Microsoft dangles one-day sale on everything from PCs to smartphones
The sale may be a way to get rid of excess inventory as Microsoft preps new products for the holiday-shopping season.
Microsoft is hauling out PCs, tablets and other items for a sale that started Wednesday and will last just a day.
On a Microsoft page touting "One Day Only Sale," you will find discounted devices, including Windows 10 laptops and other PCs, the Surface Pro 3 tablet, the Xbox One, the Microsoft Band fitness tracker, Lumia smartphones and accessories such as mice and keyboards. The sale is good at Microsoft's online store in the US and Puerto Rico until 11:59 p.m. PT on Wednesday, as well as at Microsoft's retail outlets until they close their doors for the day.
Why would Microsoft offer an all-inclusive sale right now? The company may be aiming to clear out excess inventory before it introduces new products in October. On Monday, Microsoft sent out invitations for an October 6 event in New York City, saying that "we have some exciting news to share about Windows 10 devices."
The software giant didn't reveal which devices it has up its sleeve. But Mary Jo Foley of CNET sister site ZDNet sees strong possibilities for the unveiling of a new Surface Pro 4, the Band 2 activity tracker and two premium Lumia smartphones. Some of those products are due for an upgrade, such as the Surface Pro and Microsoft Band. Others, such as the Windows Phone-enabled Lumia phones, haven't been hot sellers so Microsoft may try to ignite consumer interest with a new Lumia lineup sporting Windows 10 and certain high-end features.
Which products will you find on sale and how much can you save for the day?
Microsoft has been pushing its Surface Pro 3 by offering discounts of anywhere from $100 to $200 on various models. The one-day sale will shave $200 off the 1.7 GHz Intel Core i7 version with 256GB of onboard storage and 8GB of memory. The discount means you'll pay $1,349 instead of the usual $1,549.
A variety of laptops, all-in-one PCs and even a couple of desktops are on sale with savings ranging from $10 all the way up to $500. As just a couple of examples, you can score a discount of $150 off a Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga and $200 off an HP Pavilion all-in-one computer.
Buy one of several Xbox One bundles, and you'll get a free game or two as well as a $50 Xbox gift card. If you are looking for a new smartphone, you'll save money on the Lumia 640 , the Lumia Icon and the HTC One M8 , as well as a variety of cases and other accessories.
Need a health and fitness tracker? The Microsoft Band is on sale for $150, a savings of $50 from the usual $200. You'll also find accessories, including headphones, portable speakers, mice, monitors and keyboards.
(Via Windows Central)
Correction, 9:45 a.m. PT: The article misstated where the sale is available. It is also good at Microsoft's brick-and-mortar stores.