Microsoft Surface tablet with Windows RT to start at $499

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
Leaked prices for Microsoft Surface reveal the tablet will not undercut Apple's iPad, as the entry-level 32-gigabyte model will cost $499.

At $499, Microsoft Surface will match Apple's starting price for the third-generation iPad with Retina display. Microsoft's entry-level offering will have twice the capacity of Apple's 16-gigabyte iPad, but the Surface also has a lower resolution 1,280-by-720-pixel 10.6-inch screen.

The basic model also comes without a touch cover, TechCrunch revealed on Tuesday. The keyboard cover accessory will be available with the Surface tablet for $599, while a top-of-the-line 64-gigabyte model with touch cover will run $699.

Microsoft's leaked pricing also confirms an earlier rumor that initial Surface hardware would be Wi-Fi-only. Apple also offers its iPad with cellular data connectivity at a $130 premium over the Wi-Fi models.

Surface WiFi


Microsoft has high hopes for the Surface, and plans to produce between 3 million and 5 million units in the fourth quarter to sell during the holiday season, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. That's said to be comparable to orders that Amazon placed for its Kindle Fire as well as Google's orders for Nexus 7 tablets.

However, market leader Apple is said to have ordered 10 million units for its anticipated "iPad mini" ahead of the holiday shopping season. Apple's smaller 7.85-inch iPad is expected to expand its tablet lineup, joining the existing full-size 9.7-inch model.

Microsoft Surface will go on sale next Friday, Oct. 26, alongside the new Windows 8 operating system. But the Surface will run its own unique OS known as Windows RT that is designed for devices powered by ARM processors.

While Windows 8 for traditional X86/64 processors will be available at retail, Windows RT will only be available preinstalled on PCs and tablets powered by ARM processors. Windows RT includes touch-optimized desktop versions of Microsoft Office, but will not run traditional third-party applications designed for Windows 8 PCs.

The Microsoft Surface will target the high end of the tablet market while Apple is expected to venture into the lower end with its new 7.85-inch model with a lower price point. Currently, Apple's entry level iPad is the $399 16-gigabyte iPad 2.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 155


    AI:


    The keyboard cover accessory will be available with the Surface tablet for $599, while a top-of-the-line 64-gigabyte model with touch cover will run $699.


     


    So to reproduce these cool clicking noises seen in the M$ ad, people have to spent at least 699$.


     


    Well done M$!

  • Reply 2 of 155
    postulantpostulant Posts: 1,272member
    I'd buy a cellular model.
  • Reply 3 of 155


    To be honest, this looks really desirable at first glance (or on the 'surface' heh), but I'm so weary about how well it'll be executed. On the hardware side, I wonder how well the tactile feedback will be on that cover, how much wear it can take, or how dirty it'll get. As for performance, I like to see how it stacks up in terms of battery life etc. Looks great as a concept, but can't wait to see how well it actually does.


     


    Seeing this is the price for RT tablets, how much will the full fledged Win8 one be? Several hundred more at the very least I imagine, putting it above iPad pricing.

  • Reply 4 of 155

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Postulant View Post



    I'd buy a cellular model.


    Doe's that mean you wait till next year?

  • Reply 5 of 155


    Surface 32GB - 499 USD


    Full Microsoft Office, USB ports, microsd card support, uHDMI for video out, file browser, flash support, mouse support, double the capacity of the same price iPad. Heck adding a 32GB microsd card for less than 30 USD and you get a 64GB device for less than 600 USD.


     


    oh..and there are way cheaper Windows 8 options than Surface. The Iconia W510 with ATOM is the same price as the 32GB Surface with all the feature set and the 16GB iPad .

  • Reply 6 of 155

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by OriginalG View Post


    To be honest, this looks really desirable at first glance (or on the 'surface' heh), but I'm so weary about how well it'll be executed. On the hardware side, I wonder how well the tactile feedback will be on that cover, how much wear it can take, or how dirty it'll get. As for performance, I like to see how it stacks up in terms of battery life etc. Looks great as a concept, but can't wait to see how well it actually does.


     


    Seeing this is the price for RT tablets, how much will the full fledged Win8 one be? Several hundred more at the very least I imagine, putting it above iPad pricing.



    It seems to be all rubber coated. Maybe you can put it in the dish washer. That at least would be interesting.

  • Reply 7 of 155

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ricardo Dawkins View Post


    Surface 32GB - 499 USD


    Full Microsoft Office, USB ports, microsd card support, uHDMI for video out, file browser, flash support, mouse support, double the capacity of the same price iPad. Heck adding a 32GB microsd card for less than 30 USD and you get a 64GB device for less than 600 USD.


     


    oh..and there are way cheaper Windows 8 options than Surface. The Iconia W510 with ATOM is the same price as the 32GB Surface with all the feature set and the 16GB iPad .



     


    If you want a Microsoft Surface, go buy one! 

  • Reply 8 of 155
    Will that mean that any non-MS tablet running WRT will start at around $ 599 since they'll have to pay for a licence? Of course, it's just a 'design-release' and manufacturers can do whatever they like...
  • Reply 9 of 155
    So about the same dpi as the iPad 2 then?
  • Reply 10 of 155

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ricardo Dawkins View Post


    Surface 32GB - 499 USD


    Full Microsoft Office....


     



    Full? really - they pulled that old trick when they went head to head against palm devices back in the day. People jumped from the (at the time) very capable Treo to some windows pocket OC because it offered MS Office. Now the palm office products (from various suppliers) were in fact more capable, and more compatible with the 'pocket' version of word, excel etc.. but slick marketing made it seem like you got FULL office features and compatibility.


     


    Now another thing you get with Apple, are that you buy apps for you phone - and they are available across all devices.(I know you can get enhanced versions for iPad - but even the iPhone versions will work) How will this work with the RT versions of surface, v the windows 8 versions. You gotta buy mutliple copies?


    So I buy an expensive package on my Windows 8 surface, but at work I would like to use same software on more powerful desktop - do I have yo buy it twice?

  • Reply 11 of 155
    Wow one of the negative comments about the surface is "The basic model also comes without a touch cover, TechCrunch revealed on Tuesday. The keyboard cover accessory will be available with the Surface tablet for $599". This is part of the conversation comparing it to the ipad, but the ipad doesnt come with any accessories either? If you want the smart cover for the ipad you are looking at another $40-70, if you want a bluetooth keyboard cover for the ipad you are looking at another $100, so why put down the surface for not including an accessory? if it was including it wouldnt be considered "an accessory". Thus it definitely is undercutting the ipad on price.
  • Reply 12 of 155


    I just don't see this taking off. There is an MS store in Atlanta so I may check it out.  This just feels like MS is coming into a football game when the score is 70-0 and all they have is a field goal kicker. The best tablet out there behind the iPad is the Asus T700 and even that is a very distant second.


     


    With the recent iPhone release, a new iPad mini and a possible 13" Macbook Pro with retina display this month the Surface launch is going to have a hard time getting press.  

  • Reply 13 of 155


    HW always looks shiny.   


     


    Question will be how the Interface works.  Or more importantly, how great will it be to 'produce content' (since the problem with the iPad is that it 'can't' product content).  As soon as I see Word 2013 on there or PowerPoint running, and people raving about it, THEN I'll allow myself to be impressed.


     


    Remember, At all the news events about this, non M$ people were not allowed to touch/interact with the device.  


     


    The price is right for the time being.  If the unit is functional, then we'll see if Apple lowers the umbrella.


     


    I may, for the first time, actually enter the MoA M$ store to touch one.   In my current job, mobile devices are the future, and we are a M$ shop on the network (AD/Exchange/Office/TMG), but Oracle/Java(serverside) for the apps.  I'm seriously looking at a device that the organization can accept (We love Macs, but due to compliance reqs, iPads don't cut it [endpoint DLP and AV... yeah, I know... it's a checkbox issue, but the head of Risk Management doesn't know security, just checkboxes], so if M$ can get us closer to that, I have to look at it).

  • Reply 14 of 155
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member


    I like the keyboard... but I still don't understand.... why the mouse?  I actually don't understand it.

  • Reply 15 of 155
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AndyShannon View Post



    Wow one of the negative comments about the surface is "The basic model also comes without a touch cover, TechCrunch revealed on Tuesday. The keyboard cover accessory will be available with the Surface tablet for $599". This is part of the conversation comparing it to the ipad, but the ipad doesnt come with any accessories either? If you want the smart cover for the ipad you are looking at another $40-70, if you want a bluetooth keyboard cover for the ipad you are looking at another $100, so why put down the surface for not including an accessory? if it was including it wouldnt be considered "an accessory". Thus it definitely is undercutting the ipad on price.


    You're post is dead on about everything but the last line.  It is undercutting the 32gb by $100- that's true.  But even taking the OS and App store out of the equation (Apple's biggest advantage), that retina display that the surface doesnt have has to account for some serious $ the other way.

  • Reply 16 of 155


    Let me see... Same price as the iPod... plus $100 for the only available protective cover that you must remove when not using the tablet (huh?)... essentially no software... first generation OS and hardware... Lots of Monkey boy promises that may or may not ever see light of day. Lastly, one billion dollars of advertisements showing users throwing their Surface tablets overhand while generally acting like they lost their minds...

  • Reply 17 of 155

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AndyShannon View Post



    Wow one of the negative comments about the surface is "The basic model also comes without a touch cover, TechCrunch revealed on Tuesday. The keyboard cover accessory will be available with the Surface tablet for $599". This is part of the conversation comparing it to the ipad, but the ipad doesnt come with any accessories either? If you want the smart cover for the ipad you are looking at another $40-70, if you want a bluetooth keyboard cover for the ipad you are looking at another $100, so why put down the surface for not including an accessory? if it was including it wouldnt be considered "an accessory". Thus it definitely is undercutting the ipad on price.


     


    IMO, it's because the marketing around the Surface makes the cover a big selling point. The ads focus on the cover a lot, so it builds the expectation that it is part of the device. Then you see a starting price of $499, (possibly) get excited, then see the 'real' starting price for what you were shown is actually $599. There's a disconnect there that TechCrunch is pointing out

  • Reply 18 of 155

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Andysol View Post


    You're post is dead on about everything but the last line.  It is undercutting the 32gb by $100- that's true.  But even taking the OS and App store out of the equation (Apple's biggest advantage), that retina display that the surface doesnt have has to account for some serious $ the other way.



    for corp accounts, OS and App store are non-starters.


     


    The bigger issue is whether or not I need 32GB... can I live on a corporate LAN or MS-VPN and have full access to my network drives, and/or Office365.com.


     


    But no cellular technology out of the box?   to paraphrase the above football analogy... this is like coming into the 2nd half of a game behind 70-0 with a great ground game, but no QB or wide receivers...  'Mobile' requires that ubiquituous access. 

  • Reply 19 of 155
    steven n.steven n. Posts: 1,229member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AndyShannon View Post



    Wow one of the negative comments about the surface is "The basic model also comes without a touch cover, TechCrunch revealed on Tuesday. The keyboard cover accessory will be available with the Surface tablet for $599". This is part of the conversation comparing it to the ipad, but the ipad doesnt come with any accessories either? If you want the smart cover for the ipad you are looking at another $40-70, if you want a bluetooth keyboard cover for the ipad you are looking at another $100, so why put down the surface for not including an accessory? if it was including it wouldnt be considered "an accessory". Thus it definitely is undercutting the ipad on price.


    I think because there were so many posts and rumors about MS going in at the entire thing for $200-$300 keyboard cover included.  By keeping silent for so long on price, people let their imagination run wild with baseless speculation.

  • Reply 20 of 155

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ricardo Dawkins View Post


    Surface 32GB - 499 USD


    Full Microsoft Office, USB ports, microsd card support, uHDMI for video out, file browser, flash support, mouse support, double the capacity of the same price iPad. Heck adding a 32GB microsd card for less than 30 USD and you get a 64GB device for less than 600 USD.


     


    oh..and there are way cheaper Windows 8 options than Surface. The Iconia W510 with ATOM is the same price as the 32GB Surface with all the feature set and the 16GB iPad .



     


    Overlooking the hyperbole and what will likely prove to have been misleading remarks (e.g., "Full Microsoft Office"), let's go straight to the cold hard reality that this thing is probably DOA, just like WinPhone 8 is going to be DOA. The HW & SW quality is likely going to be crap. (No hands on demos to date, and they are releasing this when?) The keyboard (Again, no hands on demos to date) is probably going to suck too. But, beyond that, there isn't going to be much in the way of quality software available, with only a couple of thousand apps that Microsoft had to pay developers to write (or port) and aren't likely to get supported past their initial releases. The overall user experience will suck as well, because Microsoft's user experience always sucks. And, lastly, Microsoft ran out of mindshare at least 5 years ago, and no one really cares that it's from Microsoft. If anything, that's one or two strikes against it.

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