We reported last week that Microsoft is about to unveil a cheaper Surface device, and it has finally gone official in the name of Surface Go, it is the smallest Surface device that the company has ever released with a 10-inch PixelSense display and weighing merely 500g, the screen supports the Surface Pen that lets you do shades and curves. The Surface Go takes on the form factor of the higher end Surface Pro, which features the very same solid kickstand that lets you use it in different angles and a magnetic connector for attaching the Type Cover keyboard.
If we do a direct conversion of the price with taxes, the Surface Go could be priced well below RM2,000 and it offers some neat features, such as support for Windows Hello sign-in with the 5MP front facing camera, an 8MP rear camera, USB-C, dual microphones, Dolby Premium audio certified stereo speakers and up to 9 hours of battery life.
Where the Surface Go managed to cut cost is the performance internals, it uses an Intel Pentium Gold Processor supported by either 4GB or 8GB RAM, storage configuration is either a 64GB eMMC or 128GB SSD. Therefore, the Surface Go isn’t intended to be a device for the demanding creatives, and it is more suited for lightweight productivity tasks.
The Surface Go is clearly targeted at Apple’s iPad and Chromebooks for its capabilities and value, and it could be a serious contender since it will be able to run full blown Windows programs. Pre-orders for the Surface Go will kick start August 2nd in Malaysia, while customers in Australia and New Zealand will be able to make their pre-order starting tomorrow.
