Microsoft Takes on Apple's Entry-Level iPad With 10-inch 'Surface Go' Starting at $399

[Michael Goff]

It’s superior to the original iPad in one way and that’s it’s got a laminated display. I do love the Surface lineup and if they come out with a 120hz refresh rate tablet with 10 hour battery life I would give it a serious consideration.

Yep, Microsoft has finally created a better cheap consumption device. I wouldn’t use the 400$ for anything heavy though.

 

[artfossil]

This is amazing. It will definitely cut into iPad Pro sales. I see this as more competing with the iPad Pro for businesses and productive individuals than a competitor for the entry level iPad. Those who want a personal entertainment device go iPad.

I'm going to make a statement that some will likely disagree with but I'm going to just say it:

Apple products do NOT belong in a business environment. I don't care if you are a small business or a corporation. Other than maybe the iPhone because it works so well with Exchange where as Android doesn't play as nice with Exchange. iPads do not belong in a business environment. They can't run desktop class apps like a Surface tablet can, and they don't have a cursor/trackpad/pointing device. The keyboards SUCK compared to Type Covers and the pencil is underwhelming compared to Surface Pen. Macs also don't belong in a business environment either unless you are using Boot Camp or Virtualization ONLY. Why use an iPad when you can get a W10 tablet that runs full desktop class apps and is so much nicer to use with a server or actually printing to a network printer, or the ability to have it managed with Server.

For a personal recreational device the iPad is fine. I own two iPad Pros, so I obviously like them. And for a personal productivity/entertainment/general use Macs are fine. And I have two retina MacBook Pros, again I like them a lot.

But a Surface can be joined to a domain, can roll out desktop class apps, work with Windows Server/Active Directory. You can run a FULL copy of Office, not just the iOS or Android Office apps. Even the Mac version of Office is weak compared to the Office experience you get with Windows 10 be it Office 2016 or the 365 version, which I absolutely love and use daily.

All this talk about Windows 10 is a bad customer experience. You. Are. Wrong! I like to think that those who say that haven't tried a recent version of it. 1803/RS4 is solid as a rock. Those who cling to Windows 7 really annoy me. Same with those who cling to Snow Leopard or Mavericks. Move on people. The grass is definitely greener on the newer side. Always be on the latest operating system, and if you can't update buy a new device. There is no benefit to staying on older software. Any possible reason to do so can be shut down with lots of explanation and facts and real data. Just don't.

Now, if you just want a personal device for entertainment and light productivity that's fine but:

The iPad is NOT a PC replacement device for anyone who is serious about productivity. It just can't be without a more in depth file system, desktop class apps, and a way better operating system. If you take "getting things done" seriously and especially if you are a business, you just can't do things with the iPad that you can with a real desktop-class OS. Or if you can, it's painfully hard to do so. iOS 12 is still not good enough to replace either macOS or Windows. They need to make a Phone OS, Tablet OS, and Computer OS. Don't just put a phone OS with a couple of tweaks on a tablet and call it a PC replacement. That's why Android tablets are dead. Starting with Android P, no more tablet support. Android tablets were a blown up smartphone. iPad DOES have some iPad-only features, but they are not able to compete with the Surface line.

Apple has a long road ahead if they want to be taken seriously in the minds of those of us who want mobility but not at the cost of giving us a half-baked experience and not being able to do laptop-like things with our tablets. Surface FTW!

I'm a big believer in the new Microsoft, the Satya-driven Microsoft. They are going in the right places. Focusing on software and services, while offering their own mobile hardware that they work hard with the Windows and Office teams to make running Microsoft software and services work better on a Surface than almost any other PC OEM manufacturer. Office 365 is a gem, no one should be using G Suite anymore. Azure is absolutely gamechanging, and actually their entire cloud division is making leaps and bounds over Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services. I'm happy for Microsoft.

I'm way more excited for what Microsoft can do in the next 5-10 years than I am for Apple OR Google, although Google also is way ahead of Apple at this point. I think that Microsoft and Google will be THE names in tech going forward. If Apple doesn't change it's direction, they will get left behind. And I badly want Apple to succeed. But I call it like it is.

I will be preordering the 8GB RAM/128GB SSD model tonight along with a type cover. I'm very excited to say the least.

TL;DR
I'm off to inform my enterprise and my research group that Apple products do NOT belong in a business environment.

 

[The Game 161]

Nice pricing but would never Touch a windows laptop again.

 

[Michael Goff]

You mention it all the time, but not everyone needs an ssh client that runs in the background. iPad works great for my needs. I guess if you feel that type of performance is atequate for what you need, then it’s a great machine for you. I just don’t think it’s going to run very well. We’ll see.
[doublepost=1531263870][/doublepost]

I don’t anticipate all those legacy apps to perform to very well. If you feel confident about it, go for it. I’ve used another surface with higher specs and even that wasn’t a great experience.

The 400$ model has 4GB of RAM and slow eMMC. If the person goes with that, they’re going to be in for a world of hurt just running medium sized productivity apps.
[doublepost=1531264215][/doublepost]

TL;DR
I'm off to inform my enterprise and my research group that Apple products do NOT belong in a business environment.

I don’t have 30 years of my life to waste. Is the basic explanation he uses centered around the iPad not being able to do “real work”?

 

[DNichter]

The 400$ model has 4GB of RAM and slow eMMC. If the person goes with that, they’re going to be in for a world of hurt just running medium sized productivity apps.
[doublepost=1531264215][/doublepost]

I don’t have 30 years of my life to waste. Is the basic explanation he uses centered around the iPad not being able to do “real work”?

Yup, that’s my point.

 

[Michael Goff]

Yup, that’s my point.

And I’m agreeing with you. A lot of people think the processor is going to hamper it. But that’s not even going to bottleneck the 400$ model.

 

[thatguitarguy]

I don’t have 30 years of my life to waste. Is the basic explanation he uses centered around the iPad not being able to do “real work”?

I'll answer that for you, Mr. Goff.

Yes, the iPad is a toy compared to a Surface. Fine for Netflix, email, and browsing. I'll laugh you out of my office if you show up to a meeting with it or try to use it on MY network for your "productivity" device. They are personal consumption devices. Not to be taken seriously by anyone who values productivity or being able to do more than elementary tasks.
[doublepost=1531264944][/doublepost]

Apple should release a true Mac tablet. iOS is a limited jailed-sandboxed toy without an accesible file system and lacking USB port among other shocking limitations.

Well said!

 

[OneMike]

no thanks. i'll wait until Microsoft figures out how to do Windows Updates properly.

I’m a Mac person but that is nonsense

 

[kazmac]

windows 10 will force an update on you if you decline a certain amount which is ridiculous (though, I think recently, they stopped doing that, finally).
i've had my settings changed and still had windows restart while I was working. just copy macOS's way of updating and everything will be fine.

and also: before going to bed, I'd let Windows update. then I'd wake up to booting my PC only to see windows finalizing the updates. why not just get everything done during that 8 hour window when i'm asleep? i've never had this issue with macOS

lastly: Windows will bug you everyday if you stop updating your Windows for longer than 35 days. only way to stop this is to prevent the update services from running.

Oh, thank you. So that hanging update is just Windows being windows? That was one of the things that drove me bonkers and back to Apple, the W10 updates would not finish updating before I shut down, it would just compete after booting up.

Competition is good and I think there is a market for this, (who I do not know), but I am glad to see Microsoft trying to do something else with the Surface line.

 

[R.P.G]

for me,comparing with iPad..i see 'only' one advantage "KickStand". for Ipad you dont have any thing like that.
[doublepost=1531268308][/doublepost]

I’m a Mac person but that is nonsense

why nonsense? every microsoft update comes up with new issues..there are some improvements, but again every update leaves some mess..

 

[fermat-au]

no hamstring since you can upgrade to regular windows for free.

Imagine if you could upgrade from iOS to macOS (with touch screen support) on an iPad for free.

 

[TimmeyCook]

Imagine if you could upgrade from iOS to macOS (with touch screen support) on an iPad for free.

Imagine if iOS was so bad that Apple would have to discontinue it and go back to having only macOS?

That's what happened with Windows Phone and Windows RT.

 

[spinedoc77]

for me,comparing with iPad..i see 'only' one advantage "KickStand". for Ipad you dont have any thing like that.
[doublepost=1531268308][/doublepost]
why nonsense? every microsoft update comes up with new issues..there are some improvements, but again every update leaves some mess..

The kickstand is a ridiculously HUGE advantage. I've always wondered why Microsoft doesn't do a comical commercial cued to keystone kops theme with ipad users trying to figure out how to prop up their tablet to watch something or use an app.

It's too bad you spoiled it with the usual FUD nonsense about windows update. Any technology isn't going to be perfect. I seem to hear issues about iOS updates often, what was the last one about the bugs and battery issues in 11.4 I believe, heck even Apple admits how buggy iOS 11 is. My iPhone x and ipad stutter and freeze and force close apps often, but I just accept it as technology isn't perfect.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Personally, I think it's pretty cool. As a Mac user, I'm never going to drop some serious coin on a Windows device, but I like Microsoft's design and there's a few things on Windows I can use for work (and for fun, Xbox streaming). Is it going to replace any of my devices? No. But, it may be fun to tinker on.

I'm strangely intrigued by this thing, as well. I'm 99% Mac here - MacBooks, iMac Pro, several iPads, etc. But once in a while I have to break out my 2-year-old Dell Inspiron 13-7000 to run a legacy Windows program (no real "work"). The Dell is not great at all, but I only paid $399 for it. And the display driver occasionally freaks out, causing me to reboot.

The $399 Surface Go model + $130 keyboard would do me just fine. I'd never run more than a browser + single app, at any given time. Best Buy is offering $50 GC and says they'll give me $95 for the Dell. After all that, for <$400 OTD, I can have a (slightly) slower laptop that I'll use 10x/year but be way more portable and nicer to use than the Dell.

 

[rjohnstone]

The hiccup to me is that EMMC memory. Every crappy tablet I've seen with eMMC memory that is the worst part. Trying to use Windows 10 on 64gb of eMMC? I can see this becoming a dog real fast.

The 128GB version is an SSD.
I agree on the eMMC being a dog.
I have an old Dell Venue Pro that uses eMMC and it drags over time.

 

[artfossil]

The kickstand is a ridiculously HUGE advantage. I've always wondered why Microsoft doesn't do a comical commercial cued to keystone kops theme with ipad users trying to figure out how to prop up their tablet to watch something or use an app.

Not with the Apple Smart Cover or Smart Keyboard. Or any of the hundreds of 3rd party cases. The last thing I would want is a kickstand that adds weight and ant be removed.

 

[spinedoc77]

Not with the Apple Smart Cover or Smart Keyboard. Or any of the hundreds of 3rd party cases. The last thing I would want is a kickstand that adds weight and ant be removed.

I wouldn't wish that floppy POS cover on anyone, what a hunk of crap. The pro kickstand does almost any angle and stays at that angle firmly. I'll take the kickstand and the extra .002 oz it adds. Although kind of obvious, but doesn't the smart cover and other covers add weight? Most likely a lot more weight than the kickstand, although let me guess you like to take the covers off and put them back on all day long. Plus I'd rather have my tablet nice and propped up with no weight in my hands, rather than having to hold it in one hand just so I can see or work on it.

 

[R.P.G]

The kickstand is a ridiculously HUGE advantage. I've always wondered why Microsoft doesn't do a comical commercial cued to keystone kops theme with ipad users trying to figure out how to prop up their tablet to watch something or use an app.

It's too bad you spoiled it with the usual FUD nonsense about windows update. Any technology isn't going to be perfect. I seem to hear issues about iOS updates often, what was the last one about the bugs and battery issues in 11.4 I believe, heck even Apple admits how buggy iOS 11 is. My iPhone x and ipad stutter and freeze and force close apps often, but I just accept it as technology isn't perfect.

with all due respect windows update issues are not FUD. in last two years..every damn time..windows update messed up my laptop. I had Infinite Update bluescreen error costed me 300 bucks. Even the latest April update messed up my blue tooth devices. (its one of the common complaint after april update). updates are the only gripe for me in Windows..definitely not FUD.
[doublepost=1531285455][/doublepost]

I'm strangely intrigued by this thing, as well. I'm 99% Mac here - MacBooks, iMac Pro, several iPads, etc. But once in a while I have to break out my 2-year-old Dell Inspiron 13-7000 to run a legacy Windows program (no real "work"). The Dell is not great at all, but I only paid $399 for it. And the display driver occasionally freaks out, causing me to reboot.

The $399 Surface Go model + $130 keyboard would do me just fine. I'd never run more than a browser + single app, at any given time. Best Buy is offering $50 GC and says they'll give me $95 for the Dell. After all that, for <$400 OTD, I can have a (slightly) slower laptop that I'll use 10x/year but be way more portable and nicer to use than the Dell.

hold your thoughts... Surface Go has lot of restrictions on programs you can install.
[doublepost=1531285522][/doublepost]

Not with the Apple Smart Cover or Smart Keyboard. Or any of the hundreds of 3rd party cases. The last thing I would want is a kickstand that adds weight and ant be removed.

i hope you tried kickstand before commenting this. for me,No other smart cover comes close to that. And, its integral part of tab itself, nonody burn your pockets again for a stand or cover.

 

[BeatCrazy]

hold your thoughts... Surface Go has lot of restrictions on programs you can install.

How so? Shipped with Windows 10 S, you can convert the OS to standard Windows 10 Home in <5 minutes. Which of course every user outside of K-12 school programs should be doing.

 

[fokmik]

So at 400$ i get 4gb ram and a SUPER slow storage ?? so for a "normal" spec device we must go with 550$ with 8gb ram and a normal speed 128 ssd

 

[iamtheonlyone4ever]

I'm glad you added the second line. Without it how could we have understood your wisdom and insitfullnes.

I had a little typo but I fixed
I hope you are not the kind of person who can't take a joke
unless you are a windows fan
we all know that the S stands for Store
Windows S is limited to the windows store apps
but I'm sure you already know that
do you also know that Microsoft stole the name and the idea from apple
but at least in Mac OS you can modify gatekeeper options
can you do the same in windoze S?
wonder who created their store first
if you read Mac Rumors front page, the App Store is 10 years old
how old is Microsoft store or how long has microsucks store been running


Microsoft stole just about every feature from Mac OS to make their crappy and buggy w10
but is really a failed attempt to create a cheap imitation
they can't even do that right


I respect your opinion I hope you respect mine
for me that S has many meanings but here are the most important ones
Scam, Spyware, Slow and of course Sucks

I don't have nothing to hide I just don't like Microsoft spying on me
I won't even waste my time running fixes to disable all windows tracking services, ads ,spyware etc

I know my English is not perfect but I'm sure someone smart like you will understand
how about that for "wisdom and insitfullnes"

how you like me now
Jimmy Boy
Regards

 

[SteveJUAE]

So at 400$ i get 4gb ram and a SUPER slow storage ?? so for a "normal" spec device we must go with 550$ with 8gb ram and a normal speed 128 ssd

That's what most adults would opt for

 

[BigDO]

Surfaces (especially the latest ones) are fantastic devices for professionals (real professionals, not the Apple hipster kind). I need a laptop far more than I need a tablet, but having a tablet is super convenient in certain situations.

Having one device which does both quite seamlessly is fantastic.

 

[thatguitarguy]

Remind me again who was the one ranting that iPads were not suitable for suitable work as defined by “him” and that it was useless for work just because he said so?

Seems like a most ironic condemnation, when you have basically written off the iPad as hopeless and are practically dismissing everyone who disagrees.

It's not just defined by me. It's defined by a LOT of people in the business industry who share my views. I happened to think that not many here on this forum would agree. But in the business world there are more that are aligned with me than you. As an important person in the tech world, I know what I'm talking about. I have these discussions often with other IT experts like myself and we all agree there is no good reason to use an iPad for work when Surface exists.

Yes, I'm right (shocker!) and obviously there were a few that agreed with me on this forum alone. Sorry!

The iPad IS hopeless, unless Apple puts a real operating system on that thing that is capable of performing true PC tasks.

 

[Abazigal]

It's not just defined by me. It's defined by a LOT of people in the business industry who share my views. I happened to think that not many here on this forum would agree. But in the business world there are more that are aligned with me than you. As an important person in the tech world, I know what I'm talking about. I have these discussions often with other IT experts like myself and we all agree there is no good reason to use an iPad for work when Surface exists.

Yes, I'm right (shocker!) and obviously there were a few that agreed with me on this forum alone. Sorry!

The iPad IS hopeless, unless Apple puts a real operating system on that thing that is capable of performing true PC tasks.

Hopeless for your definition of work, not mine.