Microsoft Surface pre-order pricing revealed

Software giant Microsoft has revealed the UK pricing for its highly-anticipated Windows 8 Surface tablet, ahead of its official launch on 26 October.

The product is available to pre-order now from the Microsoft online store, with prices starting for the 32GB Windows RT edition starting at 399, minus Touch Cover keyboard.

Alternatively, end users can shell out 479 for a 32GB device with a Black Touch Cover or stump up 559 for a 64GB Surface with the same accessory.

Additional Touch Covers are available to buy in white and cyan for a further 99.

The Microsoft online shop claims pre-orders will ship by 26 October and should arrive several days later.

As suggested by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer last month, the Surface has been priced to compete with the Apple iPad, which retails at 399 for the 16GB device. For comparison, the 32GB version will set users back by 479 and the 64GB iPad costs 559.

Caroline Donnelly is the news and analysis editor of IT Pro and its sister site Cloud Pro, and covers general news, as well as the storage, security, public sector, cloud and Microsoft beats. Caroline has been a member of the IT Pro/Cloud Pro team since March 2012, and has previously worked as a reporter at several B2B publications, including UK channel magazine CRN, and as features writer for local weekly newspaper, The Slough and Windsor Observer. She studied Medical Biochemistry at the University of Leicester and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism at PMA Training in 2006.