Microsoft announces Surface Pro for the UK, available May 23rd

Microsoft has confirmed that the Surface Pro will be released in the UK next week. The Windows 8 tablet will be available for order from May 23rd. With recommended retail pricing of £719 for the 64GB version and £799 for the 128GB model, consumers will be forking out for tablets that are grouped in the Ultrabook price range.

That's not all as the Type Cover and Touch Cover will set you back £110 and £99 respectively. That said, the Surface Pro runs the full version of Windows 8, unlike the RT models. You're packing a full PC in the palm of your hands, with functionality matching a desktop environment (excluding keyboard and mouse, of course).

The month of May will also see Microsoft launching the product in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, and Thailand will follow in June.

So why have we had to wait for so long until Microsoft finally releases its premium Windows 8 tablet? One word: demand. Here's what Robert Epstein told TechRadar:

"That's why we're where we are today really, because of the success in the US. We're really pleased with how things are going. [Surface is] two different propositions. Surface RT is a tablet with PC characteristics, surface pro is a PC in a tablet form factor."

This is understandable if we look at how badly the Surface has been backordered in the past, particularly in the US. Should you be looking for an advanced Windows 8 tablet, the Surface Pro is one of the best choices out there, alongside Acer's offering. In fact, there are a number of solid tablets to choose from multiple vendors. We'll give you all a heads up when it's ready to order.

via: TechRadar

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Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.