Ports: USB-C, Surface Connect, microSD, 3.5mm jack.Processor: Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y or Core m3-8100Y (Amber Lake Y).Display: 10.5-inch (1920×1280, 220 ppi), 3:2 aspect ratio PixelSense display with 10-point touch Corning Gorilla Glass 3.The minimum configuration should be the $550 (8GB RAM/128GB SSD) model. No one should be using a tablet with a measly 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. While the $400 price of the entry-level model is tempting, resist. For the full list of prices for all models, see our original Surface Go 2 news story. Microsoft’s Surface Go 2 ships without a Type Cover keyboard, though your interaction is quite limited without one.Īs we reviewed one of the consumer versions, we’ll reiterate that pricing below. Microsoft sells the Surface Go 2 Signature Type Cover and Surface Pen separately, though the former, at least, is essential. The consumer version ships with Windows 10 Home in S Mode, from which you may switch to Windows 10 Home if you wish. Like many of its other Surface tablets, Microsoft will sell the Surface Go 2 in both consumer and commercial editions. My kids (who contributed the Lego minifigs) prefer the larger tablet for drawing. The Microsoft Surface Go 2 compared to its larger sibling, the Surface Pro 7. Go there for information on competing products and how we tested them.
This review is part of our ongoing roundup of the best laptops. We just wouldn’t recommend the $400 lowest-end version, as it has skimpy memory and storage. It may not compete with an iPad, but it could be your family’s Netflix tablet. The kid-sized display and keyboard may make it a good option for students, especially given the app protections afforded by Windows 10 S.
What’s a competent, though pricey, ultramobile tablet to do? The Surface Go 2 could be an ideal secondary device for business travelers, who will appreciate its fanless design, LTE options, and its ability to squeeze onto a tray table. That’s fine if you stick with everyday productivity, but don’t expect much more. Performance is another matter: At its best, with an 8th-gen Intel Core m3 under the hood, the Surface Go 2 is comparable to the Surface Pro 3 from 2014.
As the entry-level product in Microsoft’s Surface line, it’s still somewhat expensive, but it offers a beautiful screen and one of the best camera sets you’ll find anywhere. The Surface Go 2 is a tablet that doesn’t fit easily into traditional niches.