The Surface Go 2 is a 2-in-1 detachable tablet computer developed by Microsoft. It is the second generation of Surface Go and was announced alongside the Surface Book 3 on May 6, 2020 online. It was available for purchase starting May 12, 2020.[1] In October 2021, this has been superseded by the Surface Go 3.
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| Developer | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Product family | Microsoft Surface |
| Type | 2-in-1 detachable tablet computer |
| Generation | Second |
| Release date | 6 May 2020 |
| Availability | 12 May 2020 |
| Introductory price | USD$400 to 730 |
| Operating system | Windows 10 Home S mode (upgradable to Home or Pro) |
| CPU | Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y Intel Core m3 8100Y |
| Memory | 8 GB or 4 GB RAM |
| Storage | eMMC: 64 GB SSD: 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Removable storage | MicroSDXC |
| Display | 10.5 inch Touchscreen PixelSense Display 1920 x 1280, (220 ppi) 3:2 Aspect Ratio Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 615 |
| Sound | 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Audio, 3.5 mm headphone jack |
| Input | Built in: touchscreen, ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer Sold separately: type cover, mouse, stylus pen, Surface Dial |
| Camera | Front: 5 MP, 1080p HD Rear: 8 MP, 1080p HD |
| Touchpad | On the Surface Type Cover (sold separately) |
| Connectivity | WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5, NFC, LTE A, USB C |
| Power | 24W |
| Online services | Microsoft Store, OneDrive |
| Dimensions | 245 mm x 175 mm x 8.3 mm (9.65 in x 6.9 in x 0.33 in) |
| Mass | 544 grams (1.199 lb) (WiFi model) 553 grams (1.219 lb) (LTE model) |
| Predecessor | Surface Go |
| Successor | Surface Go 3 |
| Related | Surface |
| Website | www.surface.com |
Surface Go 2 keeps the same thin, lightweight design, but with a larger 10.5-inch display, an improved battery life and an improved performance, one particular model performs 64% faster than the original. It is the first time that an Intel Core m processor is offered in this small device.[2]
The device runs Windows 10 Home in S Mode by default, but can be switched to the full version of Windows 10 Home for free (but not vice versa). It features the same 5 MP front-facing camera, 8 MP rear camera and an infrared camera, same as the previous model. A NFC chip and a kickstand supporting an angle of up to 165° are also present.
With a bigger display also comes with a bigger 1920 x 1280 resolution at 220 ppi, while still maintaining the 3:2 aspect ratio.[3]
The Surface Go 2 starts at $399.99 and goes up to $729.99. Its detachable keyboard with touchpad and stylus pen are sold separately.
Configuration
| Surface Go 2 Configuration Options[4][5][6][7] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price Tier in USD | CPU | GPU | RAM | Internal storage | LTE | |
| Consumer | Commercial | |||||
| $400 | $450 | Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y | Intel UHD Graphics 615 (850 MHz)[8] | 4 GB | 64 GB eMMC | No |
| $550 | 8 GB | 128 GB NVMe SSD | No | |||
| 500 | Intel Core m3 8100Y | Intel UHD Graphics 615 (900 MHz)[9] | 4 GB | 64 GB eMMC | No | |
| $630 | $680 | 8 GB | 128 GB NVMe SSD | No | ||
| $730 | $780 | Yes | ||||
| $880 | 256 GB NVMe SSD | Yes | ||||
Features
- Windows Hello with IR camera for facial recognition logging in.
- Faster processor with a 64% increase in performance for the top model.
- An Intel Pentium Gold and an Intel Core m3 CPU options with an Intel UHD Graphics 615 GPU.[1]
- Memory options are 4 GB and 8 GB
- Storage options are 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB.
- A headphone jack, a USB-C port, microSD card slot and a nano SIM card tray for the LTE model.
- All configurations can be upgraded to Windows 10 Pro for an additional $50.
- The 8.3 mm thick tablet weighs 544 grams (1.2 pounds).
- Up to 10 hours of typical device usage.
Hardware
The Surface Go 2 is the 5th addition to small Surface lineup. The Surface Go 2 is aimed toward children and students, it is also aimed for schools and the enterprise.[10]
The Surface Go 2 features a bigger screen than its predecessor. It features a full-body magnesium alloy construction. The device features a new and fanless powerful processor, an Intel Core m3 8th gen processor inside. The cheaper models will have an Intel Pentium Gold processor inside.
The device contains USB C port with power delivery and a Surface Connect port. The front-facing camera contains an infrared sensor that supports login using Windows Hello.
The device's Type Cover uses an 8-pin connection which is compatible with the previous model. The keyboard is sold separately at $99.
Software
Surface Go 2 models ship with a pre-installed 64-bit version of Windows 10 Home in S Mode and a 30-day trial of Microsoft 365. Users may only install software from Windows Store. Users can opt out of the S Mode of the OS and upgrade to Home for free or Pro for a fee and be able to install apps from outside the Windows Store.
Windows 10 comes pre-installed with Mail, Calendar, People, Xbox, Photos, Movies and TV, Groove, Your Phone, Office and Edge. The device also supports Windows Hello login using a biometric facial recognition.[11]
Timeline
| Timeline of Surface devices |
|---|
 Sources: Microsoft Devices Blog Microsoft Store |