Other Everything about Microsoft Surface - Pre-order, price and design decision

Hello,

Today Microsoft started the very anticipated pre-order of Microsoft Surface at Microsoft online store. The tablet will be officially released October 26, with the lunch of Windows 8. Currently the only tablet available is the Surface RT version, which competes against the iPad. A another tablet option, called Surface with Windows 8 Pro, is coming soon. No price mentioned yet for it, however it is expected to be around 1000$, as its really an ultrabook performing system in a tablet. Also it feature Windows 8 Pro so you can run all your favorite x86-64 programs, as well as those of Windows RT, plus you have a muti-touch screen (obviously, it's a tablet), but also a digitize screen. So obviously it won't be close to cheap. I won't be surprised if it 1200$ or more. Considering also that Microsoft hardware built quality is astonishing.

Surface official site: http://www.microsoft.com/Surface/





Starting price of the Surface RT is only 499$ and is equipped with 32GB of memory.
However, the cover isn't included.


The cover, named Touch Cover, is available for 120$, But they are bundle deals (Surface + Touch Cover), where you save 20$. The Touch Cover is available in a wide variety of colors






For those who plan to do a lot of typing, a proper keyboard which is also a cover exists for the tablet, called Type Cover. It is available for 129$. So only 10$ more than the Touch Cover. Only available in Black.




Let's have a look on this table I made which compares Surface RT, Surface 8 Pro, and the iPad 16GB WiFi, in all aspects:


All prices are in U.S
As you can see, the Microsoft Surface is actually very competitive at a very interesting price.


An inside look of the Surface.
The following is section is from The Verge (http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/16/3511002/microsoft-surface-inside-look-history)

Anatech expands on the internal details of the Surface:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6377/inside-microsofts-surface-rt-tablet

So I guess the iPhone reception problem won't be an issue, no mater how you hold it.

So what do you think of all of this? Are you interested? Which one you will buy? Comments on all this? Let us hear you out!

 

Microsoft Surface product page is up: http://www.microsoft.com/Surface/en-US



Pre-Order at Microsoft Store:

US (starting @ $499.00 - without cover)
http://surface.microsoftstore.com/s...Caching=off&WT.mc_id=WinHH_PreOrder_DisplayAd

U.K (starting @ £399.00 incl VAT - without cover)
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msuk/en_GB/pdp/productID.257929400

Canada (starting @ 519.00$ - without cover)
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msca/en_CA/pdp/productID.257918700

Review:
http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/23/microsoft-surface-rt-review/

 

Cheesecake included.

 

Oh i'm gonna be winding people up at work with this...


also want one...

 

I'm gonna hold out for the Pro and buy one when I get to the states in the spring.

 

I can finally get rid of my iPad!!.. oh, hang on.. it's a work iPad, and I'm forced to use it...

 

on pre-order now BIG SMILE!

 

I am noticing that several place on the Interwebs, people say that it is too expensive.
I find that interesting, because I don't think it is. I mean I am not saying its cheap, but I think it's competitive.

Yes the iPad has a much higher resolution than the Surface RT, but 1366x768 on a 10 inch screen is plenty... it's not like it was on a 14 or worst 15inch laptop, like most of them of today, where text will be difficult to read. Also it's 16:9, making it great for Movies, while the iPad is not 16:9, nor 16:10, but rather 4:3, which makes it awful for wide screen content.
Plus you have twice the storage capacity than the iPad and twice the RAM, making it a great device for more involve applications, and storing content.

The CPU is already pretty good. Not great, as its old in today's competitive market, but it is a Tegra 3, so we know it will offer excellent battery life, while having great performance, and while not the fastest GPU (not anymore), we know that everything will always be rendered properly due to the high experience from Nvidia in that department. PLUS, as the Tegra 3 processor are also on other tablet, it won't be one of those over powerful processor, that no program takes advantage of, because developer assumes the lowest common denominator to have the widest market share. The iPad struggles with this. Not as bad as Android, but still does, plus the high screen resolution, doesn't help either. WinRT uses vector graphics, so things scales properly and stays smooth, so you know that if you get any tablet later on, or have Windows 8 on your PC, purchased programs will look nice regardless on the platform you are. This provides in a way, some additional value in purchasing apps, they wont' be locked in into a specific device, and you don't have to worry if it will appear correctly or pixelated or simply wrong due to the different screen sizes.

Plus, we have a Office, with all the features that we found on the desktop, and not some basic version of Office where more than half the features will be missing in each program, and is really nothing more than a primitive text/powerpoint/spreadsheet editor. No, we have, instead, a full version of Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).

Plus we have a standard USB ports, so you can connect it to a USB printer, wich is great for those who can't afford a fancy router with USB plug built-in for printers, or a fancy printer with network support. And you can plug flash memory drive, and external HDD's, all by using a proper and powerful file management (Windows desktop).

There is a lot to offer. Also, there is XBox Music, so music streaming for free (with ads), or you pay 10$/month, and have no ads, and have the streaming pass from 10h limit to unlimited, plus unlimited download for offline play. This is great awesome, you can fill the device packed with music before a trip, or have 30 million songs in your hands. Screw iTunes, with their 1$ per song, where you buy a song, enjoy it for a few days, and probably get tired of it, as your music collection isn't that big.

A iPad cover is 80$, which doesn't even hold properly, and does nothing more than cover the screen. While yes the Touch Cover is more expensive, at least, based on what I have seen in videos, and what been said, it hold strongly to the device, and you can use as a keyboard.

So, let's say we compare things:
- Surface RT 32GB no cover (base model) + Touch Type cover (the one with the real keyboard).
vs
- iPad 32GB + the iPad cover + the keyboard dock + media card reader (as you don't have one, unlike the Surface RT)

Surface RT comes out at: $628.99 U.S
iPad 3 comes out at: $768.00

That's 138$ difference!

And next year, you know that the iPad will use Apples new connector for sure at 100%, as its already out, and the iPhone 5 uses it, so it will be a new set of accessories.

 

I am waiting for the pro version, then I am all over this!

 

A thing to consider though. Apple, being Apple will held, as usually a press conference a few days before Microsoft's one to make Microsoft lose a lot of hype. They will release, as rumored the iPad mini. Why? To have a reason to have a lower price iPad to compete against the Surface RT. I won't be surprised if it will be 100$ cheaper than the iPad 3, which will look very interesting at first, but if we follow the math I did, you still pay more and have less.

But never the less, Android are way better buy than iPads, and iPads sells millions, and that is exactly what will happen with the Surface RT. People will pre-order (might even be out on the same say), the iPad mini. People in general don't return stuff they bought unless broken. So people won't have enough money to buy the Surface.

What do you think?

 

First post updated with Anatech post on the details on the Surface.

 

I want the pro!

 

I have the feeling that the iPad mini will meet with underwhelming sales figures. It sits uncomfortably between the iPad and the iPod Touch, making it difficult to price --it cannot be almost as expensive as one or as cheap as the other, but still has to compete with a ludicrously cheap Nexus 7 which is just as good, at least. It features the new connector so cannot be used with current speaker docks. There is simply no market position for it.

 

As as Nexus 7 owner, I'd beg to differ. The thing the iPad Mini has going for it is the 4:3 aspect ratio. Typing on the Nexus 7 in Landscape is tortuous at best - this is the single best thing about the 4:3 aspect ratio, more screen area to see what you've actually typed as well as have the keyboard displayed.

I still think the iPad 2 is much nicer than the iPad 3 to use (the screen may not be as sharp, but the colours are much MUCH better, at least on the samples I have seen). It's a cheap way in to iPad ownership, I reckon it'll cannibalise sales from the fullsize iPad quite easily.

 

I've literally just noticed. Windows RT will use Tegra3. I would naturally assume some clever so-and-so'll get it to run on a Nexus7 or HTC OneX.

 

That is true I suppose. But it would have to be keenly priced for people to favour it over the Nexus 7 or in the US, Kindle Fire HD.

 

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out - if the 8GB iPad Mini is £200 I reckon it will walk all over the Nexus 7. Only £40 more and you get a bigger screen AND you get the into the Apple clique. It's a prospect many people will lap up.

Incidentally, this is what I like about the Surface devices. They are being marketed as premium options in the world on Windows 8 tablets with high quality materials, industrial design and they should be of real use to people. BUT they are going to be expensive (well, iPad money for the RT) - this is where the iPad Mini and the Nexus 7 win because people get that thing they want - a tablet - without breaking the bank.

I'm rambling a bit now, I apologise - I just see small tablets as the device the user actually wants IF they don't need much in terms of productivity, and I see the Surface devices as the thing to get if they do.

 

Makes sense. But with the iPod Touch costing £249,-- already, I can't see that happen. The iPad 2 meanwhile costs from £329,--. That leaves the iPad mini a price of approximately £289,-- compared to a Nexus 7 16Gb from £189,-- (with the upcoming 32Gb model rumoured to be at the same price), and the Kindle Fire HD at £159,--. That's one hell of a premium for buying into the Apple ecosystem.

 

Wow!
Surface RT 499$ model (32GB, base model, no cover), was sold out!
http://surface.microsoftstore.com/s...age.Surface?ESICaching=off&WT.mc_id=FY13WinHH

Now you have to wait 3 weeks to get it.

 

I would happily pay £40 to avoid having to use an Apple product, but that's just my intense dislike of much of their software.

As regards the surface... when you consider it has the same internals and display resolution as the Nexus 7 but at double the price, it does seem kind of expensive.