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Editorial: Do you think the Surface is priced fairly?

posted on Oct 16th 2012 by

We’ve known about the Surface for several months now, but one aspect of the tablet that has haunted us up until today was the price. Many people believed that the Surface would need to be priced around $300 or less in order to remain competitive with the likes of the Nexus 7 and the iPad Mini. Others argue that a $500 price point is just fine considering the Surface is designed to be a desktop/laptop replacement instead of the consumption device that many people see in tablets. How do our readers feel?

Microsoft has gone to great pains to show that the Surface is more than just a tablet slapped together in order to compete in the mobile market. Both The Verge and BGR have articles today concerning the exclusive tour the two sites got of Microsoft’s Surface testing facilities. The articles go into detail about every aspect of the Surface’s design, almost as if Microsoft wants to convey to the Internet that it has a premium device on its hands and therefore it should command a premium price.

I’ve gone back and forth today over thoughts of whether I’d like to pre-order. I feel as though if the $500 price included the touch cover keyboard, I’d jump in on it. At $600, I just can’t justify the purchase until I’m sure the Windows Store will have the sort of apps I need in a device. Since Surface is geared around productivity, a WordPress app would be a nice start, since consumption apps like Netflix and Amazon’s Kindle are already available. What do you guys think of the pricing model?


  • http://twitter.com/pclever1 Peter Cleverdon

    NO!!! The RT version of this tablet is THE WORST IDEA OF ALL TIME. How ever the PRO version (price unknown) is pretty bad ass and I think I will be getting one. So, think that given that the RT version has very low quality internals and no desktop function and is still starting at $500 I think that Microsoft might not be getting as much thunder as they were hoping for.

  • http://winsource.com/ Joe Fedewa

    I think $500 with the touch keyboard would have been a real bargain.

  • http://twitter.com/outlaw_d Big D

    I can see why people are second guessing their purchasing decisions. This is a PREMIUM device, hence a premium cost. When did Microsoft ever mention about trying to be competitive or swallow the market whole? If you want a shitty tablet, go buy a cheap Nexus 7 or an iPad Mini with an extremely outdated OS. People blast MS about not having “apps.” They will come with time, just like it’s taken time for Google and Apple to build their app stores. All the major, widely used apps will make it to Win 8. It’s a real shame Win 8 doesn’t have 1,000 apps that teach you how to change a diaper, or 2,500 apps that let you play Texas Hold’em like Google/Apple.
    And yes, like you’ve read, you DO get more with Surface when compared to iPad — double storage (basic model), USB, built in stand, and Office 13. If you buy an iPad, what are you going to turn around and buy for it? A bluetooth keyboard/stand and covers. That totals out to be more expensive than the Surface bundle.
    It does cost more than what we all expected, but look at what all you get. If you look and see what’s lacking, then go enjoy your iDroid tablet.

  • josh

    fail . . . no RT for me. I’ll look at the pro . . . maybe

  • Brandon Sutherland

    How exactly is the Nexus 7 outdated? Not only does it represent the latest thing to hit the market, but its hailed by all critics and reviewers as the best buy for tablets for the general population for the money. Now I’m excited and all for the new Windows 8 tablets, but they cannot be compared to products such as the Nexus 7. Apples and Oranges.