Microsoft Surface Laptop Go

A well-built ultraportable that does the basics very well, but sublime design can't make up for hardware shortcomings when rivals offer more power for less cash.

The Surface Laptop Go is a fantastic device at a super-affordable price. It offers decent performance and comfortable keyboard that's ideal for students, office workers and social media addicts alike. The low-resolution display means it isn't the best for streaming Netflix, but it will be tough to find better value elsewhere.

The Surface Laptop Go is a premium laptop at a lower price than you’d expect but it isn’t the best budget laptop you can buy.

The Surface Laptop Go is Microsoft's most accessible Surface yet, a very good budget laptop that can compete against other midrange models. Even compromises like its fingerprint reader and a sub-1080p screen surprisingly work.

As a stab at a budget machine with decent performance, the Surface Laptop Go is a success. It delivers premium-feeling style with hardware that’ll be fast enough for general users. But if you dig a bit closer, compromises abound.

For $100 less, the 256 GB version of the Surface Laptop Go could have been a huge win for Microsoft, but in the end we think most users would be better off saving some cash and getting the 128 GB model at $699. There's enough performance on tap and storage for the apps most people need without breaking the bank on a high-end portable. For that reason, we'll tip the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go with our Recommended Award. Just keep in mind that we think its midrange configuration is the best value in the Surface Laptop Go line-up, for most people other than power users.

Although it's missing some nifty features from the pricier Surface Laptop 3, the Surface Laptop Go is what many people are looking for right now: a well-designed, lightweight laptop with adequate performance that won't break the bank.

If, however, you’re willing to spend a little extra to treat your fingertips to a fantastic keyboard and trackpad, or on elevated industrial design that looks and feels a cut above that of most similarly-priced notebooks, the Surface Laptop Go makes more sense. Like other members of the Surface family, this newest model isn’t necessarily for everyone. Instead, it’s for those who can afford to budget for the areas where Microsoft has clearly focused the most.