Today, Microsoft announces the Surface Laptop Go 2, the latest iteration of the company’s affordable laptop. It starts at $ 599 and, unlike the Surface Go, the company’s budget tablet, the Laptop Go comes with a suitable Core i5. The new laptop is not that different from its predecessor, but there are some notable changes.
An 11th generation Core i5
The original Surface Laptop Go came with a Core i5-1035G1, while this one comes with a Core i5-1135G7. In fact, Microsoft is lagging behind with its low-end laptop and you only have one CPU option. However, this is a big change.
The CPU itself is not that different; are the graphics. With Intel’s 10th generation “Ice Lake” processors, there were actually three SKU Core i5s, ending in G1, G4 or G7. G4 and G7 had fantastic Iris Plus graphics, while the Core i5-1035G1 still had the old UHD graphics. With the 11th generation “Tiger Lake”, there is only one U-series Core i5, the Core i5-1135G7, and it includes 80 Iris Xe graphics execution units.
This means that the Surface Laptop Go 2 not only has the right graphics, but is a bigger generation-by-generation update than the one we’ve seen on other laptops.
A new color, and better repairability
In fact, Microsoft is releasing a new color for the Surface Laptop Go 2: Sage. Like the rest of the lineup, it’s all aluminum. Unlike the high-end Surface laptop range, there is no option for an Alcantara handrail. This color is likely to reach the rest of the Surface line, including the Surface laptop and keyboard covers for Surface Pro and Go, and then you’ll see some Alcantara.
However, that’s not all new with the design, because you can now replace the key set and trackpad, display and battery, and Surflink cable. This adds to the existing ability to change the SSD. These aren’t aimed at both DIY upgrades and sustainability, but you can always go in and change some parts.
The screen, ports, and other things have not changed
Weighing in at 2.48 pounds as the lightest Surface laptop, it still comes with a 12.4-inch PixelSense display. It has a resolution of 1,536 × 1,024, which gives it the 3: 2 aspect ratio for which Surface is known. The pixel density is only 148 ppi, the lowest of any Surface device.
Ports include a Type C USB port, a Type A USB port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a Surface Connect port for charging. Although Microsoft has introduced Thunderbolt to high-end computers, don’t expect to see it here.
RAM and storage options are slightly different. You can get 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM (16 GB in the business model) and a 128 GB or 256 GB SSD. This means that there is no more model with 64 GB eMMC storage, which is nice. The bad news is that even though it still has a fingerprint sensor, you still won’t get it for the base model.
Price and availability
You can book your Surface Laptop Go 2 from today at Best Buy or the Microsoft Store. It starts at $ 599 and will start shipping on June 7th. Comes in the following SKUs:
SKU Price Colors Consumer i5 / 4 / 128GB $ 599.99 Platinum i5 / 8 / 128GB $ 699.99 Platinum, sandstone, sage, ice blue i5 / 8 / 256GB $ 799.99 Platinum, sandstone, sage, ice blue Commercial i5 / 4 / 128GB / $ 99 Platinum / 128GB $ 799.99 Platinum, sandstone, sage, ice blue i5 / 8 / 256GB $ 899.99 Platinum, sandstone, sage, ice blue i5 / 16/256 GB $ 1,099.99 Platinum
The Surface Laptop Go 2 weighs less than two and a half pounds, so you can carry it on the go, and now has an eleventh-generation Core i5 with powerful Iris Xe graphics.