Chuwi kicks off crowdfunding campaign for SurBook, its budget Surface competitor

Chuwi has officially kicked off its crowdfunding campaign for SurBook, its challenger to Microsoft's Surface line. The campaign is now live on Indiegogo, with early bird options starting at just $299.

If you're looking for a budget Surface alternative, the SurBook looks pretty promising. The design owes a lot to Microsoft's tablet, featuring a rear kickstand and detachable keyboard cover. The 13.3-inch screen also features a similar 3:2 aspect ratio at a resolution of 2736x1824. A stylus with 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity is also thrown in for good measure.

The only big drawback from a performance perspective, when compared to the Surface Pro, is with the processor. The SurBook packs an Intel Celeron N3450 processor, which isn't necessary going to set the world on fire. Otherwise, there's 6GB of RAM on board, along with up to 128GB of storage, a 5MP rear camera, and a 2MP front-facing shooter.

The Indiegogo campaign has already far surpassed its initial $30,000 goal, raising more than $111,000 (at the time of writing) with a month to go. Early bird backer option are available starting at $299, and they're expected to start shipping in July.

See at Indiegogo

Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl