Microsoft Surface Go review: Ideal for writers and students

Over the past few years, Microsoft has been showing the world it can offer a great computing device that can take on the likes of the MacBook. The Surface range has found lot of fans over the years, however it has limited reach in a country like India, because there were no options that were affordable. Microsoft wants to change all that with the Surface Go.

Microsoft Surface Go specifications: 10-inch PixelSense Display (1800 x 1200p, ~ 217 PPI) at 3:2 aspect ratio | Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4415Y with 4GB or 8GB | Intel HD Graphics 615 | 64GB eMMC drive or 128GB SSD | 5.0MP front and 8.0MP rear camera | Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Bluetooth 4.1 | Windows 10 Home in S mode | 522 grams

Microsoft Go Price in India: 4GB/64GB Rs 37,999; 8GB/128GB Rs 49,999

Microsoft Surface Go review

The Microsoft Surface Go is actually a 10-inch tablet with a stand that can be used with a magnetic keyboard and Surface Pen. Of course, it is a computer, but this is a tablet first. It has a power button and volume rockers like other tablets.

But in comparison to an iPad, the Surface Go has a card reader and a USB-C port just for transferring data. However, it needs a proprietary port to charge and that is not such a good idea when people are struggling with so many chargers.

To add to the value of the Surface Go you need to invest in at least the magnetic keyboard which costs at Rs 4,697 more. If you want to get really creative you need to spend more on the Surface Pen which could cost upwards of Rs 9,000.

I used the Surface Go for a week and it is a decent device to write on. In fact, since Windows 10 was launched I have loved the way the cursor moves as you write and it is a very reassuring gesture for writers like me.

The keyboard is well laid out, but switching from a 11-inch MacBook Air, it did take some time to get my typing right. The Surface Pen works fine and is a great stylus even on this screen. Even with the keyboard the Surface Go is very compact to hold and it is great that the pen sticks to the side magnetically.

The display is a bit old fashioned, especially the thick bezel. The 10-inch PixelSense Display is also not FullHD and at 1800 x 1200p (217 PPI) resolution with 3:2 ratio, it will take some time to get used to this screen. But the screen is not bad in anyway and you will not have any issues consuming YouTube or Netflix content on this.

The Surface Go is powered by Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4415Y and not a mobile SoC. The Surface Go could handle most browsing and writing tasks I made it do. However, this is not a device that can handle photo editing or other stressful stuff.

Let’s look at this as a basic content creation device and good consumption device. Even with the 8GB RAM version, there were a few instances when I had to wait a bit for things to happen. However, the device does not heat up whatever the situation which is good and helps the battery last for a full working day.

The Surface Go runs Windows 10 Home in S mode and one of the good features of this device is the extra layer of security that comes built in. This could be a good enterprise device that companies use for their feet on the ground. Also, it comes with Cortana and Hello face sign-in, which no other tablet device in this price range can offer at the moment.

But all the while I used the Surface Go I was reminded of the “affordable laptops” that flooded the market after Microsoft cut its software license for Windows. These too were tablets with keyboards, and frankly the Surface Go is just a slight improvement on those three-year-old devices.

For now look at the Surface Go as an affordable on-the-go computing device for those who like to read and write. It could also be the device you buy for a high school or college student. Also, it is recommended that you pick up the 8GB/128GB version, even though it is a tad more expensive.