Microsoft has introduced a sixth model to its range of Surface Pro 3 tablets. The new device has the same 1.7GHz Core i7 processor and 8GB of memory as its bigger brothers, but skimps slightly on storage: where older i7 models featured either 256GB or 512GB of storage, the new variant comes with only 128GB of space. Fortunately, that downgrade also brings a reduction in price. The 128GB i7 Surface Pro 3 costs $1,299 — the same price as the Core i5 256GB edition.

The Surface Pro 3 is more than a year old now, and this new model could be Microsoft offering a cheaper option before making way for the Surface Pro 4 that's surely waiting in the wings. But the timing — just before September — means that Microsoft could simply be trying to court potential Surface owners gearing up to go back to school. At the same time, the company is also introducing updated LTE Surface 3 models in Germany and the UK this week. Microsoft says the devices, which went on sale in Japan first two weeks ago, will become available in the US in the coming weeks.