Surface Go 2

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 It was available for purchase starting May 12, 2020.^[1] In October 2021, this has been superseded by the Surface Go 3.

Surface Go 2

Developer	Microsoft
Product family	Microsoft Surface
Type	2-in-1 detachable tablet computer
Generation	Second
Release date	6 May 2020; 5 years ago (2020-05-06)
Availability	12 May 2020; 5 years ago (2020-05-12)
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)
Weight	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 v t e
Sources: Microsoft Devices Blog Microsoft Store