The Surface Go 3 is the third generation model of the Surface Go series of devices, introduced as the successor to the Surface Go 2 by Microsoft at their Surface Event on September 22, 2021.[1] It was announced by the company alongside the Surface Laptop Studio, Surface Pro 8, Surface Duo 2 and many Surface accessories.[2] The tablet has the same body, the same set of cameras and speakers, the same ports, and the same dimensions as its predecessor; the main enhancement is a range of more powerful processors.[1] The tablet is powered by the Windows 11 operating system. The Surface Go 3 is the last non-segregated consumer/business model of the Surface Go lineup and the last model that will ever be sold to consumers.
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| Developer | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Product family | Microsoft Surface |
| Type | 2-in-1 detachable tablet computer |
| Generation | Third |
| Release date | 22 September 2021 |
| Introductory price | USD$400 to 730 |
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home S mode (upgradable to Home or Pro) |
| CPU | Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y Intel Core i3 10100Y |
| Memory | 8 GB or 4 GB RAM |
| Storage | eMMC: 64 GB SSD: 128 GB or 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, Snapdragon X16 LTE modem, eSIM and nano SIM |
| 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 2 |
| Website | www.surface.com |
Configuration
| Surface Go 3 configuration options[3][4] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price tier in USD | CPU | GPU | RAM | Internal storage | LTE | Color | ||
| Consumer | Commercial | |||||||
| $400 | Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y | Intel UHD Graphics 615 (23 EU @ 900Mhz) | 4 GB | 64 GB eMMC | No | P | ||
| $500 | Yes | B | P | |||||
| $550 | 8 GB | 128 GB NVMe SSD | No | B | P | |||
| $500 | Intel Core i3-10100Y | Intel UHD Graphics 615 (24 EU @ 1 GHz) | 4 GB | 64 GB eMMC | No | P | ||
| $630 | $680 | 8 GB | 128 GB NVMe SSD | No | B | P | ||
| $730 | $780 | Yes | B | P | ||||
| $880 | 256 GB NVMe SSD | Yes | B | P | ||||
Matte black Platinum
At launch, the Surface Go 3 was only available in one color option, platinum. A matte black color was made available on January 11, 2022 for all 8GB models. The Wi-Fi models of the tablet started shipping on October 5, 2021, while the LTE models shipped in December 2021 in North America and in Q1 2022 in other markets.[5]
Features
- Windows 11 operating system
- 10th Gen Intel Core i3 or Pentium Gold processor (dual-core Amber Lake-Y)
- 10.5 inch 1920 x 1280 display
- Windows Hello with IR camera for facial recognition logon
- Intel UHD Graphics 615 GPU
- 4 GB and 8 GB RAM options
- 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB storage options
- A headphone jack, USB-C port, microSD card slot, and a nano SIM card tray on LTE models
- All configurations can be upgraded to Windows 11 for free or Windows 11 Pro at an additional cost
- The 8.3 mm thick tablet weighs 544 grams (1.2 pounds).
Hardware
The Surface Go 3 is the 6th addition to the lightweight 2-in-1 Surface lineup. The Surface Go 3 is aimed toward children and students.[6] The tablet features the same magnesium alloy chassis and screen size as its predecessor. It has one of two fanless dual-core Amber Lake-Y microarchitecture processors, the Intel Core i3-10100Y or Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y. The 6500Y is 60% faster than the previous 4425Y in the Surface Go 2. The device has a USB C port supporting power delivery and a Surface Connect port. The front-facing camera assembly has an infrared sensor that supports login via Windows Hello.
A detachable keyboard uses an 8-pin connection which is compatible with the previous Surface Go models and retails at $99.
Software
Surface Go 3 is powered by Windows 11 Home in S Mode by default with a 30-day trial of Microsoft 365; however, this can be opted out of and upgraded to Home for free or Pro for a fee.
The device also supports Windows Hello login using a biometric facial recognition.[1]
Timeline
| Timeline of Surface devices |
|---|
 Sources: Microsoft Devices Blog Microsoft Store |