Microsoft Surface Pro set for February launch

Microsoft has set 9 February as the initial release date for its Surface Pro tablet line.

The company said that the enterprise touchscreen tablets would be debuting in the US and Canada initially. Exact details for UK availability were not given, but Microsoft said that European availability would be announced in to the coming weeks.

Microsoft's announcement ends the long wait for its high-end tablet. The Intel-based tablet was announced last autumn alongside its ARM-powered Surface RT. At the time, the company said that the Surface RT would primarily target the consumer space, while the Surface Pro would be geared towards the enterprise sector.

"Surface Windows 8 Pro is an exciting new addition to the Surface family, bringing a powerful, work-ready device that is just at home in the boardroom as it is the family room," said Microsoft Surface general manager Panos Panay.

"Whether you’re a road warrior, a student or someone who just wants a flexible and powerful Intel PC, the Surface Windows 8 Pro will deliver. It’s the perfect complement to the Surface Windows RT and delivers hours and hours of entertainment with plenty of power and productivity to get your work done as well."

When it does arrive, the Surface Pro will need to overcome what has been a relatively high price for a tablet device. With its $900 price tag, the Surface Pro will be priced closer to an ultrabook tablet than a competing full-sized tablet.

With that higher cost, however, will come unprecedented processing power for a tablet. The specifications for the Surface Pro include a Core i5 processor, up to 128GB of storage, USB 3.0 and full support for Microsoft's Office enterprise suite.