Microsoft Surface Go Early Impressions

The Microsoft Surface Pro is easily one of the finest two-in-one tablets in the world. As such, it’s surprising that Microsoft has struggled to create a smaller version of the tablet that impresses. The Surface Pro is pretty big, all said, coming in at nearly 13 inches. The new Microsoft Surface Go, due out on August 2^nd, seeks to take what makes the Pro great and just put it in a smaller package. Does it succeed where others have failed, or is it the device Microsoft’s been trying to make?

Pricing and Unboxing

First things first, let’s talk price. The Surface Go starts at $400 for a configuration with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. That’s a big more expensive than the iPad, which comes in at $329, and both tablets come without a keyboard or a stylus. The lack of the Surface Pen and Type Cover in the box isn’t surprising, but it’s still disappointing.

That said, the Surface Go has a pretty big leg up over the iPad: USB-C. Apple has stubbornly stuck to the Lightning Cable, eschewing the industry standard. As such, they’ve left their tablets and phones in the past as every other device makes the switch. Not to mention, the Surface Connect port gives you a way to connect to external displays while charging your device. This is something Apple doesn’t seem to be bothered by: if you want to charge and send a signal, you need a dongle to split the single Lightning port.

Design

The Surface Go is really just a smaller Surface Pro. That’s not supposed to be funny: it’s almost uncanny. Microsoft has managed to scale down the exact tablet they’ve had for years into a more compact size. Of course, there’s a slight dip in performance that you would expect from a smaller device. However, the features and apps are all still intact, just running on a smaller screen.

This newer, smaller tablet is also a bit softer, design-wise. The corners are rounded, and the feel is generally more appealing. It seems that the smaller Surface has been designed with students in mind primarily. The tablet fits into a bag easily and feels great in one hand. The optional Type Cover and Surface pen make it even better, as it can be converted into a laptop-like configuration. Taking notes with either the keyboard or the pen is easy and intuitive.

Microsoft Surface Go Early Impressions

While it’s early yet, it seems like the Microsoft Surface Go is an ample competitor with the iPad. Not only that, it’s a worthy inheritor of the Surface name, and a great buy for the money. If you’re looking for an affordable tablet that can convert into a laptop, this is a great option. However, it is somewhat lacking in regards to power, but it makes up for it in usefulness.