Microsoft launches Surface 2: pricing, specs, and accessories

Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets

Microsoft launches officially Surface 2, Surface Pro 2, and incredible new accessories at the New York event. This is the company’s second attempt to convince customers that the home-brew tablet is worth every penny.

In today’s event the software giant announced that both tablets will be available on October 22nd, just four days after the release of Windows 8.1.

Customers who want to be among the first people getting their hands on the new tablet can pre-order a Surface 2 or Pro 2 starting September 24th, 2013 at 8am ET from any Microsoft Store, Best Buy, or at the online Microsoft Store in the U.S. and Canada.

Additionally the tablets will also launch in 21 markets including: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom on Oct. 22 and China in early November. More countries will be announced in the near future.

Pricing

Surface 2 with Windows RT 8.1 price start at $449 for the 32GB model without cover and there is also the 64GB model which will cost $549.

Surface Pro 2 price, on the other hand, starts at $899 for the 64GB model and $999 for the 128GB version with 4GB of RAM, while the 256GB and 512GB models will feature 8GB of RAM and will cost $1,299 and $1,799 respectively. (Keep in mind every Surface Pro 2 will also come bundled with stylus pen.)

Note: Microsoft will continue to sell Surface RT and Surface Pro at the current $349 and $799 prices. No word when the company will discontinue these devices.

Let’s review the tech specs

Surface 2: The second-generation looks identical to the current model and it’s powered by a NVidia Tegra 4 (ARM-based) processor, a 1920 x 1080 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD display, Bluetooth version 4, a 3.5-megapixel front-facing camera and a 5-megapixel rear camera (both capable of 1080p video recording even in low-light), USB 3.0 port, micro-SD expansion slot with support of up to 64GB, new two-position kickstand, HD video output. It will also come preloaded with Windows RT 8.1 and Microsoft Office 2013 RT, including Outlook RT.

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Surface 2 now is also coming in silver (only) color, Microsoft promise up to 10 hours of video playback on a single charge — this is 25% of battery improvement compared to the previous version –. The new device is less than 9mm thick and weighs 1.5 pounds. 

Surface Pro 2: As the ARM version Pro 2 also looks exactly the same as its predecessor and it’s powered by an Intel Core i5 Haswell processor, the choice of 4GB or 8GB of RAM, 1080p ClearType Full HD display with 46% more color accuracy, Dolby sound, 2 720p LifeCam cameras, Bluetooth version 4, USB 3.0 port, micro-SD expansion slot with support of up to 64GB, new two-position kickstand, HD video output, and digital pen to take notes or drawing.

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Battery life has also improved by 75%, providing up to 7 hours of battery on a single charge. Graphic performance has increased 50%, and system performance has also increased by 20% on average. The company also claims that Surface Pro 2 is 95% faster than most laptop in the market today.

Customers will also notice that the Windows logo no longer appears in back of the device, now it simply says Surface on either version. 

You can also pre-order here: http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/pre-order

Note: Actual usable storage:

Surface 2:

  • 32GB – 18GB free
  • 64GB – 47GB free

Surface Pro 2:

  • 64GB – 37GB free
  • 128GB – 97GB free
  • 256GB – 225GB free
  • 512GB – 481GB Free

Additional space is available by creating USB recovery key.

Accessories

Microsoft is also introducing seven new accessories for the new Surface family:

Type Cover 2: This is a new cover 1mm thinner that the previous version and features backlit keys, and it comes in Purple, Black, Magenta, and Cyan. It has a price tag of $129.99 and it will be available in the coming months.

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Touch Cover 2: The new Touch Cover is only 2.75mm thick, feature backlit keys, and is more accurate registering keystrokes thanks to the over 1,000 sensors. It has a price tag of $119.99 and it’ll be available for pre-order on September 24.

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Power Cover: This new cover looks and functions the same as the Type Cover, but it comes with a battery pack that can extend battery life of Surface 2, Pro 2, and Pro models up to 50%. The Power Cover has a price tag of $199.99 and it won’t be released until 2014.

powercover-battery

Docking Station for Surface Pro: This is an accessory only for Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2, and it allows you to connect the tablet a range of peripherals. The dock offers extra USB ports, gigabit ethernet, mini DisplayPort (for external monitor pushing a total resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels), mic and headphone ports. The Docking Station has a price tag of $199.99 and it won’t be released until 2014.

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Wireless Adapter for Typing Covers: This is interesting, Microsoft will also be making available an accessory for another accessory. Basically this is a wireless adapter that attaches via magnet to any Touch or Type covers, allows users to interact with the device from far away using Bluetooth technology. This adapter has a price tag of $59.99 and it’ll be available for pre-order on September 24.

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Car Charger with USB: The new charger allows you to charge your tablet without extra cables and it also provide a USB port to charge other devices. This accessory will cost $49.99, but won’t be released until 2014.

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Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition: There is nothing special about this mouse, just that is a special-edition that matches the look of the new tablets and it connects via Bluetooth version 3. The new mouse will have a price tag of $69.99 and it will be available for pre-order on September 24.

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Surface Music Kit: And there is also the limited edition cover that lets you remix your favorite songs and share them with the world. Microsoft isn’t listing the kit as an accessory, but it is, check out http://www.surfaceremixproject.com/ to see how you can get one for free.

surface-music-kit

Extras

The software giant is also including a few extras; customers buying either device will receive 200GB of free SkyDrive cloud storage for two years, unlimited Skype calling to landlines for a year in more than 60 countries, and Skype WiFi.

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About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.