Flipkart has put up a page that teases the impending launch of the Microsoft Surface Go tablet. While the device is not explicitly named, there are clearly recognisable photos of Microsoft's low-end Surface device as well as the hashtag #OnTheGo. There are no specific details about launch plans, and the only other words on the page are “Coming Soon”. The teaser images clearly show off the Surface Go's kickstand, ports and side profile, as well as Windows 10's calendar and email lockscreen alerts, and the Signature Type Cover and Surface Pen accessories. Moreover, the lockscreen wallpaper visible in the photos matches images of the Surface Go tablet on Microsoft's international store page.
Microsoft positions the Surface Go as an everyday computer for use at home, school, or on the go. It is the company's lightest and most portable Surface model at 522g (for the Wi-Fi-only version, without a Type Cover). It has a 10-inch 3:2 1800x1200-pixel screen that supports the Surface Pen and 10-point multi-touch for finger gestures.
Relatively low pricing is also one of the key appeals of the Surface Go lineup – prices start at $399 (approximately Rs. 28,640) and go up to $679 (approximately Rs. 48,735) in the USA, not including a Type Cover or Surface Pen.
The Surface Go's body is made of magnesium and there's Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on the front. It is listed as available only in Silver. Microsoft's Type Cover is sold separately in multiple colours.
The processor is a dual-core Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y, which runs fanless at 1.6GHz with a 6W TDP and is based on the Kaby Lake architecture. You get a USB Type-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, and the same Surface Connect power and accessory port that we've seen on previous Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models.
In the USA, the Surface Go tablet is available in either Wi-Fi-only or LTE-enabled variants. Storage is either a 64GB eMMC or a higher-performing 128GB SSD, and there's also a choice between 4GB and 8GB of RAM. There's also Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1, a microSD card slot, an 8-megapixel rear camera, 5-megapixel front camera, and stereo speakers.
Microsoft hasn't specified the battery capacity, but promises up to 9 hours of battery life for the Wi-Fi-only variant. It is unknown whether Microsoft will offer all configuration options for the Surface Go in India. LTE-enabled variants started shipping a month after Wi-Fi-only variants in the US and Canada, and were introduced in several other global markets later.
The Surface Go ships with Windows 10 running in S Mode, which restricts users to only downloading software through the Microsoft Store and only using Microsoft Edge as their Web browser. According to Microsoft, S Mode is intended to improve security and performance. Users can disable S Mode and unlock the full Windows 10 experience at no cost, but it is a one-time transition and there is no way to re-enable it.
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