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Microsoft Surface Go (model 1824) review

Microsoft Surface Go (model 1824)

CHOICE Expert Rating

68%
What is the CHOICE Expert Rating?
Good points

Good Points

  • Very good screen
  • Very good keyboard
  • Offers a one-way upgrade to Windows 10 Home
  • Excellent screen viewing angles
Bad points

Bad Points

  • Keyboard and Surface Pen are sold separately and are very expensive ($200 for the keyboard and $140 for the Surface Pen, in addition to the $838 we paid for the Surface Go itself)
  • Only one USB-C port (no other ports)
  • No USB-C adapters supplied
  • Windows 10 S limits you to using applications only from the Microsoft Store, which may not suit all users
  • Glossy screen means reflections can be a nuisance

Type

Ultraportable
Ultrabook
Tablet mode
Operating system
Windows 10 S

Recommended products

Recommended
Not recommended
Recommended for tablet use

Test results

CHOICE Expert Rating
68%
Performance score
53%
Tablet use score
78%
Ease of use score
74%
Battery life score
60%
Display score
84%
Audio score
45%
Wi-Fi score
78%
Storage write-speed (MBps)
563
Storage read-speed (MBps)
1264
Wi-Fi speed (MBps)
41
Average battery life – heavy usage (hours)
4:43
Charging time to 80% full (h:min)
1:21
Expert tester comments
The Microsoft Surface Go is an entry level tablet running the Windows S operating system. It is designed to only allow apps from Microsoft's Store to be installed (similar to how an iPad only allows App Store programs), but if you find this inconvenient, you can perform a one-time (no going back) upgrade to Windows 10 Home. We think this would be a more attractive option if Microsoft supplied the keyboard and pen for the price – instead they are costly extras that may put the product out of reach of many potential users. Note: This laptop's performance is not directly comparable to current products due to it being tested with an older version of our benchmark.

Sustainability

Shop Ethical rating
C
Warranty (years)
1
Replaceable battery
Not collected
Replace/upgrade RAM
Not collected
Slots for additional RAM
Not collected
Replace/upgrade storage
Not collected
Slot for additional storage
Not collected
Replace/upgrade Wi-Fi
Not collected
Country of origin
Not collected

Related products

Availability
Discontinued model

Cost

Price
$1,178.00

Specifications

Screen size (inches)
10
Native screen resolution (pixels)
1800 x 1200
Processor (CPU) type
Intel Pentium Processor 4415Y
CPU frequency (GHz)
1.6
RAM (GB)
8
Video graphics type
Intel HD Graphics 615
Storage capacity (GB)
128
Available user space (GB)
92
Storage type
SSD
Wi-Fi version
5
Weight of laptop (kg)
0.8
Weight of power supply (kg)
0.2
Size (mm, H x D x W)
14 x 180 x 248

Features

Screen finish
Glossy
Touchscreen
USB-C
USB 2.0 ports
0
USB 3.0 ports
0
USB 4 as USB-C port
0
USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 1 or 2, not Thunderbolt 3 or 4) ports
1
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 (as USB-C) ports
0
SD card slot (full-size)
SD card slot (micro)
HDMI port
Gigabit ethernet port
Rear camera
Backlit keyboard levels of brightness
3

More products in this test

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular (A2437) with Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil (2nd gen)
74

Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th Generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular (A2437) with Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil (2nd gen)

$4,720
Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441)
77
Recommended

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (7441)

$1,499
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 14Q8X9
75
Recommended

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 14Q8X9

$1,499

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