#Microsoft Adds a $549 Surface Laptop Go and Updated Surface Pro X to Its Lineup – Review Geek

Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 3 is well-regarded for its high-quality hardware in a good looking package. But at a starting price of $1,000, it’s relatively expensive. The new Surface Laptop Go aims to solve that problem, thanks to its affordable starting price of $549. Microsoft also unveiled a new Surface Pro X option, with a custom processor and some colorful PC accessories.

Surface Laptop Go: Priced for High School and Early College Students

The current Surface Laptop 3 starts at $1,000 and you get an Intel i5 processor, 8 GBs of RAM, and a 128 GB processor. That’s the kind of specs you might want in your teenager’s laptop, but at a price more than many parents are willing to spend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp4Acofumyg

With the Surface Laptop Go, Microsoft is trying to address that. The Surface Laptop Go is lighter and more portable. Its display measures at 12.4 inches, just over an inch smaller than the Surface Laptop 3. But the hardware isn’t the only thing Microsoft shrank; it’s also much more affordable.
The Surface Laptop Go comes in three price  and hardware configuration points:

• $549.99: Intel Core i5, 4 GBs of RAM, 64 GBs of eMMC storage
• $699.99: Intel Core i5, 8 GBs of RAM, 128 GBs of SSD storage
• $899.99: Intel Core i5, 8 GBs of RAM, 256 GBs of SSD storage

Between slower eMMC storage and a lack of a fingerprint reader, the $549 model takes the largest hit. The other two models step up to proper SSD storage and include fingerprint readers along with Windows Hello capability. But even at $700, you’ll spend less than a Surface Laptop 3 and get the same specs, albeit with a smaller screen. And you’ll also get Wi-Fi 6 and fast charging, so it’s a more future-proof device.

Microsoft is clearly aiming the Surface Laptop Go at high school age and early college children, and they’re featured heavily in the company’s promo video.

You can preorder the Surface Laptop Go today, blue, sandstone, and platinum, and it will release on October 13.

The Surface Pro X Gets a Faster Processor and New Color

The Surface Pro X is getting a refresh today, but only at the upper end. Last year lower-priced models are sticking around. But if you’re willing to spend $1,499.99 or more, you can get a Surface Pro X with a new processor, and in platinum, instead of the Matte Black the earlier models use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QobdWOa02o

The new processor is a piece of custom silicone designed in partnership with Qualcomm dubbed the Microsoft SQ2. It appears the company used the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 5G as a starting point but stripped out the 5G. That likely keeps the price down and battery levels high.

You still get all the other features the Surface Pro X is known for, including a super thing device, long battery life, and 13-inch PixelSense display. You can throw in a nanoSIM for LTE connectivity, and it features removable storage, a fact that won it high points over at iFixit.

The new Surface Pro X comes in two price points and hardware configurations:

• $1,499: SQ2 processor, 16GB of RAM, 256GB of SSD storage
• $1,799: SQ2 processor, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage

You can preorder it today, and it releases October 13.

New Colorful Accessories

A new laptop means new accessories, apparently. Microsoft also took the wraps off a set of new peripherials that go well with any surface device. You can pick from:

• Microsoft Designer Compact Keyboard: The $69.99 compact keyboard and slim and narrow, as the name suggests, and features Bluetooth with room for three connections. You’ll get two years of battery life, and can order it in two colors.
• Microsoft Number Pad: For $24.99, you get a matching numpad for your keyboard or Surface Laptop Go, which doesn’t have a numpad. It connects over Bluetooth.
• Microsoft 4K Wireless Display Adapter: The $69.99 wireless display adapter is an upgrade of the older model, but now supports 4K.
• Microsoft Bluetooth Ergonomic Mouse: The $49.99 Mouse is an affordable ergonomic option that comes in several colors to match the latest Surface Laptop Go.
• Microsoft Modern Mobile Mouse: Now available in Sandstone, a new option to match Microsoft’s latest offerings.

Source: Microsoft