Prices for the Microsoft Surface tablet range may have been prematurely revealed thanks to a sneaky source.

The Next Web says a source close to Microsoft let slip on the tablet pricing, claiming the Surface tablet sporting Windows RT, and powered by Nvidia's Tegra 3 chip, will set you back $599 (around £380).

The Intel powered Ivy Bridge slate, which will run Windows 8 Pro, will apparently retail at a rather eye watering $999 (around £640).

Prices comparable to other tablets

Microsoft Surface general manager Panos Panay did say during his introduction speech, at the Surface event earlier this week, that the tablets would be comparable in price to other slates on the market.

We've heard that the Surface tablets are likely to be Wi-Fi only, so this pricing news puts the RT version in line with the 32GB Wi-Fi only new iPad – although the iPad's screen exceeds the resolution of the Surface.

However it's worth bearing in mind that the price could include the special keyboard cover which transformers the Surface tablet into more of a netbook.

Microsoft is yet to make it clear if this cover will be included and we will have to wait and see if these prices are in fact the real deal.

From The Next Web