Whether Microsoft likes it or not, its first commercial surface computing product is still far from going mainstream. The largest impediment by far is the price tag of Microsoft Surface. The hardware built around a Windows Vista operating system and complemented by the surface computing technology developed by Microsoft Research will cost customers no less than $12,500 a pop. But at the same time, a single unit of Microsoft Surface can go as high as $15,000, for the specific product aimed at developers. The Microsoft Surface Order Form offers a comprehensive view over the pricing of Microsoft Surface.

For example, the Surface Commercial Hardware Unit in Metal, Black and White cost $12,500 each, while the Surface Developer Hardware Unit - Metal and Black will go as high as $15,000. "Each commercial hardware unit includes one Surface Software license. Each developer hardware unit includes one Surface Software license and five SDK Software licenses," Microsoft informed.

While Microsoft Surface sells for a pretty penny, there are also additional costs for the product. A Surface Care Installation Service is priced at $1,500, and so are a Surface Care Maintenance Service, and a one-Year Extended Warranty. Shipping (per unit) three to five days will happen for $240, while Expedited Shipping (per unit) one to two days is $530. One good thing that comes with Microsoft Surface is that the Redmond company will take on the full damage delivered by potential patent infringement lawsuits filed against customers of its surface computing hardware and software.

"For each Microsoft Surface unit that you purchase, Microsoft grants you a license to use, access, run, or otherwise interact with each copy of the Surface Software (other than SDK Software) only on the single Surface hardware unit it is delivered with, solely as part of your business, and to allow your end users to use that Surface Software on that Surface hardware unit, solely for their own personal use. You may not transfer the Surface Software independently from that Surface hardware unit, or install, access, display, run, share or use the Surface Software concurrently on or from different computers or Surface hardware units," reads a fragment of the Terms and Conditions for licensing Microsoft Surface.