Scratching the surface won’t do when it comes to buying computers. The re’s the evident cost that entails window shopping and reading the reviews because you want the machine with the features and all to deliver your money’s worth.
Microsoft Surface then comes knocking at your door, offering a suite of touch-screen personal computers. The stand-outs are Surface Go, Pro, and Laptop. What will you choose? Which among the three Surface products will be a perfect fit for your lifestyle and budget? Don’t forget the accessories for the ultimate performance.
Microsoft inside Microsoft
The Surface series represents Microsoft’s move to house its operating system inside its hardware. Since the series’s launch in 2012, the software giant has released numerous devices that fall under six main lines. Surface encompasses hybrid tablets, notebooks (those with detachable tablet screens are called Surface Book), and desktop computers.
For this comparison, the article is considering Go, Pro, and Laptop with their latest models and specs from the Microsoft official website as of this writing.
Surface Go: Tablet and Laptop in One
This product has the look of a tablet and the performance of a laptop. Weighing at least 1.15 pounds and featuring a 10-inch display, Surface Go fits the bill of a pick-up-and-go device. And it needs a detachable keyboard also from Microsoft to fulfill the promised laptop experience.
These devices connect to Wi-Fi and LTE Advanced with slight weight differences. All things being held equal, a Surface Go can provide you with up to nine hours of battery life for your day-to-day tasks.
Notable specs: other than the dedicated Type Cover port, the device boasts of a headphone jack, a USB-C port, Surface Connect port for charging the device, and a microSDXC reader.
The newest Surface Go runs on Windows 10 for home or business and comes with 64-gigabyte or 128-gigabyte internal memory. While the 64-gigabyte storage has a default 4-gigabyte RAM, the 128-gigabyte has 4 gigabytes and 8 gigabytes as options.
Surface Pro: Bigger, Faster Surface Go
It’s a hybrid tablet that is slightly bigger and heavier than Surface Go is. This is the latest Pro 6, with its 12.3-inch screen and weight starting at 1.70 pounds.
Nevertheless, Surface Pro 6 packs a punch in the battery-life department with up to 13.5 hours in the ideal situation. The device’s eighth-generation Intel Core processor ensures it performs fast as a tablet and a laptop that mainstream users and designers can appreciate, as Laptop Mag notes.
Notable specs: the latest model comes with pre-installed Windows 10 Home or Pro. You have a choice between 8 gigabytes and 16 gigabytes of RAM and internal storage from 128 gigabytes to 1 terabyte.
Surface Pro 6 bears a USB 3.0 port, headphone jack, designated ports for Type Cover and Surface Connect, memory card reader (microSDXC), and a mini DisplayPort.
Surface Laptop: The No-Nonsense Notebook
This line goes back to basics with laptops the way they should be. Surface Laptop 2 is the most recent addition to the Surface notebooks that have no detachable tablet screens. It offers up to 14.5 hours of battery life for students, writers, or business folks who want to get things done and free up time for binge-watching.
Surface Laptop 2 banks on Intel Core eighth-generation i5 or i7 processor for performance. It weighs 2.76 pounds, which includes a built-in keyboard and 13.5-inch display. The model remains one of the thinnest and lightest machines out the re, rivaling some MacBooks that command a higher starting price for more or less the same specs.
Notable specs: you have 8 gigabytes or 16 gigabytes as options for RAM and internal storage ranging from 128 gigabytes to 1 gigabyte for Surface Laptop 2. The device also comes with a USB 3.0 port, a headphone jack, a mini DisplayPort, and a Surface Connect port.
These connections may not be enough for you. Take a look at this surface laptop adapter that provides you with more functionality, enabling you to connect to an HDMI monitor, use another USB 3.0 device, and read SD and microSD cards for files. The docking station is compatible with Surface Laptop and Surface Laptop 2.
So Who Won?
Here’s a summary:
- Display resolution: Surface Go’s 10-inch display has an 1800 × 1200 resolution, Pro 6’s 12.3-inch has 2736 × 1824, and Laptop 2’s 13.5-inch screen has 2256 × 1504.
- CPU: Surface Laptop 2 and Pro 6 both have eighth-generation Intel Core i5 or i7 for processors. Go has Intel Pentium Gold.
- Internal storage: Surface Laptop 2 and Pro 6 each provide 128 gigabytes to 1 terabyte (SSD) while Go offers 64 gigabytes (eMMC) or 128 gigabyte (SSD).
- Memory (RAM): Surface Go has 4/8 gigabytes while Pro 6 and Laptop 2 have 8/16 GB.
- Battery life: Up to 14.5 hours for Surface Laptop 2, 13.5 for Pro 6, and 9 for Go.
- Portability: Surface Go and Pro 6 are lighter and thinner than Laptop 2.
- Price: Surface Go looks the most affordable, starting at $399. Surface Pro 6 follows at $899 upward, and Surface Laptop 2 begins at $999. Note that the Type Cover and Surface Pen are not included for Surface Go and Pro; you have to buy them separately, especially the Type Cover if you want to transform these tablets into laptops.
Microsoft Surface products are tactile and require a firsthand test; your experience may vary from others. Before you buy any of the three, try them out yourself, check how the screen responds to touch and feel the keyboard if you can type comfortably, etc.
The n, you can decide.
Photo URL: https://unsplash.com/photos/T01GZhBSyMQ
