Microsoft releases first firmware update for Surface RT
updated 06:36 am EST, Wed November 14, 2012
Microsoft Surface RT gets performance boosting patch
Microsoft has issued the first system firmware update for the Surface with Windows RT. Although unspecified, the firmware update brings with it performance improvements that have been reported to speed up the launching of applications. The update also brings with it several security patches and other minor fixes.
Among the general fixes include an issue with Favorites not working correctly in IE10, while a cumulative update resolves Windows Store Apps from being fully installed that we encountered when reviewing the Surface RT. Other tweaks improve performance when waking the computer from sleep as well as preserving power when in sleep mode. Four security updates were also served by Microsoft today as well, bringing the total number of patches to the Surface RT up to 8 for this install.
In our brief hands on with the new update the most notable improvement was to the performance of certain 3D games, including Hydro Thunder Hurricane. Prior to the update, the game graphics on the Surface RT were choppy and the frame rates were particularly slow. It now runs at a more playable framerate, although Fruit Ninja still exhibited choppiness during the more graphically intensive moments. Overall, though, the update looks promising though we hope that Microsoft and Nvidia continue to work on optimizing the 3D gaming performance on the Surface RT.
