Surface Pro Pricing Revealed - 64GB for $899

[Chicane-UK Veteran]

I can't wait for MS to start steamrolling over Apple and thinks get back to normal like they used to be! ;)

Not in the tablet space.. I just cannot see it personally.

Price wise - damn that's pretty steep.. :|

[AJerman]

I agree with the majority here. I think the price is fair, but it's certainly not great or even what I'd call good. If you're in the market for a cheap new system, it fits the bill pretty well, but far more powerful systems will not cost a whole lot more, which could hurt sales. And I agree, I think a keyboard should have been included with Windows 8 Pro tablets. A far more powerful and functional system needs to be differentiated from the basic Surface. I'd say 99% of the people that use a Surface will use a keyboard and mouse with it. Though, you could say that they are leaving the customer with the choice of what keyboard and mouse to purchase, and at a far lower price than the touch cover, just not as sleek. I haven't used a touch cover yet, but it doesn't look like the best for extended use.

What really ****es me off with all tablet and phone sales is the BS price gap based on storage amounts. An upgrade from 64 GB to 128 GB doesn't cost $100, it's just become the standard price jump for doubling capacity. As usual, you buy the smaller capacity and it might be too small, you buy the bigger capacity and you get ripped off. Though a 64 to 128 jump might be a little closer to $100 than phone makers charging $100 extra to go from 8GB to 16GB or 16GB to 32GB.

[Knife Party]

and yet people tell us the Mac Air, which is priced higher and without a pen digitizer or the ability to run millions of apps, but yet people think that is a good deal and buy those.

I don't care about what Apple's got going on, that's an insane amount of money you spend and getting that sort of hardware for that price...... mmm....I don't know...

[Noir Angel]

Ultrabooks aren't a fad. They're just the next logical step that laptops were going to reach anyway. Laptops were going to become thinner, have more battery life, yet be more powerful. What else would they do?

It was going to happen whether they were branded, "Ultrabooks" or not.

Unlike netbooks which really were tinkertoys.

I don't compromise functionality for size, I'm not a hipster. Probably why I still favour a good old desktop.

[laz45]

I was thinking more like $499-$599. All I want is a surface with Windows 8 and not the stupid RT metro apps only crap

[threetonesun]

I don't compromise functionality for size, I'm not a hipster. Probably why I still favour a good old desktop.

Size is a part of functionality. GFL using your desktop on the train ride to work.

[Chicane-UK Veteran]

Why is it that as soon as there is any criticism for damn Microsoft products, the kneejerk reaction is to immediately compare to Apple and suggest what they're doing wrong and what's so right about the Microsoft offering. Forget about Apple. Tell us why the Microsoft offering is GOOD, not why it's better than what Apple offer.

and yet people tell us the Mac Air, which is priced higher and without a pen digitizer or the ability to run millions of apps, but yet people think that is a good deal and buy those.

I couldn't say with any conviction that the Macbook air is a 'good deal' - it's damn expensive for what it is. But it's a very nice piece of design, and a very compact laptop for those on the road. Ultimately if you want a lightweight laptop, that's their offering - take it or leave it.

But crucially the Air is a laptop - not a tablet, and therefore a 'pen digitizer' isn't an accessory that matters because you have a touchpad or can just plugin a mouse. And Microsoft fanboys keep saying that "ecosystem doesn't matter and isn't a selling point" when referring to their mobile offerings where Microsoft are struggling to compete.. but now you're telling me it DOES matter in the tablet / laptop space? I see...

[Astra.Xtreme]

Really? Surface Pro being basically an ultrabook (spec wise), I think Microsoft priced it very reasonably.

Ultrabooks will outperform it, have more storage capacity, and have a bigger screen. The only leg up the Pro has is a touch screen and arguably better portability. For the price of the Pro, I'd just get the i7 Zenbook.

[Kyang]

I don't compromise functionality for size, I'm not a hipster. Probably why I still favour a good old desktop.

Ultrabooks are merely the term for mainstream laptops now. Wouldn't your stance actually be more hipsterish?

On that note, I only have a desktop.

[Noir Angel]

Size is a part of functionality. GFL using your desktop on the train ride to work.

Or, call me old fashioned but i'd just make sure I did my work before I left. And I could easily do that work on a ?200 laptop, you don't need a high spec ultra thin notebook to edit a couple of documents. Point is, ultrabooks are double the price of most ordinary high end notebooks and they certainly don't offer double the functionality.

[McKay]

Looking at the comments in the MacRumors thread, it's full of "Too expensive!" "Dead on Arrival!"

[Growled Member]

Ouch. It would be a good price if it included the keyboard cover. So this basically starts at $1000+ with keyboard. I can see this being a tough sell over an ultrabook.

I don't. I'd take an Ultrabook any day. Or any laptop. This totally turns me against Surface Pro.

[threetonesun]

Or, call me old fashioned but i'd just make sure I did my work before I left. And I could easily do that work on a ?200 laptop, you don't need a high spec ultra thin notebook to edit a couple of documents. Point is, ultrabooks are double the price of most ordinary high end notebooks and they certainly don't offer double the functionality.

Call me old fashioned, I'd rather not sit at a desk for 8 hours.

And yes, when size = functionality, they do offer double. Give me something I can plug in when I'm at a desk, and something that is small and light when I'm on the go, and it's win win. The majority of non-ultrabook laptops out there these days are poorly built behemoths.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

Microsoft is insane with these prices. The Surface RT is overpriced and now this? Maybe they really have no intention of actually selling these things to anyone other than fanboys.

Call me old fashioned, I'd rather not sit at a desk for 8 hours.

And yes, when size = functionality, they do offer double. Give me something I can plug in when I'm at a desk, and something that is small and light when I'm on the go, and it's win win. The majority of non-ultrabook laptops out there these days are poorly built behemoths.

Get a real laptop (like the T530) and dock it when you're at the desk and take it out with you on the go. Mine is very solidly built.

[Noir Angel]

Call me old fashioned, I'd rather not sit at a desk for 8 hours.

And yes, when size = functionality, they do offer double. Give me something I can plug in when I'm at a desk, and something that is small and light when I'm on the go, and it's win win. The majority of non-ultrabook laptops out there these days are poorly built behemoths.

Lol, no they aren't. This laptop, for example weighs less than 2 kilos which unless you're an anemic child is by no meens a 'behemoth'. It could handle word processing just fine, it's portable, and costs a fraction of what an ultrabook would. And this was just one I picked completely at random

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/asus-x501u-xx039h-15-6-laptop-white-17056517-pdt.html

[threetonesun]

Lol, no they aren't. This laptop, for example weighs less than 2 kilos which unless you're an anemic child is by no meens a 'behemoth'. It could handle word processing just fine, it's portable, and costs a fraction of what an ultrabook would. And this was just one I picked completely at random

http://www.pcworld.c...056517-pdt.html

And it has a POS 1366 x 768 15'' screen like most laptops in that range.

Get a real laptop (like the T530) and dock it when you're at the desk and take it out with you on the go. Mine is very solidly built.

I have one at work, I maintain that it's a POS. Yes, I could probably drop it from the second floor and go pick it up and use it again, but that's not exactly what I'm talking about here.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

I have one at work, I maintain that it's a POS. Yes, I could probably drop it from the second floor and go pick it up and use it again, but that's not exactly what I'm talking about here.

My T530 is fantastic. It is also my first ThinkPad so I'm don't have the issues with the KB that seem to have polarized the TP crowd.

[rfirth]

Ouch. It would be a good price if it included the keyboard cover. So this basically starts at $1000+ with keyboard. I can see this being a tough sell over an ultrabook.

So... $899 + $100 = .... $1000+? No. $999 with keyboard. Ok, fine... $999 is pretty close to $1000 ;)

But at $999 (price including keyboard), it perfectly matches the price of the Macbook Air and also matches the specs and battery life (Surface actually has a more powerful battery), but you also get the touch screen and active pen digitizer.

[remixedcat]

That's a lot to pay in money/weight/battery just to get domain join...

was thinking the same as well... in addition to getting a proper media player as well.... :(

still want one... but it would take me way longer to get it....

[Shane Nokes]

Or, call me old fashioned but i'd just make sure I did my work before I left. And I could easily do that work on a ?200 laptop, you don't need a high spec ultra thin notebook to edit a couple of documents. Point is, ultrabooks are double the price of most ordinary high end notebooks and they certainly don't offer double the functionality.

Sounds like you have the luxury of a job that doesn't have you working after office hours.

I remember what that was like...but only barely...since the last time that happened was almost 15 years ago.

I'm often responding to e-mails and sometimes even logging into my tools from home to control some random 'fire' that sprung up in the middle of the night that has to be taken care of right then and can't wait for morning.

I've had the boss call me up at 3:30am and say hey...we see this activity going on...can you hop on right now and get this taken care of. I hop on, get it done, and go back to bed. I've also had a call while I'm on the bus on the way home and had to use my phone as a hotspot to log in and take care of something that had come up after I left the office.

Unless you're very lucky these days, it's fairly common to have a job that has you performing tasks after you've stepped out for the day.

[ichi]

Unless you're very lucky these days, it's fairly common to have a job that has you performing tasks after you've stepped out for the day.

I guess that makes me lucky then, but if I had to work out of my working hours I'd expect my employer to provide every tool I'll need. I'd certainly not be spending any money on a laptop or tablet just to work a few more hours.

And I certainly don't spend time working on hours that I don't explicitly get paid for, anyway.

[Shane Nokes]

I guess that makes me lucky then, but if I had to work out of my working hours I'd expect my employer to provide every tool I'll need. I'd certainly not be spending any money on a laptop or tablet just to work a few more hours.

And I certainly don't spend time working on hours that I don't explicitly get paid for, anyway.

Yes I would agree that makes you lucky.

The PC I was using at home and the laptop I referred to? Mine.

That phone? Mine...albeit with a discount on service due to the employer.

A lot of employers these days are also supporting BYOC setups to help avoid initial costs for equipment.

The desktop (and in a couple cases a laptop) were usually supplied by the employer. However that isn't always the case. The desktop still is usually issued, but I've been using my own laptops for the last few years almost exclusively.