Microsoft's entry-level Surface short on storage

Official figures have been released that reveal once its operating system, built-in apps and drive recovery space have been eliminated, Microsoft's entry-level 32GB Surface RT tablet is left with only 16GB of usable storage.

Published on Microsoft's Surface webpage, the figures contradict earlier claims by the company in October, before the official tablet launch, that its Windows RT operating system would only take up 12GB of space, leaving users who choose the cheapest device with 20GB of built-in storage for their own apps and media files.

There's a huge difference between 20GB and 16GB, and although tech-savvy users will argue that storage can be easily expanded via the cloud or via micro SD memory card and even USB drives (the tablet supports all three), apps have to be stored on the tablet's hard disk in order to run.

Considering that according to research firm Nielsen, the average mobile device contains 41 apps and that the latest research by ABI shows app sizes are increasing exponentially to take advantage of tablets' larger screens and faster processors -- games apps alone have grown by over 40 percent in file size since March -- anyone who has already bought a 32GB Surface Tablet could well have cause for complaint. Although Microsoft was approached for comment, the company has so far failed to respond.