14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft, which is struggling to become a more competitive player in the hardware industry with more Surface tablets and new devices, sees increasing competition from other companies, including Google, which has recently introduced a couple of low-cost Chromebooks challenging Windows’ domination.
It’s a well-known fact that Chromebooks have experienced increased sales in the last 12 months thanks to their low-prices, but Microsoft is now replying in a similar manner with the more affordable Surface 3 tablet.
Often considered the more affordable version of Surface Pro 3, the Surface 3 comes with a 10.8-inch screen, up to 4 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage space, USB ports, and microHDMI. But it’s still three times more expensive than Google’s latest Chromebooks, which retail for around $150 (€110).
Google is very happy to see Microsoft struggling to meet the low price of its Chromebooks and points out through the voice of Caesar Sengupta, vice president of product management for Chromebooks, that competition is always good for the end user, who could get better devices at lower prices.
“We cannot be happier that Microsoft is helping drive down the prices of PCs. If Microsoft is reacting to (Chromebook's low prices), that's fantastic. We love it,” Sengupta said.
ASUS C201 Chromebook specs
The biggest difference between the two devices is that Google’s runs Chrome OS, whereas Microsoft’s Surface 3, which is indeed more expensive, comes with the full version of Windows 8.1 (which will soon be upgradable to Windows 10 for free).
The ASUS C201 Chromebook, on the other hand, comes with an 11.6-inch display with 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, 16GB of internal storage, 4GB of RAM for the top model, and a battery that can last a maximum of 13 hours. Microsoft’s Surface 3 has an autonomy of 10 hours, according to official specs.
And this isn’t the only Chromebook that can be compared to Microsoft’s Surface 3.
The newly launched ASUS Chromebook Flip is also a good alternative, coming with a 10.1-inch screen, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage, and a price of $249 / €231, which still makes it more affordable than the Surface 3.
In the end, it’s all a matter of choice and budget, but looking at these Chromebooks, it’s pretty clear that Microsoft has to try harder to make its devices more affordable. A low-cost Windows laptop is also believed to be in the works right now, but no details are available.