Microsoft Surface 2 4G LTE Tablet Available for $679

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By Kevin Parrish
published

The 4G LTE version of Microsoft's Surface has finally arrived.

After months of talk that an LTE version of the Surface 2 tablet would show up in March or April, Microsoft's Panos Panay announced on Monday the tablet's highly-anticipated arrival, just over two weeks ahead of Microsoft's BUILD conference in April. Right now this tablet only supports AT&T, and costs a somewhat hefty price of $679 USD.

"Many of you have told me that you’d like the capability to be online, even when Wi-Fi isn’t available, so you can work, play, share, and communicate wherever you are," he writes. "In simple terms, we are continuously being asked for a Surface that allows you to use mobile broadband."

Customers who purchase the Surface 2 4G LTE model will receive 200 GB of OneDrive storage for two years, a $200 savings. OneDrive pricing currently costs $25 for 50 GB of space, $50 for 100 GB of space and $100 for 200 GB of space. The tablet already provides 64 GB of internal storage out-of-the-box.

Microsoft's Surface 2 tablet features a 10.6 inch screen with a 1920 x 1080 resolution and 5-point touch input. This screen is backed by the company's Windows RT 8.1 operating system, and Nvidia's Tegra 4 quad-core chip. This model is also unlocked so that owners can insert any SIM card, but the device will only work on specific 3G and 4G networks.

In addition to those features, the new Surface 2 includes 2 GB of RAM, Wireless N and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, an integrated kickstand (24 degree and 40 degrees angles) a 5MP camera on the back, a 3.5MP camera on the front, a microSD card reader, a full-size USB 3.0 port and more. All of this is powered by battery promising up to 10 hours of video playback.

"Every day, more and more people are using Surface. As the device becomes a part of people’s everyday lives, I get excited about the possibilities that start to open up with a fully connected device," Panay writes.

To purchase the new 4G LTE version from Microsoft, head here. Customers who purchase this tablet will also receive unlimited Skype minutes and Skype Wi-Fi for an entire year. The device also has a 1-year warranty.

Kevin Parrish
16 Comments Comment from the forums
  • brettms71
    Am I missing something with a big push to have LTE tablets? I just internet share with my phone, that way I only need one contract for one device and can share with all my other devices wirelessly when I am out and about. Or is there a reason you can't do that in some countries like America maybe?
    Reply
  • csbeer
    'This screen is backed by the company's Windows RT 8.1 operating system, and Nvidia's Tegra 4 quad-core chip.' Say what? $679 for RT?...I'd rather pay $199 for the Surface 1 RT and just add a cellular dongle. Heehee, dongle.
    Reply
  • jerm1027
    Am I missing something with a big push to have LTE tablets? I just internet share with my phone, that way I only need one contract for one device and can share with all my other devices wirelessly when I am out and about. Or is there a reason you can't do that in some countries like America maybe?
    Most Americans pay a hefty extra fee for it, and the wireless companies will create a separate pool of data for tethering outside of the phone's data, which is just as expensive. That doesn't stop tech enthusiasts, but most Americans aren't tech enthusiasts with rooted phones that can tether for free. That's why there is a push for these devices. Plus, what happens when your phone's battery dies? I know Wi-Fi hotspot kills batteries quickly, even on my Galaxy Note II.
    Reply
  • lpedraja2002
    Am I missing something with a big push to have LTE tablets? I just internet share with my phone, that way I only need one contract for one device and can share with all my other devices wirelessly when I am out and about. Or is there a reason you can't do that in some countries like America maybe?
    My thoughts exactly, I have questioned many on the benefits of having 3g for their laptops/tablets and they just answer with "If I don't have wi-fi I can use internet anywhere". I don't think they realize one can use the internet from a smartphone but maybe they're bound by contract. I know with AT&T and I think T-mobile you have to pay additional fees to enable tethering on the smartphone, which completely sucks. I'm lucky I use Claro on Puerto Rico and have "unilimited" internet which is capped if I consume more than 6gb but at least I can tether from my phone and it's waay cheaper than AT&T though customer service leaves a lot to be desired.
    Reply
  • csbeer
    'This screen is backed by the company's Windows RT 8.1 operating system, and Nvidia's Tegra 4 quad-core chip.' Say what? $679 for RT?...I'd rather pay $199 for the Surface 1 RT and just add a cellular dongle. Heehee, dongle.
    Reply
  • JD88
    Wait. So there's a $229 price premium for LTE? Is Microsoft really that out of touch with reality? Pile this one up on the flop train.
    Reply
  • jerm1027
    Am I missing something with a big push to have LTE tablets? I just internet share with my phone, that way I only need one contract for one device and can share with all my other devices wirelessly when I am out and about. Or is there a reason you can't do that in some countries like America maybe?
    My thoughts exactly, I have questioned many on the benefits of having 3g for their laptops/tablets and they just answer with "If I don't have wi-fi I can use internet anywhere". I don't think they realize one can use the internet from a smartphone but maybe they're bound by contract. I know with AT&T and I think T-mobile you have to pay additional fees to enable tethering on the smartphone, which completely sucks. I'm lucky I use Claro on Puerto Rico and have "unilimited" internet which is capped if I consume more than 6gb but at least I can tether from my phone and it's waay cheaper than AT&T though customer service leaves a lot to be desired.
    I'm on T-Mobile right now, and have unlimited data, which is uncapped, and unthrottled. While the company does expect fees for tethering, and blocks, and redirects traffic to an up-sale page if coming from a Windows computer if you haven't paid the fee, it doesn't stop me from chewing through 8GB/mo. Outside of that issue, I'm happy with T-Mobile. The extra fees also applies to Verizon and Sprint, though I don't think they block traffic if you are tethering to a Windows computer if you haven't paid them the fee. The only service I know of that doesn't make you pay an extra tethering fee is Ting, which runs off Sprint's network.
    Reply
  • JD88
    12906753 said:
    Am I missing something with a big push to have LTE tablets? I just internet share with my phone, that way I only need one contract for one device and can share with all my other devices wirelessly when I am out and about. Or is there a reason you can't do that in some countries like America maybe?
    My thoughts exactly, I have questioned many on the benefits of having 3g for their laptops/tablets and they just answer with "If I don't have wi-fi I can use internet anywhere". I don't think they realize one can use the internet from a smartphone but maybe they're bound by contract. I know with AT&T and I think T-mobile you have to pay additional fees to enable tethering on the smartphone, which completely sucks. I'm lucky I use Claro on Puerto Rico and have "unilimited" internet which is capped if I consume more than 6gb but at least I can tether from my phone and it's waay cheaper than AT&T though customer service leaves a lot to be desired.
    I'm on T-Mobile right now, and have unlimited data, which is uncapped, and unthrottled. While the company does expect fees for tethering, and blocks, and redirects traffic to an up-sale page if coming from a Windows computer if you haven't paid the fee, it doesn't stop me from chewing through 8GB/mo. Outside of that issue, I'm happy with T-Mobile. The extra fees also applies to Verizon and Sprint, though I don't think they block traffic if you are tethering to a Windows computer if you haven't paid them the fee. The only service I know of that doesn't make you pay an extra tethering fee is Ting, which runs off Sprint's network.

    I'm on AT&T right now with a 10 GB share plan. I have unlimited teathering and my understanding is that any of the share plans also have it. Fees only seem to be associated with unlimited data plans which is one of the reasons I gave up my grandfathered plan. That and they throttle you after 3 GB anyway so I might as well pay the same money and get 10 gigs.
    Reply
  • wemakeourfuture
    Am I missing something with a big push to have LTE tablets? I just internet share with my phone, that way I only need one contract for one device and can share with all my other devices wirelessly when I am out and about. Or is there a reason you can't do that in some countries like America maybe?
    People do not want to drain their phone battery nor be dependent on a second device to provide data to their tablet especially if the cost is about $100 more.$100 over average life span of a tablet, say 3 years, is $33 a day. That's $0.63 a week, it's a marginal increase in cost for a benefit they deem worth of that cost.At least with iPads the second hand market is pretty decent and you can even recover a bit of that extra cost for those more price sensitive.I know I would not buy a non-data tablet, that's a deal breaker for me.
    Reply
  • brazuka331
    If you get your phone with a contract like most people you can walk away with this tablet for $279Save $100 when you activateSave $100 for a new line activationUpgrade your phone at the same time and Save another $100If you open a new line instead of upgrading then its Save $200I understand this is probably not for everyone but its a pretty good deal if you do contracts always.
    Reply