- The Surface Type keyboard cover is sold separately, which is a bummer and raises the price for the Surface Go 2.
Microsoft’s affordable Surface Go 2 is a compact, lightweight laptop-tablet hybrid that runs the full Windows 10 operating system and is designed for simple, basic tasks where tons of power isn’t necessary.
The Surface Go 2 starts at $648 for 4GB RAM and 64GB eMMC storage. The upgraded version comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD storage and is available for pre-order now from Microsoft’s website at $868.
Here’s the catch with the Surface Go 2 — the Surface Type keyboard cover that also includes a trackpad is sold separately and be preordered at Microsoft website for $148.
Assuming that no one is buying a laptop — or even a laptop hybrid like the Surface Go 2 — without a keyboard or trackpad, you can essentially add the Type Cover’s $148 cost to the Surface Go 2’s price. In essence, the Surface Go 2 realistically starts at $796, not $648.
The Surface Go 2 sports a 10.5-inch screen in a 1.2-pound package, and it comes with Microsoft’s signature kickstand to keep it propped up. It runs on basic Intel chips including the Pentium Gold 4425Y and the 8th-generation Core m3 that can handle standard, common apps. You get either 4GB or 8GB of RAM.
Basically, you’re not going to have several apps open and running at the same time with the Surface Go 2 — its comfort zone is a web browser and up to about 10 or 15 tabs.
Unfortunately, the Surface Go 2 doesn’t have a standard USB-A port. Basically, you can’t connect a bunch of your legacy accessories — or even new accessories — that come with regular USB cables. You do get a USB-C port, which can be connected to a dock that has a regular USB port. If you have wired accessories, like a mouse, keyboard, or printer, Surface Go 2 users may find it easier to simply upgrade to wireless accessories.