Surface RT tablets begin at $500

What about the CPU? Is it Tegra 2, 3, or will it feature the next one already?

From what I've heard, Windows RT isn't quite as feature-full as Windows 8, and I'm not sure why anyone would specifically want a surface tablet with an ARM chip in it anyway. Power consumption might be marginally better, but performance of an x86 chip should be significantly better. Give me a tablet with a low-voltage Trinity APU and I'll buy it. Too bad Microsoft isn't offering it.

I'm guessing these are Tegra 3, which is pretty old at this point. Meh.

$100 for that little keyboard cover, thats quite a lot, considered its a ARM powered tablet, $600 might be a bit too much.

The ad is cool !!

Could be more practical note taking device for school, if the RT versions run Office, specially OneNote. Switching between lectures and music, then taking a picture of the board for quick note references with its cam...64GB at 700 tho...I could just use pen and paper....

I think Microsoft and other manufacturers of Windows 8 tablets are going to have the same problem they did with Windows 7 tablets.  The problem is that the pricing isn't worth it no matter how nice they make the specs sound or the OS is.  I believe Apple has been one lucky company in that it has a loyal fan base --- allowing it to get away with murder basically. I own Apple, Google and Microsoft products. I bought  iOS, and Android products to test both trying not to be bias. I like some things about both but Android is proving to be my favorite minus compatibility issues with some apps on different brand products.  The fact is the experience of using a tablet still isn't worth giving up my laptop/desktop which has more horsepower. Buying a tablet is an impulse not something I have to have, keep the price point at a level that makes it hard for consumers to say no. $300 - $400 would have been a great price.  Look at the Nexus 7 tablet, it's a great deal at an unbelievable price---even with the smaller screen. The concept with tablets is to bring the price down not drive it higher. I think no matter how many businesses buy tablets they will never rival the number of casual consumer's who buy tablets and Apple can prove that .

Ha... No... We're in the middle of resecetion (bordering depression) with unemployment figures through the roof. This just shows how out of touch some corporations are with the rest of society. I would really like a tablet and was going to choose the surface but not at those prices. Another hundred dollers (£75) for a cover/keyboard? No way. Would rather buy a new laptop.

I just can't justify the price for the product. If I'd be getting the tablet I would get the 64gig model and $700 dollars is just to high. For just a few hundred more dollars I could get a smaller gaming laptop/netbook that would be much more useful to me. Now if the price point of the tablet was $400-$500 it would be worth considering. 

Not going to lie these windows tablets do look pretty nice.  If the apps I need are on it I'm so getting when instead of an android tablet when I replace my ipad soon.

I'm sorry but $600 for a Touch Cover is a deal breaker. $400 for the win.

For all those people bitching about the price, should perhaps take a course in microeconomics before bitching. Just remember Microsoft kills Apple when it comes to certain target markets. The only reason why Apple crushes everyone when it comes to certain products is because they are Master Sheperds. CNN has a good article you might wanna check out http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/19/tech/microsoft-surface-ipad/index.html

So it's only competing with the iPad.... I figured as much, but you never can be too sure about these things. I wonder how they're going to accept the loss? Even if it is a better product, they still have to convince their target audience that their first try is going to be better than something that has been out for a few years. We could be looking at a "Zune" tablet.

Oh-ho-ho snap......I have to wait and get that. 0_o

A *really* long wait......

I'm looking forward to seeing this and seriously considering for purchase. I have an iPad. it has it's uses, but limited to surfing web, checking email and storing pictures from camera when on the road. Like most most people in the world, we run Windows. Apple has a good OS but most companies in the working world run Windows. I'm not converting...no need too. not spending money for Apple apps when I already have Windows equivalents. The Surface tablet will offer a lot of versatility, USB, microSD slot and Office included...all in handy tablet form! It might not take Apple's tablet share...but the majority of the people I know that use the iPad find that it's an expensive web surfer and end up giving it to their kids to play games with. For $500 you can get and Xbox or PS3 plus games these days! I hope Surface is a success...maybe it's the kick-starter, along with Windows 8 Microsoft needs start innovation again!

This is the one that competes with the iPad. There's another Surface line coming out in January (Surface Pro) that has full Windows 8 and Intel processors rather than ARM. That one will be in a league of its own.

Nice, but will wait this out, hope MS is successful though.

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to agree with certain people here. Microsoft isn't going to exactly persuade people to purchase the Surface over the iPad. They just can't try to compete for customers at the same exact price range. I mean if they are really trying to grab tablet consumers, they would price it $100 or so less, or perhaps a similar price tag that comes with the keyboard; if you want the keyboard, forget it, prepare to pay $700. This is is drawn primarily from the specs, and from the fact that I am looking at this as a dedicated Microsoft fan-boy, I guess you could say.

Nice looking piece of junk. Maybe the next version is going to have any use, right now, with only 2k shitty apps, it's quite useless. And skype is not a Metro application.

So.... cant i just get a Windows 8 tablet and have access to  a fully functional and supported Windows OS instead of the super limited Ipad or Android ones?

Can someone please tell me this fascination with tablets? Are they for people that think laptops are too big? What do they provide that is not already available????

At that price point I really can't see RT making any headway in the tablet market. Outside of integrated Office, which really isn't necessary anymore for the vast majority of end users, I really don't see anything that it offers that current tablets don't already offer.

Hmm they are competing with the iPad at the same price points. I dont see this really making much of  a dent in the iPad sales share of the market.

Cant wait!

are Microsoft not paying attention to real world pricing ?????

Microsoft's MS Surface is the equivalent of what Apple did to MS in the smartphone market.

Where Apple took the smartphone idea and made it better/mainstream, MS is now taking the Tablet and making it better/mainstream AND they are releasing the Windows Phone 8 which is also better than the iphone by comparison.  

This puts MS in a position of great advantage.

I don't think tablets, no matter how flashy, can ever replace a PC/Laptop.