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Microsoft’s Surface Pro Tablet to Cost $870?

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Leaked pricing of Microsoft’s Surface Pro tablet, which will run on Intel’s Core i5 processor alongside Windows 8 Professional, suggests that the tablet may land in the U.S. for the starting price of $870. In Germany, retailer Notebook.de is listing the 128 GB model for about $909 and the 64 GB model is priced at approximately $1,035, though those pricing includes the VAT taxes that are found in Europe.

imagesAccording to Phone Arena, for countries like the U.S. where there isn’t any VAT–U.S. has separate sales taxes added where applicable at the point of purchase–pricing is a bit lower with the 64 GB model starting at $868 and the 128 GB model priced at $976, or just under $1,000.

This would make the Surface Pro tablet priced higher than Apple’s iPad tablet at the high end. The maximum configuration for a fourth generation iPad without 3G/4G connectivity, meaning WiFi-only, is a 64 GB model and that tablet retails for $700. If the pricing translates, an $870 64 GB Surface Pro tablet would create a $170 pricing disparity between the Pro edition and the iPad.

To be fair, Microsoft does have a more competitive Surface RT tablet that is already available today. That version runs on the Windows RT operating system and is designed around an ARM processor. As such, the Surface RT will not offer backward compatibility with legacy programs designed for Windows 7 or earlier.

The Surface Pro will be competitively priced with other tablets and hybrid tablets running Windows 8 with a capable Intel Core CPU. For comparison, Samsung’s Ative Smart PC Pro tablet with a keyboard dock is listed for $1,200 on Amazon and that model comes with 128 GB of storage.

 

25 Comments

25 Comments

  1. Patrick D. Aldridge

    11/06/2012 at 8:33 am

    Samsung ATIV Smart PC is listed on the Microsoft Store for $749.00 plus tx. So, since $1200 is not the going rate for the Samsung ATIV Smart PC, I would be willing to bet that your estimate of the Surface Pro will approximately 35% lower, bringing the price in at about $566.00- $600.00. $566- $600 would bring the Surface right in line with the rest of the tablets and make it extremely competitive with the IPAD.

    • Syn Lund

      11/06/2012 at 9:42 am

      The Samsung Atom version is 749. The Ativ i5 is version is 1199 as the article stated.

  2. AP

    11/06/2012 at 9:22 am

    An A6X vs i5, 1 GB of Ram vs 4gb of ram can you really compare the Surface Pro to an ipad 4? I would think the comparison would be the RT to the Ipad 4 and microsoft is cheaper.

    • Patrick D. Aldridge

      11/06/2012 at 11:24 am

      I guess I will be clear- The Samsung ATIV Smart PC is on Sale for $749.00 with FULL WINDOWS 8. So the arguments “Not fair to compare to a ipad” seems to be mute. Windows Full 8 (NOT RT) is already out and for sale on the ATIV…why would the surface be much different is price point?

      https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/pd/productID.256043200

      • John

        11/06/2012 at 1:51 pm

        It’s “moot” not “mute”.

      • TK

        11/06/2012 at 2:54 pm

        Samsung ativ smart PC 500 series may have windows 8 but its processor, Intel atom clovertrail, and GMA graphics card sets it much lower in terms of computing performance compared to an i5 ivy bridge and Intel HD 4000 igpu. Comparing ativ smart PC pro (700 series) and surface pro is fair. Comparing ativ smart PC (500 series) to other tablet hybrids like Asus vivo tab(not RT)/vivo tab smart, Lenovo thinktab 2 or Acer iconia w510 is comparable since all have windows 8 and Intel atom/GMA igpu. Comparing any RTs (surface rt, vivo tab rt, dell xps 10) to iPad is fair for the most part.

      • christhoher

        11/06/2012 at 7:49 pm

        your retarded! read the item that you listed one more time plz. Atom!

      • ZK

        11/08/2012 at 6:35 am

        Intel Atom Z2760 1.80 GHz <—- this is in that one and is the cheap smartphone/tablet processor
        Intel i5 Ivy <—– This is in the pro and it costs 250$ish by itself

        It is the processor not rt vs full that will increase the price

        Of course Microsoft could accept less profit as they have a lot of fat on the surface rt atm

  3. Sean Joseph

    11/06/2012 at 10:26 am

    Not really fair to compare the pro to the ipad in price. It runs a full scale OS, runs office, etc. It is a much more powerful machine, an ultrabook essentially in tablet form. It should cost more than an internet and game machine.

  4. Chris Trainor

    11/06/2012 at 10:26 am

    Why do folks keep comparing the Surface Pro to the iPad? The Surface RT is meant to compete with the iPad. The Pro is competing against netbooks and ultrabooks. You should compare it with the Macbook Air since the specs are basically the same.

    Its like comparing a Hybrid car with a Pickup Truck. Sure, they’re “Vehicles” and can be used for similar things, but ultimately have different markets and purposes in mind.

  5. Bill Reilly

    11/06/2012 at 11:26 am

    That website in Germany has the price including VAT as being 909€ (for the 128GB version), but the price before VAT is listed as 763.87€… If comparing to iPad prices before VAT or sales tax, the 64GB Surface’s price (679.83€) is a lot closer to the 64GB iPad’s price of $699…

    For what you get the Surface is a bargain…

  6. Ben

    11/06/2012 at 11:36 am

    This is a bit higher than I expected. $870 would be competitive with similarly equipped ultra-books. However, I doubt that price includes a touch or type cover. Add the type cover and you are talking about a $1000 device. That is a tad pricey for me. I’d like to see the whole package (Surface Pro + cover) come in at about $800-$900.

    However, I also wanted to see the Surface RT (with cover) come in at $500. So Microsoft seems to be selling these things for about $100 more than what they should cost. Perhaps this is a move to allow their OEM partners to have a fighting chance. Or maybe they are just greedy.

    • Tiago

      11/07/2012 at 8:13 pm

      Disagree, look at ATIV smart PC Pro. Outrageous. Even if Surface Pro comes full package at 1200$ I’d still buy it.
      It’s not even worth comparing it to iPad (not that you mentioned it Ben, but a lot of the folks out there keep mentioning and I can’t understand why). It’s a different league. If MSFT nails in the performance, it’s gonna be worth every penny and more. It’s just a pitty this comes after Xmas, there are some things I’ll never understand MSFT for… Even then for a .NET professional, just as me, I’ll be waiting for Jan, unless any of the OEMs gets crazy and releases an outrageously great specimen with Windows Pro out there (and at a fair price).

      • TK

        11/07/2012 at 8:25 pm

        The only tablet/pc that has the same specs as the pro for a good price is the iconia w700. (around 850-900 for the i5 core, 64gb, intel hd 4000 model) comes with keyboard and cradle dock. The only problem, it’s only portable when using the tablet by itself. If you take the dock and keyboard along with you it’d be ridiculous. If there was like an alternate portable kickstand/keyboard/cover thingy. I would totally buy it!

        https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Acer-Iconia-W700.jpg

        • Tiago

          11/07/2012 at 8:48 pm

          Yeah, this one kinda looks cool, just like that standing there, but you said it all, when it comes to carry that around. Still I think the 64GB falls short… It does depend on what you do with it though…

          • TK

            11/08/2012 at 12:35 am

            64 GB is really not much, especially since windows 8 and MS Offfice take up 12GB supposedly, so a 128 GB would be much nicer lol but I wonder how much that will cost >.> I think after the holiday sales of RT and other W8 tabs/hybrids and the phasing out of ivy bridge early 2013 due to the new haswell chips come March…..64GB pro will be 799.99 and 899.99 for 128GB and drop in price after haswell chips are fully implemented

  7. Kai

    11/06/2012 at 11:56 am

    Not surprised at this price. I kind of expected it. I had waited for the RT version to come out and have already passed on it. the only thing I’d need a tablet to do is run a remote desktop (Juniper client) that can get me to my computers at work. The RT version won’t run an RDP activex and my corporate network won’t let me run RDP other than inside IE.

    Guess I’m stuck with this price. wonder if it will run Linux… ;)

  8. joe

    11/06/2012 at 12:32 pm

    not really anything to compare, you should be comparing the surface pro to the macbook air, that is closer because you get a full version of windows, the ipad does not come with a full version of the newest mac operating system just ios

  9. TK

    11/06/2012 at 3:00 pm

    Surface pro is not comparable to iPad smh….its comparable to ultrabooks/hybrids…..for $800-900 is expected and competitive imo. My only dilemma is wanting to wait for surface pro with the new haswell chip and GT3 igpu….probably will have to wait for surface pro 2 for that =/

  10. Mitchell

    11/06/2012 at 3:19 pm

    The thing is, Microsoft hasn’t released the price of the pro so… given the fact they haven’t released a price then there is no set specific range. causing companies like Samsung and Sony to gouge prices. This is because they think they have a better product than the iPad which may or may not be true, I for one am making a change of heart to windows 8. unfortunately we have to wait but all great things take time. Wait for surface pro it will bring the price down.

  11. Min

    11/06/2012 at 9:40 pm

    Well, I think that Surface Pro can be compared to iPad. In terms of form factor. It’s categorized as a tablet with the power of PC. I love the power of windows system.

  12. Ashley

    11/08/2012 at 12:17 pm

    Another person touting themselves as a tech enthusiast who hasn’t bothered to even read up on things. The Windows RT surface is an ARM machine, and will be competing with the iPad and Android devices. The Windows Pro machine is an x86 machine and will be competing with other existing netbook/ultrabook platforms. These are two separate markets. They’re not going to care whether the price for the Pro Surface is higher than an iPad. Someone looking for standalone tablet will be comparing the RT Surface, Android tablets, and the iPad. Someone looking to mobilise an existing infrastructure for an enterprise setting, or someone replacing a laptop is going to be looking at the Pro Surface.

    • TK

      11/08/2012 at 3:03 pm

      +1, I really wish people did more research into this and stop comparing stuff to the ipad because it’s really apples and oranges lol cue the pun!

  13. Sully

    11/22/2012 at 9:20 am

    I thank that it will be 599$+99.99$ for windows 8 pro
    The 599$ for windows 8 surface and 99.99$ for windows 8 pro. So I thank tax and all it will be $999.97 that’s tax and all. Just for the 128 gb model

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