Microsoft Surface Covers

I have been using the Touch Cover for Microsoft Surface tablet for quite a some time now. In fact, this whole review is written using the Touch Cover. It is basically Smart Cover style accessory, which doubles as a keyboard. Microsoft also offers Type Cover and Power Cover. The idea is the same, but they all have their pros and cons. The Touch Cover is the thinnest and lightest and uses a pressure sensitive surface as a keyboard. The Type Cover is slightly thicker and heavier, but still portable. The main advantage over the pressure sensitive Touch Cover is that it has “normal” mechanical keys. It is much easier to use and to type on. The newest addition to the family is the Power Cover. It is basically a Type Cover with an integrated battery, which can improve the battery life of your Surface Pro. Note that I said Surface Pro. This cover works only with the Surface Pro or Surface Pro 2. The other covers work with the whole family of Surface tablets.

As I mentioned above, I currently have the “flattest” Touch Cover. From far away, it looks like a traditional cover, but when you get closer, you can see the keyboard on the inside. It is weird and cool at the same time. The typing experience is like no other. It feels more like touch screen, but it is not as responsive as touch screen, so you can lay your hands down and touch type like on regular keyboard. Microsoft thought about this and it works OK for the majority of time, but definitely not perfectly. I experienced a lot of missed keys and taps. I would prefer it to be a bit more sensitive. Other than that it is pretty straight forward. It has a small touchpad (also without clicky keys), it covers the display and attaches magnetically. Nothing new here. Microsoft claims they have fixed these problems with the second generation Touch Cover (which is also backlit) and made it even thinner, but from my very short experience, I can say that it is better, but still not as easy nor fast as typing on a regular keyboard.

All and all, Microsoft tried to create a family of tablets and a family of covers to compliment the tablets. Their tablets are really good, but not perfect. The same thing applies for the covers. The Touch Cover is not the most comfortable typing experience, but on the other hand, the Power Cover is far too heavy and thick for a tablet accessory. The “ordinary” Type Cover is probably the sweet spot. It is comfortable, but not too cumbersome, but I will stay with my Touch Cover for now.