Microsoft has stopped selling Surface Pro 11s with chargers in some European Union countries. Instead, the company in Redmond is opting for what other phone and tablet manufacturers do: charging you for the charger.
Microsoft will charge you if you want the official Surface Pro 11 charger.
Until now, Microsoft included the Surface Pro 11 charger for free, as we’re used to with all of its devices. But that recently changed: they stopped including the charger when you buy the tablet.
Instead, they’ve opted to do what many manufacturers like Apple and Samsung do: stop including the charger by default. This measure is primarily implemented in some European Union countries to adapt to EU initiatives to reduce electronic “waste” generated by users, such as unused chargers.
However, consumers who have never owned a Surface are at a disadvantage, as if they want to get the charger, they’ll have to pay for it. For now, they’re applying a discount that leaves a total of €45, making the charger a fairly inexpensive expense. However, without the discount, the additional cost would be an additional €89, which could be expensive considering there are 65W chargers on the market for less.
By removing the charger from the box, Microsoft is able to create lighter and more sustainable packaging for the Surface Pro 11. At the same time, they are saving costs in both the manufacturing of the box and shipping costs due to its lower weight. Thanks to these adjustments, they are able to reduce the environmental impact of the creation and shipping of their devices.
For now, this new change isn’t available on the Surface Laptop, as the EU’s initiatives focus primarily on tablets and mobile phones. It’s worth noting that the EU does not recommend or mandate additional charging for the charger if required, something Microsoft has done, as have other manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, Google, and others.
