FollowThat Microsoft is eager to see smaller sized tablets running Windows 8 to be the next big thing in the tablet segment is all too well known. It should therefore be least surprising to not to come across rumors and speculations of a tablet from Microsoft sporting smaller dimensions and a price tag that matches the smaller screen area. Like the latest rumor on this front speak of a new Surface variant with a 7.5 inch display that will cost $400 and will launch in early 2014. Such a device will be in direct competition to the likes of the iPad Mini or the Galaxy Note 8.0.
The rumor that points its source among supply chain engaged in supplying of touch modules, panels and such claim the smaller Surface will have a fairly high resolution of 1400 X 1050 pixels which is just a tad short of being classified a full 1080p display. Also, the tablet will have an aspect ratio of 4:3 which makes it more iPad/iPad Mini like than the original Surface that has a 16:9 aspect ratio.
Further details of the tablet are anybody’s guess right now. Like it’s not known the choice of processor that Microsoft will go for with the new smaller Surface variant. Intel has already gone overboard with just how power efficient and yet powerful their new Atom range of chips has come to be. What this means is that the smaller Surface could be based on either the new gen Atom chips or an ARM based chip for a Surface RT variant or both.
However, what seems a bit tricky at this point is the price, which at $400 does make the smaller Surface still a bit pricy. The iPad Mini range starts at $329 and is selling in millions. Microsoft should have learnt its lesson with the bigger Surface that fared poorly and its relatively higher price tag is considered one of the reasons behind its debacle. Even if Microsoft considers an RT variant here that would be priced around the $200 mark to take on the Android tablets that is ruling the roost here, a $400 price tag, if it indeed is true might be a bit high even for a tablet running Windows 8.
