This morning, Microsoft announced the Surface Pro 3, the latest addition to its tablet roundup. The 12-inch Windows 8 Pro device launches in the US on 20 June, but Australia will have to wait until end of August for local release.
The larger screen and integrated keyboard mean that this really is a laptop with tablet capabilities. Microsoft appears to be pitching it heavily as a MacBook Air alternative: the announcement blog post describes it as “half the thickness of a MacBook Pro, and 30% thinner than an 11-inch MacBook Air”. The pricing is also designed to compete with the well-known Apple device: the entry-level 64GB model is $979. Apple’s cheapest current MacBook Air is $1099 (it has 128GB of RAM rather than 64GB, but also has a smaller 11-inch screen and no touchscreen capabilities).
Here’s the Australian pricing for the various Surface Pro 3 configurations:
| Model | Price |
|---|---|
| 64GB Intel i3 | $979 |
| 128GB Intel i5 | $1209 |
| 256GB Intel i5 | $1549 |
| 256GB Intel i7 | $1829 |
| 512GB Intel i7 | $2279 |
No sign of a Surface RT 3, we notice. You can pre-order the device on the Microsoft Australia web site, with delivery promised by 31 August. For me, the most appealing element of this is the claimed nine-hour battery life. How about you?
Comments
One response to “Surface Pro 3 Australia Pricing: We Have To Wait Until August”
God, that would be nice, but I think you’ll find the surface 3 only has 4gb, with some of the larger models supporting 8gb. Pretty sure you meant to say storage.
I’d also point out the 64gb Surface Pro 3 is an i3 processor, so the real comparison would be the i5 Surface Pro 128 @1209 vs the i5 Air@1099
Wake me up when they have a 3g or lte version and then ill buy. All the ipads come with the option.
Still waiting for this before I buy.
(Yes I know i can tether and no I dont want to as I keep my business and personal separate)
Want to turn $1,000-odd into $500 in a month or two? Get a Surface 3 in August. Microsoft should pay an extra environmental tax for using up resources for no actual reason. We could use those rare Earth minerals on something that doesn’t go straight to landfill.