To clarify, this option is the Surface Go with the keyboard accessory. It has a 1.61ghz cpu, 4gb of ram and a 128gb ssd. It does not come with cellular option and the pen.
It has Windows 10 in S-mode which can be disabled after it is setup and Microsoft Store is updated.
The build quality is pretty solid, much like an iPad hardness. Processing speed is quite fast considering the tablet/laptop hardly weighs anything, is only 10” and has a good battery life.
The only peripherals are a 3.5mm headphone jack and one USB-C.
I was worried at first because of screen size and the lower power cpu chip. I have the 128gb model with 4gb of ram. After using it for 2 weeks I can definitely say it is a great mobile office device. I can do office spreadsheets and word docs easily. The 10 inch screen might sound small but because of the resolution, words and letters were sharp, the colors seem accurate and I never felt it was too cramped. I have large hands and I found no trouble working on the keyboard after 10 minutes of getting used to typing on it.
The downside is battery. I was expecting roughly 9 hours on it. You might get that on Windows S version with everything turned off on ultra low. But for a professional, I need a full operating system and upgraded to Home edition. On a daily use reasonable basis running programs and routine work, it's more like 4 and a half hours with a 40% lit screen. Granted if you are really tech savy, go into powershell and start trimming out useless bloat programs that eat up some battery. (Don't recommend this unless you really know what you are doing), but it will add another hour to your battery. I have no problem with bringing a plug along because it's not that big and fully charges your Go in less than 2 hours time. USB Type-C can also charge your system, but it's really slow.
MicroSD slot is a plus can really quick swap out cards. Running an extra 256gb card on it to add to the 128gb built in hard drive. I had no problem installing programs to the MicroSD and running it off that instead of taking up hard drive space. I like to keep C: drive clean as it tends to make systems run smoother.
Performance wise:
Office Programs are totally fine no lag.
Games: Was able to run Civilization 6 on low/mid setting with no problems. The Sims 4 was not a problem either on low/mid mix settings.
Overall, I highly recommend the go for anyone looking for a really affordable ultra portable multimedia work device. It hits almost ever mark perfectly except maybe the battery part. But 4 hours of hard productivity is good for on the go I'd say. I literally leave my 15 inch laptop at home just because this can do everything so well in such a small size.
I had the 8 GB unit a while back and exchanged it for a surface pro as my main computer. But since I travel alot, I missed the Go's portability. I decided to rebuy the Go again, this time I got the cheaper model and was delighted to find the 4GB model has excellent performance too. Granted I only use it for email, browsing, MS Office and streaming music and videos but it does all of those things (some at the same time) with absolutely no lag. I think having the faster 128 GB memory helps the performance and I also like the extra space - all for under $500. This is my new favorite gadget!
I love it!
Using and integrating the Microsoft Stylus Pen (that I had to purchase separately) is very very cool. I know handwriting and taking notes on a tablet/computer has been around for years but I am just getting in game....
If you want handwriting, drawing, and taking notes capability buy it... II would also suggest learning "One Note" (on YouTube) to get full use of the Surface Go
So, I already have a powerful home computer, and, a Surface Pro 2017 i5 / 4gb edition (which has hd620 graphics). It is great for anything! It will even edit 4k video! I use my home computer the most of course, but, when I am out of my home, I almost always have my Surface Pro with me. So, why did I want a Surface Go? Well, what really stuck out to me was that I can charge through USB-C. This means I can carry this tiny computer around, and, use a single small charger that I also use and carry anyways for my Galaxy S9 phone! This really cuts down on bulk, and, makes this a super easy computer to bring anywhere! I got the Surface keyboard, which doubles as a 'case' kind of when in my backpack. I admit I did buy a small laptop sleeve / bag as well. Very small, just one zip side pocket that will hold my USB-C multi port; which gives a couple USB-A ports, hdmi, and SD / microSD slots. It really is amazing how small this device is, yet, still powerful enough for every day tasks! I even have used it to edit 1080x60 video! I use Magix Movie Edit Pro 2018. Works great! Smooth enough for on the go, only minimal skipping if you add a lot of effects. 1080x30 is perfect, not a single skip. I figured the hd615 graphics would be good enough, and they are! Everything thinks ram makes a huge difference. Fact is, 4gb is just fine (remember, my Surface Pro 4gb will edit 4k video smooth as butter)! What matters most is having enough ram (which again, 4gb is good enough in most cases), and the processor and graphics card. If you want the most powerful Surface, get one with the hd640 graphics (which comes in the i7 versions of the Pro). My home computer obviously is for home. My Surface Pro is for local use: at a friends house, a short car vacation, etc.. And now, my Surface Go is for airline travel or extended road trips! It is fun to use as well. So small, yet, the screen is amazing! I have no issues with speed. It will play 4k video from YouTube, or other streaming sources with easy, zero lag. I can use it as a media device to play movies while traveling, and, I can use it to edit videos anywhere! Yes, render times are longer due to the slower processor and graphics processing; however, when traveling I can just let it render overnight while sleeping. I've found a 5 minute 1080x60 video took about 1.5 hours to render. Not fast, but, acceptable for such a device. I, of course, instantly upgraded to Windows 10 Home, and, suggest pretty much all users do this. I can have multiple internet tabs open (currently I have 5 Chrome tabs open, I'm playing Pandora, and typing this review. Smooth as butter! Don't expect this to be your only computer if you are a power hungry user, but, this thing is great if you know what you want it for! It would also be great for students! Low cost, yet, would do all they need. I find the keyboard is very sufficient. I am super fast at typing, and, adjusted in no time to this small keyboard. Some people it may take a little time, but, you will get used to it. Trackpad works great as well! Overall, I am super happy with this purchase. I will take this computer on a car road trip in the USA soon, and a few weeks after that, on a cruise to the Bahamas! It will be great to have a media device with some downloaded tv shows and movies to watch on the plane and during down time; and, I can edit and upload my videos too! Perfect for my needs, I am very happy with it! Battery life isn't as good as they say. It depends what you are doing. But, it is acceptable. Plus, I can charge this anytime with my battery pack, or, my Galaxy S9 charger! Ok, I'm done ranting. Get this if you don't need a super power machine, but, want something small that will do pretty much anything you want. Oh, and don't get this if you plan to play a lot of games. It will handle some, but, this is by no means a gaming computer. If you want something portable to game on, look into the Surface Pro i5 or i7 and get a keyboard and mouse.
Feature Product
- Microsoft Surface Go 2-in-1 design (laptop / tablet / studio mode) smallest and lightest
- 10" Touchscreen PixelSense (1800 x 1200) Display | 8MP Rear-Facing Camera | 5MP Front-Facing Camera
- Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y Processor (1.60 GHz) | Intel HD Graphics 615 | Window 10 in S mode
- 4 GB Memory | 128 GB SSD | WiFi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.1 | Stereo speakers with Dolby Audio Premium
- Include Type Cover | 1x USB-C | 1x Surface Connect Port | 1x Headphone Jack 1x microSDXC Card Reader for expandable memory
Description
I wanted another computer to use so I didn't have to keep going downstairs to my office to use my computer.
This looked like a great computer and I figured that for light computing it would be ok for web browsing and reading email.
This is the low end model with 4GB of ram and 128gb of storage.
This has exceeded my expectations. It is very efficient and even with only 4GB of ram the performance is very good.
There is a slight lag for the virtual keyboard to pop up and I would highly recommend getting a keyboard.
As a systems analyst, I tried to put as much stress on this as I could and everything functioned extremely well.
It is also very well designed and made.
As long as you don't run too many apps concurrently, this is a great little computer.
It also charges very quickly and the battery lasts a long time.
If you were thinking about getting a Surface Go, I would say it's worth having.
The price was amazing for the product. The only drawback is while using the docking station I loose connectivity with my wireless mouse at times. Other than that, the is an amazing product.
as indicated, it is so good that it has replaced my laptop, its solid state memory is incredibly fast, though so small that I supplemented it with a 128G SD card [an easy and quick access slot at the rear of the unit], unfortunately it is tricky to remove a SD micro card from the slot. That aside, I am a happy camper! Very happy indeed!
Very light and compact and perfect for travel. Runs windows in S mode which can be switched to full windows with no visible loss in speed.
I'm overall very happy with this device. It is perfect for basic everyday tasks, and working on the go. It is limited in what it is capable of, but I have a more powerful computer for the tasks that require one.
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