Are you planning to purchase one of Microsoft’ Surface laptops? This Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro comparison will help you to choose between both laptops.
Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro: At First Glance
If there is anything worth noticing instantly about both laptops, it is the fact that Microsoft’s unique design pattern continues to stand out. Both the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro are well-constructed laptops with neat edges.
On my first Inspection of both laptops, I could immediately notice their lightly textured magnesium bodies. In fact, their rounded corners and the standout kickstand features on their backs were all I needed to see to know I was dealing with Microsoft laptops.
However, while both laptops firmly represent the ideal Surface laptop, they seem to be distinct in different aspects. While the Microsoft Surface Go comes with vast improvements over its predecessors, the Microsoft Surface Pro hasn’t evolved significantly over its predecessors.
Although it still looks very much like other Microsoft Surface laptops, the Surface Go has many changes from its design to its specs. Moreover, parts of the laptop’s design like its bezels have been retouched to add more appeal.
On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Pro is pretty much the same laptop it has always been in terms of design. Aside from a few upgrades in its internals, you will discover that the laptop hasn’t received a significant update despite its new name.
Conceptually, the Microsoft Surface Pro would be feeling lonely and unloved right now if it were a child. In fact, it could possibly be envious of all the attention bestowed on its younger siblings.
After all, the Surface Go does seem to pose a strong challenge – in specs and design.
In light of all the heat, the entry-level Surface Go seems to be bringing it on its Pro-level sibling. This face-off promises to be an entertaining one.
Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro: Design, Dimension and Weight
In terms of design and build, the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro are very much alike. Like I stated earlier, they are both sharp-looking computers with softly textured magnesium bodies, rounded corners, and Microsoft’s unrivaled kickstand on the rear.
Both laptops could easily be recognized as Microsoft Surface laptops. However, like I already hinted earlier, while some changes were made to the Surface Go’s design, the Surface Pro is a complete repetition of its predecessors’ time-tested design.
With the Microsoft Surface Go, Microsoft seems to have rectified the fairly large bezels that many didn’t find appealing. Although the Surface Go’s bezel isn’t quite as thin as the Dell XPS 13’s, it’s a step in the right direction.
In fact, the reduced bezel adds to the premium look of the laptop.
Despite its moderate pricing, the Microsoft Surface Go doesn’t look less premium compared to the Microsoft Surface Pro. Thanks to the quality of its magnesium chassis, you can barely notice its comparatively low price.
Moreover, both the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro have generally mild aesthetics. Neither is too flashy or excessively stylish.
The only alteration on their smooth pattern-free exterior is the shiny Microsoft logo on their rear kickstand. This kickstand makes it easy to switch laptops between different modes.
Since it adjusts from 0 to 165 degrees, you can simply prop the kickstand up for laptop use or tilt it slightly above desk level for taking notes or sketching.
Hence, you can easily switch between tablet and laptop mode on both the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro.
Though the kickstand on both laptops is impressively sturdy and easy to adjust, it makes both laptops hard to balance on your lap. However, it is worth mentioning that the Microsoft Surface Go’s smaller size makes it easier to use on your laps than the Microsoft Surface Pro.
Nonetheless, both laptops are able to balance very well on flat surfaces like tables.
Microsoft seems to have persisted with its optional signature extras. Both laptops are still offered with the compatible Surface Pen stylus and detachable Type Cover keyboard.
Much to my delight, the detachable keyboards that Microsoft offers for the Surface Go and Pro are incredibly comfortable. In the case of the Microsoft Surface Go, Microsoft offers a small Type Cover – after all, it was built for a 10-inch laptop.
As a result, the keys on the keyboard are also small. Fortunately, the keys have been slightly curved to give a more natural feeling when typing.
The two-stage backlighting on the keyboard also helps to enjoy typing sessions in dark environments. In addition, the 1.0 mm key travel on the keyboard is commendable.
After all, it is better than the MacBook Pro’s 0.55mm key travel on its butterfly keyboard.
On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Pro’s Type Cover has large and well-spaced backlit keys that offer decent key travel. It offered springy feedback that made typing very enjoyable.
I was able to achieve my 68 words per minute average on the 10fastfingers typing test when I used the Microsoft Surface Go’s Type Cover. Meanwhile, I was able to breeze through 85 words per minute on the Microsoft Surface Pro.
Overall, both laptops’ Type Covers felt great. Moreover, the Alcantara fabric that surrounds the Type Covers makes them look and feel even better.
Hopefully, this fabric will be as stain-resistant as Microsoft claims it will be.
Moving on to the touchpads, you will equally be impressed by both laptops’ touchpads. Even though the Microsoft Surface Go’s touchpad isn’t as big as the Microsoft Surface Pro’s 4-inch touchpad, it is still spacious and comfortable to use.
Though the Microsoft Surface Go’s touchpad isn’t built with glass, it is as smooth and responsive as the Surface Pro’s glass touchpad. Both touchpads make use of Windows Precision drivers to make the execution of Windows gestures smooth.
Left to many users, they won’t bother considering the Surface Pen options on both laptops – I probably would do the same. However, if you usually take hand-written notes or draw pictures, I would recommend you get the Surface Pen.
The Surface Pen offered with both laptops are sensitive and comfortable to hold.
From the design descriptions I’ve made so far, it’s clear that both the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro share almost entirely the same build form.
In the event that you find it hard to differentiate both laptops from a distance, you wouldn’t be judged. That being said, there’s still a clear way to differentiate both laptops which is by their size.
The Microsoft Surface Go is more compact than the Microsoft Surface Pro. While the Microsoft Surface Go measures 245 x 175 x 8.3 mm, the Microsoft Surface Pro measures 292 x 201 x 8.5 mm.
In terms of weight, every model of the Microsoft Surface Go is also lighter than even the smallest model of the Microsoft Surface Pro. The Microsoft Surface Go’s LTE Advanced Model and Wi-Fi Model weighed 532 g and 522 g respectively.
Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Pro’s lowest model weighs 768 g. In comparison, the Microsoft Surface Go has a more compact and portable form factor.
As you might have deduced from their relative thinness, the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro barely have room for ports. They both have limited port selection.
The Microsoft Surface Go offers one USB-C port, a Surface Connect port, a microSD card slot, and a headphone jack. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Pro offers a USB-C port, a USB 3.1 Type-A port, a magnetic Surface Connect port, a microSD card slot, and a headphone jack.
Both the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro are moderately styled laptops that will perfectly blend into any setting. They look professional and stylish at the same time.
Ultimately, they both have relatively compact builds. However, the Microsoft Surface Go is the more compact and portable laptop.
If you love moving around with your laptop, you’ll find the Microsoft Surface Go more appealing. However, if you don’t mind bearing the little extra size and weight, in exchange for larger screen size or a larger keyboard, then you will be fine with the Microsoft Surface Pro.
Due to these reasons, both the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro score an eight in this Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro design comparison.
Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro: Processor (CPU) Performance
The difference in power between both laptops is alarming. A single look at their spec sheets is all the hints you need about their difference in CPU performance.
In the case of the Microsoft Surface Go, Microsoft equips the laptop with a 2-Core Intel Pentium Gold Processor 4415Y. This processor has the same base and boost frequency of 1.60 GHz.
Meanwhile, Microsoft offers different configurations for the Microsoft Surface Pro. You can buy the laptop with either a dual-core Intel Core m3-7Y30, a dual-core Intel Core i5-7Y54, or a dual-core Intel Core i7-7Y75.
To give more details, the Intel Core m3-7Y30 has a base frequency of 1.00 GHz and a boost frequency of 1.00 GHz. Furthermore, the Intel Core i5-7Y54 has a base frequency of 1.20 GHz and a boost frequency of 3.20 GHz.
Lastly, the Intel Core i7-7Y75 has a base frequency of 1.30 GHz and a boost frequency of 3.60 GHz.
Before going further into the details of their CPU comparison, you should keep in mind that a laptop of the Microsoft Surface Go’s price wouldn’t be a powerhouse.
Nonetheless, you can expect the laptop to be powerful enough to handle basic computing operations. As it should be, the Microsoft Surface Go is powerful enough to carry out every basic computing operation you might need it to perform.
Basic operations like document editing, emailing, and web surfing will not pose any challenge for the Microsoft Surface Go. However, the laptop could encounter issues when the web-based workflow intensifies.
In the case of the Microsoft Surface Pro, we compared a model that was equipped with the dual-core Intel Core i5-7Y75 processor. With this in mind, you can expect the laptop to be much faster in processing speeds than its Microsoft Surface Go sibling.
The Microsoft Surface Pro easily handles everyday computing operations. Computing tasks like web surfing, emailing, and document editing are all easily handled by the Microsoft Surface Pro.
After testing both laptops on basic operations, I proceeded to carry out benchmark tests on both laptops’ processors. Based on the results, it is very clear why the Microsoft Surface Pro belongs to the Pro level line and why the Microsoft Surface Go belongs to the entry-level line.
The Microsoft Surface Pro outperformed the Microsoft Surface Go in every aspect of the test. On a Geekbench 4 test, the Surface Pro 7 scored an impressive 17,512 in the multi-core aspect.
With a score of 3749, the Microsoft Surface Go was nowhere near the the Microsoft Surface Pro.
The case remained the same in the single-core aspect. Like in the multi-core aspect, the Microsoft Surface Pro surpassed the Microsoft Surface Go with a significant difference in their scores.
While the Microsoft Surface Pro scored 5904, the Microsoft Surface Go got a lower 2076 score.
The Cinebench R15 test I ran on both laptops also yielded results that favored the Microsoft Surface Pro. With a score of 559 points, the Microsoft Surface Pro outperformed the Microsoft Surface Go that scored 164 points.
Furthermore, the Microsoft Surface Go took 18 minutes to convert a 4k video to 1080p in a Handbrake test. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Pro took just 9 minutes to transcode the same 4k video to 1080p.
Overall, the Microsoft Surface Pro is absolutely untouchable by the Microsoft Surface Go when it comes to processor performance power. Hence, the Microsoft Surface Pro scores an eight in this Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro processor performance comparison.
Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Go scores a six in this review.
Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro: Memory (RAM) Performance
In this aspect, both the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro make use of the same type of RAM – the LPDDR3. However, they offer different ranges of configurations for their RAM.
You can buy the Microsoft Surface Go with either 4 GB or 8 GB RAM. The maximum RAM size this laptop supports is 8 GB.
Meanwhile, you can buy the Microsoft Surface Pro with either 4 GB, 8 GB, or 16 GB RAM. In this laptop’s case, it allows a maximum RAM size of 16 GB.
One similarity between both laptops’ RAM is their RAM slots. Both the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro have only one non-removable RAM slot.
Since we’ve talked about the specification aspect, let’s move on to the details of the comparison. To be clear, the Microsoft Surface Go model being reviewed in this comparison comes with 8 GB RAM.
Similarly, the Microsoft Surface Pro model being reviewed in this comparison also comes with 8 GB RAM.
To test the RAM performance of both laptops, I ran 15 Google Chrome tabs while streaming four 1080p YouTube videos. At the same time, I was sending messages on Slack while editing a document on Google Docs.
Surprisingly, both laptops handled the tasks without lagging. However, I noticed a little bit of lagging on the Microsoft Surface Go when I tried to switch between tabs.
On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Pro eased through my multitasking test like it was nothing. Even while I switched between the tabs, I didn’t notice any stutter or lags.
Furthermore, the Microsoft Surface Pro continued to display its supremacy in the synthetic benchmark tests I ran to test both laptops’ RAM power. The Microsoft Surface Pro scored 8879 points in the essential aspect of the PCMark 10 test.
Like in the previous tests, the Microsoft Surface Go came in behind the Microsoft Surface Pro again. It scored a lower 6806 points.
Even in the productivity aspect, the Microsoft Surface Go remained in the Microsoft Surface Pro’s shadow. The Microsoft Surface Go’s 4972 scores couldn’t get close to the Microsoft Surface Pro’s 6730 scores.
Overall, the Microsoft Surface Pro’s sheer dominance in terms of RAM power is written all over the benchmark results. It is yet again the better laptop in this aspect.
Therefore, the Microsoft Surface Pro scores an eight in this Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro RAM performance comparison. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Go scores a seven.
Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro: Storage Options and& Performance
Although there are some differences, the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro also share some similarities in terms of their storage. While the Microsoft Surface Go offers two options for its storage configuration, the Microsoft Surface Pro offers just one configuration option.
You can buy the Microsoft Surface Go with either an eMMC storage or an SSD storage drive type. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Pro offers only an SSD storage drive type.
For the Microsoft Surface Go, the highest storage configuration size you can buy the laptop with is 128 GB. Meanwhile, the highest storage configuration size the Microsoft Surface Pro offers is 1 TB.
Regardless of the storage configuration, you buy with the Microsoft Surface Go, you also get to expand your storage via a MicroSDXC Card Reader. This also applies to the Microsoft Surface Pro.
You can expand the laptop’s storage with an external MicroSD card.
Just by looking at these specs, you can already guess which of the laptops will be superior in terms of their storage performance. It looks as though the Microsoft Surface Pro is ready to get away with another win.
Will the Microsoft Surface Pro record a flawless victory against the Microsoft Surface Go in this aspect as well? Let’s dive further into the storage comparison of both laptops.
For this comparison, our Microsoft Surface Go unit comes with a 128 GB SSD. Of course, our Microsoft Surface Pro model features the 1 TB SSD.
As hinted by the specs, the Microsoft Surface Pro performs better than the Microsoft Surface Go in terms of storage performance. It outperformed the Microsoft Surface Go in the file transfer test I carried out.
In the file transfer test, the Microsoft Surface Pro copied a 4.97 GB multimedia file at a rate of 267.9 MBps. This transfer speed amounted to just 18 seconds copy time.
Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Go copied the same 4.97 GB file at a rate of 180 MBps. This resulted in a comparatively slower copy time of 28 seconds.
Even in the benchmark test I ran on both laptops, the Microsoft Surface Go still had no hope of outperforming the Microsoft Surface Pro. On a CrystalDiskMark test, the Surface Go displayed impressive sequential read and write speeds of 1208.93 MBps and 801.15 MBps respectively.
However, that was not enough to outperform the Microsoft Surface Pro. The Microsoft Surface Pro displayed a sequential read speed of 1696 MBps and a sequential write speed of 1234 MBps.
Overall, the Microsoft Surface Pro remains the ultimate king of the ring in this comparison. Hence, the Microsoft Surface Pro scores a nine in this Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro storage comparison.
Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Go scores a seven.
Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro: Graphics Card Performance
Just like in the CPU aspect, Microsoft equips the Microsoft Surface Go with just one GPU option. The Microsoft Surface Go comes with an integrated Intel HD Graphics 615.
This GPU has a base frequency of 300 MHz and a boost frequency of 850 MHz. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come equipped with a dedicated VRAM.
In the case of the Microsoft Surface Pro, you get to choose from a range of configuration options. You can buy the Microsoft Surface Pro with either an Intel HD Graphics 615, Intel HD Graphics 620, or an Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 GPU.
These graphics cards all make use of an integrated GPU interface.
Like I always do, I will quickly consider the details of these specs. Firstly, the Intel HD Graphics 615 has a base frequency of 300 MHz and a boost frequency of 900 MHz.
Secondly, the Intel HD Graphics 620 also has a base frequency of 300 MHz, but a different boost frequency of 1100 MHz. Lastly, the Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 GPU has a base frequency of 730 MHz and a boost frequency of 1100 MHz.
Now that we are done with the formalities, let’s go further into the details of both laptop’s GPU comparison. The Microsoft Surface Pro model being used in this comparison features an Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 GPU.
The Microsoft Surface Go’s Intel HD Graphics 615 GPU performance wasn’t great in either benchmark tests or real gaming tests. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Pro’s Iris Plus graphics card promises a beyond-average performance.
One thing to note is that both the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro are hardly suited for any major gaming. Though both laptops can handle non-intensive games at decent settings, you might not be able to play more demanding games at smooth rates on both laptops.
On a 3DMark 11 benchmark test, the Microsoft Surface Go scored 1378 points. This score was much lower than the Microsoft Surface Pro’s 4297 points.
On our real-world gaming test, the Microsoft Surface Pro ran games at considerable frame rates. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Go didn’t impress much in most of the games.
While the Microsoft Surface Go ran BioShock Infinite at 41.6 FPS, the Microsoft Surface Pro offered a much better frame rate. The Microsoft Surface Pro ran the game at 112.5 frames per second.
Furthermore, the Microsoft Surface Go ran The Witcher 3 at a very low 9.7 frames per second. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Pro ran the game at 60.4 frames per second.
On another test, the Microsoft Surface Pro was able to offer playable frame rates when it ran Rise of the Tomb Raider. The Microsoft Surface Pro ran the game at 49.16 frames per second.
On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Go could barely run the game. It was able to offer just 8.9 frames per second rate.
In conclusion, we can conclude that the Microsoft Surface Pro is more powerful when it comes to graphics performance. It did not only ace the benchmark tests, it also offered much better frame rates in the real-world gaming tests.
As a result, the Microsoft Surface Pro scores an eight in this Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro graphics card performance comparison. The Microsoft Surface Go scores a five for its relatively poor graphics performance.
Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro: Battery Life and Performance
Although both the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro feature the same battery types – Lithium-ion, their battery capacity differs. While Microsoft equips the Microsoft Surface Go with a 26.12 Wh battery capacity, the Microsoft Surface Pro is equipped with a bigger 42.0 Wh battery capacity.
This is one of those cases where you can already know what to expect in terms of their performance comparison. After all, the Microsoft Surface Pro has a much bigger battery capacity.
However, this is not always the case. This is why we always carry out a comprehensive test to fully ascertain the performance power of laptops.
There is absolutely no difference in this case. I carried out a battery test to compare both laptops’ battery life.
Just as their battery capacity suggested, the Microsoft Surface Pro offers a longer battery life. On our battery test which involves continuous web surfing, the Microsoft Surface Pro lasted for 7 hours and 55 minutes.
Although this battery runtime is nowhere near the advertised 13.5 hours battery runtime, it was just enough to outlast the Microsoft Surface Go. The Microsoft Surface Go lasted for 7 hours on the same test.
Just like the Microsoft Surface Pro, the Surface Go also came about short of its advertised battery life – 8 hours.
Unlike in the other aspects, the Microsoft Surface Go was able to close in on the Microsoft Surface Pro by a little in terms of battery runtime. Regardless, the Microsoft Surface Pro is the superior laptop in this aspect too.
Before I round off this section of the comparison, it is necessary for you to know that battery life could also differ depending on your usage. With minimal work intensity, you might just be able to get longer battery runtime from the laptops.
Battery-saving activities like reducing your screen brightness, minimal Wi-Fi usage, and short gaming sessions could help you increase battery runtime.
In conclusion, the Microsoft Surface Pro scores a seven in this Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro battery life comparison. This is because I find its battery life to be a bit disappointing since it serves the purpose of a tablet and a laptop.
The Microsoft Surface Go scores a six for its equally disappointing battery life.
Our Rating Summary
| Rating Areas | Microsoft Surface Go | Microsoft Surface Pro | Notes/Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | 8 | 8 | Both the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro have excellent designs. |
| Processor (CPU) | 6 | 8 | Microsoft Surface Pro is absolutely untouchable by the Microsoft Surface Go when it comes to processor performance power. |
| Memory (RAM) | 7 | 8 | Microsoft Surface Pro’s sheer dominance in terms of RAM power is written all over the benchmark results. |
| Storage | 7 | 9 | The Microsoft Surface Pro offers notably faster storage speeds than the Microsoft Surface Go. |
| Graphics Card | 5 | 8 | The Microsoft Surface Pro is more powerful when it comes to graphics performance. It performed better in the benchmark tests and in the real-world gaming tests. |
| Battery Life | 6 | 7 | The Microsoft Surface Pro offers a longer battery runtime. |
| Our Average Rating | 7.7 | 8.3 | On average, Microsoft Surface Pro is a better laptop |
Frequently Asked Questions
Unless you spend most of your time on your laptop for business and thus require a larger display, or unless you frequently use creative apps such as Photoshop and want a more powerful machine, the Surface Go is a laptop that is totally worth considering.
Considering how powerful and value-oriented the Microsoft Surface Pro is, it is absolutely worth it.
Though there are quite a lot of differences between the two laptops, the most obvious difference is their size. The Surface Go is a smaller version of the iPad. It has a 10-inch screen with a resolution of 1,800 × 1,200 pixels and a pixel density of 217. The Surface Pro is larger and more like a desktop computer.
Yes, the Surface Pro can replace a laptop.
You can install Microsoft Office on Windows devices that are 10.1 inches or smaller, including the new Surface Go.
Yes, it is. The Microsoft Surface Go’s portable form factor makes it an even better fit for college students. Since the laptop is powerful enough for browsing, emailing, and document editing, college students will find the laptop to be of great use. Moreover, you can also use the laptop to take notes.
Yes, it does. The Microsoft Surface Pro features a 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p HD video and an 8.0MP rear-facing autofocus camera with 1080p Full HD video.
The Microsoft Surface Go was released in August 2018.
Yes, it does. The Microsoft Surface Pro comes with a 4.1 version Bluetooth.
The Microsoft Surface Go runs on Windows 10 Home in S mode.
Conclusion
From the comprehensive comparison that was just carried out, it is very clear which is the superior laptop between the two. The Microsoft Surface Pro is a much better laptop in many aspects.
It literally smoked the Microsoft Surface Go in almost every aspect.
The Microsoft Surface Go feels more ideal for people who usually find themselves to be constantly on the move. Its portable and compact form makes it easy to be on the move with the laptop.
Moreover, the Microsoft Surface Go is still powerful enough to be used for performing regular computing operations. However, its processing power doesn’t make it fit enough to be a main computer.
It is more like a substitute laptop rather than a main one. As a result, I wouldn’t recommend the Microsoft Surface Go on the basis of performance.
You can go for this laptop if you will not require it to perform intensive processing tasks.
With that being said, the distinction between the Microsoft Surface Go and Pro is very clear.
Based on our comprehensive review and comparison of Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro, we recommend:
Although we recommend the Microsoft Surface Pro, If you prefer a more portable laptop, you should consider the Microsoft Surface Go.
I hope you found this Microsoft Surface Go vs Pro comparison helpful. If you found the comparison helpful, kindly spare a few minutes to share your thoughts using the “Was this page helpful?” question below.
Finally, for more laptop reviews, visit our Laptop Comparison Reviews page. You may also find our Laptop Specs page very helpful.
