Microsoft Surface Go 10.5" 2 Platinum 2020

The Surface Go 2 is a super portable Windows tablet with a nice screen and a painfully slow CPU. It's fine for basic tasks like browsing and Office work, but don't expect much more. Only buy it if you need real Windows in a tiny package and can find a good deal on a clean refurb.

Let's be real: the Pentium Gold 4425Y is not a speed demon. It's one of the slowest chips we've tracked, so you'll want to keep your expectations in check. Web browsing with a few tabs, firing up OneNote, or streaming video feels fine. But try to push it with heavy multitasking or anything beyond basic photo editing and you'll hit a wall fast. On the flip side, the integrated GPU somehow ranks in the 99th percentile for this category, which says more about the low bar for tablet graphics than it does about gaming prowess. The 8GB of RAM and 128GB SSD are solid middle-of-the-pack specs that keep the system from feeling totally sluggish. Just don't expect it to replace a real laptop.

Stacked against the Apple iPad Air M4, the Surface Go 2 looks like a relic. The iPad's M4 chip is in a completely different universe of performance, and its app ecosystem is far more polished for tablet use. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Lenovo Idea Tab Pro also offer snappier performance and better battery life for similar money. Where the Surface Go 2 wins is flexibility. It runs real desktop software like full Microsoft Office or legacy Windows apps, which none of those Android or iPadOS slates can do. If your workflow demands actual Windows, this is your only option in this size and price range. For everyone else, the competitors are just better tablets.

Pricing is all over the map for this model, ranging from $229 to $380 depending on the vendor and condition. At the low end, especially if you snag a clean refurbished unit, it's a decent deal for a portable Windows machine. But once you creep toward the $380 mark, you're in used iPad Air or new Android tablet territory, both of which will run circles around this Pentium chip for media and apps. If you need Windows on a budget, hunt for the best price you can find. Best Buy's Geek Squad Certified Refurbished units seem like the safest bet to avoid the cosmetic damage and missing accessories some buyers report.

The Surface Go 2 is Microsoft's answer to the question "what if a tablet could run real Windows?" It's a tiny, fanless slate that weighs just over a pound and slips into basically any bag. The 10.5-inch PixelSense display is sharp and bright enough for Netflix binges, and the built-in kickstand means you can prop it up anywhere without a case. But don't let the familiar Surface looks fool you. The Intel Pentium Gold processor inside is a real slug, landing in the 3rd percentile for CPU performance in our database. This thing is built for lightweight tasks and not much else.

Skip this if you need any real processing power. The Pentium chip will frustrate you if you try to edit photos, run demanding software, or keep more than a handful of browser tabs open. Also look elsewhere if battery life is a top priority, as it falls behind most modern tablets.

The Surface Go 2 is a niche device that makes sense for a very specific person. If you're a student or road warrior who needs a featherweight Windows machine for note-taking, email, and Office apps, and you can find one for under $250, it's a handy little sidekick. The kickstand, face unlock, and stylus support are genuinely useful. But if you don't absolutely need Windows, or if you plan to do any real multitasking, you should look elsewhere. This is a companion device, not a primary computer.