On October 26, Microsoft announced the Surface Studio and its accompanying accessory, the Surface Dial. Hand in hand, the two pieces of hardware create an experience that is unique from Microsoft. The Studio itself has the ability to act as a full-fledged desktop and large-scale tablet, while the Dial only enhances the former's features and capabilities.
According to Breathecast, the Surface Studio will officially be released on December 15, but pre orders of the unit are already being accepted. It is selling for about US$2,999 and comes with bundled with the Surface Pen. The Surface Dial, however, will set back buyers another US$100.
The Surface Studio is all power, beauty and efficiency. The 28 inch screen has a PixelSense display with 192dpi resolution, 10 point multi-touch and is powered by the 6th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7. Consumers also have the choice between an i5 Intel 8GB: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M 2GB GDDR5 memory, i7 Intel 16GB: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M 2GB GDDR5 memory or i7 Intel Core processor, up to 4GB of NVIDIA GeForce GPU.
The Surface Dial completes the whole experience and has already gone on sale according to Windows. The official blog boasts that the accessory will help users realize the full capabilities of the creative process. Using the Dial, which integrates with Windows 10 Global Controls, provides app-specific toolbars.
Because the Surface Dial is personalized per application, there is the question about third-party support. But according to Microsoft, it has already partnered up with some of the best companies out there. This includes Bluebeam Revu, Drawboard PDF, Sketchable, Mental Canvas Player, Moho 12, Siemans NX, Spotify, StaffPad and Office.
Evidently, the Redmond-based company has not cut any corners in the preparation of the Surface Dial and the Surface Studio. But Microsoft has promised not to halt the growth and development of their new hardware. The company has already confirmed that it is still working to bring in more partners to make the experience more holistic.
