A Look at Microsoft's Cancelled Surface Mini

Megalith

Megalith

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Rumors of a smaller Surface device have been making the rounds for some time. In fact, Microsoft was actually planning to introduce one alongside its Surface Pro 3 at an event in May 2014, but that never panned out. Now, we finally get to see the fabled device, and it’s pretty clear why it was cancelled: the Mini ran Windows RT and only had 1GB of RAM.

...Microsoft scrapped the product just weeks before it was scheduled to be announced. The Surface Mini was supposed to launch alongside the Surface Pro 3 back in 2014, but the company made the decision to kill the device because it didn't have enough unique selling points to warrant its existence. Windows RT was basically killed just a few months later, with the unveiling of Windows 10 in September 2014.
 
But why?.

Its a Surface and it runs the magical Windows 10 (NSA edition)!!

On a serious note, they just needed to up the ram a little and use a low power x86 cpu, just to start the market for such devices.
 
A lot of people were looking forward to a surface mini. It was so close to being something real nice, but I believe not going to production was the right decision.
 
Underpowered and overpriced just needed to be white and silver with rounded corners and a storebased os
 
I had never considered a smaller screen version of the surface as something I wanted. I don't know many that do either.

Even if this had the same guts as the pro with just a smaller screen I'd still buy the larger version.
 
Trimlock said:
I had never considered a smaller screen version of the surface as something I wanted. I don't know many that do either.

Even if this had the same guts as the pro with just a smaller screen I'd still buy the larger version.
Click to expand...

I'd like one for travelling. Something that's like 7" that's x86. I only need it to play videos or read webpages. Right now, have the 10" Surface 3, but it's a little larger than I'd like. Of course, if they made one. I doubt it'd sell very well though. Windows on a tiny screen is a pain to use.
 
On a side note, I am pretty discussed that such expensive devices (Surface products) are even offered with 4GB of RAM. Yeah, lets buy a 1200$ device with inadequate RAM that isn't upgradeable. I wonder if Apple offers the Macbook Pro with 4Gb of RAM (if so, both these companies are ridiculous).
 
Staples said:
On a side note, I am pretty discussed that such expensive devices (Surface products) are even offered with 4GB of RAM. Yeah, lets buy a 1200$ device with inadequate RAM that isn't upgradeable. I wonder if Apple offers the Macbook Pro with 4Gb of RAM (if so, both these companies are ridiculous).
Click to expand...
All apple laptops come with 8gb minimum.
 
wait what? another windows RT device ? if you want a small windows tablet a Dell Venue 8 will do the job nicely.
 
krotch said:
I'd like one for travelling. Something that's like 7" that's x86. I only need it to play videos or read webpages. Right now, have the 10" Surface 3, but it's a little larger than I'd like. Of course, if they made one. I doubt it'd sell very well though. Windows on a tiny screen is a pain to use.
Click to expand...

I have an 8" Winbook I picked up from Microcenter a couple years ago.
Quad core atom cpu, 2GB ram, 32 GB storage, micro SD slot (using a 64GB card in mine) and a standard USB port.
Really nice tablet for the $99 I paid.

Came with 8.1, but I upgraded it to 10 during the free upgrade period and I'm currently running the latest version of 10.
Only runs 32 bit, but that's ok since it only has 2GB ram.

Kids use it for watching movies (from the micro SD card) while traveling, and I can use it to dial into the office if there's an emergency since it's full windows.
I can even plug a USB thumb drive into the USB port for even more storage, or plug in another USB device like a SD card reader to backup pictures from my camera.

Would be even more usable if it had a keyboard cover like the surface.
 
nutzo said:
I have an 8" Winbook I picked up from Microcenter a couple years ago.
Quad core atom cpu, 2GB ram, 32 GB storage, micro SD slot (using a 64GB card in mine) and a standard USB port.
Really nice tablet for the $99 I paid.

Came with 8.1, but I upgraded it to 10 during the free upgrade period and I'm currently running the latest version of 10.
Only runs 32 bit, but that's ok since it only has 2GB ram.

Kids use it for watching movies (from the micro SD card) while traveling, and I can use it to dial into the office if there's an emergency since it's full windows.
I can even plug a USB thumb drive into the USB port for even more storage, or plug in another USB device like a SD card reader to backup pictures from my camera.

Would be even more usable if it had a keyboard cover like the surface.
Click to expand...

I might shop around for something smaller. Over the years, the spacing on places seems to have gotten smaller. I remember sitting down comfortably in a plane with a 15" laptop on the tray. Now I feel all compressed in place with a 13" laptop. I always try to upgrade for the inbetween Economy and Business class now. As long as it's only like $100-200 bump up in price. Well worth it on 8 hour plane rides.

I just want a small Windows tablet, since I hate having to reencode videos for things like Android. I tried the Android tablet and got rid of it after a year.
 
krotch said:
I might shop around for something smaller. Over the years, the spacing on places seems to have gotten smaller. I remember sitting down comfortably in a plane with a 15" laptop on the tray. Now I feel all compressed in place with a 13" laptop. I always try to upgrade for the inbetween Economy and Business class now. As long as it's only like $100-200 bump up in price. Well worth it on 8 hour plane rides.

I just want a small Windows tablet, since I hate having to reencode videos for things like Android. I tried the Android tablet and got rid of it after a year.
Click to expand...

I like some of the Dell laptops that fold into a tablet.
A couple of the managers at work have them (13" model) and are much happier using them on a plane than their old standard laptops.

I also remember when I could sit on a plane and actually have room for my knees (I'm 6').
Glad I don't have to travel for work, and have generally tried to avoid any plan travel since they started shrinking the legroom a few years ago.

Just hoping they perfect the self driving cars by the time I retire, so I can just sleep over night while the car does the driving. No need for a plane unless you are going over seas.
 
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