Microsoft Surface Pro will cost $899, shipping from January 2013

After months of silence, Microsoft has revealed that the Surface Pro tablet will cost $899 and shipping will start in January 2013. Panos Panay, General Manager of Microsoft Surface, wrote on the Official Microsoft Blog that Surface with Windows 8 Pro will be available in two versions: the 64 GB standalone model will be priced at $899 (approximately Rs 49,450), while the 128 GB version will cost $999 (approximately Rs 54,950). Both versions will include a Surface pen with Palm Block technology and will support a Touch Cover or Type Cover. However, you'll need to buy these covers separately as they're not bundled with the Surface Pro.

Microsoft raised the curtains on its Surface tablets in June this year and launched the Surface RT in October. At the time, most of the details of the Surface Pro had been revealed, but the company has kept mum on the pricing and availability of the Surface Pro until now. 

Will be launched in January

Surface with Windows 8 Pro follows the same design principles as the Surface RT, including the Dark Titanium VaporMg casing, the dual 2x2 MIMO antennas designed specifically for Surface, and the kickstand.

But it does have some differentiating features. Surface with Windows 8 Pro will come with Intel’s next generation Core i5 processor and Intel HD Graphics 4000, which will give the tablet and its 10.6-inch full HD ClearType display enough performance to run almost everything out there. Surface with Windows 8 Pro also includes a full-sized USB 3.0 port. Its Mini DisplayPort supports external displays up to a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. The tablet also has 4 GB of RAM. It has two cameras on the front and the rear, both of which are 720p HD LifeCams with TruColor technology. The sensors found here include an ambient light sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a compass.

The bundled apps include Windows Mail and Messaging, SkyDrive, Internet Explorer 10, Bing, Xbox Music, Video, and Games.

Surface with Windows 8 Pro will support Pen input, which Microsoft claims is a handy feature for all note-takers or document editors out there. It has an expanded capacitive and digitising technology called Palm Block, which Microsoft states prevents handwriting from being interrupted if you accidently place your palm on the screen as you write.

As it's based on the x86 architecture, Surface with Windows 8 Pro will run all of your current Windows 7 desktop applications. This tablet weighs 903 gm and is 13.5 mm thick.

Here are some of the highlighted features of the Surface Pro:

• OS: Windows 8 Pro
• Weight: 903 gm
• Depth: 13.5 mm
• Display: 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD Display
• Battery: 42 Wh
• Connectivity: microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video, 2x2 MIMO antennae
• Accessories: Touch Cover, Type Cover, Pen with Palm Block
• Storage: 64 GB, 128 GB

When asked about how long the battery of the Surface Pro will last, Microsoft tweeted that its battery life would be approximately half of what the Surface RT has to offer.

As of now there is no word on the availability of the Surface Pro in India.