Skip to main content

Microsoft launches ‘Chinese Edition’ Surface Pro with Office Home & Student 2013 preloaded

microsoft-surface-pro-tablet-review-pressThough the RT version was launched months ago in China, Microsoft just launched its Surface Pro tablets in the country yesterday. In addition to the Surface Pro that is identical to the one available in the U.S., the Redmond company is also offering a “Chinese Edition” that comes with Office Home & Student 2013 software without significantly upping its price tag.

This China-only version is geared for home users who want the computing power of the Surface Pro, but don’t need the enterprise security features that the Windows 8 Pro model offers. According to PC World, the Chinese Edition uses the same x86 Intel processor that powers the Pro but runs the standard version of Windows 8 (not the Professional version). So, while it can’t act as your Windows Media Center hub, at least you can install most software onto the device (unlike the Surface RT with Windows RT, which heavily limits the type of software that can be installed).

Recommended Videos

Speaking of installing software, with the Chinese Edition, you won’t have to install or purchase Office Home & Student 2013 separately as it comes with the full Office suite, including Word and Excel for home users, preloaded. In the U.S., you only get a one-month trial of Office 365 Home Premium with the purchase of the regular Pro. Not only that, but you have to pay an extra $140 to buy your own copy of the same software that comes preloaded on the Chinese Pro.

surface_chinese_edition-580x279
Image used with permission by copyright holder

And Chinese users buying the special-edition Pro won’t be paying through the roof for the extra software, either. The Chinese Edition Pro with 64GB of storage will retail for 6588 yuan ($1,062), while both the Chinese Edition and regular Pros with 128GB storage will cost 7388 yuan ($1,191). If you buy the same 64GB Pro with Windows 8 Pro in America, it will set you back $900 or 5576 yuan, which is close to what Microsoft is charging for the same device in China. (Western-developed gadgets are typically priced at least 15 percent higher in China than in America, as you can see in this chart comparing Apple products’ prices in the two countries.) Considering that the Chinese Pro’s prices includes the Office software, the Chinese Edition slates are very reasonably priced.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like Microsoft will be bringing this modified version of the slate to other parts of the world any time soon, as this Chinese Edition only supports simplified Chinese. That’s a shame because this version sounds like a nice compromise for consumers who want the convenience of full Office with the power of the Intel processor, but not the price tag of the regular Surface Pro.

[Photo via Slashgear]

Gloria Sin
Former Contributor
Gloria’s tech journey really began when she was studying user centered design in university, and developed a love for…
I found the best Prime Day deal on a tablet hidden beyond Amazon
Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch, stylus, and keyboard.

A good tablet can take your productivity to the next level, but a boring one will find a niche use and eat dust on a table or couch for most of its time. I love iPads and have been pushing them – as far as I can — to act as my primary computing machine for nearly half a decade now. It has never managed to replace a proper laptop, like a MacBook Air or a Windows machine. 

Why not buy a Windows laptop, you might ask? Well, Windows-powered tablets, especially those Surface devices sold by Microsoft, are pretty expensive. I love the new 12-inch Surface Pro, but at $799, it felt like a steep purchase despite its impressive specifications. 

Read more
Prime Day is over, but this powerful Dell laptop is still at its lowest price
The Dell Vostro 3530 laptop on a white background.

Prime Day is already over, but that doesn't mean that there are no more laptop deals for you to shop on Amazon. Here's one that caught our eye -- the Dell Vostro 3530 with 32GB of RAM for its lowest-ever price of $649, following a 28% discount on its original price of $899. This limited-time offer of $250 off may not last much longer though, so if you want to take advantage of this bargain, we highly recommend that you finalize your purchase for this device as soon as you can.

Buy Now

Read more
This Lenovo all-in-one computer is 30% off even though Prime Day has ended
The Lenovo V100 All-in-One Desktop Computer on a white background.

Even though Prime Day is already finished, there are still some excellent desktop computer deals on Amazon. If you don't have much space, or you just want to avoid clutter, you should take a look at the Lenovo V100 All-in-One PC. From its original price of $800, it's all the way down to just $560 following a 30% discount. The offer for this machine will only be available for a limited time though, so you need to act fast and proceed with the transaction immediately to secure the savings of $240.

Buy Now

Read more