Microsoft Surface RT Priced

Rimsy · 16 Oct 2012 at 23:47

Skeeter said:
Don't get the lack of 3G hate... I already have a perfectly good 3G device in my pocket capable of both wifi and Bluetooth and USB tethering which goes everywhere with me. Why would I want to pay for a second 3G contract?

I've never understood the appeal of 3G tablets.

Don't really think there is any "no 3g hate" - vast majority of people have a mobiles capable of tethering and no desire to take out a second contract.

DAnDan · 16 Oct 2012 at 23:50

Rimsy said:
Don't really think there is any "no 3g hate" - vast majority of people have a mobiles capable of tethering and no desire to take out a second contract.

Exactly this for me! Generally wherever I am that I would be using my tablet there is WiFi, but if there isn't then tethering is just a button click away! I wouldn't want to be spending another £x/month just for data purely for the tablet, when I can just use the data that I am already paying for.

Skeeter · 17 Oct 2012 at 00:04

That was a reply to Glaucus a few pages back, but I hadn't refreshed and by the time I posted it there were 2 more pages of posts

Skeeter · 17 Oct 2012 at 00:08

K1LLSW1TCH said:
I'm also guessing that the wired Xbox 360 controller will be plug and play which will be awesome for games.

I really wish Microsoft hadn't gone for a proprietary wireless tech for the 360. A seamless Bluetooth connection for a pad would be epic. I suppose you could use a PS3 pad though.

MR.B · 17 Oct 2012 at 06:59

Skeeter said:
I really wish Microsoft hadn't gone for a proprietary wireless tech for the 360. A seamless Bluetooth connection for a pad would be epic. I suppose you could use a PS3 pad though.

You can use a wireless 360 controller... but you need a receiver. If you do a search for "xbox 360 wireless receiver for windows" you'll find it. I've got one and it works fine.
Not ideal for a tablet though, but i'm using Win 8 RTM and found that it has built in drivers for the receiver so RT probably will as well.

MR.B · 17 Oct 2012 at 07:11

Windows chief Steven Sinofsky skateboarding a Surface...

Showing of the VaporMg casing + Gorilla Glass 2 i suppose.
But he has a point, you could never do this with with an Android tablet or iPad, it would just snap in half.

jonneymendoza · 17 Oct 2012 at 07:40

MR.B said:
Windows chief Steven Sinofsky skateboarding a Surface...

Showing of the VaporMg casing + Gorilla Glass 2 i suppose.
But he has a point, you could never do this with with an Android tablet or iPad, it would just snap in half.

umm yes u can, the android and ipad tabs are built to last

oldbag · 17 Oct 2012 at 07:41

Lack of 3G/4G is pretty fundamental these days for a tablet. Look at the playbook.

jonneymendoza · 17 Oct 2012 at 07:42

Fillado said:
Available to pre-order now!

http://www.microsoft.com/Surface/en-gb

£399 for 32GB
£479 for 32GB + Touch Cover
£559 for 64GB + Touch Cover

Touch Cover is £99.99
Type Cover is £109.99

How much for the Pro version? dont want a locked down OS. wanta fully fledge windows OS mate

godinman · 17 Oct 2012 at 07:53

I guess the RT will work with 3g dongles, not very neat but a workaround I suppose.

nightmare99 · 17 Oct 2012 at 08:31

So the pricing is exactly what I expected it to be, I'm probably going to hold out for the Pro version though.

DanF · 17 Oct 2012 at 08:32

It looks really interesting however the low screen res will put of a lot of current iPad 3 owners who are used to 2048x1536 goodness. Surface at a very low 1366x768 is only 1/3rd the pixels for the same price

that's like going back to iPad 1 tech in a device you often have less than a foot from your face.

Hopefully we'll get one in work for testing.

jonneymendoza · 17 Oct 2012 at 08:32

A none issue for me. I can't tether from my phone

Photek · 17 Oct 2012 at 08:46

jonneymendoza said:
umm yes u can, the android and ipad tabs are built to last

LOL i hope thats sarcasm.

A cheap plastic Android tablet or a iPad made from aluminium (the weakest metal) or a Surface made of magnesium... i know what my moneys on.

dasyad · 17 Oct 2012 at 08:57

When would you ever need to skateboard on your tablet?

Photek · 17 Oct 2012 at 08:59

dasyad said:
When would you ever need to skateboard on your tablet?

Obviously you wouldn't. But the point is no other tablet could do this if you was crazy enough to attempt it.

But of course everyone will benefit from the much improved build quality and robustness of the Surface.

MR.B · 17 Oct 2012 at 09:08

In this vid you see the Surface surviving a drop test at 25s...

And at the recent journalist event MS showed off the same test in person. It's one of the reasons for the £399 price, the build quality and materials used.

POB · 17 Oct 2012 at 09:28

jonneymendoza said:
How much for the Pro version? dont want a locked down OS. wanta fully fledge windows OS mate

No prices yet, but they said the RT version would be priced at ARM tablet prices (it was compared to the iPad)

Then the Pro is due to be priced at comparable ultrabook prices.

So expect £850 +

Skeeter · 17 Oct 2012 at 10:46

MR.B said:
You can use a wireless 360 controller... but you need a receiver. If you do a search for "xbox 360 wireless receiver for windows" you'll find it. I've got one and it works fine.
Not ideal for a tablet though, but i'm using Win 8 RTM and found that it has built in drivers for the receiver so RT probably will as well.

Yeah its a faff. The 360 controller is so much nicer to use than the PS3, plus PC games usually support it natively. Would be great for it to just work without needing any cables or adapters.

oldbag said:
Lack of 3G/4G is pretty fundamental these days for a tablet. Look at the playbook.

godinman said:
I guess the RT will work with 3g dongles, not very neat but a workaround I suppose.

Got a 3G phone?

Finguz · 17 Oct 2012 at 10:50

Photek said:
Obviously you wouldn't. But the point is no other tablet could do this if you was crazy enough to attempt it.

But of course everyone will benefit from the much improved build quality and robustness of the Surface.

Oh please!!

It's nothing more than a cheap sales gimmick :rolleyes:

You better avoid the iphone 5....