Microsoft’s Surface Pro will be $899 for 64GB and $999 for 128GB models, available in January

Earlier in the year we brought you the news that Microsoft’s Surface Pro pricing would run in the $999 range. Now, Microsoft has confirmed the pricing in a post by Surface GM Panos Panay.

The Surface Pro models will come in two flavors, with a 64GB model running $899 and a 128GB model running $999. Both Surface Pro models will include a Surface Pen and the ability to use a touch Cover or Type Cover, though those are sold separately.

The Pro versions of the Surface feature some differences from the already released Surface RT models:
Intel Core i5 processor.
10.6" 16:9 ClearType display that runs at a 1920×1080 full HD resolution.
A full-size USB 3.0 port.
Mini DisplayPort that can drive an external display up to 2560X1440 resolution.
Pen input with Palm Block technology.
The Surface Pro models are slightly heavier than the Surface with Windows RT, they also feature 4GB of RAM vs 2GB. The display is higher resolution as well, clocking in at 1920×1080 with a 10-point multi-touch-capable sensor vs the RT’s 1366×768 screen with 5-point multi-touch.

The processor difference is obviously the biggest change. An i5 Intel processor with Intel HD Graphics 4000 vs. the RT’s Nvidia Tegra 3 chip.

Here is the full spec comparison:

 

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Following ridiculous lawsuit, Microsoft adds disclaimer about storage to its Surface product page

Earlier this month, Microsoft compiled a FAQ page to show how much free space you actually get with the purchase of a Surface computer (16GB free for the 32GB option, and 45GB free for the 64GB option). A week later, Microsoft was sued for burying this information, and in an apparent response to this, the company has added a disclaimer on its Surface product page.

As first spotted by Ed Bott, the Microsoft Store page for the Microsoft Surface now includes the following text:
Surface comes with great software to help you do more. This software uses significant storage. Get important storage details.
The text is in the top-right corner of the page, and the last sentence links to the "Help Me Choose" tab in the bottom which clearly displays the following information:
Here’s how much storage you will have available out of the box<sup>5:
•The 32 GB Surface with Windows RT has approximately 16 GB storage available for user content.
•The 64 GB Surface with Windows RT has approximately 45 GB storage available for user content.

The superscripted number five explains a bit more and ultimately takes you to the Surface storage page for a full explanation. This is different than the aforementioned FAQ but it largely contains the same information.

As Bott notes, the change to make the storage details more visible is likely in response to a recent lawsuit, filed on November 14. Andrew Sokolowski, a lawyer in Los Angeles, claims that he bought a Surface with 32GB of storage but quickly ran out of space after loading it with music and Microsoft Word documents.

Rhett Francisco, Sokolowski’s lawyer, said his client never saw Microsoft’s responses and that the details on its site are buried. "They make you search and dig for it specifically, or you would never find it," he told the Associated Press.

At the time, Microsoft offered a statement saying it believes the suit is without merit. "Customers understand the operating system and pre-installed applications reside on the device’s internal storage thereby reducing the total free space," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement.

We have contacted Microsoft to find out if it has anything more to add now that it has made the storage details more clear on its site. We will update this article if we hear back.

Image credit:
Pawel Kryj</sup>

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Will Microsoft Surface Give Mac Users A Reason To Switch?

They say that once you go Mac, you won’t go back. To Windows, that is. However, with all the hype that has been surrounding Microsoft’s Metro interface, it might just be a step in the direction of going back to what many personal computer users started with.

Microsoft officially joined the tablet market when it launched the Surface late last month. It did so with a splash and with the usual marketing fanfare, but what has the Microsoft Surface to offer? And what do the experts have to say about it? Will the tablet supersede all the others in the market?

The Good


The Metro interface is perhaps the biggest draw of the Microsoft Surface. Even in the early stages, the design was already catching the eye of those who like beauty in their consumer technology. And it seems that not only does the interface look good, it can deliver in terms of versatility as well.

While the reception to the Microsoft Surface has been mixed, it seems that reviewers agree on one thing: this tablet could very well be the first tablet that can function as a laptop replacement. Productivity tool is the key phrase.

The Bad


Some will say, "Where do I begin?" I think that it all boils down to two things.

One, the tablet is reported to be sluggish when it comes to performance. For tablet users who like the speed and smoothness of the iPad, this might very well be a dealbreaker.

Two, the Windows app store is a ghost town. And that term has been used all over the place. In this era where there’s an app for everything, this is a huge disadvantage!

The Verdict


So are we likely to see people carrying around the Microsoft Surface in lieu of their iPads? I don’t think so. There is the possibility of people acquiring this tablet to use as a productivity tool on the go, but I doubt that that audience will be pirated from Apple users, or Samsung Galaxy users for that matter.

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