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Microsoft's Windows 10 new $ 549 Surface Laptop Go aims to compete with Chromebooks

Microsoft's Windows 10 new $ 549 Surface Laptop Go aims to compete with Chromebooks


Microsoft is introducing a new Surface Laptop Go today, designed to be a more affordable alternative to the company’s more premium devices. It’s one of the lowest-cost Surface devices yet, at just $549. It’s only beaten in Microsoft’s lineup by the $399 Surface Go 2, and is clearly designed to target potential Chromebook buyers. But just like the Surface Go 2, the new Surface Laptop Go compromises on some specs to get to a lower price point.

Microsoft has launched a cheaper version of its popular notebook Windows 10 PC, the Surface Laptop Go, alongside a faster Surface Pro X tablet.

Announced via blogpost rather than a press event due to the epidemic, Surface Laptop Go is a smaller, lighter and lower-cost version of the excellent Surface Laptop 3 and strives to offer the same premium Windows 10 experience, but only by half More cost £ 549.99 in the UK or $ 549.99 in the US.


The Surface Laptop Go, as the name implies, is mostly the same Surface you’ve seen before, but smaller and lighter. Microsoft is using a smaller 12.4-inch display than the 13.5-inch one found on the Surface Laptop 3, but it’s also running at just 1536 x 1024 resolution. That’s still more than standard 720p HD thanks to the 3:2 aspect ratio, but even the Surface Go 2 managed to hit 1920 x 1280 on a smaller 10.5-inch display.

This small frame makes the Surface Laptop Go Lite Surface Laptop, which is just 2.45 pounds. It is lighter than Apple's MacBook Air and many Chromebooks or Windows laptops at this price point. Microsoft is still including a full-size keyboard, with 1.3mm travel, and a larger Windows Precision trackpad.

The Laptop Go has a smaller 12.4in touchscreen but otherwise looks like the Laptop 3 including a blue, sandstone or platinum-coloured metal finish. It has the same full-size keyboard and large, precision trackpad. The Laptop Go also has a 720p HD webcam and a pair of studio-quality mics for better video calling, which Microsoft says is rare for a machine of this class.

It has Intel’s 10th-generation Core i5 processor with either 4 or 8GB of RAM and a choice of storage options, as well as a 13-hour battery and fast charging. It has the same port selection as its larger siblings, including one USB-C port, one traditional USB-A port, headphones socket and a Surface Connect socket for power and connectivity. The Laptop Go also supports the latest wifi 6 standard and Bluetooth 5.

Unlike the Surface Go tablet, Microsoft is shipping what I’d call a real processor inside the Laptop Go. Microsoft has opted for a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 (1035G1), rather than the Intel Pentium Gold processor found on the base Surface Go. It’s not the latest 11th Gen Intel processors we’re starting to see in other laptops, but the quad-core chip should be sufficient for this type of device.

Unfortunately, the base model of the Surface Laptop Go includes just 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. Both are serious drawbacks for a Windows laptop in 2020, especially when you can pick up something like Acer’s Aspire 3 with the same processor, 8GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and a bigger 15-inch 1080p display for $549.

You’re obviously paying a premium for Surface design here, but I would have liked to have seen some improvements in the minimum RAM and storage options. If you want more, there’s a $699 Surface Laptop Go model that comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of SSD storage.

Microsoft is sticking with one USB-C and one regular USB-A port on the Surface Laptop Go, alongside a headphone jack and Surface Connect charging port. At the front there’s a 720p webcam, but it won’t support face recognition through Windows Hello. Instead, Microsoft has integrated a fingerprint reader into the power button on some Surface Laptop Go models, allowing you to log into Windows with your finger. The base $549 model won’t include the fingerprint reader, though. For that, you’ll need to buy the $699 or $899 models.

Wi-Fi 6 support and the facility of fast charging up to 80 percent of the battery in just one hour. Microsoft is offering three color variants on the Surface Laptop Go: Blue, Sandstone and Platinum.

The Surface Laptop Go will start at $ 549 for the premiere today, and will begin shipping from October 13. Three models will be available to consumers.

Intel Core i5, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of eMMC storage: $549.99

Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of SSD storage: $699.99

Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM, 256GBGB of SSD storage: $899.99

Microsoft is also launching new Surface accessories today, including a $69.99 Designer Compact Keyboard, a $24.99 Microsoft Number Pad that gives you the option of a number pad, and a $69.99 4K Wireless Display Adapter to help project Windows devices onto bigger screens.