After months of talk that an LTE version of the Surface 2 tablet would show up in March or April, Microsoft’s Panos Panay announced on Monday the tablet’s highly-anticipated arrival, just over two weeks ahead of Microsoft’s BUILD conference in April. Right now this tablet only supports AT&T, and costs $679 USD.
“Many of you have told me that you’d like the capability to be online, even when Wi-Fi isn’t available, so you can work, play, share, and communicate wherever you are,” he writes. “In simple terms, we are continuously being asked for a Surface that allows you to use mobile broadband.”
Customers who purchase the Surface 2 4G LTE model will receive 200 GB of OneDrive storage for two years, a $200 savings. OneDrive pricing currently costs $25 for 50 GB of space, $50 for 100 GB of space and $100 for 200 GB of space. The tablet already provides 64 GB of internal storage out-of-the-box.
Microsoft’s Surface 2 tablet features a 10.6 inch screen with a 1920 x 1080 resolution and 5-point touch input. This screen is backed by the company’s Windows RT 8.1 operating system, and Nvidia’s Tegra 4 quad-core chip. Nvidia powers the LTE network as well, with the fifth generation i500 modem. This model is also unlocked so that owners can insert any SIM card, but the device will only work on specific 3G and 4G networks.
In addition to those features, the new Surface 2 includes 2 GB of RAM, Wireless N and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, an integrated kickstand (24 degree and 40 degrees angles) a 5MP camera on the back, a 3.5MP camera on the front, a microSD card reader, a full-size USB 3.0 port and more. All of this is powered by battery promising up to 10 hours of video playback.
“Every day, more and more people are using Surface. As the device becomes a part of people’s everyday lives, I get excited about the possibilities that start to open up with a fully connected device,” Panay writes.
Customers who purchase this tablet will also receive unlimited Skype minutes and Skype Wi-Fi for an entire year. The device also has a 1-year warranty.
