Phenquestions
With Microsoft upgrading its Surface family lineup after introduction of the Surface 2, Nokia also joins the league. We didn't expect another Windows RT tablet in the market after looking at the Windows RT success rate, but Nokia made it happen by introducing Nokia Lumia 2520.
Although both tablets are a part of the same family, they do have some differences. Let's have an in-depth look on the features and specifications of both Microsoft Surface 2 and Nokia Lumia 2520.
Microsoft Surface 2 vs. Nokia Lumia 2520
Processor
Surface 2 announced back in late summer 2013 houses a Nvidia Tegra 4 CPU clocked at 1.7GHz with a quad-core architecture. It has the Nvidia GeForce GPU alongside.
Announced at Nokia World 2013 (back few days before), Nokia Lumia 2520 is powered by Snapdragon 800 CPU clocked at 2.2GHz having a quad-core architecture and the Adreno 330 GPU.
When the performance is compared, Snapdragon 800 stands ahead with more clock speed, graphic processing power, video playback and wireless connectivity. Nokia Lumia 2520 has a clear advantage over Surface 2 - thanks to Snapdragon 800.
That doesn't mean Surface 2 is inferior. Both of CPUs are equally powerful to run Windows RT 8.1 and their apps smoothly. It's just that Snapdragon 800 performance is significantly better than Nvidia Tegra 4, but it's negligible (unless you game).
The Surface 2 could have used Snapdragon 800 instead of Nvidia Tegra 4, but it didn't as Snapdragon 800 was not available when Microsoft tied hands with Nvidia.
Screen
Surface 2 has a 10.6 inch display with stock resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. Lumia 2520 has a 10.1 inch display with stock resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. Both of them use IPS LCD panel that offers better viewing angles.
When it comes to screen size Surface 2 has a bigger screen when compared to Lumia 2520. Lumia 2520 uses the same ClearBlack technology from its smartphones. Which is an array of polarizers that controls the light entering the display which in turn increases contrast and reduces reflection. This is how Nokia promises to offer outdoor visibility on its Lumia 2520.
Surface 2 on the other hand managed to reduce reflections by fusing together the glass, touch panel and the LCD (like the iPad). With this you'll feel as if you're actually touching an element on the screen.
Coming down to the toughness, Nokia Lumia 2520 uses Gorilla Glass 2 to avoid scratches on it. We expect Surface 2 to have a similar glass, but there's no official word from Microsoft yet.
Design
Microsoft made several changes to the original Surface RT tablet, still Surface 2 looks similar to the original one. It retains the lightweight VaporMag magnesium-alloy construction and angular beveled edges.
Lumia 2520 has the same polycarbonate housing that is used in other Lumia phones. It has a curvy design that feels thin and light (according to the internet).
Dimension wise Lumia 2520 is smaller and lighter than Surface 2, and unlike Surface 2 it comes with many color options to choose from. They are red, cyan, white and black.
Surface 2 comes with a built-in kickstand to let the tablet rest like a laptop. Some people may find the kickstand as an advantage of Surface 2 over Lumia 2520.
Camera
Microsoft and Nokia have chosen altogether different priorities over their cameras. With Surface 2 front camera coming up with 3.5 megapixels which records the highest among the tablets. A much larger sensor, good image capture quality and a sharp image touch make it outstanding among the tablets so far. However the 5 megapixel rear camera is no surprise.
Lumia 2520 features 6.7 megapixel rear camera with the fastest lens f/1.9 lens and 1/3.4” sensor with a decent 2 megapixel front camera.
Connectivity
Here Nokia Lumia 2520 actually aces the comparison with 4G LTE connectivity whereas Surface 2 supports only WiFi connectivity. Surface 2 has a USB 3.0 port and micro HDMI video output port this enables you to plug USB's, mice and keyboards.
Lumia 2520 has micro USB 3.0 port hence will need a converter to plug keyboard and mice. You can get a full-sized USB port on Lumia 2520 with a cleaver keyboard case.
With most of Nokia Lumia phones having NFC support, keeping its trend, a similar has been introduced for Windows tablet with a clear vision of enabling communication between the two where Surface lacks this support.
Keyboard
When it comes to productivity keyboard is one of the vital necessity. Being Windows RT tablet both tablets have an option to attach a keyboard and enhance your use. Lumia 2520 has an optional keyboard accessory called Nokia Power Keyboard having slim-line keys. The keyboard is included with a built-in battery to extend your tablet's battery life by 5 hours and adds two full-size USB 2.0 ports. The keyboard is also coupled with a kickstand as the tablet doesn't include one.
Surface 2 has two keyboard accessory options - they are 'TouchCover 2' and 'TypeCover 2'. They're the same TouchCover and TypeCover of the original Surface but with a tweaked build, and support for gestures. These Surface 2 accessories do not have a built-in battery, unlike Lumia 2520 keyboard accessory. The TouchCover and TypeCover of the original Surface RT (first generation Surface RT), both of are compatible with Surface 2.
Keyboards are not bundled with any of these tablets. They're sold as a separate accessory. Microsoft is selling TouchCover for $119.99 and TypeCover for $129.99 and Nokia is selling its Power Keyboard accessory for $149.
Price
Considering the price tag, both of them are priced relatively closed to each other. The Surface 2 start at $449 for 32GB of storage, and $549 for 64GB of storage. It is reported that Nokia Lumia 2520 will get a price tag of $499 excluding the tax.
Have a look at the comparison chart below. Click on it to see the large image.
Now tell us, which one so you think would be a better buy! Would love to hear your opinion.
