Microsoft Surface web benchmarks reveal terrible performance

Independent benchmark tests by Futuremark have revealed that Microsoft's Surface tablet is surprisingly slow at web browsing.

When run through the Peacekeeper: Universal Browser Test, the Microsoft Surface speed test came out at just 348, just over a third of the result from the new Apple iPad 4, which scored 951.

The Surface also scored slower than the Apple iPad mini (515), Nexus 7 (489) and even last year's Apple iPhone 4S model (438). In fact, the Microsoft Surface only just beat the Eee Pad Transformer Prime (344).

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer recently told CNBC: "You can go through the products from all those guys and none of them has a product that you can really use." Ballmer continued, "Not Apple. Not Google. Not Amazon. Nobody has a product that lets you work and play that can be your tablet and your PC. Not at any price point."

Apple's CEO Tim Cook retorted that Microsoft's Surface tablet is a "compromised" and "confusing" device.

For such a high-profile launch packing relatively modern technology, the results from the Surface must be disappointing to Microsoft. Fortunately the sluggish response may be due to Windows 8 software rather than the underlying technology, and Microsoft may be able improve the performance over time.