Microsoft has introduced a new SKU of the Surface Pro 4 on its website and oddly, it does not include a pen. If you are looking to buy the lowest end model of the Pro family, the M3 iteration, there is now an option to buy this model without a pen.
If you don’t go for the pen option, this knocks $100 off the price point of the device. Unfortunately, for those who would like to save $100 on other iterations of the Pro 4, a pen-less SKU is not available; Neowin was first to note this change in Microsoft’s sales strategy of the tablet.
Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday — and get free copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (normally $9.99) as a special welcome gift!
"*" indicates required fields
Here’s what doesn’t make sense; if the pen is really adding $100 to the price of the Pro 4, why wouldn’t they make the pen the accessories and include a Type cover instead? As of right now, the NFL type covers cost $100 and are significantly more useful with a Pro 4 than the included pen.
By dropping the pen, they are lowering the cost of entry to buy a Pro 4, which now starts at $799 (sans Type cover). We know that price elasticity of the tech industry is high, meaning a small change in price can have a significant change in demand for the good, so a $100 price point drop of the Pro 4 should help to boost sales of the device.
Seeing as the Pro 4 and the Surface Book are starting to show their age and the majority of its PC competitors are running Kaby lake silicon, this maneuver could also be a way to help move inventory as well. For those looking to buy a Surface, now is a good time land a good deal on the hardware but know that that the product will likely be refreshed this spring, possibly in April.