Microsoft Finally Talks Surface Pro Pricing: 64GB For $899, 128GB For $999

Microsoft’s Windows RT-powered Surface has been… polarizing to say the least, leaving many a gadget fiend pondering the prospect of buying the more powerful Surface Pro instead.

The Redmond-based company has been keeping quiet when it came to the Pro’s more salient details, but Microsoft has finally come forward with some new info — the Surface Pro will be available in 64GB and 128GB models in January 2013, which will cost users $899 and $999, respectively.

Honestly, I’m looking forward to seeing just how much of that internal memory will actually be available to users from the get-go, especially considering how things played out on the RT version. If you’ll recall, users who picked up the base 32GB Surface RT ended up only ended up with about 16GB of free space, despite originally being assured that they would have closer to 20GB to play with.

As previously noted, both models will ship with a Surface pen for more precise touch input, but users looking for a faster way to bang out essays and angry missives may still want to purchase a Touch or Type Cover. Some of the Surface Pro’s other particulars have been public knowledge for a while now — it’s a bit heavier than the RT model (though still less than 2 lbs), but it packs an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 1080p display into that handsome VaporMG chassis. Other enhancements over the Surface RT include a full-size USB 3.0 port, a Mini DisplayPort jack, and (naturally) a beefier battery to run the show.

This is certainly a gutsy move for Microsoft — these price points put the Surface within striking distance of existing (not to mention well-reviewed) Windows 8 convertibles like the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga. As Gizmodo points out too, the price of a 64GB Surface Pro and a keyboard cover inches past that of an 11-inch MacBook Air, which may mean the Surface Pro could be left in a sort of no man’s land between lightweight laptops and more traditional tablets. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Surface Pro has a shot at success (I’ve grown rather fond of my own Surface RT), but we’ll soon see how the company’s hardware fortunes turn out.