Better late than never: Microsoft’s souped-up Surface Pro lands Feb. 9

Microsoft’s full-featured Surface Pro tablet finally has a release date: Feb. 9.

Launching three months after the original Surface (and later than Microsoft initially announced), the Surface Pro is supposed to be the more powerful alternative to its Windows RT-based counterpart. Equipped with a 10.6-inch screen, the Surface Pro’s best feature is actually on the inside: It can run legacy Windows applications.

The trade-offs? Those features mean that the Surface Pro is both thicker and heavier than the Surface. And with a starting price of $900, it’s more expensive, too — and that’s before you add extras like the $130 Type Cover. The 128GB Surface Pro runs for $1,000.

Unlike the original Surface, however, the Surface Pro isn’t meant as a entry-level consumer device (that’s the “Pro” part), which should make it easier for consumers to accept its price. For a lot of people, it’s the version of the Surface Microsoft should have started with.

Microsoft is planning a phased release for the Surface Pro, which will land first in the U.S. and Canada and elsewhere over the following weeks and months.