Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Go 3 takes another try at a budget laptop

Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Go 2 allows Microsoft to take a another crack at the budget laptop market. It remains virtually unchanged from its earlier offering, simply providing an updated 12th-gen Core chip inside of it.

The Surface Laptop Go 2 always struck us as a struggle for Microsoft to establish a budget laptop in a competitive market, but with the premium Surface name attached. The Surface Laptop Go 3 tries again, this time moving from a Core i5-1135G7 to a Core i5-1235U.

The trouble is that Microsoft is again trying to convince you that a sub-1080p screen (12.45-inch, 1536×1024 touchscreen) is satisfactory. And to be fair, it kind of is, at least in our earlier reviews. The trouble is that back-to-school laptop deals and just general laptop deals routinely offer discounts on laptops that are comparable, if not better. That’s going to be a challenge for the Surface Laptop Go 3 on paper, right off the bat.

Essentially, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is the same as the Laptop Go 2 in all respects, except for 8GB or 16GB RAM options and 256GB of SSD storage for consumers. There is a 512GB option for business users, which a consumer could presumably buy as well. That option, with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, is reportedly priced at $1,199. We haven’t been able to confirm that on Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Go 3 for Business page, but it sounds a little ridiculous if true.

Otherwise, you can preorder Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Go 3 on Microsoft’s site for between $799 and $999. They’ll ship October 3. And if you don’t want a Surface Laptop Go 2, you could always opt for a Surface Laptop Studio 2 or a Surface Go 4 for Business, both of which Microsoft announced today.

Surface Laptop Go 3 specs

• Display:  12.4-inch (1536×1024, 148 PPI) 10-point multitouch PixelSense display
• Processor: Core i5-1235U
• Graphics:  Xe Graphics
• Memory:   8GB-16GB LPDDR4x (8GB as tested)
• Storage:  128GB (removable UFS), 256/512GB (removeable SSD)
• Ports:  1 USB-C, 1 USB-A, Surface Connect, 3.5mm audio jack
• Camera: 720p f2.0 (user-facing)
• Battery:  39.7Wh (design capacity), 40.7Wh (measured full charge capacity)
• Wireless:  Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.1
• Operating system:  Windows 11 Home (consumer); Windows 11 Pro/Windows 10 Pro (business)
• Dimensions (inches):  10.95 x 8.12 x 0.62 inches
• Weight:  2.49 pounds
• Chassis: Aluminum, with polycarbonate resin (30 percent post-consumer recycled content)
• Colors:  Ice Blue, Sandstone, Platinum, Sage
• Price:  Beginning at $799

Author: Mark Hachman, Senior Editor