Microsoft Surface RT getting $150 price cut starting this weekend

[Jos]

Update: Microsoft has made the Surface RT price cuts official. The base 32GB model is now $350, the 64GB variant will be $450, and either of them with an included Touch Cover will be $450 and $550 respectively. The new prices are in effect at retail stores worldwide as well as the official Microsoft Store. -- Original story below.

Microsoft has been looking for ways to give its Surface RT tablet a little sales boost, partnering with resellers around the world and kicking off a limited-time offer for schools and colleges to get one at $199. Now, according to sources speaking with The Verge, the company is ready to cut $150 off the device at retail, effectively allowing anyone to purchase the ARM and Windows RT based slate for as low as $350.

That’s about $250/$80 less than the equivalent 32GB iPad/iPad mini. It also undercuts the comparably sized Nexus 10 by $150. But of course there are some differences to consider in terms of specs, and more importantly app library, where Microsoft’s platform still falls short despite moving to get all the big names. Adding to that, Microsoft will need to compete with smaller, more affordable options like the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire range.

Although there’s still no official announcement, Engadget was able to obtain a Staples ad confirming the price cuts, which will come into effect starting July 14. Aside from the base 32GB model being priced at $350, the 64GB variant will be $450, and either of them with an included Touch Cover will be $450 and $550 respectively.

Microsoft hasn’t revealed much about its Surface RT sales, but they aren’t exactly flying off shelves. The move is largely seen as a way to clear up inventory ahead of a refreshed version. The company hinted at replacement Surface RT and Surface Pro models during its Worldwide Partner Conference on Wednesday, the former should be receiving a newer Haswell chip while the latter has been tested with a Snapdragon 800.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/53215-microsoft-surface-rt-gets-150-price-cut-worldwide.html

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

Adding to that, Microsoft will need to compete with smaller, more affordable options like the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire range.

Sort of... I don't really think the Surface is in the same category of tablet as a Kindle Fire or a Nexus 7. I'd say it's a regular iPad/Nexus 10 competitor selling at an iPad mini/Note 8.0 price. If you're looking for a tablet to get some work done on, then this is deal looks pretty hard to pass up.

And anyway... as yet another story has shown, PC sales are down and MS wants to stay in the game somehow.

 

[Guest]

Now they got my attention.

 

[Guest]

" I'd say it's a regular iPad/Nexus 10 competitor selling at an iPad mini/Note 8.0 price."

But this is the ARM based model so most of the software you are use to will not be available.
So work with that!

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Things are starting to look a bit better but I'm still not interested in this or any tablet for that matter yet.

 

[tipstir]

Why not sell it for $150 with the keyboard. That will sure bring in buyers who would buy more than one. I would go out and get one for that price or $199. I sure the rest of you would the Student price still not bad after taxes. But why can't we get this deal also. But they think will buy it for $350? Think again! Nope! Lets go much lower!

 

[TheBigFatClown]

What is up with Microsoft and this color purple business? Everywhere I go on their website. Purple square boxes. What in the hell is going on with this company...are they serious? Who are they gathering feedback from these days...pre-schoolers?

square boxes + color purple = are you ******* serious? Anybody got a long rope for sale so I can hang myself after I stop puking?

After 20 years of innovations this company has gone full circle as they say, only for Microsoft I guess that means right back at the beginning.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Everywhere I go on their website. Purple square boxes.

I tend to leave as soon as I see the Crayola Box.

God forbid I ever walk in a store and a salesman tries to sale me a new PC. I'd take Windows 8 under only one condition. Free and allow me to smash the damn thing in the store while recording for a Youtube video. That would be my first ever video posted to Youtube. Hell, I'd have so much fun recording that video, cleaning up the mess would be quite pleasant. Normally I wouldn't be so destructive, but Windows 8 brings out the Taz in me.

 

[Jad Chaar]

I may actually look into this. Pop in a keyboard and I am sold.

 

[lawfer]

Really good deal. I'd get an RT device over an iPad any day.

 

[Guest]

I did play with my friends RT tablet, but prefer my nexus 7. Also have an ipad, but never use it now since getting the nexus 7 and nexus 4 combo.

 

[TheBigFatClown]

I tend to leave as soon as I see the Crayola Box.

God forbid I ever walk in a store and a salesman tries to sale me a new PC. I'd take Windows 8 under only one condition. Free and allow me to smash the damn thing in the store while recording for a Youtube video. That would be my first ever video posted to Youtube. Hell, I'd have so much fun recording that video, cleaning up the mess would be quite pleasant. Normally I wouldn't be so destructive, but Windows 8 brings out the Taz in me.

Windows 8 UI on desktops makese absolutely no sense. I have a 21.5" monitor with a resolution of 1920x1080 that can display a maximum of 16,581,375 ******* colors. And the latest and greatest 21st century operating system from Microsoft is displaying everything in ******* 8-bit color with square boxes. That's where we were 20 ******* years ago!!! Why are we going back there?!?!!! Unreal 4 is going to be released soon which appears to be one of the most technically advanced graphic engines the world has ever seen and Microsoft is releasing an operating system for pre-schoolers. I can play amazing visually mind-blowing games at high-resolutions, watch visually mind-blowing movies at high-resolutions(blu-ray) and what does Microsofts latest OS give us? Yes, folks, you guessed it. A glorious 8-bit color-theme by default. It permeates their latest operating system and now even their websites(mostly their developer website at MSDN.com(immerese yourself in the beauty of square boxes and the color purple). My god. They just won't stop trying to force this Windows 8 ******** on people. And they think that by constant forced exposure that will somehow lead to people accepting Windows 8 in the future even if they don't now. In the past operating systems were written to take full of advantage of the advancements in hardware and now we have Windows 8 where programming for the least common denominator seems to make sense?

What are you going to do Microsoft in 3 years when the slowest smartphone outperforms the cutting edge desktops of today? I thought at first these design decisions were made for this reason but I don't think thats the case anymore. I think that was a distraction, an excuse for a bigger plan.

Something just doesn't make sense about Windows 8. And now that we know that Microsoft has been in bed with the NSA and the Prism program I wonder if this explains some of the bizzare decisions that have been made in the release of Windows 8. The dumbed down interface that Windows 8 has adopted. The integration of the cloud so deeply embedded in Windows 8. "Don't store your files on your hard drive. We'll hold them for you in a secure manner." Yeah, right.

The no longer wanna sell you software. They wanna sell you services. Why? Because services are a continuous flow of money out of your pocket into their hands. And good operating systems like Windows XP(that people are still using 11 years after release) don't bring in the money fast enough. Solution to this problem? Windows 8.

Windows 8 is a major shift in a consumer product. Microsoft is shifting the balance of power out of the customers hands and into their own. This is the biggest problem with Windows 8. Not that the start menu is gone. That's the least of my concerns. Windows 8 will not see daylight on my system. Ever...

 

[Guest]

$350 tablet with Microsoft Office? Now you're talking.

 

[Guest]

I wonder though, could it be they're cutting the price of the Surface RT because they're about to release a second generation Surface?

 

[cliffordcooley]

I wonder though, could it be they're cutting the price of the Surface RT because they're about to release a second generation Surface?

Why not, when Windows 8.1 is just around the corner? Even if the Windows version is the only change, I'm sure Microsoft will try to capitalize on the release date. I may not care for Windows 8 (or 8.1), but I wouldn't hold it against MS for trying (or succeeding).

 

[Railman]

What is a worry is that MS have been in this position before. At one time Netscape was the dominate web browser. Then MS came on the scene with Internet Explorer. It was not any better than Netscape but it was bundled with Windows. They used their considerable resources to ride out the storm. I wonder if they are playing the long game with W8 RT.

 

[St1ckM4n]

That damn $100 keyboard still kills it.

 

[m4a4]

I still have no need for a tablet, so it still doesn't affect me...

 

[Guest]

Still waiting for Haswell Surface Pro...

 

[Guest]

"Why not sell it for $150 with the keyboard. That will sure bring in buyers who would buy more than one. I would go out and get one for that price or $199. I sure the rest of you would the Student price still not bad after taxes. But why can't we get this deal also. But they think will buy it for $350? Think again! Nope! Lets go much lower!"

Yeah, if they are so damn desperate in making their tablet SO compete with android why not do than instead of releasing the Win8 tablets with a price for rich people and releasing on us a tablet interface on our desktop pcs.

 

[howzz1854]

Give us the latest student discount deal, and I'll really go and buy one.

 

[Railman]

I once saw the Surface RT in a store and I was not impressed. It has a tiny screen and the keyboard looks cheap and tacky. Why on earth would I spent so much for so little? The RT version of Office does not support macros which makes it useless in the enterprise sector or for advanced users such as myself.

 

[Guest]

[FONT=Arial]Meh... ! Switching soon to Apple Ecosystem and keeping my old PC with XP .[/FONT]

 

[avoidz]

Throw in the keyboard cover for free and I might be interested.