Microsoft has cut the price of its first-generation Surface Pro tablet to just $499, liekely in a bid to get rid of stock of the older model.
The software giant turned to hardware back in 2012, when it took everyone by surprise - including its hardware partners - by plunging into the tablet market with its own-brand slates.
Microsoft made its debut on the tablet market with a Surface RT and a Surface Pro model. The Surface RT runs a watered-down version of Windows, while the Surface Pro is higher-end and comes with the full-fledged version of the OS. While the Surface RT was not very successful, the Surface Pro was better-received and is still considered a good tablet.
The company has launched new-generation tablets in 2013, introducing the Surface 2 (the successor to the Surface RT) and the Surface Pro 2. The second-generation Surface Pro 2 tablet now packs an upgraded Haswell processor under the hood, which is faster and more powerful than the Ivy Bridge chipset powering the original Surface Pro.
Although Microsoft has launched new Surface tablets, the original models are still on sale and the first-generation Surface Pro is still quite a capable tablet. The slate comes with a pretty good screen and offers decent performance. It also comes with stylus input, as well as the Surface trademark kickstand that has proved to be popular among users.
As part of a new promotion, Microsoft is now offering the original, first-generation Surface Pro at a significantly lower price. The tablet is now available for $499, the same price the original Surface RT launched at. To take advantage of this offer, head over to the Microsoft Store at ths link and get the tablet for as much as $400 off. The offer was available at Best Buy as well, but the retailer's website now shows a $699.99 price tag for the tablet.
The new price for the original Surface Pro is most likely a limited-time deal. Microsoft doesn't say when this offer will expire, but interested customers might want to take advantage of this promotion while it lasts. The first-generation Surface RT is still available as well, sporting a $299 starting price on the Microsoft Store.
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