Microsoft is now selling a premium version of its Surface Pro 4 Type Cover for those who demand extra sophistication from their attachable keyboards.
The $160 Surface Pro 4 Signature Type Cover is functionally identical to the standard keyboard covers Microsoft sells for $130. (It also works with the Surface Pro 3.) The only difference is that the Signature version is covered in Alcantara, a suede-like material made from polyester and polyurethane.
That’s the Wikipedia description, at least. Microsoft’s pitch sounds much more glamorous, noting that Alcantara is “sourced only in Italy, with aesthetic, sensory, and technical qualities unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.”
The Signature cover only comes in one color, a “stunning two-tone grey mélange” that “ages beautifully, growing richer and darker over time.” Microsoft’s standard covers, meanwhile, come in black, blue, bright blue, red, and teal.
Why this matters: Over-the-top descriptions aside, the idea of a premium Type Cover isn’t too outrageous given that Microsoft already lets Surface users deck out their tablets with different-colored covers. Still, those who value function over form might want to spend their money a black Type Cover with a built-in fingerprint reader, which has the same $160 price as the Signature cover. It may not bring an “unparalleled level of design and sophistication to everything” like the Alcantara-clad cover does, but it’ll help you unlock your PC faster.