Microsoft announces Surface Pro for the UK, available May 23rd

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

Microsoft has confirmed that the Surface Pro will be released in the UK next week. The Windows 8 tablet will be available for order from May 23rd. With recommended retail pricing of £719 for the 64GB version and £799 for the 128GB model, consumers will be forking out for tablets that are grouped in the Ultrabook price range.

That's not all as the Type Cover and Touch Cover will set you back £110 and £99 respectively. That said, the Surface Pro runs the full version of Windows 8, unlike the RT models. You're packing a full PC in the palm of your hands, with functionality matching a desktop environment (excluding keyboard and mouse, of course).

The month of May will also see Microsoft launching the product in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, and Thailand will follow in June.

So why have we had to wait for so long until Microsoft finally releases its premium Windows 8 tablet? One word: demand. Here's what Robert Epstein told TechRadar:

"That's why we're where we are today really, because of the success in the US. We're really pleased with how things are going. [Surface is] two different propositions. Surface RT is a tablet with PC characteristics, surface pro is a PC in a tablet form factor."

This is understandable if we look at how badly the Surface has been backordered in the past, particularly in the US. Should you be looking for an advanced Windows 8 tablet, the Surface Pro is one of the best choices out there, alongside Acer's offering. In fact, there are a number of solid tablets to choose from multiple vendors. We'll give you all a heads up when it's ready to order.

via: TechRadar

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

24 Comments
  • By then haswell will be out soon...
  • Yep. Finally gets here and I'm going to hold off for a Haswell version.
  • If they make a 13+ inch surface, I'll buy it. I also want NFC, better battery, better cameras, and more.
  • You'll be waiting at least a year for Haswell Surface, so good luck with that. And by then of course people will be talking about the next things to come in 4Q 2014......etc....you might as well never buy a PC or tablet again if you are always going to be holding out for the next best thing.
    I got the Surface Pro and not regreting it one bit. With Lumia 920 I was thinking along your lines and now regreting not upgarding, since the EOS will be all the way in fall now.
    So good luck waiting for forever.
     
  • ^ This ^
  • Exactly. I can't wait to get a new W8 laptop when Haswell comes out.
  • Still no India .. I hope MS releases Surface Pro 2 in many countries simultaneously
  • This
  • Great news! I love surface!
  • Surface rules
  • I was asking a Microsoft Store rep about more touch cover colours in the UK too, and while they said there were no plans for more than just the three available at the moment, they did say that there was plans for three new type cover colours in the near future.
  • With the touch covers you should be safe ordering it from some US website and shipping to EU if they don't have the color you want there since there is not much that can break on the cover during shipment or in use.
  • I'll give that a try, thanks!
    Personally I was more intrested that there are new type cover colours coming.
  • Check the Microsoft online store, they have a red dragon and a blue skulls limited edition covers.
  • They are touch not type covers, no?
  • yes, the limited ones are touch; I have the skulls one, since I wanted cyan color touch cover, even though I was not too fond of the design at first, it grows on you and when I was comparing it in MS store with the blank cyan one the one with the skulls design just looked better because the white pattern breaks the color up nicely.
    I really look forward to seeing more designs, although I doubt I will spend another $100+ on a cover while the old one still works, unless Microsoft allows us to create a personalised graphic on the cover then I would go for that.
     
  • Too late MS, just bought a Acer Iconia W700p. You've Missed out on a sale for making us wait so long.
  • Too late MS, i ain't waiting 4 months after the US. I've got to say, although i was initially impressed with the specs, it still cant be used for gaming so it falls within an awkward position for me of too expensive for web browsering/general media consumption and not nearly good enough for pc gaming. There you go, Hello Chronos 7!
  • In love with this machine
  • Was originally tempted, but because of the lack of info about non US releases for months, I'm really not interested anymore. Plus, Haswell will be arriving this year, so why get a product with Ivy Bridge this late on? 
  • Too late, got my dell xps 4 weeks ago, very happy with it. Could not wait any longer for surface pro. High demand causing delay seems unlikely, wonder if the version released here will have been modified to fix problems reported with USA version?
  • Now does anyone know how to pair a Surface (Pro or RT) Bluetooth to a car with Bluetooth built in? WP phone no problem, tablet can't seem to figure it out.
  • Can't be done unfortunately - You can however use the headphone jack if your car has an aux connection. Used my RT for non stop music while driving round Spain a few months ago 7 hour drives with non stop music was great.
  • Battery is dealbreaker. Wouldnt mind for the thicker cover with battery in but needing it a whole day on the road is a pain.