Microsoft Surface Go LTE Variant Launched; Coming to 23 Markets Not Including India

Microsoft Surface Go, the affordable 2-in-1 Windows device that was launched in July in a Wi-Fi only model, has now received an LTE variant. The Surface Go LTE variant is currently available for pre-orders with a price tag of $679 (roughly 49,300) for end consumers and $729 (roughly Rs. 53,000) for business users. It will go on sale in the US and Canada starting November 20, while other 21 markets around the globe will get the new Surface Go variant on November 22.

The base model of the Surface Go LTE variant has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage, while businesses can also go for the superior model that has 256GB of internal storage at $829 (roughly Rs. 60,200). The latest development comes months after Microsoft started shipping the original variants of the Surface Go in the US.

Notably, the Windows-powered Surface Go was launched in the US in July in two configurations: 4GB of RAM and 64GB eMMC storage and 8GB of RAM and 128GB SSD storage. It carried a starting price of $399 (roughly Rs. 29,000), while its premium model went on sale at $549 (roughly Rs. 39,900).

Customers in all eligible markets can pre-order the Surface Go LTE variant by visiting the Microsoft Store. While it will initially come to the US and Canada, the Redmond giant has also selected 21 other markets to expand the reach of the new model. There isn't any word on the arrival of neither the Surface Go LTE variant nor its Wi-Fi model in India. Having said that, the official blog post states that more markets are expected to join "in the coming months".

As folks at AnandTech noted, the LTE variant of the Surface Go has a Qualcomm X16 modem - the same that is already powering high-speed data access on the Surface Pro LTE. Rest of the specifications of the new variant are identical to the original Wi-Fi only model.

Microsoft Surface Go specifications

The Surface Go runs Windows 10 S out-of-the-box, though it is upgradeable to Windows 10, and features a 10-inch PixelSense display (1800x1200 pixels) along with a 3:2 aspect ratio. Under the hood, there is a seventh-generation Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y processor, coupled with 4GB and 8GB RAM options. The tablet comes with an optional keyboard cover and the optional Surface Pen that transform it into a full-fledged computing device. There is a 5-megapixel front camera and an 8-megapixel rear camera. The tablet also supports Windows Hello using an IR sensor at the front. Further, there is a USB Type-C port as well as a microSD card slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack. There is also a built-in battery pack that is claimed to offer nine hours of power on a single charge.