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Updated: December 6, 2020 19:33:38 pm
Surface Go 2 is an update to the original Surface Go. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)
When the first Surface Go arrived, I wasn’t very impressed. Even though the Surface Go was a well thought out 2-in-1, it lacked raw compute performance and suffered from poor battery life. The new Surface Go 2 fixed the issues I had with the original Surface Go, and that’s a good sign. Unfortunately, the price of Go 2 in India is higher, putting it beyond the reach of most student consumers who could have benefited tremendously from a device like this. I’ve spent most of the week testing the 10.5-inch Surface Go 2, and here’s my verdict.
Microsoft Surface Go 2 price in India: Rs 63,499 (Intel Core M3)
Microsoft Surface Go 2 Review: What’s New?
On the outside, not much has changed about the Surface Go 2. It measures 9.65 x 6.9 x 0.33 inches and weighs 544 grams. The Surface Go 2 is built on the same design principles as other Surface devices. This means we’re looking for a machine that is identical to the Surface Pro – except the Surface Go 2 is smaller in size.
The Surface Go 2 is a cross between a laptop and a tablet. The device is made of magnesium, the same as the more expensive Surface Pro. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)
I like the idea of super-compact computing devices. A device like the Surface Go 2 is easy to carry, and I can take it to work and file a story, even in tight spaces. The Surface Go 2’s magnesium body has the same solid construction as the Pro; Plus, the Go 2 still has the glossy kickstand on the back that extends up to 165 degrees.
Think of the Go 2 as a portable Surface Go that can be turned into a full-fledged Windows laptop with optional accessories (more on that later). So what has changed on the Surface Go 2? Well, the new Surface Go has a bigger 10.5-inch screen and slightly smaller bezels around the screen. It might seem like a small change, but those scaled-down screen bezels give the Surface Go a fresh, modern look.
Microsoft Surface Go 2 Review: What’s Good?
The most noticeable improvement to the Surface Go 2 is its larger screen. It’s a 10.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 × 1280 pixels. The touchscreen is really nice – super bright and true to color. The 10.5-inch screen isn’t too small or too big – it looks perfect. The slightly larger 10.5-inch screen (10 inches on the original GB) makes web pages more readable and I can easily edit the images and view them. The Go 2 is also a great machine for watching movies. The tablet’s speakers get very loud, while delivering consistently balanced sound. They are without doubt exceptional speakers.
The Surface Go 2 has a 10.5-inch display with a 3: 2 aspect ratio. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)
The 5MP front camera and the excellent microphones make video calls perfect. There is also an 8MP camera on the back, which I barely used. There is no physical fingerprint scanner, but I liked Microsoft’s Windows Hello IR. Built into Windows 10, the biometric authentication method allows users to log in through facial recognition. It’s fast and instantly lets me connect to Surface Go 2.
Performance is another area where the Surface Go 2 gets a big boost. The model I tested had the Intel Core M3 chip with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (expandable via MicroSD). Before I started using Go 2, I had certain expectations. While I never expected the Go 2 to match the level of the Surface Pro 7, this machine handled the tasks I threw at it so well that its performance surprised me.
The new Surface Go 2 on top of the Surface Pro. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)
Everything was vivid, from image editing to classic games. The Surface Go 2 has enough power to handle an average workday running multiple Chrome tabs, attend video calls with Zoom or Teams, chat with colleagues on WhatsApp Web, and stream music through Apple Music all day. The Surface Go 2 is also available with Intel Pentium Gold options, but it wouldn’t be good for me to comment on these variants since I haven’t used them. I think the base Go 2 variant, the one with the Intel Pentium processor should be suitable for those who primarily use their machines for watching videos, browsing the web, or editing photos.
The battery life is decent, but I’ve never had 10 hours of juice like Microsoft claims. On average, the Surface Go 2’s battery lasted almost 5.5 hours with the tablet’s Type Cover connected. If you keep the brightness below 50%, I think the battery will last a bit longer.
The Type Cover costs an additional Rs 8,999, but it’s worth it. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)
During my week-long testing, I made sure to use the Surface Go 2 as both a tablet and a productivity machine. Apps like Netflix work well on the Surface Go 2; unfortunately the tablet lacks a number of multimedia applications. But it’s not the Surface Go 2’s fault, the problem lies with the Windows 10 store. Microsoft knows that and that’s why it’s so committed to making the Surface Go 2 a productivity machine.
With the Type Cover, the Surface Go 2 turns into a real laptop. The backlit keyboard attaches to the Surface Go 2 and provides a satisfying typing experience. The keys are well spaced and the trackpad is much better than I expected. The Type Cover isn’t part of the package, but I highly recommend buying the keyboard as soon as you buy the Surface Go 2. Then there’s the Surface Pen, which I don’t think is essential.
The Surface Go 2 is a miniature version of the Surface Pro 7. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)
Microsoft Surface Go 2 Review: What’s Not Good?
A big caveat about owning the Surface Go 2 is that you have to live with the limited connectivity ports – the Surface Go 2 comes with a single USB-C and a 3.5mm headphone jack. I think Microsoft could have installed a USB-A port on the side of the tablet. This would have given the Surface Go 2 an edge over the iPad. I really don’t know why Microsoft made this sacrifice.
Surface Go 2 also supports Surface Pen. The stylus can be used as a mouse which is great fun. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia / Indian Express)
Microsoft Surface Go 2 review: should you buy it?
The Surface Go 2 is fast (at least the model I tested), portable, and the speakers are loud. For me, the Surface Go 2 shines because of its solid form factor and performance. I see the Surface Go 2 as the perfect device for someone like a blogger or an author. While the Go 2 comes with a “real” desktop operating system – Windows 10, it’s hard not to look at the new iPad Air. Not only is it cheaper, the iPad Air is a better tablet every day. That said, the Surface Go 2 still fascinates me, even though it’s priced a bit higher in India.
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