Surface Go 2 Discussion Thread (May 2020)

It's finally here! Looks like the rumors were spot on.



Compared to the previous gen the screen is 0.5" larger, the base model is 4% heavier, and battery life is stated to be about ten percent longer. The low end model still comes with only 4GB RAM, 64GB slow eMMC storage, and Windows 10 S (free upgrade to Win10 home) and virtually unchanged Pentium Gold performance (read: pretty slow).

The higher end model features an SSD with vastly improved SSD write speeds compared to the previous gen high end version, and an Intel core m3 chip with drastically higher performance than the previous gen, especially in short bursts (e.g. way faster initial app launch times).

Lowest SKU is $400 with Pentium Gold, 4GB/64GB eMMC, Win10S, without keyboard, highest end maxed out model is $880 with Core m3, 8GB/256GB/LTE with keyboard. A compatible Surface pen costs an additional $99.

Official Product page on the Microsoft Store. Remember to get the 5% educational discount if you're eligible.

Detailed review available on Windows Central

Specs from Windows Central:

• Operating System Windows 10 Home in S mode
• Display 10.5 inches, 3:2 aspect ratio, 1920x1280 (220 ppi) resolution, PixelSense
• Processor Intel Pentium GOLD 4425Y or Intel Core m3-8100Y
• Graphics Intel UHD Graphics 615
• Memory 4GB or 8GB
• Storage 64GB eMMC, 128GB SSD or 256GB SSD (commercial)
• Expandable Storage microSD
• Rear Camera 8MP
• Front Camera 5MP
• Security Windows Hello face sign-in
• Connectivity Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax compatible, Bluetooth Wireless 5.0
• LTE Advanced Qualcomm Snapdragon X16 LTE Modem
• Ports 1x USB-C, 1x Surface Connect, microSDXC card reader, 3.5mm headphone jack
• Audio 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Audio Premium
• Battery Up to 10 hours
• Dimensions 9.65 inches x 6.9 inches x 0.33 inches (245mm x 175mm x 8.3mm)
• Weight Wi-Fi model: 1.2lbs (544g), LTE model: 1.22lbs (553g)
• Colors: Platinum

Pricing from Windows Central, upgrades highlighted in blue:

Surface Go 2 Consumer models

• Intel Pentium GOLD 4425Y, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC $399
• Intel Pentium GOLD 4425Y, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD $549
• Intel Core m3-8100Y, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD $629
• Intel Core m3-8100Y, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, LTE $729

Surface Go 2 Commercial models

• Intel Pentium GOLD 4425Y, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC $449
• Intel Core m3-8100Y, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC $499
• Intel Core m3-8100Y, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD $679
• Intel Core m3-8100Y, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, LTE $779
• Intel Core m3-8100Y, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, LTE $879

Accessories

• Surface pen $99
• Basic type cover $99
• Alcantara type cover $129

Note: The case dimensions are unchanged, so previous Go keyboards will work with the new model, and older surface pens should also work.

Note 2: Costco offers a 8GB/128GB Pentium Gold with pen and keyboard bundle for $650, a $100 discount compared to buying things separately.

 

The cameras look pretty bad for the price.

 

I think @Bronsky is going to love this thing, and it looks pretty good to me at first blush. Camera didn't look all that bad - should see some of the HP cameras we get to suffer with. Still, the business KSU with LTE, keyboard, and pen is going to go well into the $1000 range.

 

@Bronsky - LTE will be available on 5/12 like all other models

 

This configuration is an absurd move when it is treading dangerously in iPad Pro territory and it is not even a Surface Pro and it is much slower than either a Surface Pro or an iPad Pro! At that price point, I would have expected one of the faster, latest and greatest fanless, 9-watt Core i7’s at this price, like the i7-1060G7. As it is, I am going to have to give the Go 2 a hard pass on recommending these nutty commercial SKUs unless someone is hard set (like Bronsky) on Windows in this form factor. I can only hope the Go 3 makes the quad-core jump and has 8GB standard issue in 2021/2022. Unless you are running Linux, 4GB RAM and dual core is minuscule rabbit-sized portions for 2020 on a Windows device.

 

agreed with one caveat

MS has a habit of significant discounting to their direct purchase customers soon after release. However, I still doubt it will be significant enough to move someone away from an iPad Pro.

That being said MS at least to this point has been positioning the Surface Pro X with our customer base as the answer to the iPad pro with "compatibility with all your apps" being the differentiator.

They also, even less successfully in my opinion, had tried to position the Go as the alternative to the iPad Air 3 with it's keyboard.

I haven't seen the latest marketing spin yet obviously because it's so new.

 

Yawn......

My speculation on hoping they slimmed it down from the render photos was wrong......it may be 8.3mm thick....but still looks just as thick. Was also hoping for a slim pen type cover of sorts......and they are still offering EMMC as an option.

Does anyone know how we can confirm if this model has the pixel sense accelerator chip? That was always a serious weakness with the Go 1, I hope they rectified that. Firmware updates are not enough.

 

Where'd you see this, and have you pre-ordered?

 

The iPad Air 3's Apple A12 makes mincemeat of the Surface Go's Intel Core m3-8100Y, and pitting the Intel Pentium GOLD 4425Y against it is like comparing an ant to a human. I am afraid to say that the Go is a fantastic device in terms of form factor and features, but its CPU is its Achille's heel that should not have entered the conversation in the design phase. I can only surmise that Intel has a mountain of CPUs stockpiled due to their failure to shift to 10nm with acceptable yields/functional dies. And so Intel is trying to get some sort of revenue from the excess of 14nm dies instead of earmarking them as a loss. At the very least, Microsoft should have sticked to their guns--not fallen back on their Wintel partnership--and pressured hard for 10th Gen Y-class parts.

 

Right you are Dale. Thanks for the heads up @jnjroach. I'll be looking for it. I am so getting one of these. Benchmarks to come.