Surface Pro and Windows Desktop Applications

Q: Will a Surface Pro device be able to run normal Windows desktop applications?

A: The Surface Pro runs the Windows 8 OS, as the Surface Pro is really just a Microsoft-created x86-based slate device. It has all the capabilities of any device running Windows 8, which means it can run both Windows 8 store (Metro) applications and normal desktop applications. This is different from the Surface RT device, which runs the Windows RT OS that's used on ARM processors and can't run desktop applications--it's primarily a companion device rather than a replacement device for a desktop or laptop.