Microsoft has announced the new Surface Laptop Go 2 which offers updated features and specs that light up the diverse set of experiences that have come to define the Windows 11 PC.

The new Surface Laptop Go 2 is crafted to deliver Surface signature premium design and features in an ultra-portable format.

Jump right into the flow with an effortless lift of the lid, Instant On, and Windows Hello through the fingerprint reader integrated into the power button. Featuring a vibrant 3:2, 12.4” PixelSense touch display and an improved HD camera and dual Studio Mics, users can look and sound their best when making video calls.

The first-class Surface typing experience is uncompromised with 30% more key travel than a MacBook Air and complemented by the large precision trackpad.

Surface Laptop Go 2 weighs only 2.48 pounds and packs in the power of the Quad-core 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor.

With all-day battery life and fast charging – Surface Laptop Go 2 is the perfect companion for class, the office, the coffee shop, or wherever life takes you.

“When we first introduced Surface Laptop Go, the world was navigating profound changes in the way each of us connects both to people and experiences. The Windows PC became more essential than ever for work, school, play, and social connection. We are now pleased to bring the new Surface Laptop Go 2 to New Zealand. Whether you’re seeking the perfect product to take with you on vacation, or a premium device for the upcoming school year, Surface Laptop Go 2 is everything you need in a package that is light, reliable, elegant, and more secure. In a time when we expect more from our PCs, Surface Laptop Go 2 is here to deliver on that expectation at an incredible price for everyone.” said Aman Sangar, Microsoft.

Microsoft continues to explore unique and premium experiences, with materials and device color becoming a defining characteristic of Surface Laptop Go 2. Surface Laptop Go 2 is now available in a fresh Sage color, a calming yet edgy addition to the Surface color palette. Inspired by subtle nature tones, Sage carries green and gray notes with a hint of blue. Surface Laptop Go 2 will also be available in Ice Blue, Sandstone, and Platinum, all in a durable, cool metal finish.

While fashioning a beautiful product, Microsoft remained committed to sustainability.

In addition to SSD, replaceable components now include the C-Cover (Keyset and Trackpad), AB Cover (Display) and battery, and Surflink cable helping to extend the use of the device.

Beneath the sleek exterior, Surface Laptop Go 2 is the first Intel-based secured-core PC from Surface.

With innovation from chip to cloud, customers at home or work can enjoy new levels of security. Whether deploying for a large-scale enterprise or your home business, Surface Laptop Go 2 offers a lightweight, manageable, and functional device for any employee.

The device is available for pre-orders starting 2 June 2022 via authorized retailers and the Microsoft Online Store.

The post Introducing Surface Laptop Go 2 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The Surface is a bit of an enigma.

Mostly tablet, mainly laptop. A Windows hybrid device designed to be more portable than the traditional laptop, yet, when a soft or hard keyboard cover is added becomes exactly that.

A convenient lightweight form of entertainment and productivity that you can easily slip into a small bag and go.

The issue with the Surface range has been the cost. Almost as though Microsoft are taking a leaf from Apple’s price book, the Surface wouldn’t leave a lot of change out of a couple of grand for the lesser to mid range models.

But, now to get the Surface in to more hands, especially those of students Microsoft recently released the Surface Go.

A slimmed and trimmed down Surface as we know it. An ten inch low to mid range Intel based tablet.

STG received a Surface Go to have, well, have a go with for a couple of weeks.

With the ten inch Windows 10 device we also received the soft keyboard cover and Surface Pen (these are now sold separately).

After a quick setup we were ready to ‘go’.

Being the higher end model in the ‘Go’ series, the model that we received had 8GB RAM and 64Bit Windows OS. This unit used the 4415Y Intel processor at a much slower 1.6 GHz clock speed.

This was enough for Windows to be zippy and functional, aswell as MS Office and low resource programs.

But for those in to graphic design, video editing and more it is not going to be able to handle it too well.

This said, Adobe’s Photoshop Cloud actually worked exceedingly well. As did Apps like Spotify and iTunes (although it did jutter a bit with iTunes).

Being a gamer I was curious. Could this lowly CPU’d tablet actually handle a game of any kind (other than Solitaire or Candy Crush).

Knowing that I did not have the internal SSD capacity to install anything too data heavy (this model has 128GB storage SSD) and doubtful that the onboard Intel GC (Graphics Card) would be able to cope with anything 4K or close to I took a moderate approach and installed one of my personal favourites. Deathspank.

Still a little on the resource intensive side but not anything near, say, Sea of Thieves or the Forza series. Deathspank, released by EA Games a few years back is still a moderately graphical sizable game with a moderate data footprint, especially if you install the Trilogy, which is exactly what I did.

Connecting up an Xbox One wireless controller via Bluetooth was too easy and with eagerness to see what would happen, I loaded up the first Deathspank and set the in-game graphics set to maximum.

Wow, even with the CPU being under the recommended specs, I was able to play for up to three hours, before the battery died.

I got bolder. I installed Gears of War 4. I had tried this once before on a Surface around a year ago and found that it was hit and miss. Sometimes it would work, other times it didn’t render the graphics at all. This time round on a much slower CPU it loaded up and was actually playable. The Surface didn’t like it too much and got a bit warm within 15 minutes and the battery from full drained to around half in that time.

While the internal storage space could be an issue for some (it would be for me going forward) Microsoft have retained that microSD card slot behind the Surface’s kickstand. Install a 512Gb microSD once these are more stable and boom, you’re sorted. Asides from a singe USB-C port there’s no USB socket.

The Surface Go costs about a third to two-thirds of its bigger siblings and although I tried to push it to its limits (I think I did), it is designed for more productive use and media viewing / streaming.

Attaching the keyboard cover uses a magnetic connection and in tablet mode (without the keyboard) your Surface Pen becomes your best friend.

Windows in general is fiddly on a touchscreen without a stylus. The Surface Pen is a stylus but so much more.

With clickable points it also acts as a mouse and having the Surface Pen is an almost necessary accessory, especially if you are wanting to be creative.

The Surface Pen attaches itself to the side of the Surface tablet via magnet which is stable enough – but I can imagine a few of these dropping off while being transported and lost in the wild.

The Surface Go certainly impressed. Being a low to mid device what I was able to get out of it surprised me.

For those that are considering a Surface as a BYOD for school, Uni or work you’re not going to go wrong here. With the local (NZD) pricing being $949.00 for this model it’s not going to place too much of a dent in your bank balance either.

I do feel that the Surface Pen should still be included, as you do REALLY need it to use the Surface in tablet mode, especially if you have sausage fingers like me.

As a take out and take home, take anywhere tablet, the Surface Go is not a full laptop replacement but an excellent conduit between the two.

Priced right, it’s the no-stopping solution when on the ‘Go’.

The post Surface Go Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Surface Go, Microsoft’s smallest and most affordable Surface device yet, is now available in New Zealand today at a starting price of $699 (NZD).
Weighing at just 1.15 pounds and 8.3mm thin, the 10-inch device offers laptop performance and tablet portability for individuals seeking a versatile form factor. Fitting snugly in most bags, the Surface Go is ideal for everyday tasks.

Powered by an Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4415Y, users can expect to seamlessly launch an application like OneNote, or stream videos from Netflix. The processor, which has been chosen to manage performance, battery life and thinness, provides the portable power to get stuff done. The Surface Go also offers up to 9 hours of battery life, which brings users from their work desks to their couches – all on a single charge.

“What began as a ‘tablet that can replace your laptop’ has now grown to encompass a dynamic family of products, each designed to accommodate unique sets of customer needs and redefine what a PC should be,” said Jane Dore, APAC Surface Product Lead. “The Surface Go is our answer for users who are looking for a portable and versatile device that suits their budgets, but without compromising what they have grown to love about our line-up.”

The Surface Go offers full versatility that fulfils users’ requirements, regardless of mode. The built-in kickstand, a signature of Surface devices, has a full friction hinge which extends to 165 degrees. The hinge design helps users find the perfect angle for any task: from adjusting the device angle on the plane to pushing the kickstand down to ink on a photo to share with your friends.
Surface Go offers a stunning, custom-built high-resolution PixelSense Display that supports Surface Pen with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, low pen parallax, low latency and precision for accurate note taking, drawing and computer-aided design.

Pair the Surface Go with the Signature Type Cover and the new Surface Mobile Mouse, and users can experience a full-fledged laptop experience anywhere. The Type Cover is available in standard black or the Signature Type Cover with Alcantara in three rich colors — Burgundy, Cobalt Blue and Platinum. It also boasts a full-mechanical keyset, backlit keys, optimum spacing for fast, fluid typing, and an extra-large glass trackpad for precise control and navigation.

For users who prefer a full desktop experience, the Surface Dock transforms the Surface Go into a powerful workstation that lets users charge their Surface, while connecting to a full-size keyboard and multiple external monitors.

Similar to other Surface devices, Surface Go features a custom calibrated 3:2 display. In portrait mode, the screen is designed to render the page to the scale of most textbooks; and in landscape mode, it can render pages side by side as if one was reading a paperback book. The 10-inch design makes the Surface Go a much more compact and convenient size for daily consumption and creation – whether by ink or keyboard and mouse.

For users who require connectivity via video calls, the Surface Go features a 5.0-megapixel HD camera and rear auto-focus 8.0-megapixel HD camera, along with dual microphones to help make crisp, clear video calls via Skype.  Surface Go comes equipped with Windows 10 Home in S mode, that offers a familiar, productive Windows experience that’s streamlined for security and performance. By exclusively using apps from the Microsoft Store and browsing safely with Microsoft Edge, Windows 10 in S mode keeps you running fast and more secure day in and day out.
Commercial customers can opt for Windows 10 Pro which brings essential business security features to protect devices and infrastructure from modern threats. Users can benefit from Windows Autopilot, whereby the Surface Go can be unboxed and configured from the cloud. It delivers a better user experience with personalization with fewer steps to set up, without any IT involvement.

In addition, users can simply logon with a smile with Windows Hello, recognition uses biometrics to deliver quick and secure sign-in. Built on the manageability and security features of Windows 10 that IT teams know and trust, Surface Go comes equipped with Microsoft-verified security, Windows Defender Antivirus, multitasking capabilities and world-class support.

Sleek, compact and optimized for productivity; Microsoft’s Surface Go.

The post Microsoft Surface Go Officially Launches appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Many of us play different roles throughout the day, moving from work or school to home and everywhere in between.

Microsoft’s teams design every Surface to adapt to that dynamic lifestyle, to strike a balance between performance and versatility, form and function. Their products don’t do just one thing because people don’t do just one thing.

Pioneering such categories like the 2:1 to provide the mobility of a tablet with the performance of a laptop, inspiring new ways of creating. As people pursue their passions, connect with friends and family, and work within teams, the products you’re able to take on the go with you are the ones that can keep up with the huge range of things you want to accomplish.

That’s the idea behind the design of Surface Go – Microsoft’s smallest, lightest, and most affordable Surface yet. When the Surface Go was designed, the surface team at Microsoft asked themselves what people want and need from a 10” Surface. The answers seemed obvious – lightweight, productive, and accessible to more people. Welcome to the Surface Go, it’s all those things, and so much more.

The power and connectivity in a device this small gives you the style and productivity Surface is known for in a more convenient package. At just 1.15 pounds and 8.3 mm thin, Surface Go packs portable performance into a 10” device.  It represents a new entry point for the Surface family, while keeping the premium qualities that have come to define it.

Surface Go offers a stunning, custom built high-resolution PixelSense Display that supports Surface Pen with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity, low pen parallax, low latency, and precision for accurate note taking, drawing, and computer aided design. The custom calibrated 3:2 display is soft on your eyes while you’re working and vibrantly high-contrast when you want to watch videos, create art, or edit photos.

In portrait mode the screen was designed to render the page to the scale of most school textbooks, and in landscape mode it can render pages side by side as if you were holding a paperback book in hand. At the approximate size of a composition notebook, writing on the screen feels natural and intuitive.

Surface Go is small and mighty, giving you the performance you need to be productive. A device powered by the 7th Generation Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4415Y, in a fanless design, offering up to 9 hours of battery. The Surface team worked closely with Intel to optimise power, performance, and battery for the most critical tasks people perform every day.

Being able to run Office apps on this device with its portability is one of the things that was critical to the experience we had in mind when designing the Surface Go – the productivity of having the apps you use for work and school with the flexibility to relax and read or watch a show on Netflix or Hulu.

The new Surface Go Signature Type Cover is custom-made for Surface Go integrating design features that give the user the best typing experience possible, with ergonomic key pitch and exceptional key travel. It also has high precision tuning and Windows Precision Trackpad that supports 5 point multi-finger gestures, and you can connect the new Surface Mobile Mouse to work the way that you want.

A built-in kickstand with full friction hinge that extends to 165 degrees helps you stay in your flow from tablet to studio mode, and a Windows Hello camera allows for familiar, quick, and secure sign-in using face recognition.

Surface Go also has the ports you need, including Surface Connect for charging and docking; USB-C 3.1 for data, video, and charging; a headphone jack; and a MicroSDXC card reader for storage expansion. All designed to help you be more productive whether you’re studying in a library, working on a plane, or sharing your content in a boardroom on a 4K monitor.

Surface Go with Wi-Fi is available for pre-order, with products beginning to hit shelves on August 2nd, 2018 in North America and August 28th, 2018 in Australia and New Zealand, with an LTE model will be arriving later this year.

For a family at home or on the move, an expert on the front line of a business interacting with customers, or a school that wants to provide its students with the most versatile tools for learning, this device offers a premium experience with incredible value.

Wherever the day takes you, and whatever unique tasks await you along the way, Surface Go moves with you.

The post Go Surface Go appeared first on Shane the Gamer.