Microsoft to MacBook Air owners: We'll pay you $650 to switch to a Surface Pro 3

Microsoft is moving beyond marketing and good product design to generate sales: It’s now buying itself marketshare with its new promotion geared to MacBook Air owners.

The Windows publisher is giving customers up to $650 in Microsoft store credit if they trade in their Macbook Air laptops (select models) for a Surface Pro 3 between now and July 31.

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The Surface Pro 3 goes for $800 and up, so that could be a pretty sweet deal — if you don’t mind giving up your Macbook Air.

The Surface Pro 3 hit the market in the U.S. and Canada last Friday, and while it’s a tablet, it’s going after the laptop market, as we previously reported. Microsoft has wanted to make its Surface tablets “laptop killers” since the beginning, but the line’s smaller size handicapped it until the 12-inch Surface Pro 3 arrived.

This move is also likely in fear of the tablet becoming another Surface RT disaster. During its fourth quarter earnings call in July, Microsoft revealed that it was taking a $900 million charge on its Surface RT tablet inventory. A week prior to the earnings call, the company dropped the Surface RT’s price by $150 in an attempt to sell more of the devices.

The Surface Pro 3 has generally been received well (our own Devindra Hardawar reviewed it and gave it overall good marks). However, Microsoft has struggled to hook consumers into buying Microsoft tablets and the idea of switching operating systems (I, for one, can’t be talked into leaving my Mac), so this aggressive tactic so early one could be a good preventative measure.

As we pointed out, the keyboard isn’t even included with the tablet — an obvious mark against a product that should replace your keyboard-equipped laptop.

The offer is only available in brick-and-mortar Microsoft stores, and a purchase of a Surface Pro 3 is required to receive the credit.