Today, Microsoft unveiled its Surface Studio all-in-one PC, along with the Surface Dial, a new interaction 'tool for the creative process' priced at $99.99. But it also quietly introduced three new peripherals, which are available to pre-order today.
This isn't a great surprise, given that rumors of its new mouse and keyboards have been swirling for several weeks.
The Surface Mouse is priced at $49.99, and at first glance, it looks rather a lot like Microsoft's Designer Bluetooth Mouse, albeit in gray rather than black. However, there are some improvements in the new mouse, including a longer wireless range (up to 50 feet, versus 32 feet), and twice the battery life (up to 12 months, rather than up to 6 months.
It also appears that the Surface Mouse may not be quite as flat as the $29.99 Designer Bluetooth Mouse, which might well make it more comfortable to use for extended periods of time.
Microsoft also revealed a new Surface Keyboard, and again, you might be tempted to think that this is just a recolored version of the Designer Bluetooth Keyboard. But the key layout on the new model has been revised over the earlier version, and it also benefits from increased wireless range.
The Surface Keyboard costs $129.99 $99.99 - but if you're watching your pennies at the moment, you can still buy the Designer Bluetooth Desktop (both mouse and keyboard) for $99.95, whereas the new Surface Mouse and Keyboard will add up to a combined total of just under $180.
And as anticipated, Microsoft is launching a new Surface Ergonomic Keyboard too. The design is similar to the company's previous Sculpt Ergonomic Keyboard, but now features an integrated numberpad, as well as ditching the distinctive 'gap' in the center of the keyboard above the spacebar. It also has two Windows keys, along with a new Fn key towards the bottom left, dispensing with the annoying Fn switch of its predecessor.
The Surface Ergonomic Keyboard is priced at $129.99, and features the same two-tone grey as the Signature Type Cover for the Surface Pro 3 and 4. Curiously, though, Microsoft hasn't unveiled a new ergonomic mouse to go with the keyboard, but the good news is that the keyboard now uses Bluetooth 4.0 rather than the RF wireless on the earlier model.
All three of the new Surface peripherals are available to pre-order now, ahead of their release on November 10.
Update: Microsoft has contacted us to let us know that the Surface Keyboard (the non-ergonomic model) is priced at $99.99, not $129.99 as the Microsoft Store site previously stated.
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