Microsoft’s Surface Pro is a high-end Windows 8 tablet selling at a cool $999 price point, scaling up accordingly based on specs and accessories.
So it comes as little surprise that a number of knockoff devices have already been seen in the wild, with the most recent sighting happening at CeBIT 2013 in Germany.
The Windows 8 HKC tablet – spotted by the folks at Mobile Geeks – boasts an 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display, an Intel Core i3 (or faster) processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a 5MP (rear) camera and a 2MP front camera, SIM card slot, SD card reader, mini HDMI and 2x USB 2.0.
As Liliputing’s Brad Linder notes, the HKC tablet also features a very Surface-like design, which includes angular edges, along with a built-in kickstand and docking port for keyboards and other accessories.
“HKC is a Chinese device manufacturer that’s looking for partners to put their name on the tablet and sell it under different brand names,” he explained.
“The price for distributors could be as low as $350, which means that the we could [ultimately] start to see Surface Pro clones based on this design selling for around $500 and up.”
Personally, I think there is a definite market for Pro knockoffs capable of running a full-fledged version of Windows 8 at a $500 or below price point. $1,000+ is a bit steep for most people to shell out for a tablet these days, although we can expect Microsoft to eventually lower the price of its flagship device as it expands its nascent Surface lineup.
