The Laptop Go 2 runs Windows 11, which like other Surface devices is free of trials for anti-virus programs and other unwanted software that can often cause problems, except a pre-installed trial of Microsoft Office. Windows 11 is constantly improving and will be mostly familiar to users of Windows 10. The Laptop 4 lasts more than eight hours, while Apple’s MacBook Air lasts more than 16 hours with more demanding workloads. The battery life might be enough for intermittent use as a portable computer but you will probably need to carry a charger around, too, just in case. Taking a video call in the browser hammered the battery, using about 1% a minute. It lasts for only about 6.5 hours of work mainly in browsers, basic text editing and using various chat apps. It is snappy switching between the browser, text editor and messaging apps but is a little sluggish when doing complex edits on large image files.Īs with its predecessor, battery life is disappointing. The Laptop Go 2 ships with an 11th-gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor and 4GB or 8GB of RAM, making it up to 23% faster than previous version, although competitors are already using 12th-generation Intel chips.Īs tested with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage the Laptop Go 2 is certainly capable enough for a compact machine, and ran markedly quieter and cooler than previous versions. It can also be charged via USB-C with a third-party charger up to 60W. The Laptop Go 2 fully charges with the included 39W Surface Connect power adaptor in two hours, hitting 70% in an hour. Processor: quad-core Intel Core i5-1135G7 (11th generation)Ĭonnectivity: wifi 6 (ax), Bluetooth 5.1, USB-A, USB-C, headphones, Surface Connect, fingerprint sensor The speakers are loud and good for watching a quick video but won’t replace even a cheap speaker for music. The fingerprint sensor in the power button is good, although not included on the cheapest model.Ībove the screen is an improved 720p webcam, which alongside excellent mic enables crisp video calls. The display has good colours and contrast but is not overly bright and is noticeably less crisp than higher-resolution rivals, including Microsoft’s other machines.

The Laptop Go 2 looks great in the new ‘sage’ colour, with an aluminium lid and deck, but a 30% recycled plastic bottom.

Microsoft laptop surface go