Microsoft says both devices are now available (October 13). For customers who took up pre-orders at introduction, Microsoft is rolling out shipment notes as we write. For customers who buy today, delivery will depend on location and retailer. Despite the Surface Laptop Go being a completely new device, there has not been much buzz around it. Instead, it is the new Surface Pro X variant that is more interesting. The new Surface Pro X packs a SQ2 processor and comes with an exclusive Platinum colorway, costing $1,499. Microsoft bills its new processor as best in class, making this Pro X variant one for power users. It extends the company’s push for Windows 10 on ARM to be a success.
Surface Laptop Go
When reporting on the announcement of the Surface Laptop Go, I was unhappy with the device. I thought it was over-expensive and under-powered. Nothing has changed my mind since then, making this arguably the biggest “what?” in the recent history of Surface hardware. As refresher, the Surface Laptop Go combines the powerful Surface Laptop Go with the entry-level Surface Go concept for a device that screams “meh”. It has a 12.4-inch 1536×1024 display, which is hugely disappointing as it does not even provide Full HD media. The CPU is firmly in the mid-range. It is an Intel Ice Lake Core i5-1035G1 that will handle most normal-use tasks with ease. It’s the same story with the 4GB of RAM available, it will get the job done but is hardly amazing. I previously wrote the following on this device, questioning its place in the market: “It’s clear there are better laptops on the market in the $500 to $600 range. With that in mind, it is hard to see who the new Surface Laptop Go is for. Maybe users who simply want a Microsoft Surface device but don’t have a large budget? But even then, the normal Surface Go is probably a better bet. Looking over the new device, it’s easy to see why Microsoft announced it quietly.” Customers can find the Surface Pro X here and the new Surface Keyboards here.
