Read more.Microsoft calls it "the tablet that can replace your laptop."
Read more.Microsoft calls it "the tablet that can replace your laptop."
Oh dear, we're being ripped off here in Blighty!
I just think the prices are overpriced full stop, it's had the 'UK tax' (yes I know we have that huge difference of a different plug socket lol) and then had extra added under the usual rubbish about 'economic' state of the country (in other words like for like prices)
Compared to the surface 2 pro, the i5 with 256GB SSD and 8GB ram isn't to far off the existing UK price (it's about £100 different which allowing for the screen is ok)... Having said that it's about £925 on a conversion including VAT, that's just under £200 for a plug... and being in the UK. Oh it's also almost like for like price of the US price....
Oh how we love being shafted and no wonder companies can knock £200 off easily as they sell end stock, they're not losing any money....
EDIT: I'm lucky as I'd be buying for work and so could claim back vat and offset against taxes but even with that saving (£916 before vat on the i5 above) and I'd still in essence be paying vat on the US price... seriously thats just stupid and actually makes me not want to buy one....
I thought Apples price gouging was pretty bad but they've got nothing on MS...
Last edited by LSG501; 21-05-2014 at 02:00 AM.
I prefer the aspect ratio of the 3 over the 2 though still not keen on the taper sides. Surely Microsoft could have squeezed another usb port in on something this size.
The price though is a killer and its hardly a laptop replacement if you then have to buy a keyboard on top (for some work a physical keyboard cannot be replaced by an onscreen one). If the type cover was supplied with the tablet at these prices it would be slighlty more bearable ... but only slightly.
The sweet spot would appear to be the i5 128GB model but at £849 its £100 more than an entry level Macbook Air, the 256 GB model weighs in at a hefty £210 more than a 256GB 11.6" Air ... and with out any keyboard.
If the i5/128GB model was £50 dearer than the 128GB iPad Air that would be acceptable, £689 (with a type cover) for a full fat OS driven tablet is easier to swallow.
At that price for the i3 version then no I won't be replacing my laptop for this. Even if I take in the costs of updating the ram, installing an SSD myself and updating the OS, then I still get an excellent "does what I want it for" laptop for under £500. Yes it's heavier and has a larger footprint than a tablet style pc and yes it's going to be a bit heavier on the old wattage (but not much) but I have a large(ish) HD screen that's easy to sit and work at all day long, I can take it apart for cleaning and component replacement and I for one have never had a problem carting it around when I go places.
The surface pro 3 line looks good and there is no doubt that has all the mobile performance that you need but the price is too high for me (the reason I don't buy Apple products). However I'm sure that my new "I'm a technology buff" Chief Exec will love spending large amounts of tax payers money on these especially as they will do what he thinks we need.
Of course I'm perfect you just need to lower your expectations.
I have always desired a Surface Pro Tablet but the price has always prevented me. In this iteration, they really are becoming what Microsoft planned with the surface range but what I disagree with is this pricing structure.
it costs £2 per GB just if you change the solid state drive, that's wholly unreasonable! I would love to know whether such a small change warrants such a massive increase in price unless the increase in storage size also bundles in the increase in ram. But again the expense is huge.
But still, the quality of build of these devices rivals that of Apple's and it really is a premium grade device.
Much like what's already been said, I love the look of the Surface Pro 3 and do fancy one, but couldn't fathom spending that amount of money on a device that may or may not be as productive as a proper laptop.
It's a MacBook alternative of sorts, yet the fact that it's a tablet has you half expecting iPad-like prices.
It's odd they seem to be taking a swipe at their own ultrabook market. Yes there's the MacBook Air, but now much money has been pumped into thin premium Wintel ultrabooks (advertising especially) for them to turn around and try and steal that market with tablets?
As with many others, I would desire this, but it's way too rich for my pocket.
The thing that I hope comes from this is the trickle down. There are countless alternatives to the iPad that are vastly cheaper and let you do the same thing. There are other 2-in-1 devices out there, but not many, and they are either too compromised or also in the ultrabook price range.
Most people don't need such a powerful processor. You do need something more than a netbook, but not a lot, and yes 4GB is a huge benefit over 1 or 2GB. 64 or 128GB storage is also enough as long as there is a SD/microSD slot there a well.
Currently looking at the HP x360 to replace my work issued Dell Latitude 2120 (what a hunk of junk that is).
Good point - problem is that stealing sales from their "partners" is a sure way to make those partners look elsewhere. Now for OS's that's not really going to happen - Microsoft's in that enviable "just take it ma bitches" position. On the other hand, there's not a lot of Windows RT tablet makers, and Windows Phone looks a little shaky.
I can't help wondering if, based on the feedback here, if there's some scope for taking a leaf out of Apple's iPad playbook and continuing to offer the older models as "budget" ones to keep people interested. Got to say that a £399 Surface Pro+Touch Cover bundle might have me reaching for that chequebook. And given the Microsoft UK Store is doing a 128GB Surface for £518 that's got to be in the realms of "do-able".
As to the Surface Pro 3 - I'm going to be an echo and say "nice, but too expensive for me". Can't wait to see what other manufacturers - Dell, HP, Lenovo - could do in reply.
Same boat as everyone else in that this feels a bit expensive, at least until you try to find a device of similar quality. Thinkpad X1 costs this much, a macbook pro retina 13" costs this much... I guess Asus might have something but the requirements are it must have portability, a higher than 1080p screen, 8GB of RAM and fourth on the list is some decent battery life.
Yes I would buy one IF they bring the top of the range one down to £899 with 8G:mem and 512HD
and the i7processor instead they rip us off here in the U.K. with there silly prices.
As I have said before rip off corporates, Microsoft, Google, and many more
Google glass an other rip off
Tom
It looks like a great product, but as overs have pointed out, the pricing puts it in apple territoy, and without the same caché that apple wields, many will go with what they consider "the safe option" rather than trying the surface. Only informed users will buy the surface, but will resent the price.
That said, I really like the sound of it, but will wait for end user reviews as to heat and durability.
My wife saw this and she's bugging me to buy her one - buy her one?
The UK price is a bit spicy at the moment so I'm afraid she's going to have to make do with her Nexus for a while longer.
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