Microsoft have some genuinely powerfull PCs available in tablet form which you didn't even know existed. You're confused because...they're hopeless with marketing. Here's the breakdown.
*** EDIT: *** Surface 3 and Pro 3 have been released early 2015. Their naming convention has changed from the limitations of the prior versions. Note, these are now both full blown COMPUTERS in a tablet form factor. No longer is there a "phone" operating system in these devices as written blow. Full details here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2015/04/04/microsoft-surface-3-vs-surface-pro-3/
- Windows RT is a PHONE style operating system, the likes of which you've seen on Android and iStuff. You're locked into an "app store". It is not hardware. It's software. It's the "user interface" you'll be using.
- Windows 8 or 8.1 is regular Windows for a desktop computer. It's awesome. The "metro" or touchscreen interface is plainly stupid. but who cares, you can drop into normal desktop mode and do everything you've always been able to do forever and a day.
- Surface is a Microsoft hardware platform, typically a tablet or large presentation table display. It only runs a PHONE sytle operating system such as Windows RT (...almost exclusively RT). It's not awesome, and doesn't deserve your attention in any way...you can buy phone hardware in tablet sizes anywhere.
- Surface Pro (2,3,4) runs a different hardware subset, and is capable of running a full Windows 8 suite. However, it's often packaged with Windows RT, which makes zero sense for a consumer to blow money on. Fortunately consumers are stupid, and money is made.
- Surface 2,3,4. Don't confuse them with PRO 2,3 or 4. If it doesn't say "pro", it's only gonna run a phone style interface.
- Any Microsoft 8 tablet (not a surface device, not running RT), running an i3, i5, or i7 processor. BUY IT !!! These are full blown desktop computers in a tablet package. This is the product you want. It makes everything else look like a toy (which they are). Run regular desktop applications, or "phone-app" stuff as you please. A work companion. You don't need this if you're just checking Facebook and the weather though.
- Any Microsoft 8 tablet (not a surface device, not running RT), running any other processor. Buy it!! They run just like any other non Microsoft tablet you've ever gotten your hands on, except you're not locked into the phone-only-app environment. If you do a little more than check your email and social apps on your tablet, then think seriously about one of these. They're priced in between high end Android and Apple stuff, but their work-horse potential is waaaaaaay higher.
Summary:
- Windows RT is a phone style operating system like Android and iStuff. There's no reason to run it on a tablet. I don't know why you're buying it. We passed that with Windows-CE TWENTY YEARS ago. Yes 20 years ago!!!
- Surface is a weak computer that can only run phone software. I don't know why it exists in this era. We passed that on netbooks 6+ yrs ago with the 1st generation Atom processors...and frankly ARM processors up to a decade before that.
- Surface Pro is a hardware marketing fiasco, which is capable of running a full Windows operating system, but probably has Windows RT installed. Your IT guy needs to be fired if he buys one for your company.
- Window 8 Tablets are awesome. If the tablet you're looking at can "go to Desktop" then it's a genuine computer, and probably worth further investigation (price point etc...)
- Windows 8 tablets running i3,i5,i7 processors. If you can afford them, just buy one. It's a no brainer. It will do everything you'll ever want.
Good luck.
