There is a reason why there is no 16GB Microsoft Surface Tablet

Microsoft has confirmed what many had suspected, that it didn't offer a 16GB Surface RT tablet because there would have been virtually no room for customer content on the device.

According to a FAQ published Monday, a 32GB Surface has approximately 16GB of storage space available after accounting for the Windows RT operating device, numerous built-in "Windows Store" (formerly "Metro") apps, OS recovery tools, and the bundled Office RT.

The operating system, apps and Office RT consume 8GB, while the Windows recovery tools occupy another 5GB. In other words, about 45% of the storage in an entry-level Surface RT has already been spoken for before the tablet is unboxed.

A 64GB Surface RT provides about 46GB of available storage space, or 78% of the total.

Although Microsoft spelled out the two storage options when it introduced the Surface last June, it did not reveal how much would be available to the customer or say why it wasn't offering a 16GB model, presumably at a lower price. Many assumed that Windows' size simply precluded a 16GB device.

It wasn't until the day of the Surface RT launch event, where prices were disclosed that someone from Microsoft first talked about how much storage space would be available to the user.