The wait is almost over
Microsoft launched its toned down Surface 3 tablet back in May with two introductory models -- a $499 SKU with an Atom x7-Z8700 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage, and a $599 model with the same CPU and twice as much memory (4GB) and storage (128GB). At the time, Microsoft promised to have 4G LTE capable models soon.
That time is coming. AT&T today announced that it will offer a 4G LTE variant of the lower end Surface 3 model on July 24. If you take advantage of AT&T's Tablet Installment plan, you can pick it up for no money down and $30 per month for 20 months, which works out to $600. That a $100 premium over the retail cost in the long run, though you're also paying for 4G LTE service.
Alternately, AT&T says you can purchase the Surface 3 with 4G LTE for $399.99 outright, provided you also pick up a Lumia smartphone (any model) on AT&T Next.
There will also be a commercial version of Surface 3 available to business customers in the coming weeks, though AT&T didn't provide any further details.
The Surface 3 features a 10.8-inch display with a Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) resolution. It also has 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, a full-size USB 3.0 port, mini DisplayPort, microSD card reader, headset jack, 3.5MP front camera, and 8MP rear camera. According to Microsoft, the Surface 3 offers more than 80 percent of the performance of the Surface Pro 3 (Core i3 model).
As for software, the entry-level slate comes with Windows 8.1, which you can upgrade to Windows 10 free of charge for the first year it's available, and a one-year subscription to Office 356 Personal.
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