The company is offering a small price cut to military personnel

May 22, 2014 14:15 GMT  ·  By

If you're thinking that the Surface Pro 3 is expensive, you're not alone. With a price of $2,000 (1,500 euros) for the top-of-the-range model, the Surface Pro 3 is the most expensive tablet/laptop on the market, even though it does come with impressive hardware specifications.

Pricing remains a major drawback, however, and the company appears to know this very well, so it was only a matter of time until Microsoft started rolling out discounts for the device.

Today is the day when the software giant revealed the first price cut for the Surface Pro 3 which can now be purchased with a 5 percent discount, as part of a Memorial Day campaign.

Unfortunately, this new offer is only available in the United States and is aimed at active, former, or retired military personnel, excluding institutions.

“Limited quantities may be available. Not valid on prior orders or purchases; cannot be transferred or otherwise redeemed for cash or coupon code. Not combinable with other offers. Taxes may apply. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. False representations of eligibility voids this offer, and Microsoft reserves the right to collect the full price of product(s) ordered. Limit of 3 items per order. Bulk orders not valid and may be canceled,” the official terms of the campaign state.

The Surface Pro 3 is the most powerful Microsoft tablet to date and comes in multiple configurations, with the top-of-the-range model featuring an i7 Intel processor and 8 GB of RAM. It also boasts 512 GB of storage space, as well as a microSD card if you really need additional space.

As mentioned, pricing isn't the ace up its sleeve and could really affect sales unless Microsoft rolls out more discounts in order to make it more affordable.

Here is the full pricing information for the new Surface Pro 3 lineup:

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 64 GB with Intel i3 - $799 (585 euros) Microsoft Surface Pro 3 128 GB with Intel i5 - $999 (730 euros) Microsoft Surface Pro 3 256 GB with Intel i5 - $1,299 (950 euros) Microsoft Surface Pro 3 256 GB with Intel i7 - $1,549 (1,130 euros) Microsoft Surface Pro 3 512 GB with Intel i7 - $1,949 (1,425 euros)

The Surface Pro 3 is specifically designed for power and corporate users, but pricing should really be lowered, especially because Microsoft hopes to see buyers replace their laptops with this new tablet. Truth is, the Surface Pro 3 offers excellent value for the price, but at $2,000, there are plenty of powerful alternatives out there.