After a period of being something akin to sold out, pre-orders are back online for Microsoft’s new Surface Book laptop-hybrid, but delays are the name of the game. It seems essentially clear at the moment that Microsoft either underestimated demand for the device, or simply couldn’t make more before it hit the unveil button.
The Surface Book starts at $1,499, and has configurations that stretch into the $2,500 range. The device is a laptop that can behave like a tablet when a user detaches its top half. I know that I am on repeat at this point, but as the Surface Pro line are tablets that can double as laptops, the Surface Book is a laptop that wants to double as a tablet.
A small distinction, but one that contains a host of differences.
So, what sort of delays are we talking about? The cheapest Surface Book model — 128 of storage, a Intel Core i5 processor, and 8 gigabytes of RAM — is now on a 5 to 6 week delay. The highest-end Surface Book, with 512 gigabytes of internal storage, an Intel Core i7 processor, 16 gigabytes of RAM, and a discrete graphics card is on a 7 to 8 week delay.
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The Surface Book will officially launch on October 26, so if you were hoping to get one, the line is long.
It’s worth keeping in mind how the Surface line of products was once a punchline. The embarrassing Surface RT write-down coupled to the exigent realities, and weaknesses of Windows 8 placed the nascent tablet line under heavy fire. If the company had canceled the project, I doubt it would have surprised too many folks. Things are somewhat different now.
Regardless, the Surface Book cometh.