Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review: a little laptop for light work

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Premium laptops have fallen out of fashion. There is a 13.3-inch screen on the smallest computer. The smallest Dell product is a 13.4 inch panel. The 14-inch class is listed by the company as the size of HP's Spectre X 360 line. The 11- or 12-inch laptops are usually cheap and slow. Finding a premium, consumer laptop with a 12-inch or smaller screen for the ultimate in portableness is a challenge due to the fact that modern laptops have trimmed weights and frames considerably.

Microsoft has a laptop called the Surface Laptop Go 2. The smallest and lightest laptop Microsoft sells is the Laptop Go 2, with a 12.4-inch screen and weight of just under two and a half pounds. The Surface design features a comfortable keyboard, clear speakers and microphones, and 3:2 aspect ratio.

It doesn't come without compromises. The Go 2 doesn't have the range of processor, RAM, and storage options of larger laptops, sticking with an 11th Gen Core i5 processor and maxing out at 8 gigabytes of memory and 512 gigabytes of storage. Half a day of work is not enough for the battery to last. This isn't a computer for heavy, demanding work. It is meant for someone who just needs to stay on top of email, compose some documents, and browse the web while on the go. It's in the name.

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The squared-off wedge shape of the Surface Laptop Go 2 is the same as that of the first-generation Go. In addition to the light blue, gold, and silver options, you can also get it in a green color. The review unit has a green color. The trend of green phones is moving over to laptops.

Though it is Microsoft's cheapest laptop, it doesn't feel like a cheap computer with tight tolerances, lack of flex, and a stiff hinge. The deck lacks tacky stickers in this price range. Like the larger Surface computers, the Go 2 has an aluminum lid and deck, but unlike the Surface Laptop 4, it never had a negative impact on my experience. It will be hard to find a nicer computer in this price range.

The port selection of the laptop go 2 is the same as that of the previous one. There is a magnetic Surface connect port for charging and docking, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a singleUSB-A port. You can use the USB-C to connect to external displays, but you won't get the benefits of fast data transfer. Microsoft's larger Surface Laptops are port-limited, so this isn't a surprise, but another couple ofUSB ports here would really let you leave the dongle life behind.

The screen on the Laptop Go 2 is the same size as the one on the previous model. The screen is not as bright as it could be, but in my testing, the peak brightness was enough to allow me to use the laptop under an umbrella. In normal indoor settings, the brightness was around 70 percent on the sliders. If you plan on using the Go 2 outdoors, you should leave the sunglasses at home. When I wore my sunglasses, the display on the screen was black. I don't have a MacBook and the same sunglasses, so it's possible that Microsoft could fix it. Though it is not compatible with Microsoft's Surface Pens, the touch response on the screen is in line with expectations.

The Go 2 has the same screen as other Surface computers. It covers 99 percent of the sRGB spectrum, 74 percent of AdobeRGB, and 76 percent of P3 according to my colorimeter. Most people buying this computer will appreciate the screen's pleasing colors and contrast. The 3:2 aspect ratio, which is ideal for web browsing and document work, is something they will appreciate.

Despite the smaller dimensions of the laptop, it has an excellent keyboard with well-spaced keys and comfortable travel. The lack of keyboard backlight on many other popular laptops in this price range is the only real complaint I have. I had no issues with palm rejection because the trackpad is small, but it works well for tracking, scrolling, and other multi finger gestures.

There is a power button in the upper-right-hand corner of the keyboard. I didn't miss facial recognition at all when using the fingerprint sensor on the Surface computers. When you open the lid, there is a light that will help you find it.

• The keyboard’s keys are dark with white legends. There is no backlighting.
• The laptop weighs 2.48 pounds.
• Ports include one USB-C, one USB-A, 3.5mm headphone jack, Microsoft Surface Connect
• The lid can be opened with one hand
• The screen is 12.5 inches with a 1536 x 1024 resolution. It reached 356 nits of brightness in testing. All configurations include touch support.
• The touchpad supports precision gestures.
• Setup involves turning the device on and clicking through several menus.
• Fingerprint login is supported.

• Windows 11 includes a dedicated accessibility menu.
• Windows 11 includes a built-in screen reader (Narrator). It supports third-party screen readers including NVDA from NV Access and Jaws from Freedom Scientific. A full list of compatible software can be found on Microsoft’s website.
• Windows 11 supports voice typing (accessed by Windows + H) and speech recognition (toggled with Windows + Ctrl + S).
• Color Filters including inverted, grayscale, red-green, and blue-yellow can be toggled with Windows + Ctrl + C. Contrast themes are toggled with Alt + Left Shift + Print Screen. Standard Dark Mode and custom colors are also available under Personalization.
• Caption color and size can be customized and appear close to the bottom of the screen.
• The keyboard can be remapped with Microsoft’s PowerToys. Sticky Keys is supported. An on-screen keyboard is available.
• The cursor’s size and speed can be adjusted and gestures can be remapped in Touchpad Settings.
• Windows 11 supports eye control with external eye trackers.
• Windows 11 includes a Snap Layout feature, accessed by hovering over the Maximize button on any open window.

The camera uses a different resolution than other Surface computers. It isn't stunning, but it isn't the worst either, with sharper images and more detail than Dell's cameras or Apple's latest 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro. There are two microphones under the keyboard deck that give clear video call audio.

The same Core i35G7 quad-core processor is found in all Surface Laptop Go 2 models. It's a capable chip and had no issues handling my workload of dozens of browser tabs, slack, and other work apps spread across multiple virtual desktops It's not helpful for creative work. We use the PugetBench benchmark to evaluate more powerful laptops, and it scored a 155. There are scores in the 700 and up range in laptops that have more powerful processors. This isn't a laptop for editing 4K video.

The base configuration only has 4 gigabytes of memory and 128 gigabytes of storage. The only model that I recommend buying is the $799 review unit, which has 8 gigabytes of RAM and 512 megabytes of storage. You will run into performance issues or storage problems if you don't have enough storage. It is $100 less expensive than the first-gen Surface Laptop Go, but it is still a lot more expensive. You can get a top spec one for about $700 at Microsoft and Best Buy, if you choose to. That is a good deal.

The Laptop Go 2 isn't a fanless computer and its small fan is annoying. While in a quiet room, my first sample had a clicking sound when the fan was at a low speed. It is possible that the problem is limited to that unit. The whooshing sound that comes from higher fan speeds is more common than you might think. The laptop's bottom gets warm, but the deck and palm rests are comfortable.

The biggest issue with the Surface Laptop Go 2 is the battery life. I used less than five hours between charges with my standard workload and screen set to 200 nits. It was necessary to plug in before noon to make sure it didn't die in the middle of a meeting or work on a document. I have the ability to kill laptop batteries faster than most of my colleagues, but many 13-inch laptops can easily last twice as long with my workload, so you really have to value the slightly smaller size and lighter weight.

I wish Microsoft had used an Arm-based processor in this computer because of the fan noise, heat, and poor battery life. Arm chips, like the Surface Pro X, Apple's latest computers, and a few Chromebooks, have enough power to match the usage profile of a computer like this, as well as run cooler, don't need fans, and have better battery life. This feels like the right kind of computer to leverage Windows 11's improved performance with Arm.

I was reminded of Apple's 11-inch MacBook Air and 12-inch MacBook when I used the Surface Laptop Go 2. Both of those were high-end, small computers that were designed to be as light and portable as possible. When it came to battery life and power, they had compromises.

The Surface Laptop Go 2 feels like a modern version of those small laptops with a lot of the same limitations. It's too expensive to be a budget option, not powerful enough to be used for demanding users, and doesn't have a long battery life. It's possible to get more performance, battery life, and computer from a Windows laptop or a Chromebooks.

The Laptop Go 2 is a small, lightweight computer with a comfortable keyboard, trackpad, and screen, wrapped in a nice looking and feeling package. Unlike other small computers, it comes with a real processor and enough storage to do real work. The Surface Laptop Go 2 is your only option right now, if those are the things you want in a laptop.

You have to agree to the following in order to use the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2.

• A request for your region
• A request for your keyboard layout
• Connect to Wi-Fi
• Windows Software License Terms: Windows Operating System and MSI Services Terms of Use

Yes or no can be said to the following.

• Sign into a Microsoft account (or create an offline account)
• Privacy settings (location, Find My Device, sharing diagnostic data, inking and typing, tailored experience, advertising ID)
• Sign into a Microsoft account

There are mandatory and optional agreements.