Microsoft Effectively Raises High-End Surface Prices By Discontinuing Base Models (arstechnica.com)
(Thursday May 08, 2025 @05:20PM (msmash)
from the everything-getting-expensive dept.)
- Reference: 0177392213
- News link: https://slashdot.org/story/25/05/08/1842240/microsoft-effectively-raises-high-end-surface-prices-by-discontinuing-base-models
- Source link: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/05/echoing-xbox-prices-are-going-up-for-high-end-surfaces-and-some-accessories/
An anonymous reader [1]shares a report :
> When Microsoft announced new Surface devices earlier this week, we noted that there wasn't a lot of daylight between the starting prices of the new but lower-end devices ($799 for the 12-inch Surface Pro, $899 for the 13-inch Surface Laptop) and the starting prices of the older-but-higher-end Surfaces from last spring ($999 for both). It appears Microsoft has quietly solved this problem by discontinuing the 256GB versions of the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 and the 13-inch Surface Pro 11.
>
> Microsoft's retail pages for both devices list only 512GB and 1TB configurations, with regular prices starting at $1,199. Though not technically a price hike -- the 512GB versions of both devices also cost $1,199 before -- it does amount to an effective price increase for last year's Surface hardware, especially given that both devices have user-replaceable storage that can easily be upgraded for less than the $200 that Microsoft charged for the 256GB-to-512GB upgrade.
>
> The upshot is that the new Surface PCs make more sense now than they did on Tuesday in relative terms, but it's only because you'll pay more to buy a Surface Pro 11 or Surface Laptop 7 than you would before. The 15-inch version of the Surface Laptop 7 still lists a 256GB configuration and a $1,299 starting price, but the 256GB models are currently out of stock.
[1] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/05/echoing-xbox-prices-are-going-up-for-high-end-surfaces-and-some-accessories/
> When Microsoft announced new Surface devices earlier this week, we noted that there wasn't a lot of daylight between the starting prices of the new but lower-end devices ($799 for the 12-inch Surface Pro, $899 for the 13-inch Surface Laptop) and the starting prices of the older-but-higher-end Surfaces from last spring ($999 for both). It appears Microsoft has quietly solved this problem by discontinuing the 256GB versions of the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 and the 13-inch Surface Pro 11.
>
> Microsoft's retail pages for both devices list only 512GB and 1TB configurations, with regular prices starting at $1,199. Though not technically a price hike -- the 512GB versions of both devices also cost $1,199 before -- it does amount to an effective price increase for last year's Surface hardware, especially given that both devices have user-replaceable storage that can easily be upgraded for less than the $200 that Microsoft charged for the 256GB-to-512GB upgrade.
>
> The upshot is that the new Surface PCs make more sense now than they did on Tuesday in relative terms, but it's only because you'll pay more to buy a Surface Pro 11 or Surface Laptop 7 than you would before. The 15-inch version of the Surface Laptop 7 still lists a 256GB configuration and a $1,299 starting price, but the 256GB models are currently out of stock.
[1] https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/05/echoing-xbox-prices-are-going-up-for-high-end-surfaces-and-some-accessories/
Misleading headline (Score:3)
by Tony Isaac ( 1301187 )
Microsoft effectively raised *low-end* Surface prices by discontinuing base models. The high end prices remained the same.
Re: (Score:2)
by VaccinesCauseAdults ( 7114361 )
Agreed. Came to say exactly this.
In fact, arguably, Microsoft effectively raised the *low-end* Surfaces prices to infinity because they can no longer be purchased for any finite price.
Re: (Score:1)
by registrations_suck ( 1075251 )
Except "infinity" is not a number and you can't raise anything to it.
Across the board (Score:2)
by Gilgaron ( 575091 )
Didn't Framework and others have to do the same with the tariffs making low margin models untenable?
Makes sense (Score:2)
by viperidaenz ( 2515578 )
If I can buy the cheaper one with less storage, and upgrade it for less than the price difference of the more expensive one, why would I spend more than I need to?
Are we winning yet? (Score:1)
I thought inflation was over. I guess it's not inflation if they stop selling the cheap versions.