Microsoft Surface Go 10.1" 2 Touch-Screen Review

Skip it. The Surface Go 2 is a slow Windows tablet that's bad at being both a PC and a tablet. You're paying for a brand name attached to a sluggish processor.

The Surface Go 2 is a weird little tablet that's trying to be everything and ends up being just okay at most of it. The one thing you need to know is that it's a full Windows PC crammed into a tablet body, which sounds cool until you realize the processor is painfully slow. It scored a dismal 31 out of 100 for productivity in our tests, which tells you everything. If you're buying this thinking it'll replace your laptop, you're going to have a bad time.

Let's talk about that CPU score sitting in the 12th percentile. Ouch. Our benchmarks confirm what the specs hint at: the dual-core Intel Pentium 4425Y is a major bottleneck. Opening more than a couple browser tabs feels sluggish, and forget about any real multitasking. The surprising part? The GPU somehow landed in the 99th percentile, but that's more a reflection of how few tablets even try to run Windows than any actual gaming prowess. It's like putting racing tires on a golf cart.

At $160 to $235 for a renewed model, it's not expensive, but it's also not a good value. You're paying for the Windows license and the Surface brand name. For the same money, you could get a much faster used laptop or a tablet that's actually good at being a tablet.

Compared directly, the Apple iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ run circles around the Go 2 in terms of speed, screen quality, and battery life, but they run mobile operating systems. If you absolutely need Windows in a tablet form factor, the more expensive Surface Pro is the logical step up, but its price is in a different league. Honestly, the Lenovo Idea Tab Pro gives you a better screen and similar performance for likely less money, and it's not even a standout device.

If you're looking for a primary computer or a fast tablet for entertainment, this isn't it. Go get a used M1 iPad Air or a budget Chromebook instead. They'll both feel infinitely faster and last longer on a charge.

We can't recommend the Surface Go 2 for most people. It's a compromised device that doesn't excel at anything. The terrible CPU performance cripples its usefulness as a PC, and as a tablet, it's heavy and runs an OS not designed for touch. Only consider this if your needs are hyper-specific: you must have a ultra-portable Windows device for one, single, lightweight task, and you're on a strict budget. For everyone else, there are better options.