Pre-order availability also announced by German retailer

Nov 6, 2012 08:00 GMT  ·  By

Although the RT version of Microsoft’s first tablet ever is already experiencing record sales, there’s no doubt that most people are actually expecting the Surface Pro.

And the reason is as simple as it could be: it will be able to run legacy Windows programs and won’t be limited to RT apps like the currently available Surface.

Microsoft hasn’t provided too much info on the Surface Pro, but German retailer Notebook.de has recently unveiled pricing for the device and even kicked off a pre-order campaign for local buyers.

The Surface Pro will come equipped with the actual Windows 8 operating system and will pack more advanced hardware as compared to the RT. Sources close to the matter suggest that it’ll feature a larger battery, a higher resolution display and more storage space, most likely up to 128 GB.

The German retailer lists two different Surface Pro versions, one with 128 GB and the other one with 64 GB of storage space.

Hardware information is still limited, but the 128 GB model is priced at $1165 (€909), while the 64 GB version is a bit cheaper – $1035 (€809). Since it’s a European Union state, Germany also has a Value Added Tax (VAT), so the device is going to be cheaper in the United States.

US buyers will be able to get the Surface Pro with 128 GB of storage space for $975 (€763) and the 64 GB flavor for $870 (€679).

While the Surface Pro is going to be a bit heavier than the Surface RT, it’ll provide a full Windows 8 experience. The device will be delivered with a stylus and will boast 4 GB of RAM to better handle the operating system and the installed apps. An Intel Core i5 processor is very likely to be installed on all Surface Pro versions.

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The Surface Pro will be heavier than the Surface RT, but it'll be able to run legacy Windows app. The device is expected to be released in early 2013. Here are the technical specs provided by Notebook.de, but we cannot guarantee that all of these are indeed accurate. Microsoft is yet to issue a comment on the matter, but we’ve contacted the Redmondians and we’ll get back to you as soon as we receive an answer. The technical specification list provided by Microsoft is available here (PDF viewer needed).

- 10.6-inch full HD ClearType display - 1920x1080 resolution - Intel Core i5 processor - 4 GB of RAM - 128 GB / 64 GB of storage space - Intel HD 4000 video card - 802.11 a/b/g/n wireless card - Bluetooth 4.0 - HD camera - Vapor Magnesium case - Total weight – 900g