Microsoft Surface Pricing Leaked

[Mark]

The pricing for Microsoft's answer to the iPad has been leaked:

Prices for the Microsoft Surface tablet range may have been prematurely revealed thanks to a sneaky source.
The Next Web says a source close to Microsoft let slip on the tablet pricing, claiming the Surface tablet sporting Windows RT, and powered by Nvidia's Tegra 3 chip, will set you back $599 (around £380).
The Intel powered Ivy Bridge slate, which will run Windows 8 Pro, will apparently retail at a rather eye watering $999 (around £640).

It is too expensive: my opinion is that if you are trying to bring a clone of the iPad to market then it had better be priced lower than the iPad. What would you be willing to pay for the lowest model? $300 at most here.

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[kwiksilver]

I'd pass on that. $600-1000 for a tablet is a great way to price yourself right out of the market.

I do get that the $1000 one is basically a touchscreen ultrabook which is awesome, but the battery life is going to suck suck suck.

[Mark]

Originally Posted by kwiksilver

I'd pass on that. $600-1000 for a tablet is a great way to price yourself right out of the market.

I do get that the $1000 one is basically a touchscreen ultrabook which is awesome, but the battery life is going to suck suck suck.

I am anxious to hear the battery life, but I am with you that it will likely suck.

[CybrSlydr]

Yeah... I think that's too expensive.

[WordMasterRice]

I think it's too expensive to break into the market. When this thing launches the ARM version is going to have no apps, so they only people that get them will be early adopters. Not sure how many app developers will look into a platform with such a limited audience.

[Mark]

Originally Posted by WordMasterRice

I think it's too expensive to break into the market. When this thing launches the ARM version is going to have no apps, so they only people that get them will be early adopters. Not sure how many app developers will look into a platform with such a limited audience.

That is an interesting thought. I have read a few stories on HackerNews talking about guys making all sorts of money BECAUSE there is a limited audience. There is not as much competition from other developers (especially the big guys), so people find your apps easier. The sad thing is that I am a .Net developer and the thought of development for WM has never even crossed my mind. Not interested.

[Cecil]

I was expecting $500 for the low end, and $7-800 for the Pro. I am in the market for a light weight notebook or ultrabook with a better then 1366 screen for $800, and was going to wait for it. But at $1k, Id probably just go Zenbook UX32.

[AruisDante]

Originally Posted by Mark

The pricing for Microsoft's answer to the iPad has been leaked:



It is too expensive: my opinion is that if you are trying to bring a clone of the iPad to market then it had better be priced lower than the iPad. What would you be willing to pay for the lowest model? $300 at most here.

Read More

I don't necessarily agree that the RT surface has to compete with the iPad on price. It certainly can't be more expensive, and it's a shame that they had to reduce the screen capability on the lower end hardware, but I think that it offers enough compelling features to justify its premium price. I don't know how many of you have actually used Windows 8 on a tablet, but it is actually quite good (I had it installed for a very long time on my X220T but eventually dropped it to free up HDD space as my School's network cert won't install on it). Much better than any android tablet I've ever had the misfortune of using.

Originally Posted by kwiksilver

I'd pass on that. $600-1000 for a tablet is a great way to price yourself right out of the market.

I do get that the $1000 one is basically a touchscreen ultrabook which is awesome, but the battery life is going to suck suck suck.

Originally Posted by Mark

I am anxious to hear the battery life, but I am with you that it will likely suck.

My X220T tablet has 8GB of ram, a 13" screen, and a quad core Sandy-Bridge i5. And it gets over 6 hours of life out of 'regular' use (web-browsing, inking in One-Note, etc), and 3-4 hours of really intense use. I don't see any reason why a tablet with half the cores, a more efficient processor, and a smaller screen can't get battery life that's as good if not better.

I also think that the Surface will get enormous traction in the business sector, a place that the iPad has had relatively slow uptake.

Originally Posted by WordMasterRice

I think it's too expensive to break into the market. When this thing launches the ARM version is going to have no apps, so they only people that get them will be early adopters. Not sure how many app developers will look into a platform with such a limited audience.

Apps written for Metro will work on Windows 8, Windows 8 RT and Windows 8 Phone with minimal code modification. So, actually, their audience is pretty enormous. Moving everything to a common code base is a huge boon for developers.

Originally Posted by Mark

That is an interesting thought. I have read a few stories on HackerNews talking about guys making all sorts of money BECAUSE there is a limited audience. There is not as much competition from other developers (especially the big guys), so people find your apps easier. The sad thing is that I am a .Net developer and the thought of development for WM has never even crossed my mind. Not interested.

I feel like my above comment makes developing for WP8 much more attractive. You cannot judge its potential market update on the success of WP7. However, Microsoft does have a lot of work in the Hearts and Minds department to do for both developers and consumers to make them forget the bittersweet taste of WP7.


Bottom line, I really do think that Surface is the first true competitor to the iPad. Android has always focused on solving the wrong problem. It isn't the hardware (at least on the high end), it's the software. And Microsoft really has the potential to hit it out of the park with this one. If the Surface Pro can manage acceptable battery life and the stylus turns out to be a Wacom-style digitizer, I might very well be in for one. It does everything I wanted my X220T to do, only better.

[sysigy]

Wow that's a stupid move my MS... the pro won't sell at that price, hopefully they'll see rubbish sales in the 1st launch month and drop the price. I was planning to go with the 11.6" ASUS Transformer Book anyway.

[AruisDante]

I really don't see why you guys think the Pro won't sell. Ultrabooks are selling quite handely, and it's priced the same as any other ultrabook with the same specs. If anything, its form-factor fits even better with the ultrabook philosophy. And the Touch/Type covers address the biggest shortcoming of a tablet, typing/pointing, without sacrificing what makes a tablet a tablet like a Transformer does.

[Jahova]

So this will run on an Arm-based architecture?

To date, Microsoft has not released a Windows-based OS that is capable of running on Arm. Only Unix/Linux-based OSes will work on Arm. Microsoft may be up to something more devious than ever.

Is this, perhaps, even more revealing that Windows 8 will actually be similar to having a Unix/Linux kernel or cousin?

[Deluded]

Originally Posted by Jahova

So this will run on an Arm-based architecture?

To date, Microsoft has not released a Windows-based OS that is capable of running on Arm. Only Unix/Linux-based OSes will work on Arm. Microsoft may be up to something more devious than ever.

Is this, perhaps, even more revealing that Windows 8 will actually be similar to having a Unix/Linux kernel or cousin?

Isn't Metro and Window 8 supposed to run on ARM?

[sysigy]

Originally Posted by Deluded

Isn't Metro and Window 8 supposed to run on ARM?

Yes and no.

Windows 8 is still x86 / x64 and cannot run on ARM.

Windows RT is only a metro style interface (with built in office) that runs on ARM based cpu's.

Additional Comment:

Some manufacturers (well I know ASUS claim they'll do it) will be offering a dual boot setup on their tablets between Windows RT and Android

[AruisDante]

Windows 8 comes in 3 favors. Windows 8, Windows 8 RT, and Windows Phone 8.

Windows 8 runs on x86_64 just like the windows we know and love. It's got all the metro hotness plus old school classic desktop.

Windows 8 RT runs on ARM. It uses the exact same basic kernel as Windows 8, but lacks the Classic Desktop, as the primary reason that exists at all on Windows 8 is for legacy app compatibility/inherently non touch-friendly applications that would be x86 based anyway. In otherwords, Windows 8 RT is Metro only.

Windows Phone 8 is basically a stripped down version of the Windows RT version with a verson of Metro more suited to the 5" and under form factor.

Technically speaking, any app written for the Metro interface will work on any verson of Windows 8 with only minimal changes (and obviously recompiling for the target). It's about as close as write-once, run anywhere as you'd want to get between the various form factors.

[makaveli-313]

If accurate this is rubbish : (.
I'm a big Apple fan and was hoping for some healthy competition...this saddens me.

[sysigy]

Originally Posted by makaveli-313

If accurate this is rubbish : (.
I'm a big Apple fan and was hoping for some healthy competition...this saddens me.

IMO Windows 8 tablets will blow Apple out of the water with their software / hardware support, the Windows RT tablets I'm not so sure about. To have any hope they'll have to drop their prices which I'm sure they'll do after release if sales are poor but by then the damage will already be done. The main thing for me about Windows 8 / Windows RT tablets is choice of manufacturer but when it comes to the 'little people' too much choice is a huge issue which in part IMO is why Apple succeed, people want a tablet, Apple make it and give you a simple choice based on 2 factors, capacity and connectivity which almost anyone can make a choice over, I want to connect to wifi or 3G/4G, I want space to store my photos and music.

Originally Posted by AruisDante

Windows 8 comes in 3 favors. Windows 8, Windows 8 RT, and Windows Phone 8.

Windows 8 runs on x86_64 just like the windows we know and love. It's got all the metro hotness plus old school classic desktop.

Windows 8 RT runs on ARM. It uses the exact same basic kernel as Windows 8, but lacks the Classic Desktop, as the primary reason that exists at all on Windows 8 is for legacy app compatibility/inherently non touch-friendly applications that would be x86 based anyway. In otherwords, Windows 8 RT is Metro only.

Windows Phone 8 is basically a stripped down version of the Windows RT version with a verson of Metro more suited to the 5" and under form factor.

Did I not just say this in my last post but with less words

The hybrid between the new Metro start menu and classic desktop is dire and extremely frustrating to use with a keyboard and mouse. The old 'start button' has completely been removed so to get the start menu (metro) to appear now you have to press the Windows key on the keyboard or move your mouse to the bottom left of your screen which causes the new start menu to appear (if in desktop). The metro start menu is the default view when Windows 8 is powered up, to access the desktop you have to click on the 'desktop app'. As said in my last post and above, the classic desktop is not present in Windows RT because it's metro only.

I do like the fact that I can now see all my facebook / twitter news feeds right on the metro start menu like on my mobile, I hate having to keep logging into websites for such quick feed updates.

Speaking of which, @Mark are you planning a metro EOCF app for Windows 8

Originally Posted by AruisDante

Technically speaking, any app written for the Metro interface will work on any verson of Windows 8 with only minimal changes (and obviously recompiling for the target). It's about as close as write-once, run anywhere as you'd want to get between the various form factors.

This is true and great for us developers, only having to write code once is a huge bonus, I don't mind the odd change here and there but as long as the majority of code compiles for all platforms I'm happy with that... Windows Phone 7.5 is a great platform to code for (excluding its limitations which 'should' have been rectified in WP8)... Looking forward to getting my hands on the Windows Phone 8 SDK, hopefully the end of July release date rumour is accurate.

[Odanez]

What I would love to see is one of the ivy bridge slates with keyboard to come without operating system and this way maybe be a bit cheaper so I can put Win 7 on it. But seeing as it is a microsoft product, this will never happen.

[sysigy]

Originally Posted by Odanez

What I would love to see is one of the ivy bridge slates with keyboard to come without operating system and this way maybe be a bit cheaper so I can put Win 7 on it. But seeing as it is a microsoft product, this will never happen.

Doesn't ASUS do one already

ASUS Eee Slate B121 - It's not IvyBridge tho

[maxgull]

Sales will depend on their marketing strategy,the capability of the device. If they can make it look like it is a "must have" item, and it runs anything your laptop will run (within reason), comes with a bunch of free stuff (apps, cloud services, etc) maybe people will buy one.

I don't think their pricing is right (IMO), but people are willing to spend much more for a laptop. It will not sell like the Apple stuff, the fact of the matter is-mobility is the direction the computer world is going. M$ must keep up with the Jobses.

[Odanez]

Originally Posted by sysigy

Doesn't ASUS do one already

ASUS Eee Slate B121 - It's not IvyBridge tho

Still too expensive for me (but if I could get one with keyboard for say $700 or less it would be worth checking out) - I would also be happy with a C-60 CPU with a full Windows 7 like the Acer Iconia W500 - but the W500 is ugly and it's keyboard dock makes it look bulky and impractical.

The thing I like most about the microsoft surface is the design