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eBay: Surface RT w/ Keyboard, $199 USD (Manufacturer Refurb)

Don't you think the price will drop again after the 27th? Or at least by the 18th of October?
I would be quite surprised to see refurbs being offered for $199 again. Considering how quickly they sold out each time they were offered, and how more modestly they sell at $249, I'd expect to see a few more waves of $249 bundles.

I just installed 8.1 RTM last night on my RT. Improved performance (which was already good IMO), functionality, and smaller disk footprint makes the 1st gen RT even better.

I have a terrible track record predicting what Microsoft will do (though I DID anticipate the $199 firesale), but I can see Microsoft selling the 1st Gen RT for $349 and the 2nd gen for MORE. With 8.1 on the RT, and additional units in consumers hands (thanks to the lower price, refurb firesales, word of mouth) Microsoft has nothing to apologize for with the RT.
 

demandarin

Active Member
I saw an article or really a statement made from a Microsoft insider/writer saying MS has no plans to drop the price down any further on pro or RT. That MS plans to sell these units alongside new models. I do think MS is making a mistake if they price the new RT at the same initial price as the first generation one. No matter how good it is. Its obvious that at a lower price point, these things sell very fast as its too good of a deal to pass up. Although not full blown windows, its custom version of windows aka windows ported to ARM, is still far more capable of productivity tasks than android or JOS.

There was another great article discussing what would ultimately take MS and Intel to get ahead in tablet segment. It said they must deliver premium goods, as they have, but priced at a loss. Think about it. Microsoft and Intel are really the only companies who are big and successful enough to eat a huge loss, profits wise, and still be fine. They need to take this initial loss to gain market share. Forget profits, for now. This is really one of the only ways to gain a more significant share. They need to undercut apple as any tablet that has been priced higher than an iPad hasn't really been successful.

Although Xbox won the console wars, as far as sales go, Sony has a similar story. Remember how all their playstation3 devices were sold at a loss in the beginning? Sony stuck with it. Eventually with improvements in technology and manufacturing processes, it became cheaper for them to make PS3. That lead to the losses not being as much. Then eventually Sony pulled ahead. They broke even on costs then started to turn huge profits. How were they able to eat such huge losses initially? Because of how huge and successful they are in other fronts. They have the financial power to of made such a huge risk. As we can see, it paid off and Sony has now made tons of money of their game console.

Same could easily apply to MS and Intel. They have that long money to where they can make a big risk/power move like this. The focus would be on long term goal. They can make this happen. We see how MS ate the huge loss on initial RT then drastically reduced the price. Now the RT is selling like crazy and getting lots of tech press on it. People are seeing it as a deal too good to pass up. Also cheap enough to take risk on a new OS if they don't like it. From what I've experienced with my new RT so far, it really is a great looking and feeling premium device. it was tainted by poor marketing.

MS has said it has learned alot from the initial RT. only 2 more days left until we see if they really have. I hopemthey surprise everyone amd offer these new devices at a lower price poont than 1st generation. or at least include keyboard covers with them. look at the new asus t100. it runs full nlow wim8.1 amd comes with a keyboard for only $349. although it has a less powerdul processor than pro, beimg bay trail, its looking like a great deal. I expect asus tp sell alot of those come October when its released.
 

machistmo

Active Member
True, plus I could always share my type cover with her until battery cover drops. Another option is I could always buy this and sell it for more..haha. I think im about to bite. I think this surface rt would do well. Can printers be hooked up to it and used also? I know anything needing a regular driver to be downloaded, that doesn't have rt equivalent, won't work. IM closer to biting on this.

My RT found my printer and both of neighbors printers as well. I printed off a letter saying HEY! to both of them for fun. I never had any trouble printing. In fact, I never even told it to find anything, it just did it on its own and when I selected print it was like : Here are the wifi printers I see - pick one. I did and off it went printing. Now that being said I never did any serious printer work with it so there may be some limitations. As far as PDF and DOC printing it was spectacular and I remember thinking at the time " man this thing is awesome that it just found my printers and let me print, now I really hate the iPad" . I later gave the iPad to a co-worker.
 

xterrapro

New Member
Ms has warehouses full of these that they were not able to sell when there was no rt number 2. I would not be surprised to see 199 in the near future.
 

demandarin

Active Member
The number sitting around had been reducing dramatically. Ms not going to lower it anytime soon. Now what u will see is more eBay deals going on. That's the place to get it from.

MS already set the pricepoint on paper that its selling along aide new models at same reduced price
 

minimojoman

New Member
Just make sure that when you get the ebay refurb that you can register it, to get the 1 year warranty. Mine was still registered to the previous owner and microsoft couldnt help me. So I either have to send it back to the ebay seller (and forfeit the good deal) because he probably doesnt have any more to swap it out for me. Kinda sucks
 
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