Microsoft Surface Go 2 review: A satisfying 2-in-1 but at a cost
Review: Microsoft Surface Go 2 is the perfect device for someone like a blogger or author. Here's our verdict of the new Windows 10 2-in-1.
When the first Surface Go came, I was not that impressed. Even though the Surface Go was a well thought out 2-in-1, it lacked the raw computing performance and suffered from mediocre battery life. The new Surface Go 2 iron out issues I had with the original Surface Go, and that’s a good sign. Unfortunately, the Go 2’s pricing in India is on the higher side, putting it beyond the reach of most student consumers who could have benefitted immensely from a device like this. I have 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 the other Surface devices. This means we are looking at a machine that is identical to the Surface Pro — except the Surface Go 2 is smaller in size.
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 from tight spaces. The magnesium body of the Surface Go 2 has the same solid build as the Pro; plus, the Go 2 still has the brilliant kickstand on the back that extends up to 165-degree.
Think of the Go 2 as a portable Surface Go that can be transformed into a full-fledged Windows laptop with the optional accessories (more on this later). So what has changed on the Surface Go 2, then? Well, the new Surface Go has a bigger 10.5-inch display and slightly smaller borders around the screen. It may seem like a small change, but these reduced screen bezels give the Surface Go a fresh and modern look.
Microsoft Surface Go 2 review: What’s good?
The most visible improvement in the Surface Go 2 is the larger display. It’s a 10.5-inch screen with a resolution of 1920×1280 pixels. The touchscreen display is really nice — super bright and colour accurate. The 10.5-inch screen is not too small and not too big — it feels just right. The slightly larger 10.5-inch display (10-inches on the original Go) makes web pages more readable and I can easily edit images and view them. The Go 2 is also a great machine for watching movies. The tablet’s speakers get plenty loud, while consistently delivering a balanced sound. These are outstanding speakers without any doubt.
The 5MP front-facing camera and excellent microphones make video calling great. There is also an 8MP camera on the back, which I hardly used. There is no physical fingerprint scanner, but I liked Microsoft’s Windows Hello IR. Baked into Windows 10, the biometric authentication method lets people log in through facial recognition. It’s fast, and instantly lets me login into the 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 RAM and 128GB of storage (expandable through MicroSD). Before I started using the 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.