Surface Pro - $899

Pricing finally out for January release

http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/11/29/next-up-for-the-surface-family-surface-with-windows-8-pro-pricing.aspx

64GB standalone version at $899

128GB standalone version at $999

Still seems a bit expensive, even if it is a viable "PC replacement". Was hoping it would be ~$700.

With the cutting of Surface RT orders from China by 1/2 stated today in articles, I would have expected both versions to have a reduction in price. I think Pro will trounce RT in sales...

1 minute ago, JohnAskew wrote

I think Pro will trounce RT in sales...

I think it would trounce a lot of general laptops in sales. Perfect school device.

Wow, that's a steep price! If you get they keyboard you are looking at an entry level of $1000... for a device with a 10" screen. There's not enough magic going on with this device for justify that price.

No information about preordering. Maybe they'll offer a discount when/if they decide to do preorders.

14 minutes ago, Visible = False wrote

Wow, that's a steep price! If you get they keyboard you are looking at an entry level of $1000... for a device with a 10" screen. There's not enough magic going on with this device for justify that price.

In fact, it isn't steep. What did you pay for your last development capable laptop? Be honest!

@JohnAskew: I paid $1200 and it came with an i7, 8GB RAM, 300GB HDD, 1080p with a bluray player, and can play Arkham Asylum on high settings. And it is pretty light with good build quality.

Steep? I'm actually pleasantly surprised. I think that's a great price for a laptop/tablet hybrid, or even a tablet with touchscreen and stylus.

@Bas: I agree. This is a fantastic price assuming they include the touch cover and it has a digitizer. I still think I'd go with regular convertible laptop for any serious work though. 10" screen is just too small.

edit: just saw on Win Supersite that the cover is not included. So the prices are really $1020-$1120? I can get a more powerful touch-screen laptop for that money.

1 hour ago, JohnAskew wrote

In fact, it isn't steep. What did you pay for your last development capable laptop? Be honest!

To be honest, I would never consider something with an Atom processor, a 10" screen, and only 64 GB of drive space a "development capable" anything. Not my idea of a productive environment whatsoever.

1 minute ago, Visible = False wrote

*snip*

To be honest, I would never consider something with an Atom processor, a 10" screen, and only 64 GB of drive space a "development capable" anything. Not my idea of a productive environment whatsoever.

Eh? Surface Pro has an i5.

40 minutes ago, Bas wrote

Steep? I'm actually pleasantly surprised. I think that's a great price for a laptop/tablet hybrid, or even a tablet with touchscreen and stylus.

I do think it's a bit much. This puts it into the realm of a MacBook Air which would arguably have a better feature list for the price. It will be interesting to see how well they sell in the market and where OEMs price their versions of the tablet. 

@Visible = False:

But can you touch the MacBook Air's screen? No, you can not.

Unless you want fingerprints.

It's difficult to find even non-touch notebooks with 1920 x 1080 displays for less than $1000.

This one has touch and a digitizer. 

OneNote 2013 performance/features on it would be a do or die for me...

2 hours ago, MasterPie wrote

@JohnAskew: I paid $1200 and it came with an i7, 8GB RAM, 300GB HDD, 1080p with a bluray player, and can play Arkham Asylum on high settings. And it is pretty light with good build quality.

Yours is an HDD rather than SSD, lacks touch capability, and has no digitizer (I'm assuming).

The difference in price would account for a good portion of the difference between the i5 vs i7, the the Blu-ray player, and extra memory.

BTW, I got an ASUS 17" notebook with i7, 8GB RAM, 500GB HDD, 1920 x 1080 display, and a BD-R for only $1100. You got ripped off.

28 minutes ago, Visible = False wrote

*snip*

I do think it's a bit much. This puts it into the realm of a MacBook Air which would arguably have a better feature list for the price. It will be interesting to see how well they sell in the market and where OEMs price their versions of the tablet. 

No offense, but you're spouting off ignorantly (you thought the Pro was an Atom device?). The cheapest MacBook Air has exactly the same specs at exactly the same price. "which would arguably have a better feature list" is simply hogwash. Once you step down from your fanboi chair you won't be able to name a single feature the MacBook Air has over the Surface Pro. In contrast, as Bass points out, there are a few features in the Surface that don't exist in the MacBook Air (touch, digitizer/pen input). The price is high because this is a high end device, but it's more than competitive with devices in that range.

This is what other devices in this category are going for: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-ATIV-Smart-PC-500T/dp/B0098O9TB0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354223376&sr=8-1&keywords=samsung+ative+smart+pc.

Note the very similar pricing. Then note this one is an Atom machine, has a lower res screen, less RAM, and USB 2 instead of 3. Search around... there's plenty of other comparable devices out there, and very few can compare on price, features and specs. Is this high for many? Yep, but those people are going to be fine with the $350-500 RT and Atom based tablets, including the Surface. In the class where the Surface Pro fits, $900-1100 is very competitive in pricing.