The smallest Surface tablet is 9.3 millimeters thick and weighs 1.5 pounds and has a 10.6-inch screen. It has a built-in kickstand and magnetic cover, which also acts as a touch keyboard. Microsoft didn't say whether the device would connect to cellular data networks or would be Wi-Fi only. As for how much it will cost, Windows Chief Steve Sinofsky said it will "be priced like comparable tablets".

Microsoft's Chief Executive Steven Ballmer and other Microsoft executives repeatedly used the words "no compromises" to describe the tablet computers they envision running Windows 8 and Windows RT—meaning that users will be able to use work-oriented tools like Microsoft Word and Excel programs, not just be use this device for watching movies and surfing the Web.

Mr. Ballmer wrapped up the event in less than an hour with this sentiment about the tablet, "The Surface is a PC, the Surface is a tablet and the Surface is something new that we think people will really love."