Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 Pre-Orders Offered for Free by Microsoft?
Microsoft could allow customers to pre-order the new Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets for free.
This deal would be available at the company's retail locations sometime in the near future, according to a Microsoft retail store employee. It will allow them to reserve one of the tablets without having to put any money down.
The company has not announced the free pre-order offer yet, but could end up doing so in the very near future as both devices are expected to hit stores officially on Oct. 22. Pre-orders are currently available for $50.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The company unveiled both tablets last week.
The Surface 2 functions as a successor to the Surface RT tablet and features a Tegra 4 processor, a 1920 x 1080 resolution display, and 25 percent more battery life. Other features on the device include an adjustable kickstand, lighter body, USB 3.0 and Microsoft's full Office software.
The Surface Pro 2 is the successor to the original Pro model and comes with an Intel Haswell processor that boosts graphics performance by 50 percent and battery life by 75 percent. Overall performance is said to be up by 20 percent and it comes with 8GB of memory with the same form factor as the original.
A new Touch Cover will be released with both tablets that boasts additional sensors, new gestures, a thinner design and backlighting. Microsoft is also launching the new Power cover that is designed to add additional battery life to both devices. The Touch Cover retails for $119 and the Power Cover runs between $150-$200.
The Surface 2 is priced at $449 and will be a direct competitor for Apple's next-generation full-sized iPad. The Surface Pro 2 is $899, making it a valid competitor for the MacBook Air, which starts out around $999. The company will also continue to sell the original Surface RT for a new price of $349.
