A smart, lightweight design paired with powerful innards
Screen could be sharper; full suite of accessories is pricey
The Surface Go isn’t Microsoft’s first attempt to make its very own iPad for the masses. It’s not even the first apps-only Windows device to take aim at Apple’s ubiquitous tablet. Unlike the ill-fated Surface RT and a multitude of other imitators we’ve seen over the past eight years, the Microsoft Surface Go actually feels like a viable alternative in its own right. One that’s made for work first and play afterwards, while handling both tasks with aplomb.
Granted, if you want to take Netflix, Fornite and the rest of your favourite apps on holiday this summer then an iPad is still your best bet. But if straddling between spreadsheets, emails and, well, other more boring stuff is a greater priority, then Microsoft’s Surface Go should be your first port of call. And, yes, it’s good for an episode of Disenchanted, too.
Design and software
Although it was first introduced with Microsoft’s Surface Laptop last year, Windows 10 S feels like a better fit for the cheaper, more versatile Go. Not heard of this operating system before? It’s pretty much identical to Windows 10 on almost all counts but one: it only runs apps from the Microsoft Store. That means no Steam, Photoshop or the like, unless you decide to sacrifice a little of this device’s speed and battery life by upgrading it to Windows 10’s full incarnation for free.
While a similar setup was a low-key nightmare on the Surface RT, Windows 10 S is a perfectly serviceable tablet operating system, and a great one when you attach a keyboard to the Go. Much more so than the limited Android OS you'll find on devices such as Samsung's Galaxy Tab S4.
The Microsoft Store isn’t as well-stocked as Apple’s own App Store, but it does feature all the essentials you’d expect such as Spotify, Facebook and Instagram. Plus, most popular downloads that aren’t featured such as Amazon’s Prime Video have a web app you can easily access through the Edge browser.
In essence, the Go is meant to be an ultra-portable riff on Microsoft’s traditional Surface devices. Its tablet weighs only 552g, is reasonably thin at 8.3mm and has a compact 10-inch screen that’s just a little bit bigger than what you’ll find on a standard 9.7in iPad. It’s not a head-turner of a tablet, but an adjustable kickstand makes its priorities abundantly clear. This thing means business. Especially when you hook it up with an detachable Type Cover keyboard (yours for an extra £100).
Display
While the Go does fall into that ‘laptop-tablet hybrid’ category, we would be hesitant to use it as a primary computer. Its 10in screen size is best-suited to sneaking out some emails on the way into the office before swapping over to something larger in size, or at least hooking it up to an external monitor via its one USB-C port. Otherwise you end up craning over the thing a little too much when writing.
Curiously, the touchscreen display here has a lower than Full HD 1800 x 1200 resolution (217 PPI), but text and video is sharp with accurate colours. You’re certainly not going to have to squint to make out the contents of your missives, while the viewing of the weekend’s Premier League highlights is decent enough, too. Not amazing, but a few motion-related quibbles aren’t going to quell your excitement for a last-minute winner or José Mourinho-related implosion.
Additionally, the Go also supports sketching and note-taking with the latest Surface Pen (yours for yet another £100 extra). This is more of a ‘nice to have’ than an essential accompaniment to your Surface Go experience. Still, it’s a good example of how this tablet caters to both creatives and suits in one tidy package. Drawing on its screen is slick and responsive, and you can magnetically attach the Pen to the side of the Go so that it doesn’t get lost.
Read more: These are the best Android tablets in 2020
Power and battery life
Since the Surface Go can’t even download Adobe Premiere, it’s safe to say that this tablet wasn’t made with heavy-duty editing in mind. Its Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4415Y and up to 8GB RAM will do just fine with your summer holiday snaps, as well as the usual gamut of Word, Powerpoint and web-browsing demands, but ask anymore of it and you’ll run into a modicum of trouble.
Case in point: the Windows Store listing for recent Xbox One exclusive Sea of Thieves says it “should work” on the Go. Alas, the closest we got to any virtual swashbuckling were the cartoon sea battles on its low-res loading screen. In other words, you can feed your kids Minecraft on this thing no problem, but attempting anything more ambitious will likely end in frustration and a hefty chunk of lost battery life.
Microsoft claims the Go can trundle on for up to nine hours of video playback. That may be the case, but you’ll certainly get less stamina from it when you’re working. We squeezed about six hours from it when writing and testing for this review, which feels about fair. That’s enough to survive a medium-haul flight or day out of the office.
You won’t be lacking for storage either with up to 128GB SSD available for the Go’s premium model. That’s room enough for all your work-related documents and a fair few entertainment options.
Keyboard and mouse
If there’s one thing you can expect from a Microsoft-made computer these days it’s a good keyboard. Given the smaller-than-usual space the Surface Go’s optional Type Cover has to work, this achievement is no mean feat.
Without the Type Cover, the Go is another wannabe iPad. With it, you're owning a distinct device in its own right. It's a no-brainer of a purchase if you're sold on the Go itself. While the keys are understandably more compact than what you'd get from a full-sized keyboard, they don't feel too crammed together and have a respectable amount of travel.
The only real negative we can muster on the Type Cover is that it'll add £100 to the price of your Go. Whether you opt for the device’s 4GB RAM/64GB storage (£379) or 8GB RAM/128GB storage (£509) configuration, it can quickly become a pricey machine to own.
Unlike the similarly expensive Surface Pen and even the sleek new Surface Mobile Mouse (£30), the Type Cover ranks as an essential add-on. Rather than a well-made optional extra.
Verdict
Microsoft's Surface Go isn't the first tablet to be made for use with a keyboard, but it's the best going on this kind of budget. It does a good job as a tablet and an even better one with a Type Cover attached. That's pretty much the inverse of what you get with an iPad, which really helps the Go endear itself in what is still a ludicrously saturated field.
Whether or not you opt for the Go over Apple’s mega-selling behemoth will come down your own demands. Either way, the Go feels like the first bona fide alternative to crop up since Google’s Nexus tablets. If there’s a job that needs doing on the go, there’s only one device we’d reach for. And it’s not the one with a half-eaten logo on the back.
- Read our guide to the best laptops for our definitive verdict on which laptop to buy. And, if you're a student, try our best laptops for students guide. When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we earn a small affiliate commission. This does not impact the products we recommend
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
