Revisited: MS Surface Go 2 now going for as low as €266

The Surface Go – Microsoft’s entry-level model in the Surface lineup – is currently in its fourth generation. All variants benefit from having a 3:2 touchscreen and, thanks to their x86 processors, full Windows compatibility. But they suffer from lacklustre performance and prices that are generally too high.

The Surface Go 2, a device launched in 2020 that we've reviewed before, is attractively priced right now. The base model comes with a Pentium Gold processor, 4 GB of RAM, eMMC storage and Windows 10 Pro, and can be had for less than €300 (US$329), with the best deal coming in at €266 (US$291). You can even order it on Amazon US for just US$216 with free delivery. We bought a Surface Go 2 and ran it through a number of benchmarks.

Though it isn’t going to blow anyone away, the passively cooled Pentium Gold 4425Y (Amber Lake; 2 cores, 4 threads) is able to handle (basic) office and Internet applications. The iGPU (UHD Graphics 615) can likewise run browser or casual games, like those found on the Microsoft Store. There is a built-in decoder to take workload off the processor during video playback (e.g. H.264, H.265/HEVC, VP9), meaning using streaming services on the Surface Go 2 isn’t going to be problem.

You shouldn’t expect the pairing of a Pentium processor and 4 GB of RAM (LPDDR3-1866, dual-channel mode) to handle more than a few open browser tabs and applications, other the system may run sluggishly. The Pentium’s low max frequency (1.7 GHz, no turbo) delivers much lower performance than the Core m3 (up to 3.4 GHz) in the variant we previously reviewed.

Whilst the Core m3 Surface is equipped with a snappy SSD, the base model only has a slow eMMC module (64 GB) on board. Around 30 GB of usable storage is left after initial setup. At least 10 GB of the available space should be kept free because this amount is required to complete the half-(yearly) Windows feature updates. We recommend adding a microSD card to expand the storage. 

An official upgrade to Windows 11 is available. But you should carefully consider whether or not to perform the upgrade: based solely on our impression, the Surface runs slightly slower on Windows 11 than Windows 10. That said, there’s no getting around the upgrade at the latest in October 2025 because Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 then.

The Surface lasted 8h 48min in our Wi-Fi test, which simulates real-life usage by accessing websites with the help of a script. This is roughly 120 minutes longer than what the Core m3 model is capable of. The less powerful hardware makes a difference here. Despite this, the Surface Go 2 doesn’t quite have the stamina of competing iOS or Android devices.

Even though the Surface Go 2 is not obsolete (yet), you should be aware of its limitations. The combination of weak hardware and Windows 10 or 11 causes the system to lack peppiness. Similarly priced, current Android or iOS devices often offer more computing power and longer battery life.

The base model Surface Go 2 cuts a good figure as a machine for web browsing and word processing and is a competent media player (e.g. streaming, photos, music). It also lets you use common Windows applications – possibly its main advantage over iOS and Android tablets.

Head on over to our in-depth review of the Core m3 Surface Go 2 for more information about the device.