Microsoft seemed to apply the strict hardware standard it placed in its Windows Phone 7 devices to its upcoming Windows 8 OS.
Here is the list:
• Hardware buttons: Power, Rotation lock, Windows key, Volume up, Volume down.
• Display: Minimum of 1366 x 768 resolution at a depth of 32 bits.
• Screen Touch points: 5
• NFC: Must have “touch marks” to indicate where to tap.
• Storage: Must have at least 10GB free space available for the user
• Camera: Capable of shooting 720p videos or better.
• GPU: Direct3D 10 GPU with WDDM 1.2 driver.
• Sensors: light sensor, magnetometer, accelerometer, gyroscope.
• Others: WLAN, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, Speakers.
These requirements prove the commitment of Microsoft in avoiding fragmentation among its devices to have a universal experience among all users. Of course, it might also mean that windows 8 tablets will be pricier compared with android tablets because of the required “extra stuff”.
Source: Microsoft