Earlier this week, Microsoft unveiled the Surface 3, a more affordable alternative to its higher-end Surface Pro 3. Unlike the earlier Surface 2 - which the new tablet effectively replaces - the Surface 3 runs full Windows 8.1, and will be upgradeable to Windows 10 when it launches on May 5.
Pre-orders opened at Microsoft on the day of the device’s announcement, and now two other US retailers have joined in the action. Amazon and Best Buy have now added the Surface 3 to their product ranges, and are accepting pre-orders ahead of its release. As with Microsoft, the two retailers are only offering the Wi-Fi versions of the device at this stage, but models with 4G LTE connectivity will be available to pre-order at a later date.
Unsurprisingly, pricing at Amazon and Best Buy matches that of Microsoft. The entry-level Surface 3 – with Wi-Fi connectivity only, 2GB RAM and 64GB of storage – will set you back $499; the Wi-Fi model with 4GB RAM and 128GB of storage costs $599.
Unlike the Pro 3, the Surface 3 doesn’t come with the Surface Pen, which is sold separately for $49.99. The Type Cover keyboard is also an optional extra, priced at $129.99.
However, the new tablet does have one advantage over the Surface Pro 3 – it comes with a one-year Office 365 subscription. Microsoft calls this a “limited time” offer, but the small print states that it will be “available on [the] Surface 3 with Windows 8.1 purchased prior to December 31, 2015”.
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Source: Amazon / Best Buy via Windows Central