Microsoft's giant Surface Hub has finally gotten a launch date and pricing details — but the interactive display will cost a small fortune.
The Surface Hub first made its debut at a Windows 10 event back in January, when it was unveiled as a powerful tool for businesses and conference rooms. The gadget comes in two variants: one with a 55-inch display and the other with an 84-inch screen, packing an Intel Core i5 and i7 processor, respectively. At the time, Microsoft offered no details regarding when the Surface Hub would hit the market or how much it would cost, but the company has now shed more light on the matter.
Microsoft's 55-inch Surface Hub will cost $6,999, while the 84-inch variant will go up to a whopping $19,999. Large businesses typically spend fortunes equipping their conference rooms with state-of-the-art technology and are likely to go for the 84-inch model of the Surface Hub, but smaller business might only be able to afford the smaller 55-inch version.
The big pen display boasts 100 multitouch points, supports three pen inputs at the same time, and features dual 1080p cameras and microphones designed to minimize background noise during video conferences. The Surface Hub further comes with powerful processing options and a number of ports, as well as Bluetooth and NFC to allow users to connect from another device such as a laptop.
The simultaneous 100 touch points allow multiple people to use the giant display at the same time, whether they want to write, drag and drop files across the screen, or do other similar tasks.
The Surface Hub runs a watered-down version of Windows 10 designed specifically for the interactive display. This means that the device won't serve as a giant desktop, but it will nonetheless offer neat functionality with custom apps and a touch-friendly interface.
Microsoft is confident that it has priced its Surface Hub quite competitively, compared with standard systems for video-teleconference purposes. According to the company, businesses would have to spend more than $38,000 to equip a conference room for 8 to 12 people, and its 84-inch Surface Hub comes at nearly half that price.
Businesses interested in purchasing a Surface Hub for their conference rooms will be able to get it through Microsoft's partners. Orders for the Surface Hub will go live on July 1 in 24 markets.
