Watch out, Apple — Microsoft has just announced its cheapest and most affordable Surface product to date, the Surface Go. Here’s everything you need to know about the new product, which really seems to be taking aim at the iPad.
Weighing just over 520g and with a 8.3mm body, it’s a damn compact 10-inch device. Part laptop (if you go for an optional keyboard) and part tablet, it’s powered by a 7th gen Intel 4415Y, offers 4GB/8GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB/256GB of storage. It promises up to nine hours of battery life and also has a fanless design, custom-built PixelSense display and is compatible with the Surface Pen, with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity.
There is a custom-calibrated 3:2 display designed to be easy on the eyes for work, and high-contrast for entertainment, drawing and artwork and editing photos. In regards to ports, it has a surface Connect which allows for USB-C, as well as a headphone jack (hurray!) and a MicroSDXC card reader.
If you noticed a distinct lack of USB Type A connector, that isn’t a mistake. While future-proofing is inevitable, this may turn some people off.
The Surface Go has clearly been designed with students in mind, with the portrait mode able to render the page to the scale of school textbooks. Landscape mode can also render the pages side-by-side. And at that price, it’s tempting for school and university students alike. For one, it’s more versatile than the latest generation of iPads, especially with the track pad in the optional keyboard.
But keep in mind that the accessories and extras will cost you, so the price point won’t necessarily be as affordable as it seems. Especially if you opt for one of the beefier models.
You can see it in action for yourself right here:
The Surface Go starts at $599 and will be available for preorder in Australia from tomorrow.