How much would you pay for the "Surface Mini" ?

[President Devil]

TBH, I think it's marketing fluff in part, there are plenty of people that have had that paint chip on their Surface tablets.

 

It wasn't cancelled only because of that, Windows RT failed because MS didn't properly communicate to the consumer what it could and what it couldn't do, it attributed for sure.

The low end tablet segment is simply a very hard one to compete in and I wouldn't be surprised if the eventual Mini would still be ARM based running Windows 10 mobile.

For a consumption device there is no need for more and would make the price far more competitive.

[Timi Cantisano Veteran]

Id say 400$ with the keyboard. Honestly, I like the Surface line, I dont dig how the keyboard always adds an extra 100$ to the price tag. 

 

If we are talking just tablet with pen, id say $350 is fair. 

[Chris Schroeder Veteran]

$250 for a decent quality product with market-average specs, $350 for a premium, top-tier product.  Pen included/not included doesn't matter to me.  It would have to have things like HDMI out, USB connectivity, maybe data connectivity option, good screen in the HD range, solid battery life.  7-8" display would be good.

 

I don't know if MSFT would bother releasing a Surface Mini right now, but if the Surface 3 and Pro devices increase in sales there could be a desire to have a smaller Surface as well that isn't a Win10M device.  Continuum may also be a reason not to sell a Surface Mini - if your phone can sprawl out onto displays and work with keyboard + mouse, do you really need a tablet to begin with?  Grab a 5.7" Windows device and let that be your tablet+mobile computing product (unless you require software meant for x86 CPUs).

[Mockingbird]

Id say 400$ with the keyboard. Honestly, I like the Surface line, I dont dig how the keyboard always adds an extra 100$ to the price tag. 

 

If we are talking just tablet with pen, id say $350 is fair. 

 

If Microsoft does release the Surface Mini, I do believe that Microsoft would make it clear that the Surface Mini is a different product category than the Surface 3 and the Surface Pro 3.

 

It would be more of a note taking/drawings tablet akin to the Asus VivoTab Note 8 and the Toshiba Encore 2 Write (8-inch) than a laptop replacement.

 

For that purpose, it would need to come with a Surface Pen.

 

Because the Surface Mini would be too small for a keyboard Type Cover, I believe that Microsoft would only offer optional plain Cover to protect the screen.

 

$250 for a decent quality product with market-average specs, $350 for a premium, top-tier product.  Pen included/not included doesn't matter to me.  It would have to have things like HDMI out, USB connectivity, maybe data connectivity option, good screen in the HD range, solid battery life.  7-8" display would be good.

 

I don't know if MSFT would bother releasing a Surface Mini right now, but if the Surface 3 and Pro devices increase in sales there could be a desire to have a smaller Surface as well that isn't a Win10M device.  Continuum may also be a reason not to sell a Surface Mini - if your phone can sprawl out onto displays and work with keyboard + mouse, do you really need a tablet to begin with?  Grab a 5.7" Windows device and let that be your tablet+mobile computing product (unless you require software meant for x86 CPUs).

 

I think it would be hard to have good battery life and high resolution screen in such a small device since the battery capacity would be quite constrain in such a small form factor.

 

I do think that there would be some appeal to smaller Windows tablets for note taking and drawing.

 

It would be a niche market, but if Apple proved anything with the Apple Watch, it's that people would buy things they don't really need.

[chrisj1968]

I'd probably spend between $100-$200. despite the specs, it would only serve for mobile work. I can't see it costing the same as my system at home. that would be japanese sipiku.

 

the Keyboard should be included. stupid to add an extra $100 for the KB

[Mockingbird]

I'd probably spend between $100-$200. despite the specs, it would only serve for mobile work. I can't see it costing the same as my system at home. that would be japanese sipiku.

 

the Keyboard should be included. stupid to add an extra $100 for the KB

 

For < $200 with tablet and keyboard, you are looking at generic unbranded tablets, not brand name products and certainly not the Surface.

[chrisj1968]

For < $200 with tablet and keyboard, you are looking at generic unbranded tablets, not brand name products and certainly not the Surface.

 

well yeah, true. But a tablet shouldn't be as expensive as a home system

[Mockingbird]

well yeah, true. But a tablet shouldn't be as expensive as a home system

 

Of cause it should.

 

For the same performance, a mobile computer is almost always more expensive than a desktop computer.

[+JHBrown Subscriber¹]

I'd pay $399 for it.

[Shiranui]

Zero, because the Surface's design is fundamentally flawed.

[+JHBrown Subscriber¹]

Zero, because the Surface's design is fundamentally flawed.

I'm not a big Surface fan by any means, but can you elaborate?

[Shiranui]

I'm not a big Surface fan by any means, but can you elaborate?

Can't be easily used on your lap.

[f0rk_b0mb]

[MorganX]

$199

 

With pen and silo, $300 (at least Note 4 S Pen quality)

[Mockingbird]

From this thread, it seems the median price is around $349 for the Surface Mini with the Surface Pen.

 

While the price may seem slightly high compare to its competitors (namely, Asus VivoTab Note 8 and Toshiba Encore 2 Write 8), it might not matter.

 

For a lot of people, Windows tablet is synonymous with Microsoft Surface and they would compare the Surface Mini with the Surface 3 rather than with other non-Microsoft tablets.

[DConnell Member]

Can't be easily used on your lap.

 

Sure it can - you just need to something on your lap to rest it on to give it a more stable platform. I have similar issues with my old laptop, lessened slightly by the laptop's more solid base, but then there's the problem of its much greater size. My Surface may need a book on my lap to remain stable, but once positioned its small enough that it fits on my lap and does remain stable. I have to constantly adjust my laptop to keep it balanced -  I just don't have the lap surface-area to accommodate a device that big readily. Or any books big enough to give it a solid platform. A lapdesk would be a good investment to improve "lapability" for both devices.

 

But you do make a valid point - neither the Touch nor Type Covers provides a solid base for use on a non-flat surface. I wonder if the Battery Cover is better in that regard since it has more mass - might be reason to upgrade my Surface cover a second time.

[Max Norris]

I dunno, $400 sounds reasonable if it's got the features and such, $200 if it's a lightweight watered down model, although zero interest in such a device myself.  The only smallish tablets I use are for reading and stuff (bedtime basically), everything else was replaced by a Pro 3.  Spoiled by the size, don't see myself going back.