Microsoft Cuts the Price of the Surface Pro by $100
The Surface Pro joins the Surface RT in the sale section.
Microsoft has confirmed that the price of the Surface Pro will drop by $100 for the month of August. The news follows a similar price cut for the Surface RT, which was discounted back in mid-July and marked down to $349 for the 32 GB model. The 64 GB model was marked down to $449. Now, it's the Surface Pro's turn, though the discounts this time around are not as hefty as those imposed on the Surface RT.
The Verge reports receiving confirmation from Microsoft that the Surface Pro will be discounted by $100 starting August 4 and continuing through to August 29. Indeed, this offer is now reflected on Microsoft's own website, with the stipulation that those taking advantage of the offer won't be getting a cover included with their purchase. The offer is good for those living in the United States as well as residents in Canada, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the UK or Australia are getting any love this time around, despite enjoying last month's Surface RT discounts.
The price cuts are in place just in time for the back-to-school shopping season, which is always good for discounts on notebooks. The 64 GB model has fallen from $899 to $799, while the 128 GB model has dropped to $899 from $999.

Personally, I wish they'd make a 13.3in or larger Hawell tablet with a proper dock for those who really need it for work and a 8in to 10in Bay Trail tablet for dedicated content consumption and occasional work.
Just like the Xbox One should be priced like the PS4
MSFT wants to make money at the point of sale and after....
The i5 in the Surface Pro alone costs $225...
Sell us a 13" Haswell-based Surface Pro 2 with 128GB storage at $899 or go home, Microsoft. (And sell the tactile keyboard attachment for half its current price.)
I actually do quite agree with this. A) the prices are outrageous for something that is advertised as a major selling feature - whenever advertised, the Surface is presented with the touch cover as if it were a part of the machine. Then, you find out that it's an extra $100 on an already high price. My guess, a lot of people bought iPads upon finding this out.
B) Regular Bluetooth keyboards, which work just as well and cost significantly less. I like the idea of the touch cover but, honestly, for about half the price you can get a working Bluetooth keyboard.
That creates another issue with that product. If the device only works well with a keyboard, it means its a failed design of a tablet. also, as far as the joe-blows know... there are no other non-ms made win tablets.
windows is irreverent. I'm posting this from my android phone... even thou I am 5 feet from my quad core I5 win7 desktop.
Demand, my comments of "they should drop it more" are based more on public perception and what might actually help MS sell these damned things rather than a statement that I believe they are overpriced. I actually agree with you, they are quite competitive with ultrabooks for hardware. The problem is, at this point, the average potential buyer thinks "tablet = iPad" and honestly looks at it like some gold standard and everything else is just some sort of knock off. Even though the iPad is the horribly overpriced device and something like the Pro is actually competitive with Ultrabook pricing, most people don't see it like that - they see a $900 tablet that doesn't run Apple apps.
MS wants to advertise it as a tablet but price it like an Ultrabook, but when people think tablet, they don't think "this could replace my PC if I wanted it to," they think "I could play music and web surf and maybe even write a document on this if I had to!" Like it or not, in the eyes of the public, the Pro is competing with the iPad, and it's a much more expensive competitor.
That creates another issue with that product. If the device only works well with a keyboard, it means its a failed design of a tablet. also, as far as the joe-blows know... there are no other non-ms made win tablets.
windows is irreverent. I'm posting this from my android phone... even thou I am 5 feet from my quad core I5 win7 desktop.
Actually, both of them work just fine without a keyboard. I've got an Acer Iconia W700 - basically an Acer version of the Pro (far better deal, I might add) - and it functions very well as a tablet without the keyboard. The thing is, since it is capable of functioning as more than a tablet and as an ultrabook, it does need a keyboard to function full.
If you don't want to word process, you don't need a keyboard with the RT any more than you need it with an Android tablet or an iPad. Metro is actually a rather well designed tablet OS and once you learn its gestures - which MS admittedly doesn't make that easy - I find it actually more slick than my Android tablet in comparison.
If there is a "problem" with Windows tablets, it's that a lot of them have Micro HDMI outs and the full version ones are very well suited to plug into a monitor/TV and operate as a desktop. This added functionality requires a keyboard and a mouse though. Having this option is wonderful but it does require the keyboard/mouse combo. Is having this option, which iPads and Android tablets largely lack, to be held against them though?
Ignorant comments? Not really.
They simply aren't buying into the Slate and Ultrabook hype. Once you ignore the hype, Surface Pro and Ultrabooks in general look more like overpriced laptops than anything else. If you can live with a 1/4" thicker, 1lb heavier and 2" wider machine (due to 15" instead of 13" screen), you can get a regular laptop that comes standard with keyboard and does just about everything just as well (minus touch-screen) for $200-400 less.
People will stop complaining about ultrabooks once they become the new standard defining the $500-700 price range. For that to happen though, Intel needs to quit charging $300-600 for the $100 CPUs they want OEMs to cram in those machines.