Table of Contents
Windows comes in a lot of different shapes and sizes, but you won’t find many that are smaller than the Surface Go. It’s marketed as a cheaper alternative to the high-end Surface Pro, and it aims to shrink Windows without losing full 2-in-1 functionality. The screen on the second-generation Surface Go went from 10 inches to 10.5 inches.
- Microsoft Surface Go 3 specifications
- Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: Design
- Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: Display
- Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: Keyboard and touchpad
- Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: Performance
- Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: Battery life
- Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: Price and availability
- Final Words
- THE GOOD AND BAD
- FAQS
The size of the device didn’t change. Microsoft has kept the same size for its third version. The only major change is what’s going on inside. But is the Surface Go 3 a big enough improvement to warrant a new device? And does it do enough to make people want to buy it instead of a different Windows 2-in-1? This is my complete review.
Microsoft Surface Go 3 specifications
Specifications | Details |
---|---|
Display | 10.5 inches, 1920 x 1280 pixels |
Processor | Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y or Intel Core i3-10100Y |
RAM | 4GB or 8GB |
Storage | 64GB eMMC or 128GB/256GB SSD |
Battery | Up to 10 hours of typical device usage |
Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, Surface Connect, MicroSDXC card reader |
Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: Design
Like all Microsoft Surface devices, the Surface Go 3 is a beautiful little laptop that can compete with the iPad, especially iPads that cost the same as the Surface Go 3. It’s only 0.33 inches thick and weighs only 1.2 pounds, making it the perfect device to carry around if you don’t want to bring a big backpack to the coffee shop every time you want to work.
The model we have has the classic silver Surface look, and the Windows logo has a beautiful chrome finish where it will get the most attention—on the back of the device, on the hinge. From the back, this is probably one of the most attractive things you’ll see in a café, but the front is a different story. You can buy this laptop from its official website.
Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: Display
The 10.5-inch screen has a 3:2 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1,920 by 1,280 pixels, which is the same as a full HD resolution. It’s fine for watching movies, but if you’re editing documents or scrolling through web pages, you’ll see fuzzy text that isn’t there on the Pro 8 and iPad Air screens, which have higher resolution.
Still, the Surface Go 3’s screen isn’t just good enough for watching videos and taking part in Zoom calls—perfect it’s for those things. The screen is brighter and the colors are more accurate than screens on laptops that cost about the same. During our tests, the Go 3 was able to show all of the colors in the sRGB color space and 77% of the colors in the P3 color space.
Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: Keyboard and touchpad
The Surface Go 3 doesn’t come with the Type Cover, which lowers its value. However, it’s a must-have for this device, especially if you’re going to use it for schoolwork. Call us old-fashioned, but we still think that the best way to use Windows is with a keyboard and mouse.
This is true even with Windows 11, which has a lot of new features. As for the Type Cover itself, it’s still good and hasn’t changed at all. Even though it has a low profile and the keys don’t move very far, it’s still surprisingly easy to type on. But with a keyboard made for such a small device.
Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: Performance
The top model we tested now has an Intel Core i3 processor instead of a Core M3 processor. However, this is a 10th-generation chip, not a Tiger Lake chip. Even though they both had 8GB of RAM, the Pentium Gold model of the Go 2 was much faster, even though they both had the same amount of RAM.
The Go 3 works fine for basic day-to-day tasks. We had no real problems surfing the web, checking my email, or scrolling through social media, other than the occasional pause or stutter. Streaming videos was also a lot of fun, as long as my internet connection was good.
Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: Battery life
The Surface Go 2 has a better battery life than its predecessor, and we are sorry to say that Microsoft forgot what it had learned when it made the Surface Go 3. When we used the Surface Go 3 to surf the web, the battery only lasted 6 hours and 50 minutes.
This is much closer to the 6:06 of the Surface Go than the 11:39 of the Surface Go 2. With a time of 9:06, the Surface Pro 8 lasts longer. But the iPad Air 2020 and Chromebook Duet lasted even longer in our test, which involves surfing the web over Wi-Fi until the battery dies.
Microsoft Surface Go 3 review: Price and availability
The entry-level Surface Go 3 will go on sale for $399. This system only has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of slow eMMC storage. It also has an Intel Pentium 6500Y processor. Oh, and for $399, you don’t get a keyboard.
Final Words
Its battery lasts a little over seven hours of light productivity, so depending on your school schedule, you might be able to get through the day on a full charge. The screen is clear and colorful, but it doesn’t have much space for doing more than one thing at a time.
Still, it’s easy to type on the keyboard, and the touchpad works well. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can handle simple tasks like browsing the web and formatting text, but they aren’t great for demanding tasks like graphic design or 3D animation.
Microsoft Surface Go 3 Ratings
THE GOOD AND BAD
THE GOOD
- Colorful display
- Solid design and durability
- Excellent webcam
THE BAD
- Type Cover not included
- Thick bezels
FAQS
Why is Surface Go 3 so slow?
The more apps or programs you have running in the background, the more resources your tablet will use to keep them open, making it run slower. Close any background apps that you don’t need to help your Surface Go work better.
Can Surface Go 3 replace a laptop?
With Windows 11, our most portable Surface PC is best for taking notes, sketching, and using touch. It’s a great 2-in-1 value that can replace both your tablet and laptop.
How long will a Surface Go last?
Support for Surface Go will last until August 2, 2022. Up until October 2, 2022, Surface Studio 2 will be supported. Support for the Surface Laptop 2 and Surface Pro 6.