Surface Book laptop pre-orders sell out on Microsoft online store

Just after it was announced, the  Surface Book, Microsoft's recently introduced and most expensive laptop-hybrid, has been sold out on its online store. Given the Surface Book's starting price at $1,499 that was quite noteworthy, say commentators.

Every variant of the laptop is not available on the online Microsoft store in the US.

The Surface Book came as a surprise release from Microsoft last week. As against the Surface Pro line of devices which was notable, its tablet-focus, and laptop skills, the Surface Book is the inverse, a laptop that can, if the user so desired, double as a tablet.

Meanwhile, people who want to buy Microsoft's new Surface Book laptop-tablet hybrid will need to look at some other place as the Microsoft Store is not letting buyers pre-order the new device. Rather, it asks them to leave their email address so they could be notified when it becomes available.

According to commentators this meant there was healthy demand for the machines, and it was a positive sign that the Surface Book, which marked Microsoft's entry into the laptop market, had clearly appealed to users, which was more a validation of Microsoft's strategy of building its own PCs chose to keep away from the market for much of the company's history.

The Surface Book, which offers a high-resolution touchscreen and a keyboard joined to the screen with a special hinge was announced last week at a Microsoft press event in New York.

The hinge allows people to disconnect the upper part of the laptop and use it as a tablet. More expensive models integrate a dedicated graphics processing unit to handle more graphics-intensive workloads.

The device, however, can still be ordered online from Microsoft's retail partners, including Amazon, Best Buy and Fry's Electronics, so it was not completely unavailable for purchase ahead of its expected 29 October launch date.

It was not clear when the Microsoft Store would get more in stock or if it were still available for pre-order from the company's physical retail locations.

Last week Microsoft revealed a lineup of Windows 10 devices including its first laptop, Lumia smartphones, a new Surface Pro tablet and an updated version of its wearable fitness tracker, Microsoft Band.(See: Microsoft reveals lineup of Windows 10 devices).