USB 2.0 and 1x USB 3.0) |
| Price | Starts at $999 (64GB, Standalone) | Starts at $1199 |
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