Microsoft annouces the Surface Pro 2

The much anticipated refresh of Microsoft's Surface Pro tablet is finally here, and if anything, it's better than rumors made it out to be.

The Surface Pro 2 Windows 8.1 tablet features a 10.6-inch Full HD display, a 1.6 GHz Intel Haswell Core i5 processor, 64 to 512 GB of internal storage, a USB 3.0 port, a Pro Pen active stylus, a microSD slot, and a mini DisplayPort. The 64 and 128 GB models will have 4 GB of RAM, while the 256 and 512 GB models will have 8 GB of RAM.

The upgraded tablet is physically quite similar to its predecessor (0.53 inches thick and 2 pounds), but apparently offers 60% longer battery life, 50% better color accuracy, improved graphics, and 20% faster performance. The kickstand has also been redesigned and can now be set at different angles.

It certainly seems like most of the issues people had with the original Surface Pro have been addressed here (other than the weight). The price is still rather steep, but Microsoft has sweetened the deal by offering 1 year of free Skype voice calling, and 2 years of free 200 GB SkyDrive storage with each purchase.

The Surface Pro 2 will be available for pre-order in the United States and Canada at 8 am on September 24th. Tablets are expected to be available in stores on October 22nd. Prices start at US$899.

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