Gallery: Check Out Microsoft's New, Slightly Better, Surface Tablets
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Microsoft announced its second-generation Surface tablet PCs and a handful of accompanying accessories today. Here's a closeup view of all the new products, from the new silver-encased Surface 2 (pictured on the right), to its thicker and more powerful counterpart, the Surface Pro 2 (pictured on the left).
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The Surface Pro 2 didn't get many external changes. It even has the exact same measurements and weight as the first-gen Surface Pro. Instead, most of its updates are inside, including a new Intel Haswell chip for power enhancement.
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A profile view of the Surface Pro 2, which is still a bit too thick and heavy to use comfortably in tablet form. But for an ultrabook replacement, it's very thin and light.
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The biggest external change to the Surface Pro 2? A kickstand that bends further back. The new kickstand has two angles, one for using on a desk, and another that is much better for in-lap use.
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The Surface 2 sports the same new kickstand as the Surface Pro 2. The former got a lot more external changes, however. It's thinner (0.35 inches) and lighter ("less than 1.49 pounds"), according to Microsoft.
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The Surface 2 also received a new, white-silver casing and bold Surface logo.
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The profile of the Surface 2 with the Touch Cover 2 attached. The Touch Cover 2 is also thinner than the original, making for a super sleek package when the two are connected.
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The Type Cover 2 got a makeover as well. It comes in more vibrant colors. More importantly, it's thinner and designed to make it easier for you to type accurately and quickly. Both the Touch Cover 2 and Type Cover 2 now have backlighting.
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The Surface Pro 2 with its many accessories: a stylus, the Type Cover 2 and the Surface Dock.
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When the Surface Pro 2 or Surface 2 are connected to the Surface dock, they get several extra ports including a Mini DisplayPort, Ethernet, audio in and out, one USB 3.0, and three USB 2.0.
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The Surface Pro 2 connected to an external display thanks to the Surface dock.
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Going forward, both the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 will get more unique and niche accessories. For example, this is the Surface Remix Project, a DJ tool attachment.
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