Microsoft briefly revealed pricing for its upcoming Surface tablet earlier today on its Microsoft Store website. The site listed the tablets for pre-order with a delivery date planned for October 26th, the same day they are hitting stores. You can put to rest any hopes you had that prices would start at US$199.
Prices start at US$499 for the 32GB Window RT model without a Touch Cover. Add a Touch Cover and the price jumps to US$599. A 64GB model with Touch Cover will sell for US$699.
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The Microsoft Store also listed the Touch Cover separately for US$119.99 each and the Type Cover for US$129.99.
A separate report indicates that Microsoft has placed orders for up to 5 million Surface Tablets for Q4 2012, suggesting that Microsoft has high hopes for its first tablet. Mass production is almost certainly underway at this point given that the Microsoft Surface is set to to on sale on October 26th.
Read more: TechCrunch and The Wall Street Journal