If you are looking for a Windows tablet, you will soon end up with a Microsoft Surface. The Surface Go 2 is the version that most reminds of, for example, an iPad. We have tested the second variant.
Microsoft Surface Go 2
price € 629, – (from € 459, -)
Processor Intel Pentium Gold processor 4425Y
RAM 8 GB
Storage 128 GB ssd
Screen 10.5 inches (1920 x 1280 pixels)
OS Windows 10 in S mode
Connections USB-C, 3.5mm headset jack, microSDXC card reader
Webcam 5 megapixel Windows Hello camera, 8 megapixel rear camera
Wireless 802.11 / a / b / g / n / ac / ax, bluetooth 5.0
Dimensions 245mm x 175mm x 8.30mm
Weight 544 grams
Battery 26.12 Wh
Website www.microsoft.com
7 Score 70 
- Pros
- Full HD (+) screen
- Sturdy housing
- Compact
- Negatives
- Keyboard not included
- No renewal
Because Microsoft’s device Surface Go 2 you would expect a significant upgrade compared to the first variant. That turns out not to be the case. For example, the Surface Go is equipped with an Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y, where the first Go was equipped with a Pentium Gold 4415Y. A small difference in type number, it is therefore the same processor with a clock speed that is 100 MHz higher. That is negligible and there is no difference in terms of processor power. The housing is also identical to the previous model, but Microsoft has placed a somewhat larger screen in it.
There is, however, a more expensive version of the Surface Go 2 available with an Intel Core m3-8100Y, which is a lot more powerful. Storage does not seem to have changed either. The cheapest entry-level device is still equipped with a 64 GB eMMC, while the more expensive variants have a 128 GB SSD. I tested a configuration of the first Surface Go with an Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y, 8 GB ram and a 128 GB SSD. From the new Surface Go, I got an almost identical configuration that includes an Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y, 8 GB ram and a 128 GB SSD. Are there any technical differences beyond that? Except for the larger screen, only Wifi 6 and bluetooth 5.0 seem to be new.
Type Cover
The Surface Go runs on Windows 10 in S mode, so you can only install applications from the Store, but you can easily switch to the normal version of Windows 10 after which you can install all the software. While Windows 10 was also designed with a touch screen in mind, Windows remains primarily a desktop operating system. In other words, if you really only need a tablet, you better buy something like an iPad. It is the typical desktop possibilities where the strength of a Windows tablet lies. And to use those options, you need the Type Cover. Buying and using a Surface Go without the Type Cover simply makes little sense. The non-standard delivery therefore seems almost a trick to keep the sticker price lower, the Type Cover costs at least 100 euros for the simple heavy version.
Bigger screen
The housing is identical to the previous variant, but Microsoft has placed a larger screen in it. Where the Surface Go had a 10 inch screen, a 10.5 inch screen is now used. The screen ratio is still 3: 2. As a result, the black edges on the glass plate around the screen are a bit thinner and the resolution is a bit higher. Where it used to be 1800 x 1200 pixels, it is now 1920 x 1280 pixels. I had no problems with the screen on the previous Go, but a slightly larger screen with more pixels is always nice. Moreover, the width of 1920 is now equal to a Full HD resolution, which is only useful in terms of software. For example, a Full HD movie no longer needs to be scaled. The image quality of the panel is still excellent. Support for the pressure-sensitive Surface Pen is also present again, with the same caveat as with the first Surface Go: for graphics applications where the stylus would come in handy, the Surface Go 2 is soon not powerful enough, although you come with the more expensive Core. m3 version presumably further.
Just as fast
The hardware is almost identical to the first Surface Go and so is the performance. Where the Surface Go scored 1388 points in PCMark 10 Extended, this Surface Go 2 scores 1389 points. The Kioxia SSD (the new brand name for Toshiba SSDs), with a reading speed of 1778 and a writing speed of 856 MB / s, is somewhat faster than the Toshiba SSD in the Surface Go, but that doesn’t really matter in the end. The battery is identical to the previous model with a capacity of 26.12 Wh, but the battery life seems to be better at about eight hours. The first Surface Go had a battery life of anywhere from six to seven hours. The larger screen does not mean a worse battery life.
Conclusion
Just like two years ago, the Microsoft Surface Go 2 is a nice tablet with Windows on it. Only I had expected more from a device that according to Microsoft deserves the addition 2. Because except for the slightly larger screen, there is no difference with the Surface Go that I tested two years ago. Of course Microsoft remains dependent on what, for example, Intel manufactures, but it is Microsoft that eventually puts that product on the market. There is now a faster (and more expensive) version of the Go available. However, those faster versions are quite expensive. If you want to spend that much, you might be better off buying something a bit bigger, but more powerful. All in all, the cheapest configuration with 4 GB of ram seems the most interesting. After all, it is still reasonably priced for a tablet, after all, you actually have to include the 100 euros extra for the Type Cover. You then have all the options of Windows in a small package and that remains an interesting proposition.
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