Last October, Microsoft added a new Surface Book model to its range, with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD, priced at $1,999. Now, eighteen months after the Surface Book was originally announced, Microsoft has introduced another configuration.
The new SKU is priced at $2,999 and has an Intel Core i7 processor (6th-gen, like the rest of the range), along with 16GB RAM and 1TB of storage. However, unlike the $3,199 1TB model that went on sale in January 2016, the latest addition does not include a discrete GPU.
Despite being listed on the Microsoft Store site, the new model isn"t actually available to buy at the moment, as it"s currently out of stock. Its introduction makes it the third Surface Book to come with a Core i7 and 1TB SSD, alongside the new Performance Base models that Microsoft unveiled in October. The range-topping Surface Book with Performance Base, Core i7, 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD is priced at $3,299, with shipping promised from March 10.
Meanwhile, Microsoft said in December that the new Performance Base models would launch in eight new markets in the first quarter of 2017, but it hasn"t revealed any further details on those plans since that announcement was made.
Microsoft also made a change to its Surface Pro 4 range this week. The company is no longer selling its entry-level Pro 4 with a Surface Pen in the United States.