The Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is a 12 inch Windows tablet with a digital pen, an optional keyboard, and a starting price of $799. While that makes the tablet expensive when compared with Android or iOS devices, Microsoft is positioning the Surface Pro 3 as a complete laptop replacement.

Up until recently you’ve only been able to get your hands on the tablet in the US, Canada and Japan though. That changes August 28th when the Surface Pro 3 will be available in 25 more markets.

microsoft surface pro 3

New regions include the UK, Australia, France, Germany, Taiwan, and China. The Surface Pro 3 is already available for pre-order in all of those markets, where customers can order a model with a Core i3, Core i5, or Core i7 processor.

That’s the good news… for fans of the Surface line anyway. The bad news for Microsoft is that there may not be all that many fans of the line yet.

Microsoft hasn’t released detailed financial figures for its Surface tablets. But Computer World looked at available data and estimates that the Surface division might have lost as much as $363 million in the last quarter and $1.7 billion since the first Surface tablets launched in 2012.

Part of that loss is due to a write-off for unsold inventory of the Surface Mini tablet which Microsoft decided to scrap before launch this summer.

Microsoft has deep pockets and the company can afford to think long term. Sometimes that involves losing money for a few years while developing a new product category that could become profitable down the road. But it’s too early to tell whether the Surface tablet family falls into that category or not.

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4 replies on “Microsoft Surface Pro 3 launches in 25 more countries this month”

  1. The elephant in the room is that SP3 has Win 8.1, and the Win8 market is dead in the water as people will be waiting on Win9. MS itself has given up on Win8x, by pulling all the goodies to put into Win9. People aren’t going to buy an expensive new toy and be stuck with an unwanted OS that’ll be obsolete a few months from now.

    The rumor is that MS will come out with a Win9 preview. If true, vendors might as well put all their 8.1 wares on clearance now and get a headstart. That includes MS.

    1. This. I’m in the market for a new computer and have been pouring over everything out there for the last month or so. Love everything about the Pro 3’s screen (size, aspect ratio, rez). Really like that it’s able to run Desktop quality software (including a real Browser). Hate Win 8.x with a violent fury I can no longer express in words. It’s the number one reason I haven’t been able to purchase it.

      I know I can fiddle and tweak and install more stuff to make it more Desktop-like on a system that already needs to be fiddled with, tweaked and requires a number of 3rd-party installs. I’m sick of the compromises (I want to get some FGD work done) and will wait until Threshold. Hopefully, by then, I’ll see a similar screen and a **dockable sturdy keyboard** with additional USB ports (an additional battery on the dock would be nice).

    2. Agreed. I was going to buy my mother a new laptop about six months ago – I missed the last few good Win7 devices (My requirements are quite specific – need 1080p 13-14″, FE/GbE LAN for 800-900USD) and while I have to put up with Win8 in a VM when I’m developing, there’s no way in hell I’ll be inflicting it on her. We’re going to wait until Windows 9.

  2. It’s going to be interesting to see how the SP3 does in other countries. At $1000 I don’t think it’s a device for the masses, but I’ve always liked it as a desktop/laptop/tablet convergent device. I just need that 1 device and I can do just about anything with it… within the bounds of it’s hardware specs.

    Computer World also said the numbers include research and production of the SP3 were included for the previous quarter while sales will probably be reported in the next quarter. To me that doesn’t sound too bad and I wonder if we’ll see better numbers next quarter.

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