Microsoft announced its Surface Laptop Go 2 on Wednesday morning, with a newer Intel Core i5 processor and twice the storage as the original in its base configuration.
It’s the sequel to a device originally introduced for home and student users as the pandemic reignited the PC market in October 2020. Microsoft was seeking to provide an alternative to Google Chromebooks at the higher end of the price range for budget PCs, before going head-on with the $250 Surface Laptop SE a year later.
Surface Laptop Go 2 faces a different environment. PC shipments declined 6.8% in the first quarter, according to Gartner. Chromebook demand has plunged.
In a nod to inflation, Microsoft is setting the starting price at $599.99 for the base consumer version of the Surface Laptop Go 2, up from $549.99 for the original at launch. (Microsoft continues to incorrectly round down prices in its promotional materials, wrongly describing the Surface Laptop Go 2 as $599 in a blog post.)
Microsoft Surface revenue rose 13% to $1.7 billion in the March quarter.
However, first-party PCs and tablets remain a small part of Microsoft’s overall business, with devices representing about 4% of overall revenue. Microsoft views Surface products in part as a way to experiment with new form factors and approaches that other Windows PC makers can adopt in their own products.
Here are the key specs for the consumer version of Surface Laptop Go 2:
- 11th Gen Intel Core i5 1135G7 processor (vs. a 10th generation Core i5 in the 2020 version);
- Base configuration of 4GB of RAM (same as in the original) and a 128GB solid state drive (vs. 64GB in the base configuration previously) with options for up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
- The screen is the same as in the original: a 12.4-inch touchscreen PixelSense display with a 3:2 aspect ratio.
- The ports are also the same: one USB-C, one USB-A, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a proprietary Surface Connect charging port.
- It comes with a 720p camera, same as in the original, but Microsoft says the camera is improved.
- The operating system is Windows 11 Home (the original came with Windows 10 in “S” mode by default.)
- It weighs slightly more than the original, 2.48 pounds (1,127 grams) vs. 2.44 lbs (1,110 grams) previously.
An 8GB-128GB configuration is $699.99; 8GB-256GB is $799.99.
Colors are platinum, ice blue, sandstone, and a new option, sage, seen here.
Pete Kyriacou, Microsoft VP of Devices, writes in a blog post that device color has “become a defining characteristic” of Microsoft product design.
“Inspired by subtle nature tones, Sage carries green and gray notes with a hint of blue,” he adds. “In the natural light, you’ll notice the soft reflection of the premium aluminum material. This color is calming while also being an edgy addition to the Surface color palette.”
A version for business will come with up to 16GB of RAM, running Windows 11 Pro or Windows 10 Pro.
Details of the device were leaked earlier this week in a listing from a Korean retailer.
Preorders start today, in advance of a June 7 release.
