INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Surface Go is an odd thing
Not because of the device itself, so much as how Microsoft ultimately arrived at it
The tablet was reverse-engineered, the low-end addition to the premium Surface line.
What the company ultimately arrived at was the closest
thing it offered to an iPad/iPad Pro competitor, to date
For its part, however, Microsoft is positioning the product as a portable, low-cost alternative to its other Surface devices.
It a bit of
branding confusion, to be sure, but that never stopped Microsoft before
That basically the Surface line in a nutshell
The company has the resources and infrastructure to throw stuff against the wall to see what sticks — and for the most part, that worked
well with the Surface line, which has effectively transformed from proof of concept into the Windows flagship line.
In a lot of ways, the
Surface Go is a strange sort of in-between device
The form factor is essentially that of the Surface Pro, shrunk down to 10 inches, with rounded corners
The smaller footprint comes with some sacrifices, of course, including the dual-core Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y, which is a notable downgrade
from the Intel Core m3/i5/i7 found on the Surface Pro
The battery, rated at nine hours, is smaller than the one you&ll find on the iPad Pro.
The port situation more closely mirrors what you&ll
find on a tablet, versus a full-fledge computer, with a single USB-C, a headphone jack and the proprietary Surface Connect port
That latter bit seems like an odd choice, given the limited real estate here (not to mention the fact that you can charge via USB-C), but
Microsoft clearly as interested in keeping existing Surface owners on board here as it is converting new ones
Part of that means making sure the system is backward-compatible with old accessories, for the multiple Surface-owning power users out
there.
The keyboard is an additional $99 on top of the $400 asking price
Pretty standard with this sort of device, really
It a sort of Sophie Choice for manufacturers when building these kinds of convertibles — go the full swiveling keyboard, à la the
Pixelbook, or add it as an accessory.
The latter decision is better for those devices primarily intended to be used in slate mode, but
ultimately keyboard cases just aren''t going to provide the same manner of typing experience as a devoted keyboard
The Surface line has long offered one of the best keyboard cases around, but it just not a proper replacement if you plan on using the
product primarily as a word processing device
That said, it still beats the hell out of attempting to file a story using a touchscreen.
I&ve been using it a bit in meetings and still
finding it tough to get used to it
The keys are soft and necessarily lack the sort of tactile impact I&m used to on my full-time laptop
There also the inarguable point that these kinds of devices really remove the &lap& part from the laptop equation.
Microsoft has press shots
of happy users sitting cross-legged, with the device and keyboard nestled warmly in their lap
During my initial briefing, I asked a rep whether he thought that was a reasonable use case
He gingerly attempted to recreate the pose — which is to say, it possible, but not particularly convenient.
You end up tensing your
muscles so the whole thing doesn''t split apart
This is one category where Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 has the competition beat
Seems it would be easy enough to build a keyboard case that sticks together after a good jostle — but then, I&ve never attempted to make
one myself.
The lovely fabric covers that have been a hallmark of the service line are here on the 10-inch model
That, coupled with multiple matching peripherals, means the Go can pass as a pretty decent fashion accessory to slip in and out of a hand
The device itself is a bit on the chunky side, however, which has also been something of a hallmark with the Surface line.
Windows 10 S is
The locked-down operating system has certainly found its share of critics, but Windows RT it not
There are a bunch of implications for using the hobbled version of Microsoft operating system, but chief among them is the barring of apps
not downloaded from the Windows app store
That puts the device at a decided disadvantage against the iPad, which apparently boasts around 1.3 million apps optimized specifically for
the tablet form factor.
The tweaks are in place for security purposes, so the systems with lower specs can handle the workload — the
latter certainly makes sense here.
More than anything, however, the inclusion betrays Microsoft broader intentions with the device
The 10 S has two distinct targets: students and older, less-savvy users who don''t want to be bogged down with the nuances and demands of a
fully open operating system.
The first category is the tell here
Microsoft has been struggling to find the right way back into education in this post-Chromebook world
Like so much of what the company does, it taken an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach that includes everything from the $1,000 Surface
Laptop to a new category of $189 third-party devices
There a lot to be said for that approach
After all, no two schools/students/teachers are alike
When you&ve got the scope and resources of a Microsoft, why the heck not just make something for as broad a user base as possible
In the
realm of education, the Surface Go represents a kind of middle-ground
It somewhere between a Chromebook and full-fledged tablet
Like the vast majority of convertibles, it doesn''t get the balance exactly right
But, then, no device is going to be everything to everyone
The price point will certainly make it too costly for a lot of classrooms, however.
For those schools who prefer to go with the Windows
camp, due to its more mainstream usage beyond the classroom, it will ultimately be difficult to justify the premium when you can go out and
pick up a Windows 10 S laptop for $189
After all, the main selling point of convertible functionality is the ability switch to tablet mode for entertainment purposes
Kids these days have enough distractions already, right
What Windows does afford users that you won''t get on the iPad, however, is the
ability to switch over into desktop mode
Apple mobile-only tablet approach is a pretty big roadblock toward becoming a full-fledge laptop replacement
That precisely why Samsung is going all-in on DeX desktop mode with the Tab S4.
Windows can do both, which is why these sorts of convertible
devices are the sweet spot for Microsoft operating system
The company has also brought some nice additions over the years, like Windows Hello face login and a number of features for Pen input
Microsoft magnetic pen snaps onto the side of the device magnetically, which is good news for those of us who regularly misplace
peripherals.
Of course, Microsoft always had some of the strongest productivity offerings around
Given the relative limitations here, however, I don''t think I&d want to rely on the Surface Go (or any other tablet-first convertible, for
that matter) as my primary work device
As a supplemental portable device for the meetings when you don''t want to lug a bigger laptop around, on the other hand, it could certainly
make some sense.
It easy to see why Microsoft made the Go
Convertibles are a rare bright spot in an otherwise stagnating tablet category
That part of what made the Surface line something of a surprise hit for the company
It hardware cache that the company hopes will finally propel Microsoft into more mainstream tablet success.
And the Surface Go isn''t a bad
little device, at the end of the day
At $400, it on the pricier side for a tablet, and certain sacrifices have been made for the sake of keeping the price down versus the souped
And unlike other Surface devices, the Go is less about pioneering a category for Windows 10 than it is simply adding a lower-cost, portable
As such, the product hits the market with a fair bit of competition
Acer and Lenovo have a couple, for starters, most of which fall below the Go asking price.
For Windows devotees looking for something
smaller and portable with nice fashion sense, the Go is worth a look
It also worth having a look around at the competition
A better deal shouldn''t be too tough to find.
