Microsoft has announced the pricing of the x86 version of its Surface tablet. Available some time in January, the Surface with Windows 8 Pro, as it will be known, will cost $899 for the version with 64GB storage. Doubling the storage tacks $100 on to the purchase price.
ВThe Surface Pro will be very similar to the Surface RT, with the same VaporMg finish, kickstand, and aesthetic. There are a few differences, however. Unlike the ARM version, the x86 device includes an active digitizer with pen support and an included pen, a USB 3 port, a screen resolution of 1920×1080 (as opposed to Surface RT's 1366×768), 10-point multitouch (instead of 5), and mini-DisplayPort for external screens (rather than mini-HDMI, as on Surface RT). Powering the device will be an as-yet unspecified Ivy Bridge Core i5 processor and 4GB RAM. The system will weigh 2lbs, and is about 14mm thick.
Microsoft has also tweeted that the Surface Pro's battery life will be about half that of the Surface RT, which translates to around 4-4.5 hours.
Neither the $899 nor the $999 price includes a Touch Cover or Type Cover keyboard. These will be sold separately.
When Surface was announced back in June, Microsoft said that the x86 version would ship within about 90 days of the ARM variant; the company still isn't offering a more specific date.
