In late November, Microsoft announced that the Surface Pro would cost $899 for the base model at launch. When exactly would the device launch? The company wouldn’t say, but reports from its retail outlets this week indicate that the device is launching by the end of the month.
CNET reports that Microsoft Store salespeople have pegged the Surface Pro for a late January launch. One store even said the device would launch January 26, exactly 90 days after the launch of the Surface RT on October 26 of last year. Another rumor from Neowin says that the Surface Pro will be available on January 29. Either way, the tablet/laptop hybrid will most likely be available at the end of the month.
So, what will you get out of Microsoft’s Ultrabook parading around as a tablet? The Surface Pro already has a leg up on the Surface RT by coming equipped with Windows 8 Pro instead of the lackluster Windows RT. That means you’ll be able to do pretty much anything a Windows PC can do on the Surface Pro. It also has a lot more power than the Surface RT as it sports an Intel i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a 1920×1080 display and Mini DisplayPort output of up to 2560×1440.
The Surface RT hasn’t been doing too well, and Microsoft only just recently made the tablet available at more stores beyond its own retail outlets. Its unknown if the Surface Pro will see more success than its sibling, but diehard Microsoft fans argue that most consumers who want a Surface have been waiting for the Surface Pro on account of its Ultrabook-like specs. Microsoft, and Steve Ballmer, had better hope they’re right.