With an unfortunate sense of timing, Microsoft has released pricing and availability information for its new 'Surface' tablet that was originally announced back in June. The release occurred just hours before Apple sent out invitations to its iPad Mini launch event next week.

NewImage
The Surface will begin shipping in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany and Hong Kong on Friday, October 26th. The Windows RT-powered Surface starts at $499 for a 32GB model, $100 cheaper than an iPad with comparable storage. The Touch Cover, one of the more interesting innovations in Microsoft's tablet venture, isn't included for that price; it's only available as part of a $599 bundle with the same 32GB tablet.

There is also a 64GB model that includes the Touch Cover for $699. Separately, the Touch Cover is $119 and the Type Cover is $129.


The Surface is available for preorder from Microsoft's website.

Top Rated Comments

vkramer Avatar
171 months ago
So basically, if I switch to or being with a Microsoft Surface, I will be 100% guaranteed to dance my pants off.

Thats really the only takeaway I got from that commercial.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GeekLawyer Avatar
171 months ago
Wow, Apple sure stole the tablet thunder today.

I would have also expected the RT version of the Surface to be more competitively priced. $500 seems like a high cost of entry for an unproven product with a limited app ecosystem.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chupa Chupa Avatar
171 months ago
M$ steps on itself once again. Pricing offers no one but the hardest corest M$ fans (are there any left?) a reason to buy. It can't compete with either Android or iOS at this price point. Enterprise already hates Windows 8 and loves iOS. Consumers have long felt trapped by Windows until iOS presented them a post PC option. Anti-Apple folks adopted Android. Who's left to buy Surface?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
-Ryan- Avatar
171 months ago
$500 seems like a high cost of entry for an unproven product with a limited app ecosystem.

I'm so glad you didn't advise Apple in early 2010.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
decimortis Avatar
171 months ago
I think the video is just...

*puts on sunglasses*

...scratching the surface.

WHAAAAAAAAAA......

D.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TimTheEnchanter Avatar
171 months ago
Apple hires Triumph the Insult Comic Dog to respond to Microsoft's announcement...
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...
Liquid Glass General Feature

Apple Shares Liquid Glass Design Gallery

Thursday November 6, 2025 2:45 pm PST by
Apple is promoting the new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, showing off the ways that third-party developers are embracing the aesthetic in their apps. On its developer website, Apple is featuring a visual gallery that demonstrates how "teams of all sizes" are creating Liquid Glass experiences. The gallery features examples of Liquid Glass in apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Apple...
airtag purple

Apple's Website Lists AirTag 4-Pack at Shockingly Low Price [Updated]

Friday November 7, 2025 6:40 am PST by
Apple's online store in the U.S. is suddenly offering a pack of four AirTags for just $29, which is the same price as a single AirTag. This is likely a pricing error, and it is unclear if orders will be fulfilled. Apple has not discounted the AirTag four-pack in any other countries that we checked. Delivery estimates are already pushing into late November to early December, suggesting...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday November 3, 2025 5:54 am PST by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple released iOS 26.1 on Monday, November 3. The update includes a handful of new features and changes, including the ability to adjust the look of Liquid Glass and more. Below, we outline iOS 26.1's key new features. Liquid Glass Toggle iOS 26.1 lets you choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass. In the Settings app, under Display...
ikea smart home devices

IKEA Debuts 21 HomeKit-Compatible Smart Bulbs, Sensors, and Controls

Thursday November 6, 2025 4:08 pm PST by
IKEA today announced the upcoming launch of 21 new Matter-compatible smart home products that will be able to interface with HomeKit and the Apple Home app. There are sensors, lights, and control options, all of which will be reasonably priced. Some of the products are new, while some are updates to existing lines that IKEA previously offered. There are a series of new smart bulbs that are...
Early Black Friday Deals 1

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals on MacBook, Apple Watch, iPad, and More

Saturday November 8, 2025 6:16 am PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
Apple fitness plus feature

Future of Apple Fitness+ 'Under Review'

Sunday November 9, 2025 5:30 am PST by
The future of Apple Fitness+ is "under review" amid a reorganization of the service, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple Fitness+ remains one of the company's "weakest digital offerings." The service apparently suffers from high churn and little revenue. Nevertheless, Fitness+ has a small, loyal fanbase that...
maxresdefault

In-Depth iPhone Battery Experiment Pits Slow Charging Against Fast Charging

Friday November 7, 2025 1:19 pm PST by
HTX Studio this week shared the results from a six-month battery test that compared how fast charging and slow charging can affect battery life over time. Using six iPhone 12 models, the channel set up a system to drain the batteries from five percent and charge them to 100 percent over and over again. Three were fast charged, and three were slow charged. Another set of iPhones underwent...
apple watch se 3 always on

Apple to Remove iPhone-Apple Watch Wi-Fi Sync in EU With iOS 26.2

Thursday November 6, 2025 4:37 am PST by
Apple in iOS 26.2 will disable automatic Wi-Fi network syncing between iPhone and Apple Watch in the European Union to comply with the bloc's regulations, suggests a new report. Normally, when an iPhone connects to a new Wi-Fi network, it automatically shares the network credentials with the paired Apple Watch. This allows the watch to connect to the same network independently – for...