Why You Can Trust CNET Black Friday 2018 spotlight: Best deals on Microsoft Surface products
Starting today, Costco serves up a knockout Surface Pro 6 bundle for $800.
- Coauthor of Uninvested (Random House, 2015)
Microsoft scrubbed the Surface lineup back in October, unveiling new versions of its Surface Pro tablet and Surface laptop, refreshing its Surface Studio all-in-one desktop PC, and debuting its first pair of noise-canceling headphones. Now, Black Friday is presenting an opportunity for the company to promote some of its newest devices and clear out older inventory. And that means discounts.
Though we're seeing some modest sales on the Surface Laptop 2 and Surface Go, the best deals are on the Surface Pro tablet. Starting today and continuing throughout the next week, it will be possible to pick up a previous generation Surface Pro 5 -- with the Type Cover -- for $600. Even the brand new Surface Pro 6, released on Oct. 16, is being significantly discounted; you can pick one up -- with the Type Cover keyboard -- for as little as $600.
But the best deal we've seen so far, detailed below, comes from Costco. You get a Surface Pro 6 with an Intel Core i5 CPU, plus a Surface Pen and Surface Type Cover, for $800. That full setup would normally cost more than $1,100. We've long lamented the price of these so-called optional accessories -- they're actually quite essential -- which normally add at least $230 to the price. Costco's deal is a killer.
Read: Which Microsoft Surface should I buy?
Of course, there are plenty of great alternatives to the Surface Pro. We're also seeing solid deals on the iPad and, though it won't be here in time for Black Friday, Google's new Pixel Slate, designed and priced to compete with the Surface Pro, will ship in time for the holidays this year.
As always, remember the caveats:
- CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page.
- Some of these deals may be live today, and others will start in the coming days.
- We linked to the current listing at the retailer's website when one was available, but sale pricing won't be available until the respective sales begin.
Buried deep in Costco's extended Black Friday circular is a gem of a bundle: a new Surface Pro 6 with Intel Core i5, Surface Pen and Surface Type Cover for $800. Typically, the complete set would cost more than $1,100.
Deal available Nov. 16-24.
Best Buy also has a superb deal on the Surface Pro. You get the newest version of the tablet -- albeit with a less-powerful Core m3 processor, only 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage -- and the Type Cover for $600. The pen, which costs $100, is not included. Still, that's the whole enchilada for $700.
Deal available Nov. 22-24.
The deals on the new Surface Pro 6 are better -- but the previous generation Surface Pro has also been discounted. This deal, which includes a free Surface Type Cover (typically $129), covers a few of the older configurations; the cheapest features a seventh-gen Intel Core m3, 128GB SSD and 4GB of RAM.
Deal available Nov. 22-26.
We're fans of Microsoft's slim, premium laptop. It has a great 12.3-inch touchscreen, good keyboard and touchpad combo and even a decent set of ports. We don't yet know which model Microsoft is discounting for Black Friday. But if it's one of the less-expensive ones -- or even the $999 entry-level version, which features a Core i5, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage -- this is a superb deal.
Deal available Nov. 18-24.
We're fans of the Surface Go. But once you buy the tablet, which starts at $399, you still need to shell out for a keyboard cover and a stylus. And it adds up. Microsoft's Black Friday deal cuts down the total package price just a bit.
Deal available Nov. 18-24.