Microsoft Surface Pro 2 HD 8G 512GB (Refurbished) with Keyboard
- Is it a tablet? Is it a touchscreen laptop? Sure, whatever
- 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD configuration: both as big as those numbers get for the Surface Pro 2
- 10.6" 1920x1080 display (see what we mean about whether it’s a tablet or laptop?)
- Runs actual Windows, not some crap mobile OS
- Refurbished but the keyboard is new (and Cheeto-grime-free!)
- Model: 7EX-00001 (not an unreasonable model number for a complex product, just a baffling one - what do any of those numbers and letters mean?)
The muscle car of, um, Microsoft tablets.
We know what you’re thinking when you look at this Microsoft Surface Pro 2 tablet/notebook/whatever: “Whoa, reminds me of a '69 'Cuda with a fuel-injected eight-banger.”
Oh? You’re not? Well, check out the specs. When it was originally released, this particular model’s 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD more than doubled the base price of the cheapest, weakest Surface Pro 2, to a frankly ludicrous $1,799. But hey, souping up and cherrying out a savage street machine don’t come cheap.
There’s also the “engine”, the Intel i5 processor. Forget those neutered, efficient mobile processors that take all the fun out of driving. With a fire-breathing i5, this baby’s got some serious power under the hood, just like a muscle car, right? Right?
OK, we can’t keep a straight face anymore. Point is, you’re getting a deal on the second generation of Surface Pro tablets in its most powerful configuration - burlier than most laptops you can buy for this price.
And the second generation of anything is usually the biggest upgrade over the previous generation. The most obvious optimizations over v1 have been made - in this case, a much better processor, more powerful battery, way more storage, and two-position stand. And you’re not paying for the mostly incremental, diminishing-returns upgrades of later models. More recent Surface Pros do have a bigger, higher-res screen and a slimmer body, but most of the improvements are to things like the rear camera.
Otherwise, 2 is right in the sweet spot, especially in its most ass-kicking configuration. Running actual Windows (not some hobbled mobiled OS) and an i5 processor (not some hobbled mobile processor) with all that memory and storage space and the included keyboard, it can just about replace your laptop - even if it won’t quite replace your 1968 Shelby Mustang.
