The story also said sources estimate the end-market price for the higher-end Intel-based version of line will be priced above $799, with the ARM-based lower-end version running the Nvidia Tegra 3 chip to be priced above $599.
At Monday's launch event in Hollywood, Microsoft execs declined to name the contract manufacturer for the Surface tablets. On pricing, the company has said only that the Intel-based version would be priced in line with comparably equipped ultrabooks, with the ARM-based version priced in line with other Windows 8 tablets. On shipping time, the company has said only that the ARM-based version would be available concurrent with the debut of Windows 8, which is expected later this year, while the Intel version will be offered about 3 months later.
The company plans to sell the new tablets through its online store and through its chain of offline retail stores; Microsoft is clearly trying to be careful not to step too hard on the toes of hardware OEMs like Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus and Acer, all of whom are expected to offer a variety of Windows 8 PCs and tablets of their own design.
