Microsoft introduced a cheaper Surface tablet called the Surface 3 Tuesday. The Surface 3 can now be pre-ordered in 26 countries and will be shipped May 5, VentureBeat reports.

The Surface 3 will be the thinnest and lightest tablet Microsoft has ever made and it start at $499. Instead of running Windows RT like the Surface 2 did, the Surface 3 will run a full version of Windows 8.1.

For an extra $100, the Surface 3 with 4G LTE will be available. The $499 and 4G LTE models of the Surface 3 will both come with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Users can upgrade their $499 or 4G LTE models to 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for $100 more for each.

The Surface 3 will be powered by a quad-core Intel Atom x7 processor. Microsoft notes that this is highest-performing Atom processor that Intel offers. The Surface 3 is able to offer a fanless design, unlike the Surface Pro 3.

The Surface 3's screen is displayed on a 3:2 aspect ratio displaying a 1920x1280 resolution.

Stereo speakers will be included on the Surface 3 that are capable of delivering Dolby Audio-enhanced sound. A built-in microphone is also included.

The Surface 3 will have two 1080p HD cameras, one on the front and one on the back. The rear-facing camera will be 8MP and the front-facing camera will be 3.5MP.

Wi-Fi Internet will be available on all models as will Bluetooth 4.0.

The Surface 3 will offer a full-size USB 3.0 port, a Mini DisplayPort and a microSD card reader. A Micro USB charging port will also be included allowing the Surface 3 to be recharged by most smartphone chargers. The Surface 3 will be compatible with the Surface Pro's adapters.

The Surface 3 will ship with Windows 8.1. When Windows 10 is released, users will be able to upgrade for free. The tablet will also come with a one-year subscription to Office 365 Personal which includes 1TB of OneDrive storage.

Unlike the pricier Surface Pro 3, the Surface 3 is designed for the average consumer rather than a business worker.

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