Microsoft Surface Pro Release Date and Cost Revealed: Ultrabook-Tablet Hybrid On Its Way to the U.S.

The Microsoft Surface Pro release date is finally official: Feb. 9, with a retail price of $899 for the base model.

The Surface Pro's more portable sibling, the Surface RT, came out in October. It's a true tablet, and positioned to compete with the iPad, but sales have been sluggish. What does the Surface Pro have to offer?

"The Surface Pro has a Core i5 or Core i7 Intel processor and either 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage, starting at $899 ($999 for the 128GB version)," says CNET. "Unlike some Surface RT bundles, the Surface Pro doesn't come with a Type Cover or Touch Cover -- those are sold separately at $130 and $120, respectively. It does come with a pressure-sensitive Surface Pen stylus with palm-rejection technology that magnetically clips to the charging port. Add in a Type Cover (incredibly useful but not essential if you have your own keyboard and mouse) and the Surface Pro will effectively start at $1,029."

The Surface Pro offers a full version of Windows 8, complete with access to third-party applications. CNET was able to preview the Surface Pro, and it was better than they expected.

"Can a tablet comfortably be your full PC? So far, when it comes to my limited time with Surface Pro, the answer seems to be yes. And that could, in the long run, be the most impactful development in PCs in years."

TechCrunch notes that they didn't like the Surface RT, but thonks the upgrades in the Surface Pro might fix their issues.

"When I reviewed it 3 months ago, I dismissed it due to lack of compatible applications and questionable design decision regarding the Touch Covers. But now, after using it extensively, especially the last few weeks, I find myself constantly frustrated at its poor computing performance. Windows 8 is capable of so much, but the Surface RT, with its ARM-based CPU, just barely handles the system. The Surface Pro should counter most of my criticisms. I'm a Windows guy. I want to love the Surface Pro - I just hope Logitech makes a Surface keyboard similar to the Ultrathin iPad Keyboard Cover."

The Surface Pro will be available at Microsoft retail stores, as well as Best Buy and Staples.