Microsoft offers all kinds of Windows devices in its Surface line. The Surface Go 3 is the smallest device and can best be described as a tablet with a full WIndows. We have tested the successor to the Surface Go 2. Read our verdict in this Surface Go 3 review.
Surface Go 3 (tested version: For business use)
Price € 929 (tested business variant) (consumer model from € 439,-)
Processor Intel Core i3-10100Y
RAM 8GB
Storage 256GB SSD
Screen 10.5 inches (1920 x 1280 pixels)
OS Windows 11 Pro
Connections USB-C, 3.5mm headset jack, microSDXC card reader, SIM card slot
webcam 5 megapixel Windows Hello camera, 8 megapixel rear camera
wireless Wi-Fi 6, bluetooth 5.0, 4G LTE
Dimensions 245mm x 175mm x 8.30mm
Weight 553 grams
Battery 28 Wh
Website www.microsoft.com
6 Score 60 
- Pros
- Compact design
- good screen
- Sturdy housing
- Good webcam
- Negatives
- Not very fast
- Type Cover not included
- Soon pricey
The Microsoft Surface Go 3 resembles its black housing very much like the previous model and that is not the first time. Also with the Surface Go 2, the changes compared to its predecessor were small. Apart from the color, nothing has changed in terms of design and the screen is also the same. Besides in black, the magnesium housing of the Surface Go 3 is also available in the same platinum color as its predecessor.
Our test model was finished in the new color black and in combination with the black keyboard cover it certainly looks stylish. The build quality is as good as ever and the built-in kickstand is just as useful as before. In terms of connections, you get the same as on the Surface Go 2 with a USB-c port as the main expansion option.
Faster hardware
The main difference between the Surface Go and Go 2 was in the slightly larger 10.5-inch screen. That screen has now remained the same and the difference is now made with somewhat faster hardware and a new operating system in the form of Windows 11. On the consumer model, Windows 11 Home is in S mode (convertible to Windows 11 Home) and on the tested business model Windows 11 Pro.
The faster hardware is provided by energy-efficient processors from the Amber Lake Y generation. The entry-level model is equipped with a Pentium Gold 6500Y, while our test model is equipped with the Intel Core i3-10100Y. Both are energy-efficient dual-core processors with four threads. The clock speed of the i3 model is only slightly higher.
In terms of storage, there is a choice of 64 GB eMMC, a 128 GB SSD or, in the case of the business variant, a 256 GB SSD. The Surface Go 3 is optionally available with a built-in 4G LTE modem so you can work anywhere.
We have a business LTE variant tested with a Core i3, 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD that you can buy for 929 euros. The prices of the Surface Go 3 for consumers with a Pentium Gold start at 439 euros. For that you get 4 GB of RAM and a 64 GB of storage. A more usable 8 GB Ram and 128 GB SSD are available from 599 euros.
The unique thing about the Surface Go 3, in my opinion, is that you get a full-fledged Windows 11 in a very small package. That means you can productively get really useful things done on this tablet, such as word processing in word† However, compared to, for example, Apple’s iPadOS, Windows 11 is less convenient to operate with the fingers. It is therefore mainly the usability as a ‘laptop’ why you would prefer this Surface Go 3 over another tablet and for that you of course need a keyboard. The optional Type Cover is therefore actually an almost mandatory purchase.
Such a Type Cover is available from 99.99 euros and quickly makes the Surface Go 3, just like its predecessor, a relatively expensive device for what you get in terms of power.
nice screen
The 10.5-inch screen is the same screen as on the Surface Go 2. The screen ratio is like on other Surface devices 3:2 with in this case a resolution of 1920 x 1280 pixels. It’s a good screen that produces sharp images. Of course it is a touch screen with a glossy finish, after all, this is a tablet. In addition to finger touch, the optionally available Microsoft Surface Pen (109.99 euros) is also supported. That stylus works well and is useful for annotating or working with graphics drawing software. Although this Surface is probably not powerful enough for very advanced drawing software.
A webcam is placed above the screen and can be described as excellent. It’s great now that we work mobile and meet remotely more than ever. The second camera on the back also produces good video images, although that camera seems to be mainly intended for photography. In that case, photos are at most acceptable. Your smartphone probably takes better pictures.
Performance
Our test model of the Surface Go 3 contains the fastest Core i3 processor and that is logically faster than the predecessor Surface Go 2 we tested with an Intel Pentium Gold. In PCMark 10 Extended, this version of the Surface Go 3 scores 1848 points, while the Surface Go 2 we tested was stuck at 1388 points. So it is certainly faster, but this extra energy-efficient processor is of course not a speed monster.
This is therefore a device for using simple apps, browsing and performing light office tasks. Not a problem per se, but if this is your only Windows PC, you might want something a little faster.
Just like on the Surface Go 2, the SSD comes from Kioxia and despite the larger storage capacity, the performance is not much faster than on the predecessor. The read speed is 1777.66 MB/s while the write speed is 1242.08 MB/s.
The battery has a slightly larger capacity of 28 Wh and the battery life has been improved. In PCMark’s Modern Office battery life test, which simulates office use, the Surface Go 3 achieves a working time of 8 hours and 51 minutes. That is almost an hour more working time than the Surface Go 2. So you can get through a working day on the battery.
Conclusion
Just like what we saw with the Surface Go 2 compared to its predecessor, the Surface Go 3 also offers a small improvement. The hardware is a bit faster, but not impressively much faster. And just like the predecessor, the Surface Go 3 seems attractively priced with a starting price of 439 euros, but you get very minimal specifications for running Windows.
The faster versions with memory and storage quickly become a lot more expensive, especially because you also have to purchase the Type Cover separately to get everything out of the device. It is therefore again mainly the fact that you get a full-fledged Windows in a small tablet package that gives the device its right to exist. Compared to other tablets Windows ensures that you can really get something done productively on this tablet.
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