- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How they compare
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Compare with...
- Google Nexus 10
- Google Nexus 7
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
- Apple iPad 4
- Apple iPad 3
- 10.6"
- 32 GB
- WiFi
- Windows 8
Released October, 2012
- 7"
- 16 GB
- WiFi
- Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Released September, 2012
Rated 83% by by c|net (Nov, 2012)Look for more definitive battery life results once CNET Labs has a chance to put the tablet through its paces.
Conclusion Which is better for you?
Features Key features of the Microsoft Surface RT compared to the Amazon Kindle Fire HD
“10.6
Windows 8
Rated 80% by by Christopher-LeeThe interface is clean, sleek, and performs great- one reason Microsoft limited the resolution was to ensure that the processor (the formidable A9 nVIDIA Tegra 3) could run everything at speeds and smoothness rivaling anything iOS and Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean can toss out.
7”
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Rated 83% by by c|net (Nov, 2012)Its larger, higher-resolution screen better facilitates Amazon's still-new Kindle Fire interface, and its faster processor makes for a much smoother and zippier experience than what its 7-inch counterpart delivered.
screen size
10.6"
7"
Surface RT by Maximilian (Nov, 2012)You will scroll very long (big) lists, go between a lot of screens back and forth.
Kindle Fire HD by Robin-C.-Bryant--Mrs.-Bryant (Nov, 2012)I LOVE the HD display as well as the size of the new kindle fire.
screen resolution
Surface RT by Christopher-LeeMicrosoft's ClearType technology is no gimmick; text looks genuinely impressive on this comparatively low-resolution panel, which negates (at least in part) a huge advantage held by higher-pixel displays.
Kindle Fire HD by Gregory-S.-MacBeth---Be-polite--be-professional--but-have-a-plan-to-kill-everybody-you-meet.--Gen-Mattis (Dec, 2012)With a resolution of 1920 x 1200 you will easily be able to watch videos in full HD brilliance and to be honest anything beyond this resolution in this size of a screen is overkill that is just using more power.
processor
Kindle Fire HD by Tony-Chang (Dec, 2012)My phone (Atrix HD) runs faster than my Kindle Fire HD 8.9, and my phone isn't even that fast (has same dual core 1.5ghz though).
Performance Real world tests of Microsoft Surface RT vs Amazon Kindle Fire HD
cpu speed
battery life
8 hour
11 hour
Surface RT by Eric-Hon (Nov, 2012)To summarize:Strengths- versatility, lightweight, solid battery life, solid construction, USB port; productivity software (but limited apps in Windows Store); touch keyboard is actually way better and responsive than expected; best Operating System for touch; more bang for your buck out of the box experience.
Kindle Fire HD by Gregory-S.-MacBeth---Be-polite--be-professional--but-have-a-plan-to-kill-everybody-you-meet.--Gen-Mattis (Dec, 2012)Battery life is great in the device and you could easily fly from New York to Los Angeles on one charge.
Differences What are the advantages of each
Advantages compared to the Amazon Kindle Fire HD
| More cores | Quad core | vs | Dual core |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twice as many cores; run more applications at once | |||
| Much bigger screen | 10.6" | vs | 7" |
| More than 50% bigger screen | |||
| More storage capacity | 32 GB | vs | 16 GB |
| 2x more storage capacity; Holds more music, movies and photos | |||
| Faster processor | 1.5 GHz | vs | 1.2 GHz |
| Around 30% faster processor; run computation-intensive applications, such as photo editing, faster | |||
| Much faster USB | 572 MB/s | vs | 57 MB/s (USB 2.0) |
| More than 10x faster USB; connect a high-speed external hard drive or other high-speed device | |||
| Marginally newer | Oct, 2012 | vs | Sep, 2012 |
| Release date 1 months later | |||
Advantages compared to the Microsoft Surface RT
| Significantly longer battery life | 11 hour | vs | 8 hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Around 40% longer battery life; surf the web longer without having to plug in | |||
| Lighter | 395 g | vs | 903 g |
| 2.3x lighter | |||
| Significantly sharper screen | 215 ppi | vs | 147 ppi |
| Around 50% sharper PPI; enjoy photo-realistic, crisp images | |||
| Has an open source operating system | Yes (Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich) | vs | No (Windows 8) |
| Somewhat common; Allows you the freedom to use your tablet however you like | |||
| Supports face unlock | Yes (Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich) | vs | No (Windows 8) |
| Somewhat common; bypass PIN entry, easier to unlock with one hand | |||
| Supports voice commands | Yes (Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich) | vs | No (Windows 8) |
| Somewhat common; Can be operated hands free | |||
| Smaller | 193 x 137 x 10 mm | vs | 275 x 172 x 14 mm |
| 2.3x smaller | |||
Reviews Word on the street
Microsoft Surface RT | Amazon Kindle Fire HD | ||
 |  
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Rated by 81 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by CAH (Nov, 2012) Rated 80% by by G.-Clough--Garrett (Nov, 2012) Rated 100% by by C.-Tung--Crazy-scientist (Nov, 2012) |  Rated by 611 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by walktowork (Nov, 2012) Rated 80% by by Matthew Rated 100% by by dev (Nov, 2012) | |
type
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7" | Rated 100% by by A.-Anderson--ann0314 (Jan, 2013)I will say if looking for something more for "school" for a child, the Surface, iPad, or Android tablets that run higher may be better.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7" | Rated 100% by by A.-Anderson--ann0314 (Jan, 2013)I have tried out a LOT of different services now , we have iPods (4) and a father with the upper end iPad, we have a cellphone and had a tablet that was Google/Android based, we own a Surface and now we own Kindles (3).
Microsoft Surface RT | Rated 100% by by MacAttack (Dec, 2012)What you get with Microsoft surface rt is Internet explorer 10(internet explorer finally beats firefox and google chrome), Microsoft office 2013(fully operational office on the a tablet and it works perfectly), apps through Microsoft office store(app store not the best but growing fast), and the great windows 8 UI(best UI ever, yes you have to learn some gestures, but once you do well worth it).
operating system
Microsoft Surface RT | Rated 80% by by Christopher-LeeThe big sticking point for many is that the Surface RT packs a screen with just 1368x768px resolution, which pales in comparison to many flagship Android tabs (typically packing Full HD screens at 1920x1080px, and the new Nexus 10 with the Retina-crushing 2560�00px) and of course, Apple's own Retina iPads (at a beautiful 2,048�536px).
Microsoft Surface RT | Rated 100% by by K.-Heim (Nov, 2012)So it appears that Microsoft will not let just any software install on the Surface RT, other than what they approve, through their site.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7" | Rated 100% by by A.-Anderson--ann0314 (Jan, 2013)10/10):. Strangely enough, the Kindle won on this level for me for a couple reasons (the Surface takes a good second because of the ability to add SD and flash cards to expand its size as do some of the Android systems.
screen
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7" | Rated 80% by by C.-Fox (Nov, 2012)It's more responsive, with what feels like a smoother touch surface, and it runs just as smoothly.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7" | Rated 100% by by John-WilliamsonWeighing in at 20 ounces, it has a solid feel, and the screen surface feels quite robust.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7" | Rated 100% by by B.-Sheppard--BookEnd (Dec, 2012)Add this devices personal email address to your email accounts, so that you can directly email the device documents from Microsoft Word.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7" | Rated 20% by by Rklosterman (Nov, 2012)It will look for your contacts if you have Yahoo, Gmail or a Microsoft Exchange account.
data
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7" | Rated 100% by by G.-DenickThe Fire HD has some faults - the charging time is painfully slow with the included USB charger, the power button is ridiculously hard to find, and the surface of the back is a bit too slippery.
Competition What else you should consider
 | 1 | Google Nexus 10 OK operating system |
 | 3 | Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2-way tie: High resolution front camera |
 | 4 | Apple iPad 4 Faster sunspider 0.9.1 benchmark |
 | 5 | Apple iPad 3 4-way tie: OK rear camera |
 | 6 | Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1" 3-way tie: Supported card formats |
 | 7 | HP TouchPad 5-way tie: Supports Flash |
 | 8 | Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Largest amount of storage capacity |
Discussions Get involved, ask your question about the Microsoft Surface RT and Amazon Kindle Fire HD
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