Microsoft holiday offer: Surface Pro 256 GB for $949
Microsoft is offering a "holiday pricing" deal on its highest end, first-generation, Intel-based Surface Pro tablet, officials announced on December 11.
The 256 GB version of Surface Pro is $150 off through December 31 or "while supplies last." The $949 price is available through the Microsoft Store online. A first-generation Touch Cover also is available for $49.99 as part of the offer. (The rest of Microsoft's Touch/Type covers are not discounted as part of this.)
Microsoft added a 256 GB model of the Pro to its Surface line-up back in May, starting in Japan.
Microsoft is touting other Surface holiday offers available too, on peripherals, sleeves and bundles. Some of these offers actually launched a month or two ago, but are being touted as part of the package of "holiday" offerings. Promoted bundles include:
- A Surface Pro Essentials Bundle, starting at$838.98. This is $328 off the normal price and includes either a Surface Pro or Surface Pro 2 and a Type Cover 2 or Touch Cover, plus a one-year Office 365 Home Premium subscription, a screen protector and a Microsoft Compelte Warranty for two years. This bundle went live in October and runs through June 29, 2014 or "while supplies last."
- A Surface Accessories Value Bundle, starting at $149, which is $50 off the normal price. The bundle includes a choice of select Surface sleeves,a $25 Windows Store app and games card and either the backlit Type Cover 2 or Touch Cover. This went live at the end of November and runs through June 29, 2014 or "while supplies last."
- Another Surface Pro Accessories Value Bundle, starting from $169. This includes a Type Cover 2 or Touch Cover, a fingerprint screen protector (for Surface Pro or Surface Pro 2) and a one-year subscription to Office 365 Home Premium. This deal kicked off at the end of November and runs through June 29, 2014.
A word of caution on these Microsoft holiday deals: Supplies really do seem to be limited, if the fast sell-out of Dell 8-inch tablets offered by Microsoft in its brick-and-mortar and online stores are any indication.