The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go is undeniably an iterative improvement over the previous model. However, as a device that prioritises design, portability, and usability, it may be a wise decision that keeps the price of this posh pocket laptop within the range of a student. To cut to the chase, this laptop is an absolute delight to use. Those who cannot afford a more expensive MacBook but have long desired one should strongly consider the Surface Laptop Go. It’s the closest thing to a low-cost Apple clamshell device. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go is designed for a broad audience with modest needs who want an elegant laptop without spending a fortune. However, thanks to its aluminum lid and keyboard deck, as well as thinner bezels than Apple’s laptops, it still looks like a premium laptop. The Surface Laptop Go isn’t a powerhouse, but its general performance is fast enough for general multitasking. Here’s the complete Surface Laptop Go review review.
Surface Laptop Go review: Design
The Surface Laptop Go is one of the cutest little laptops. It’s incredibly thin and light, weighing only 2.45 lb and measuring 0.62 inches thick. This is unquestionably a laptop that’s a dream to carry around while commuting or travelling between classes – at least once you’re able to do so on a regular basis. It’s also remarkably sturdy for the price. Although the laptop’s bottom is plastic, the keyboard deck and display are made of incredibly solid aluminium, resulting in a premium-feeling device. Even the display is extremely sturdy. This is the kind of build quality we expect from laptops twice the price. There are no flimsy plastic laptop chassis here, and the Surface Laptop Go is something you can throw in your bag without fear of it breaking. There are no compromises in terms of style. The Surface Laptop Go we received for review has a lovely Ice Blue finish. It also comes in a Sandstone finish, in addition to the classic Platinum colour option found on nearly every other Surface device.
Surface Laptop Go review: Keyboard and Touch pad
The Surface Laptop Go keyboard provides a good typing experience, allowing you to type longer texts without difficulty. As previously stated, there are no discernible differences between this model and the more expensive Surface laptops. What you will notice, however, is the lack of keyboard illumination, which is a clear negative point given the original MSRP. Microsoft has managed to fit a full-size keyboard onto this chassis, and you can get acquainted with the keyboard and key travel and feedback within minutes of using the device. Keyboard backlighting is missing, which would have made the device even more appealing. The trackpad is responsive and, for the most part, works as expected.
Surface Laptop Go review: Display
Because of the low-resolution display, one of the Surface Laptop Go’s shortcomings was the display. The laptop has an unusual 3:2 aspect ratio, which appeared promising. However, the screen resolution of 1536×1024 pixels felt far too low at times during the review for a laptop at this price point. Microsoft could have chosen a slightly higher screen resolution for the Surface Laptop Go. Backlighting for the keyboard was another feature we wished the laptop had. Working on the laptop in places where there isn’t enough light on the keyboard becomes difficult. This has gradually become the norm for laptops in India, and we continue to be perplexed as to why Microsoft chose not to include keyboard backlighting on the keyboard.
Surface Laptop Go review: Audio
Microsoft’s dual “Omnisonic” speakers are cleverly located beneath the keyboard deck for audio, allowing no visible speaker grills to mar Laptop Go’s clean design. The speakers are especially good, reaching a reasonable volume without distortion. While they lack deeper bass, they sound rich enough that no one will be offended. Due to the low price, there is no Dolby Atmos to optimise the sound with more spatial presence, but it does have Dolby Premium Audio. The front-facing 720P web camera is flanked by dual microphones. Because this camera is so small in comparison to other Surface devices, there are no infrared (IR) sensors for Windows Hello facial recognition. While the photo quality isn’t great, it’s adequate for video conferencing in Microsoft Teams or Zoom. Microsoft has always provided excellent web camera support on its Surface line, and Laptop Go does not disappoint even at a lower price. As a result, this device is ideal for work-from-home scenarios, office meetings, or simply catching up with a family member via Skype.
Graphics
We put Windows PC graphics to the test using two DirectX 12 gaming simulations from UL’s 3DMark: Night Raid (which is more modest and appropriate for laptops with integrated graphics) and Time Spy (more demanding, suitable for gaming rigs with discrete GPUs). Two more GFXBench 5.0 tests, run offscreen to accommodate different display resolutions, wring out OpenGL operations. Because all of these systems rely on their processors’ integrated graphics rather than a discrete GPU like you’d find in a gaming laptop, their performance has a hard upper limit. The Surface Laptop Go outperformed all but the Samsung, but none of these PCs claims to be suitable for demanding games or professional graphics applications. With any of them, stick to streaming media and casual or strategy games.
Surface Laptop Go review: Performance
Before delving into its performance, it’s worth noting the differences in specifications and pricing between Surface Laptop Go models. All have 10th-generation Intel Core i5 processors and UHD graphics, but the £549 model only has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage. With system files typically taking up around 20GB, you have very little free space to play with. Stepping up to £699 gets you 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, while the model we tested costs £899 to double the storage. As a result, we can only comment on how well the top-spec Surface Laptop Go performs. My daily workflow includes a lot of Chrome tabs, Slack, and the occasional photo editing, and the Laptop Go handled it all with ease. There were a few hiccups when quickly switching between apps, but nothing that hampered my productivity. The solid performance doesn’t quite extend to graphically intensive tasks like gaming or video editing, but that’s probably not a priority if you’re thinking about purchasing this laptop.
Surface Laptop Go review: Battery life and Heat
The Surface Laptop Go untethered for extended periods of time. While Microsoft claims the Surface Laptop Go can last up to 13 hours on a single charge, the browsing battery test took 7 hours and 31 minutes. That’s about an hour and a half faster than the mainstream laptop average of 8:42. The Asus Zenbook 13 (13:47) and Google Pixelbook Go (11:29) had longer battery lives. Microsoft’s claims of improved battery life are based on the Surface Laptop Go being in Windows 10 S Mode and a variety of usage scenarios, including standby mode. The fan on the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go is quiet, but has the high pitch of a small diameter heat-shifter. Even when it’s at its maximum, there’s not a lot of air movement near the screen hinge, which is where cool air is drawn in and hot air is pumped out.
Configuration Options
While the price remains the same for everyone, the value differs for each individual. If you’re looking for a thin and light notebook that prioritizes portability, solid battery life, and a good display, all while providing an optimized Windows experience, the Surface Laptop Go might be for you, provided you can live without a backlit keyboard. However, if you want raw performance and want to play games or edit videos, there are several options for this price that are significantly more powerful than the Surface Laptop Go, but at the expense of portability and form factor. When you consider the extra cost of upgrading the internal SSD on the Surface Laptop directly from Microsoft.
Final Words
We really like the product’s design, build quality, fast storage, fingerprint reader, keyboard feedback, and trackpad. We wish the pricing in India was more appealing, but even at the current price, considering the import duties, the Surface Laptop Go is still a very appealing offering. Microsoft acknowledges that some design compromises were made in order to save money and make this product affordable, as is true for many other products in this category. The Surface Laptop Go is a good all-around package for those looking for a compact premium Windows laptop.
