Microsoft 64GB Surface Pro ships with a mere 23GB free

By Mike Flacy Published February 15, 2013

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Check out our full review of the Microsoft Surface Pro tablet.

Confirmed in a statement released by Microsoft earlier today, the 64GB version of the Surface Pro tablet will ship with just 23GB of storage space available for applications, movies, music and other content. In addition, the 128GB version of the Surface Pro will ship with just 83GB of free storage space. By comparison, the 64GB iPad offers users approximately 57GB of free space in the standard factory state. According to Microsoft representatives, over 40GB of space is being utilized by a more complex operating system, a “recovery partition” to allows users to backup all data and multiple applications like the trial version of Office 2013.

Recommended Videos

While users can reclaim the storage space to free up more room for content, they will need a basic understanding of managing space on a hard drive. The backup data can be moved to an external device like a portable hard drive and users can delete the partition as well as delete applications that simply aren’t being used. However, less-advanced users may not understand how to accomplish these tasks.

Microsoft representatives were quick to mention that the Surface Pro comes with 7GB of free storage space in the cloud through SkyDrive. In addition, Surface Pro owners can utilize the microSDXC card slot to add an additional 64GB of storage using a memory card that’s sold separately. The tablet also comes with a USB 3.0 port which allows users to connect anything from a USB flash drive to an external hard drive in order to expand the total storage space.

When the Surface RT launched last year, the device had similar storage issues. The 32GB version of the Surface RT shipped with only 16GB free and the 64GB version shipped with 46GB of available storage space. Both versions of the Microsoft Surface Pro are expected to ship on February 9, 2013. The 64GB version of the tablet will cost $899 and the 128GB version will be priced at $999.

Topics

Contributing Editor

By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…

Computing

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 needs 64GB of RAM for ‘ideal’ specs

A cockpit view in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is just a couple of months away from release, and developer Asobo Studio has released the system requirements for the game. For the most part, there isn't much to talk about. The game can scale down to an aging GTX 970 and up to a recent RTX 4080, but one requirement has players scratching their heads -- 64GB of RAM to meet the "ideal" system requirements.

That's an unheard of amount of memory for a game, even in 2024. For some context, I have a PC packing an RTX 4090 and Ryzen 7 7800X3D, which is just about the most powerful gaming PC you can buy right now. Even with all of that hardware, I still only have 32GB of RAM. Why would you need more? Even the most demanding games can never hope to saturate 32GB of RAM, and there's a strong argument that 16GB is enough for most titles. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is changing that narrative.

Computing

This Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 deal cuts the price by $1,000

Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 sitting on a table.

Microsoft's Surface devices are powerful and versatile -- but those benefits usually come with a steep price. That's why there's always high demand for Surface Laptop and Surface Pro deals, and here's one that we think will sell out quickly -- the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for $2,500, following a $1,000 discount from B&H Photo Video on its original price of $3,500. It's still not cheap, but it's an excellent price for a laptop of this caliber. This deal ends on September 22, but it could sell out any minute.

Why you should buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
The first thing that stands out with the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is its beautiful 14.4-inch PixelSense Flow touchscreen that offers a 120Hz refresh rate and support for Dolby Vision IQ and HDR. The device also offers three modes: Laptop Mode where you can use its keyboard for typing, Stage Mode where you pull the display towards you to cover the keyboard and give you an angled display for watching streaming shows, and Studio Mode that transforms it into a tablet for sketching. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 also comes with Windows 11 Home pre-loaded in its 2TB SSD.

Computing

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is up to $600 off today

The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2.

Microsoft is the home of one of the better laptop deals at the moment, with up to $600 off select models of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2. The discount varies depending on the specification you go for, so essentially the more you spend, the bigger the saving. Models start from $1,900 instead of $2,000 and the highest end option costs $3,100 instead of $3,700. We’re on hand to take you through all the different options available so you can find what works best for you and your budget. These deals will end on August 25. To check out all the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 options, click the link below or keep reading while we take you through it.

Why you should buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
It wasn’t that long ago that the idea of Microsoft being one of the best laptop brands felt unimaginable. Since then though, its Surface series has easily earned that place. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, for instance, is designed for creative professionals so it’s powerful and stylish.