The Surface Go, Microsoft's first attempt at making a tiny but fully-fledged computer, is one of my favorite tablets out there. I was wondering when we might see the LTE version finally emerge, and that day is November 20th, two months after the original Surface Go went on sale.
I'm convinced that every damn computer should have LTE built-in, because it makes the experience much more magic: unlock and you're online. Surface Go became my go-to 'everywhere' computer thanks to its size, but the addition of LTE makes it a no-brainer for throwing in the backpack.
There aren't a huge number of differences other than the addition of a SIM slot. But, I was surprised to see that Microsoft says the mobile-equipped model will last 8.5 hours on battery, just 30 minutes less than the Wi-Fi version.
The LTE Advanced version of Surface Go is only available in the high-end specification, with 8 GB of memory and 128 GB of SSD-based storage. That means it's $679, which is an additional $129 over the non-LTE version, which is $549 — but I'd argue that's money well spent.
I was at Microsoft's Surface event in New York in November, and what surprised me most was how the company had underestimated the desire for a tiny Surface Go. I spoke with multiple people who work on the Surface team at Microsoft, and they all expressed surprise that both I and the wider community were so enthusiastic about a device like this, but the magic is all in the form factor.
I'll be doing a hands-on with one of the LTE versions in the coming days, so check back if you're interested in learning how it performs, otherwise you can drop a pre-order for your own here. What I'd love to see next is the rest of the lineup get LTE options: a Surface Book 3 with LTE would be a no-brainer upgrade for me.
