Summary:The price cut is good through February 7, though the base configuration is the only version that retains its original price during the sale.
By Sean Portnoy for Laptops & Desktops | February 3, 2015 -- 03:54 GMT (19:54 PST)
Times are getting a little tough for the rapidly maturing tablet market, which just saw its first yearly decline in shipments, according to a new IDC report. One casualty appears to be Microsoft's Surface 2 -- the company is stopping the manufacturing of the Windows RT tablet. Hot on the heels of that decision, Microsoft is temporarily chopping the price for most configurations of its remaining Surface Pro 3 slate.
Read this
The Ultimate Surface Pro 3 Reviews Roundup
From now until February 7, you can get $100 off the price for the tablet that really wants to be a laptop -- though with one notable exception. For budget buyers, that one configuration is unfortunately the base model, which remains at $799. All other models get the price cut, so the next cheapest version -- with a faster Intel Core i5 processor and twice the storage of the base configuration -- is now just $899. Microsoft is also throwing in a free sleeve with any Surface Pro 3, including the base model, through April 5.
The IDC findings don't single out Microsoft's sales figures, but the timing of Microsoft's moves suggest it's not immune from the slowing tablet market. Nonetheless, the price cuts do help to better position the Surface Pro 3 against its apparent primary competition -- the MacBook Air. For the same $899 price as the base Air laptop, the Surface configuration offers the same amount of RAM and solid-state storage, while providing a faster processor and slightly larger, higher-res screen.
By Sean Portnoy for Laptops & Desktops | February 3, 2015 -- 03:54 GMT (19:54 PST)
Times are getting a little tough for the rapidly maturing tablet market, which just saw its first yearly decline in shipments, according to a new IDC report. One casualty appears to be Microsoft's Surface 2 -- the company is stopping the manufacturing of the Windows RT tablet. Hot on the heels of that decision, Microsoft is temporarily chopping the price for most configurations of its remaining Surface Pro 3 slate.
Read this
The Ultimate Surface Pro 3 Reviews Roundup
From now until February 7, you can get $100 off the price for the tablet that really wants to be a laptop -- though with one notable exception. For budget buyers, that one configuration is unfortunately the base model, which remains at $799. All other models get the price cut, so the next cheapest version -- with a faster Intel Core i5 processor and twice the storage of the base configuration -- is now just $899. Microsoft is also throwing in a free sleeve with any Surface Pro 3, including the base model, through April 5.
The IDC findings don't single out Microsoft's sales figures, but the timing of Microsoft's moves suggest it's not immune from the slowing tablet market. Nonetheless, the price cuts do help to better position the Surface Pro 3 against its apparent primary competition -- the MacBook Air. For the same $899 price as the base Air laptop, the Surface configuration offers the same amount of RAM and solid-state storage, while providing a faster processor and slightly larger, higher-res screen.
