Microsoft Corp. has revealed pricing of its enterprise-level Surface tablet with
Windows 8 Pro, and it’s a stunner: US$899 for a 64 GB version.
This at a time when Apple’s 32 GB iPad 4 can be had for $600. Unfair comparison? I think not.
Microsoft touts that the SurfacePro -- to be released in January -- comes with an Intel i5 processor, a full-size USB 3.0 port, supports Pen interface and can run Windows 7 applications. But I believe the people who control the money are going to balk at this, unless the organization can get a volume discount.
HP has yet to release pricing on its corporate-aimed
ElitePad, but it had better be less than $900 to get serious attention.
As the accompanying report from ComputerWorld U.S. points out, Microsoft may have set the price high to allow partners like HP room to set their Win8Pro tablets lower. Still, I think Microsoft has made a mistake.