Surface Go

I think the Surface Go is a fantastic device if you don't set your expectations unreasonably high. For reference, I got the 64GB base model, a black type cover, and a Surface pen. After unboxing, setup takes slightly longer than "just a moment" as the device likes to say, but if you've already got a Windows 10 device, it's pretty quick and easy. Following the initial startup, the device will need to download a variety of updates, but within 2 hours or so mine was fully up to date after multiple installations, restarts, etc... standard computer update affairs. I switched it out of "S mode" almost immediately, because I didn't want to be bootstrapped to the Microsoft store, and it's nice that they give you the option. It doesn't require any restart or anything, and allows you to install apps from anywhere. Regarding performance, I have done email, lots of internet browsing and video watching, movies, drawing, and light photo editing and social networking. The device is not lightning fast and it doesn't need to be. It rarely lags more than a second or 2 to open programs but if you're used to a higher performing desktop or laptop then you will notice. The glossy screen is beautiful and photos and videos look great. There are front firing speakers that sound pretty decent but not much better than your average smartphone speakers, but this is understandable. The device makes zero noise as well, no fans or spinning disks are present here and it rarely gets hot to the touch. Really any light duty thing you would do on a normal Windows 10 PC can be done here. And that's where this thing shines, it's versatility is just head and shoulders above laptops because of how wonderfully portable it is. It feels sturdy, good in the hand or in the lap, and the fully adjustable kickstand is magnificent. In my opinion, the add on keyboard is absolutely essential. It clips on quickly and easily with nice strong magnets. The keys are small and take some getting used to, but having a full keyboard with back-lighting in this form factor is amazing. They are far better than on screen typing. The trackpad is also wonderful, it looks silly large on there but that is a good thing. It's responsive and has a nice clicky feeling. I don't think that the Surface Pen is nearly as essential, but it is fun and works excellent. I could see myself using it for casual note taking, there is virtually no noticeable lag. The charger the device comes with has a proprietary port, but you can also charge it via USB-C, which is great if you have a phone with that port, because you only need one charger while you travel. The only things worth complaining about on this device are made up for by its sturdy build and excellent functionality. It makes a fantastic bridge between the smartphone and PC, perfect for when a smartphone just isn't enough and a full size PC is too much. You don't even need to stow it during takeoff and landing on planes!!! So, set your expectations to a realistic level and the Surface Go, even the base model, will meet them. As an added bonus personally, the Surface Go has helped me use my smartphone less, to the point that I removed most social media from my phone. When you don't have Facebook and Instagram in your pocket at all times, it is pretty amazing how quickly you realize how often you used to mindlessly scroll through your feeds. So you could say it has made me more mindful of my screen time and helped me leave both it and my phone in my pocket or out of reach more often, which we could all use a break from now and then. One more thing... this one is just a tip. Don't buy office! This device has a small enough screen that it qualifies for the free version of MS Office Mobile. Search online for how to get them! UPDATE 2/4/19: I've owned this for several months now and have had zero issues. Changing out of S mode and installing Chrome and other non-Windows store programs has been no problem, no noticeable impact to memory usage or performance. Battery life is still good, just a great little device to have.

There is a lot to love about this but it falls just short of perfect. Let me be upfront - I am a dyed in the wool Apple man and have been ever since Microsoft brought out widows 8 which I hated with a passion. At that point I already had an iPhone and iPad so going the whole hog with a MacBook seemed a no brainier. I still think it is the best integrated system there is but recently, the fact that iPad iOS is so limited has begun to annoy me. I still have to use a pc for work. This meant I was carrying around a notebook and pen (my iPad didn’t support the pencil) an iPad to be able to use all my productivity apps that my workplace wouldn’t allow me install or more likely didn’t exist on pc. I was about to update my iPad with a new one that used the pencil but I still needed a mobile platform for a full version of excel, not the iOS cut down version. So I looked at the Go. What’s to like? Well windows 10 is a breath of fresh air and is what Windows 8 should have been. I love the fact that on such a tiny gadget, I get full versions of office 365 which is perfect as I move from location to location and spend a hell of a lot of time on trains. To my utter amazement, when I set up my one drive, it recognised I had a work OneDrive account and gave me access without any todo which I fully expected from my super security conscious employer. I have chosen to break the mould and keep it in S mode. I find it largely fine. There are a few things I would love to put on it but I have realised I don’t actually need them. One is my cycling fitness training app the Sufferfest. (It’s on my old iPad) I would have to come out of S mode to be able to Download that because it’s not on the windows store. Also the kindle app isn’t on the Microsoft store!! What?!! That is a real shame actually and was nearly a deal breaker. I read a lot of technical books which I like to note in OneNote. I’ve got over it by having to use my kindle device which is far from ideal as still annoying. The reason for keeping it in s mode is I still don’t trust windows. Apples ecosystm just works. Windows does too but in my experience you need to know how too change the oil and spark plugs when you lift the bonnet. Not so with Apple. Windows S provides a nice safe environment which doesnt allow apps to mess with your settings and I love that. My old home PC take about 5 minutes to boot up because of all the garbage in my start up. I haven’t worked out how to get rid of it but then I use my MacBook all the time now. As a result, the fact this comes with an old and supposedly slow processor, I dont find it noticeably sluggish at all. I am sure 8gb and 120gb of solid state memory really helps but I also don’t do anything that hammers the processor like photo of film editing.I will use my Mac for that. I also don’t play games (life’s too short and there is a whole world to play in outside). I do use spreadsheets a lot. I say that but as a senior manager, I have many minions who do the heavy lifting but I do need to review their stuff. Some of the financial models we use can be fairly large and they seem to work just fine on the surface go. Similarly PowerPoint t and word seem fine and I have yet to find any presentations that are sluggish but then I haven’t had any yet with more than about 30 slides. I mainly use it for OneNote anyway, especially in meetings. With the pen it’s brilliant. I don’t need my notebook and pen anymore. The only bummer and I don’t know if it is the processor or not (I guess it probably is) I find the hand writing recognition software is slow, probably too slow for my needs. But, the accuracy of the recognition is seriously impressive. Another thing to like is the USBc port. I bought a little Lenovo adaptor that gives me a VGA type adaptor as well as HDMI and a USB port. To the usb port I have an old usb expansion port plugged in which means I can run it on a big screen as well as use external keyboard and mouse. Mind you, I don’t bother doing that much as the track pad and keyboard are fine, as is the screen (bar the gripes below). So what’s not to like. Well a few things bug me a little. Firstly, as an (ahem!) older gentleman, I like things big so I do t need my reading glasses all the time. Annoyingly, Microsoft have shrunk the icons to match the screen size. I am sure there is a setting that would enable them to be bigger and therefore probably fewer of them but I haven’t found it yet. Apple iOS icons are a decent size. When you’ve filled the desktop, they give you another page to swipe through. Don’t think this puppy does that. Shame. The second thing that is really annoying is that there doesn’t appear to be any anti glare. This is really annoying when i’m Commuting. Finally battery life sucks. The quoted 7 hours is laughable. I dont seem to get much more than 4 maybe 5 hours which is appalling. The good thing is i’m not often that far from a power plug so it’s not been a problem yet. Also, you can carve it with a USBc cable but it takes forever and doesn’t seem to work with the IPad uk usb charger unit. The charger that comes with it isn’t too bulky and the US one is nice and small. I don’t rate the Edge browser nor Bing as a search engine. I can’t seem to set another search engine such as DuckDuckGo or god forbid google as my default browser. However saving one as a favourite works but it’s an extra step to get onto the web. I have had a few problems with accessing one of my web enabled IOS productivity apps - Toodledo which I have using for years. It seems the version of java or whatever gizmo needed to get the full benefit isn’t up to date enough and working out how to do updates in S mode was a complete pain, thankfully sorted for me by the flagship Microsoft store on Oxford Street, London. As it happens, I discovered Microsoft ToDO which does what I want really well. Finally the Microsoft store is pants really! There’s not a busting amount on it given the huge quantity of software available for download from vendor sites. Ok, you can always come out of S mode but for someone with no interest in knowing how to tinker under the bonnet, I want a device which just works. Windows has never been that OS. I think windows 10 S has the potential but I am probably the only review that likes the idea and reality of S mode (to a point). Overall, I am really happy with this and it does what I need. I’d still prefer to use an iPad at the end of the day but that is probs it because I am used to them. But until they introduce a Mac OS like windows 10 that can work on their iPads and therefore do all I need with MS office, I will stick happily to my surface go. I think Microsoft are onto a winner and maybe if they clear some of my minor niggles for the Go version 2, it really will become a fantastic go to tablet that is an iPad killer. Just no cigar yet Microsoft!

I've been a Surface fan for several years. I have the Surface Pro 3, and tried the Surface Laptop. At this point in time, one of the more power intense devices isn't necessary for me. I actually returned the Surface Laptop because I didn't feel I used it enough. The Go hits the sweet spot for me because the size is perfect. I primarily use the device from the couch, so the smaller size is a lot nicer. It's very comfortable to hold and so lightweight! If you don't need this to function as a workhorse computer then it is perfectly adequate. I have a business laptop, so never do work from my personal computers. So for me, this is really all the computer I need. I'm not a gamer or editor, so I basically just browse web forums, watch youtube or Netflix, and other basic tasks. I have Word, Excel, etc installed too which is super nice. I think for people in my use case, the Go has plenty of power. The Go's speed is pretty good. At times it seems really fast, and at other times I do notice it is a little slower than more powerful devices. I mostly notice the slower speed when opening new apps or screens. I played a simple game from the Microsoft Store (one of those cooking themed games) and was surprised at how speedy the Go functioned. It really didn't lag at all while I played it. Videos also look crisp and clean on the Go. The only time I noticed the Go acting buggy was with the touch pad keyboard. There were occasions when the keyboard would not open when it was supposed to. The on screen keyboard is sufficient for web browsing, but I would much prefer an actual keyboard for doing a lot of typing. In this regard, I do think you should pick up a secondary keyboard for the Go. I would honestly just recommend the Microsoft keyboard made for the Go, since it was made for this device. It will connect to it perfectly and makes it really easy to travel with. However, if you are only going to use the Go from a desk and not travel with it much, you could probably just choose a cheaper keyboard. It is a shame Microsoft doesn't just include the keyboard with the purchase. Overall I'm really happy with the Go. For me it was a better fit than the Surface Laptop (also a good device but more power than I needed, and the size was preferable on the Go). The main cons are the keyboard not being included in the price tag and the general price of the Go (I bought the 8gb version). If the keyboard was just included in the package it would make the overall price easier to swallow. For basic tasks or as a secondary unit this is a great computer. It has the great build quality of a Surface device but in a more compact device.

Have you ever been in class and gone to take your notes/book or anything necessary for that class and been flabbergasted at the amount of room these materials take up? Then this is a great product for you. The Microsoft surface Go is small and compact enough that it will slide straight into your carrying bag hardly taking up any room. This will free up the need for carrying multiple notebooks for various differing classes. Note: For optimal use of this product, The Microsoft Surface Pen and access to Microsoft Access is a must. Being able to sync all your notes from your home desktop to this device using One-Note will allow a smooth flow of note keeping for all your classes. You’ll never be more organized when it comes to staying on top of your classes than ever been before. On top of being able to take typed notes within One-Note using this device, if you obtain the pen, you'll also be able to draw any diagrams that appear within your classes as well. You’ll be able to organize and take detailed notes for your various classes, breaking them down further into topic sections. This product is also great for use after class, when you just want to kick back, relax and watch your favorite shows on Netflix or any other viewing apps. Speaking of apps there are a multitude of drawing apps you can investigate and find if you fancy yourself someone who wishes to delve into your drawing skills. This product is well made, and you’ll be able to experience long use times between charging; allowing for longer periods of enjoyment and note taking. Even when you go to charge the Microsoft Surface Go, you'll notice that this device charges extremely fast with the charger it comes with. If you had to witness a weakness of this product, then it would be durability. While this device can be written and drawn upon; be careful of its screen as it can be knocked off tables or dropped. You never want to watch the device you use have its screen broken. Being a Microsoft device, you'll be able to back up all your data through the cloud, being able to easily retrieve your lost data that should also be easily synced with your Microsoft account. Microsoft also offers insurance on this device to allow for cheaper replacement cost, as well as offering a flat, but higher cost to replace without insurance. Overall: Great product with good use for school and casual activities after. You’ll not be disappointed buying this product!

EDIT, 8/18/18 - So it's been almost a week since I've had my Surface Go. I still love it, but I'm beginning to see the limitations of this device. The limitations are due to Windows 10, not the hardware itself. And I feel that these limitations are very slight--slight enough for me to keep the rating at 5 stars. I feel that these tiny issues are ones that can be adjusted or fixed with software updates, and that's fine with me. The device is still great as-is, but Windows 10 needs little tweaks to make the device better--that's all I'm saying. Personally, I think the issue here is that Windows 10 isn't built for mobile devices. It's still for devices that are meant to sit on a desk or table and aren't nearly as portable--like PCs. The Surface Go is great because it's so portable, but it can be better. For that to happen, Microsoft needs to tailor Windows 10 to make mobile devices like the Surface Go function like a mobile device should. For instance, as it stands right now, I can't listen to music or podcasts with the screen off. I can do that with my iPhone or iPad. But I have to babysit the Surface Go, just like I have to babysit my PC at home. I have to be sitting around, making sure the Surface Go remains awake. Sure, I could mess with power management settings, but why should I have to do that? The competition doesn't require me to do that. Microsoft needs to match that. Many mobile devices have widgets or other controls that can be accessed without unlocking the device. I feel that Microsoft has to match this, too, with Windows 10. It also needs widgets that can be accessed without having to unlock the device. Just very basic controls--turn wifi on or off (for real, not this garbage with Apple disconnecting from wifi for a day), and basic audio controls. Finally: Windows apps should be optimized so that a user can get away with using programs without a stylus or keyboard of some kind. Along with the Surface Go, I have an Ockel Sirius A that I got through an Indiegogo campaign earlier this year--that device has a screen that's about the same size as your average phablet, and it runs on Windows 10. A stylus, mouse or trackpad is definitely needed if you want to get work done on it, even if you plug a lager monitor into the Sirius A. I understand that--Windows 10 just isn't built for a screen that small. But I don't think there's any excuse for a device like the Surface Go that has a screen that's, what...about 10.5"? Like an iPad? And on an iPad, users are expected to be able to use apps on that tablet without needing a stylus or trackpad of some kind. But I can't say the same for the Surface Go. Some of those icons--like taskbar icons, or some of the buttons or drop-down menus I've seen in iTunes, as two examples--are still too small to select them with just a finger. You'd still need a stylus/mouse/trackpad to use the Surface Go as-is. And, sure...of course you can mess around with the display settings on the Surface Go to fix this. But again--why should I have to do that when the competition doesn't require me to do that, and the apps on the competition's devices work just fine without extra hardware of some kind? Overall: Microsoft is getting there when it comes to mobile devices, but it also still has a ways to go to keep up with the competition. ORIGINAL REVIEW: I just got my Surface Go yesterday, and I have to say—it’s a genuinely nice device to have. I like it a lot. I plan on using the Surface Go as a “workhorse” device. I do a lot of writing and I work with spreadsheets, so that’s mostly what I’ll be doing on the Surface Go. I also have iTunes on it—I’m in the middle of downloading some albums to it right now—and I’m downloading some Netflix shows to watch later. The Surface Go can handle all of this very well—and I plan on keeping it in S mode, just to see how far I can go with this device being this way. Word and Excel docs, along with iTunes and Netflix, is pretty much all that I need a device like the Surface Go to handle. I’ve seen at least one tech reviewer (iJustine?) play Fortnite on her Surface Go review unit, so it’s not impossible to do it. It’s just—playing games is not a priority of mine for a device like this one. I want this device to be the one that I’ll do some actual work on. If I want to do fun stuff, I’ll use my smartphone. Overall: I think the Surface Go is a nice device to have if you want a backup computer—something to do the bare minimum of what you expect your average computer to do. Also, just remember who this device is supposed to be for: students and enterprise. If you’re in a school or business environment, then this’ll be a great device to have.

I ordered this product for the lightweight which makes it easy to travel while having the power of a laptop. I will start with what I like. I bought this with the keyboard and pen. I have never had a device with a pen that you can use to write on the screen before. Which the pen is really handy for writing notes in meeting at school and classes. The keyboard works really well also and must be magnetic because it snaps right on and holds it in place really well. Now as the headline says the issues. When I got the device I had trouble setting it up for the first time. The device would get stuck in a loop of automatic repair and turning itself off. Which I almost returned the device but then I tried doing a total reinstall of windows 10 to get it to stop and the device has been fine after that. I pretty much only use this device at school and work doing school work and streaming videos. Now after a few months of use, this device has started to shut itself off for no reason and it does get aggravating when working on homework or watching a movie and the device keeps shutting off. This happens at random where it might do it every few mins to every couple hours or work fine and not do it. So because of this, it does seem that this device could be unstable so I could not recommend this product to others. Update: Now 3 months after my purchase this surface go has become a very expensive paperweight. It continually crashes so bad that you can't use it and likes to get stuck in the loop I mentioned before. I changed my rating to one star because that is the lowest I can rate it. This would have been perfect for what I wanted to use it for and I so wish it worked but it is just junk and a bunch of money thrown away. Do not buy this stay away.

I've had my Surface Go for almost 6 months now and I love this piece of equipment. It works well for me, both as a tablet and as a laptop substitute for basic functions. It is perfect for me and I greatly recommend it. Here are the most salient points: 1. SCREEN Screen quality is great for streaming videos and for reading. 2. PERFORMANCE AS A LAPTOP This works great as a laptop surrogate for basic tasks. It is fast enough for simple tasks, such as checking e-mail (I use the full-blown version of Microsoft Office, including Outlook), web browsing with multiple tasks (I usually have 6 or 7 tabs open at a time), music player, casual gaming, etc. File explorer gives me full access to my Network Attached Storage (NAS), where I backup videos and pictures and connects to my home network. I took it out of S-mode after a couple of months. It's kind of limiting under S-mode, but it's still useable. It supports full Office and the Edge web-browser (specially the newer version, based on Chromium), is robust enough for me, though I don't rely heavily on extensions. I can connect to my port hub and control 2 extra monitors (1 full HD, 1920 x 1080, and another one 1280 x 1024) plus the tablet's monitor; external keyboard and mouse, and speakers. With this setup, it works perfect as a laptop substitute. That being said, one thing I don't quite like is that the Go only has one USB-C port, which means that you have to get a separate adapter if you want to plug in any external device. 3. AS A TABLET It works well as a tablet, as well. I use it mostly for reading e-books using Amazon's Kindle Reader version for Windows, streaming videos, checking the news, etc. The only disadvantage is that the Microsoft App Store is not as robust as that for Android and iOS. You could give a try to the emulators that would let you run Android apps, but I haven't had the need for them. 4. BATTERY LIFE It's OK, not great, but it does the trick. I'd say it can play video for about 4 or 5 hours, enough to keep you entertained for a full long flight. Under lighter activity it can last about twice as long as that. On standby, it will last about a week between charges. 5. ACCESSORIES I love the stylus features of the tablet. It works great and it can recognize my handwriting perfectly. This is the best of the features of the Surface Go and I highly recommend it. I use a knockoff stylus that is not the greatest, so I'd suggest going for the real thing when it comes to styluses, or at least not the cheapest one, as I did. For keyboard, I use a Bluetooth one for 8-inch tablets when I'm on the move, and the keyboard attached to my port hub when I'm at home. This one I'm not missing the official one and I think I can do without it. I'd buy it if it were in the $25 - $50 range, but, for my use case, it's not worth the $70+ for the brand one. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase and I highly recommend the Surface Go.

I received my product yesterday and was able to review the contents upon opening. I have owned the larger Surface Tablets before, and this one is just as fast as the ones I have owned, yet more sleek and portable. Don't let the size fool you, nor reviews, the performance is outstanding for the size and what it has to offer. The Surface Go has a very nice box display, and even better opening the package. The package has an iPad feel to it when opening, making you oddly feel better about the product and its representation. I added the type cover to the surface with an easy click and bend up. It worked seamlessly right away. To start, the Surface Go was booted up, went through all the set up very easily, and now is incorporated at my desk attached to a USB C 5 in 1, and hooked up to my HDMI 32" Screen. Positives: Fast for the most part Size Portability Quick Interface Windows transition to Windows 10 Home Windows 10 S for security Touch screen Windows at the size of an iPad Negatives: Can be somewhat slow when opening multiple programs Not a slew of apps like the Apple Store has Not to be used as a workhorse Overall this product will be very useful to me now, and in the future. I highly recommend this product based on what it has to offer, especially if you love the feel of an iPad. This will get more done than an iPad. Very useful for school, for mobile work, for at home computers, and portability uses. I will check back in a few months for an update after consistent use.

Amazing product. In love with it.

Before deciding to purchase this, I watched and read many reviews online. The Surface Go has received so much hate and I just don't understand why. This isn't meant to be used as the main computer. However, it is perfect as a browsing and media machine. The build quality on Surface products is nothing short of incredible. The body is all metal and is incredibly sturdy and exudes quality. The hinged stand which is a staple of Surface devices is nothing short of amazing. You can set it at any angle and it just works. It is incredibly secure and never slips. The only issues I have with the Go is the bezels (I wish they were a bit smaller), and only having one USB-C port. It would have been amazing to be able to charge the Go through one USB-C connection while I use the other for attaching devices. Yes, I know you can use the included charger which attaches to the expansion slot, but I find it so much easier to just charge though USB-C even if it is slightly slower. Not needing to bring a separate charger just for this computer and instead charge it with the same cable I would for my phone is so much more convenient. As a computer, this works for browsing. I have personally taken it out of S-mode so I can install any Windows application on it I want. With 8GB of RAM and the 128GB SSD, the performance isn't bad at all. It isn't the most responsive when using Chrome on large web pages, but that is to be expected. Chrome is fairly resource intensive. On the other hand, using Edge it easily handles any page you can throw at it. Windows productivity software like Excel, Word, and Power Point work exactly as you would expect them to. Communication software works perfectly as well. One of the things I really like about the surface line is the face unlock. It does use an IR light so you won't have any issues unlocking it even in the dark. Doing so is incredibly fast and it pains me having to type in a password manually on my desktop computer. One thing I am unable to review is the Surface keyboard. If I need a keyboard I will just connect to one wirelessly through Bluetooth. The stylus is great though. It does fall short of something like a Wacom tablet but is usable for drawing and perfect for a mouse substitute. For a media tablet this checks every box as well. I installed K-Lite Codec Pack on it and it has no issues playing anything I can throw at it. Even 50GB+ 4k movies with DTS audio streamed over the network from my server are no problem at all for this. Same with 4k YouTube videos. The speakers are quite surprising. They are loud, clear, provide a decent amount of bass, and are actually stereo. The screen is excellent quality with a great contrast ratio and vivid colors. The battery life when viewing media is also more than enough for a cross-country flight. Now, the heart of the matter is value. The Surface Go isn't a cheap device. Yes, it is primarily a tablet. But it is also so much more. The build quality is on par with the new iPad Pro's. But the iPad is almost twice the price, has half the storage, and is running a mobile OS. You can do everything on this you can with a tablet, while still having the flexibility of a full computer. To me, this is a win-win situation. The intended customer for this isn't someone looking for a $250 Android tablet. The customer who should be getting this will mostly be using it as a tablet, while still wanting the option to use it as a full computer when they are on the go. For that, the Surface Go is perfect.

Excelente relación calidad precio. Es el producto perfecto para quien busca movilidad y versatilidad en un solo producto. El rendimiento es aceptable para navegación por internet y actividades de ofimática. Pero evitalo si lo quieres para jugar o editar foto o vídeo. Sus capacidades no son las adecuadas. La calidad de construcción es excelente. La batería dura alrededor de 6 hrs en el modo ahorrador.

Ich arbeite oft mit Schreibpads, und wenn ich einen Vortrag gebe, brauche ich ein Tablet, was keine Probleme hat, meine handschriftlichen Notizen sofort über Beamer oder Smart-Board umzusetzen. Das Surface Go packt es sehr gut! Ich hatte vor ein paar Monaten ein günstigere Marke gekauft und leider war das Tablet von der günstigeren Marke nicht so gut.

Amazing product to be honest. It's a little smaller than anticipated, but you get used to it quickly. It works really well for my studies and don't regret buying it at all!