Microsoft Slices 30% Off Surface RT Prices

[IanDavis]

Microsoft Slices 30% Off Surface RT Prices

The tablet/laptop hybrid gets a price cut to boost sales.

When Microsoft built Windows 8 around a hybrid touch interface, it also released its own hardware as a showcase. It came in two flavors, the Surface RT and the Surface Pro. While neither has sold particularly well, Microsoft hopes to give the lower-priced RT a jolt by lowering the price by [a href=http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/15/4524454/microsoft-surface-rt-price-cuts-worldwide]about 30%[/a] in all markets, the Verge reports. With the new prices, a 32GB Surface RT starts at $349.99.

Microsoft moved just [a href=http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/1/4290498/surface-shipments-sales-idc-q1-2013]900,000[/a] Surface units in the first quarter of this year, which earned it 1.8% of the tablet market. Along with the cuts come [a href=http://www.theverge.com/2013/6/17/4439576/microsoft-surface-rt-school-discount-199]special education prices[/a], with Microsoft offering the RT to schools for $199.

While the Pro runs Windows programs like a traditional computer, the RT's ARM processor is more limited. In effect, the Surface RT can only run applications from the sparse Microsoft App store. Certain critics (most notably Penny Arcade's Mike "Gabe" Krahulik) have praised the Pro for being a [a href=http://www.penny-arcade.com/2013/02/22/the-ms-surface-pro]fairly capable[/a] gaming device. Civilization V even ships with a touch screen mode, which itself is a pretty good selling point. However, that's a feature that the RT doesn't have. When you have two devices that look the same and both run Windows 8, but one runs your programs and the other doesn't, it's easy to see how consumers would be confused.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has been hinting that [a href=http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/10/4511482/microsoft-updated-surface-rt-pro-new-accessory-colors]new Surface models[/a] are in the works, presumably to use the upcoming Windows 8.1.

Source: [a href=http://www.theverge.com/2013/7/15/4524454/microsoft-surface-rt-price-cuts-worldwide]The Verge[/a]

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[Vie]

MS has also been handing the RT devices out at trade shows apparently. Considering they already halved the production of the things and they are still having to give them away I think it's safe to say Windows RT has been an unmitigated disaster for MS.

If you still want one of the things I'd give it another couple of months till they start dumping them at less than cost to be rid of them.

 

[Covarr]

Even at a 30% discount I don't want this thing. I'd much rather spend $160 on a Kindle Fire or something.

P.S. Thanks

 

[Dr.Awkward]

They have something with the Surface Pro, as it has a pressure-sensitive touchscreen. Problem is, they're not going to get much success out of it with the price it currently goes for - $1000 USD. Cut down those prices and maximize production efficiency, and Wacom might actually have some serious competition from a competitor that means business, meaning pressure-sensitive touchscreen/pad prices will get more affordable and possibly more mainstream.

 

[Scars Unseen]

They have something with the Surface Pro, as it has a pressure-sensitive touchscreen. Problem is, they're not going to get much success out of it with the price it currently goes for - $1000 USD. Cut down those prices and maximize production efficiency, and Wacom might actually have some serious competition from a competitor that means business, meaning pressure-sensitive touchscreen/pad prices will get more affordable and possibly more mainstream.

Agreed. The Pro is the only one that I find the least bit interesting, but I'm not $1000 interested. If price were not an issue, the Surface Pro would be my pick right now, but since I'm still budget minded, I'd have to go with an Android tablet.

By the way Google, if you could convince someone to make a pressure sensitive Android tablet for a competitive price, I'd be in. Just sayin'.

 

[mad825]

They have something with the Surface Pro, as it has a pressure-sensitive touchscreen. Problem is, they're not going to get much success out of it with the price it currently goes for - $1000 USD. Cut down those prices and maximize production efficiency, and Wacom might actually have some serious competition from a competitor that means business, meaning pressure-sensitive touchscreen/pad prices will get more affordable and possibly more mainstream.

Yes but if Apple are going to do it, MS are sure as hell not to miss out on it...The only problem being that they're not Apple.

 

[Strazdas]

dont give me price cuts, give me at least 1 reason why would i ever want one!

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

Microsoft are starting to lose their grip on the PC market since Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 has done nothing except alienate people more. Making DX11.1 exclusive to Windows 8.1 is a sign of what MS has become and it's not a good one.

DX11.1 won't be available for Win 7 - Seriously, Windows f****g 7.
Office 2013 - Doesn't work on XP
DirectX 10 never came to XP either.

They're intentionally and consciously choosing not to support they're own popular operating systems. They abandoned the PC gaming market years ago, I don't know why considering they're the dominant force in that market by leaps and bounds with more potential customers worldwide than all consoles combined. But the app store in Win8 is the most telling move as the 30% cut they take from apps sold means they no longer care or give a shit about proper windows programs from which they make nothing. Apps, Apps, Apps, the app store, the app interface, the apps for the apps is they're thing now. And it's not what gamers want.

If only linux supported DX games I would switch in a heartbeat.

PS. The only saving grace about M$ restricting DX11.1 to Win8.1 is that it'll fail royally as a standard. So few PC games make use of DX11 anyway that the few that do will not use a standard the majority of world can't make use of because of stupid corporate decisions at M$.