Ahead of this autumn’s Microsoft Surface release date, Swedish retail Webhallen.com has suggested the Windows 8 tablet will land as one of the most expensive devices on the market with the entry-level model listed with a £650 price tag.

Although far from confirmed, the Webhallen pre-order prices fit with previous reports of lofty Microsoft Surface price tags with the range of iPad rivals set to run from the £650 32GB Windows RT model to the 128GB Windows Pro version that is rumoured to have been handed a staggering £1,200 price.

Whilst Microsoft has yet to give any official word on the Surface’s pricing structure, the lofty prices tipped by the online Swedish outlet rub further salt into very expensive wounds, not even seeing the tablet device paired with one of the intuitive keyboard attachments showcased at the device’s official unveiling.

Lining up at an Apple iPad topping 10.6-inches in size, the Microsoft Surface tablet is readying for launch later this year with a rugged Gorilla Glass 2 display and a higher level of usability and business centric functions than most portable devices.

Describing the Windows 8 Surface tablet as a “full PC,” Microsoft provided its 10-inch Nexus 7 competitor with a stunning 1920 x 1080p Full HD ClearType screen whilst the device’s form factor is finished off by a sleek metal back. Bridging the boundaries between dedicated tablets and standalone laptops, the Surface features a full size USB 3.0 connector and the option of 64GB or 128GB storage capacities.

With an 862g heft the Windows 8 Surface tablet is far from the lightest option on the market with Microsoft looking to further plump its business credentials with a number of full QWERTY keyboard and trackpad toting cases connecting to the device in Apple Smartcover-esque magnetic fashion.

For those not wanting to plump for an additional case, the tablet features on inbuilt kickstand to aid in media playback with the sleekly finished tablet sporting a bevelled edge for a more ergonomic feel in the hand.

(Source: t3.com)