The Surface line has grown even more in recent years and there are now three options in their tablet range. We’ll look at the Surface Pro X another time but, for now, it’s Surface Go 2 vs Surface Pro 7.
The Surface range has been quite a coup for Microsoft. Taking the Windows platform and making premium devices with a strong following – dare I say, in the same vein as Apple. Previously, Windows portables weren’t all that popular on the high-end and the rising tide of Surface has raised all (ultrabook) boats.
However, Surface devices remain quite unique in their form factor. Other than the Surface Laptop 3, the range isn’t made up of ultrabooks – despite their thin and light but productivity-strong performance.
Even though the range is “limited” to the tablet design, the differences between the Surface Pro 7 and Surface Go 2 really highlight the wide selection of tasks you can achieve in this narrow remit. Without further ado, let’s drive into those differences.
Hands on: Surface Go 2 review
Surface Go 2
Surface Go 2 vs Surface Pro 7 – Price
Let’s start with price as it really sets up what’s to come in terms of the gap between these devices and what you can expect.
The Surface Go 2 starts at just £399 while the Surface Pro 7 pricing begins at £799 – that’s quite a difference. However, the Surface line is nothing if not complex.
Both devices offer a range of accessories – from the vital Surface Type Covers to the Surface Pen and more. The Surface Type Cover for the Surface Go 2 costs £94.99/£124.99 while the Surface Type Cover for the Surface Pro 7 is priced at £124.99/£149.99.
Along with the range of accessories you could buy, the complex pricing relates to the capability of the base model of these machines. The base model of the Surface Go 2 is threadbare when it comes to specs and you’d almost definitely want to consider a more expensive model. While the Surface Pro 7’s base model is definitely more capable – as you’d expect for double the price.
The new Intel Core m3-sporting top-spec Surface Go 2 does make a more formidable machine but you’ll be shelling out over £700 if the Type Cover is in your basket too – getting closer and closer to the base Surface Pro 7.
However, if you are more interested in the super-small form-factor of the Go 2 rather than the more powerful and heftier Surface Pro 7 then there is definitely still value to be had.
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Surface Pro 7
Surface Go 2 vs Surface Pro 7 – Display
Both devices come equipped with a productivity-friendly 3:2 display but they differ when it comes to size and resolution.
The Surface Pro 7 has a 12.3-inch PixelSense display with a 2736 x 1824 resolution (267 ppi). The Surface Go 2 features a 10.5-inch PixelSense display with a 1920 x 1280 resolution (220 ppi).
The new Surface Go is up in size and quality from the previous iteration so fans of that form-factor will be pleased to see the bezels tidied up. On the other side, the bezels remain rather thick of the Surface Pro 7, falling well foul of the stellar look of the Surface Pro X – but that device has its own hangups.
In this category, the Surface Go 2 deserves a most-improved medal while the Surface Pro 7 definitely remains the cream of the Surface crop for quality.
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Surface Go 2
Surface Go 2 vs Surface Pro 7 – Specs
Some may think the biggest difference between these devices is size, however, while the devices look rather different on the outside, they are essentially different sizes of the same concept. The insides of the Surface Go 2 and Surface Pro 7 are really where they most stand apart.
Surface Pro 7 is equipped with Intel’s latest 10th Gen Ice Lake chips, up to 16GB RAM and up to 1TB of storage.
On the Surface Go 2 side, things are a lot more… mediocre. You can pick up the base model with the Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y processor (much less powerful than Pro 7 offerings) or fork out for the 8th Gen Intel Core m3 processor.
The Core m3 is still worse compared to its larger brethren’s chip options but it’s much more capable than the original Surface Go. You’re limited to up to 128GB SSD storage and up to 8GB RAM on the smaller device too.
Take a look at our full Surface Pro 7 review
Surface Go 2
Surface Go 2 vs Surface Pro 7 – Keyboard
This is probably the category in which the Surface devices are most similar, with the Type Covers being nigh-on identical.
Both keyboards offer a cracking experience for how thin they are and look great as a partial cover, whichever colour you buy.
The main difference is the size and it’s another area where the Surface Go 2 may fall foul for you. While the Pro 7 feels similar to the size of a traditional laptop keyboard, the Go 2 is considerably smaller and can feel a little cramped. However, it isn’t too small that you can’t get used to it.
Related: Intel 10th Gen H-series processors
Surface Pro 7
Surface Go 2 vs Surface Pro 7 – Design
Surface Pro 7 is better than the Surface Go 2 in almost every way when it comes to the spec sheet but, if you are considering the smaller device, then that clearly isn’t all that matters.
Surface Go 2 definitely has the upper-hand if you are looking for an extremely small but still fairly capable device. That’s not to say the larger device isn’t one that can be lugged around in a bag, but it’s far heavier than the Go 2.
The devices do slightly differ around the back, with the Surface Pro 7 being one solid colour while the Surface Go 2 has a cut-out around the camera that’s a shade of grey that contrasts the silver of the rest of the machine. On the note of colour, you can also get the Pro 7 in Black as well as Silver. The Surface Go 2 is only available in Silver.
There are also two differences in the port department as well. Both Surface devices come with a USB-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a Surface Connect port and a MicroSD card reader. However, the Surface Pro 7 also had a USB-A port to save you from a more dongle-centric life.
On the Surface Go 2 side, there’s an additional “port” you can get on a specific version if you so choose. With Surface Go 2, you can get an LTE model with a slot for a SIM card – a rare feature that is included on the Surface Go line but has not yet made its way to the Surface Pro 7.
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
