Microsoft is officially in the hardware game, folks! The company’s major announcement is none other than its own line of PCs, which have been designed to perfectly blend tablets and laptops. The Surface is, at its most basic level, a 10.6-inch tablet with a kickstand, pen, and magnetically attachable cover. This cover, however, also doubles as a multitouch keyboard and trackpad, allowing you to turn the device into a full-fledged laptop.

There will be two different versions of the Surface at launch (ARM-based or Intel-based), each with two options for internal storage (32GB/64GB or 64GB/128GB, respectively). The Intel Surface is slightly larger and has better specs than its companion, but that’s because it runs Windows 8 Pro and includes full backwards compatibility for desktop applications. The ARM Surface, on the other hand, comes with Office 2013 RT preinstalled and doesn’t require the use of fans.

The Surface is very impressive, especially for Microsoft’s first-ever computer. Exact pricing and availability haven’t been revealed yet, but it’s expected to launch around the release of Windows 8 at a competitive price point. Only time will tell whether Microsoft has a hit on its hands, but we certainly think so.

[Microsoft Surface via Pocketables]