Surface Go vs. Surface RT: Which is better?

Here is a side by side comparison between Surface Go and Surface RT specs including CPU, RAM, storage, battery, display, and more.

Surface Go Pros

Reasons that Surface Go is better than Surface RT.

Much newer manufacturing

2018 vs. 2012

Supports larger memory

Surface Go supports a larger memory capacity than the Surface RT. It supports up to 8GB versus 2GB of system memory on the Surface RT.

Max system memory size
Surface Go
8 GB
Surface RT
2 GB
About 24% lighter

Surface Go weighed 1.15 pounds, 24% lighter than the 1.5 pounds Surface RT.

WeightSurface GoSurface RT
Pound
1.15 lbs.
1.5 lbs.
Kilogram
0.52 kg
0.68 kg

Surface RT Pros

Reasons that Surface RT is better than Surface Go.

6% larger display

Surface RT has a 10.6-inch screen size 6% larger than the 10-inch Surface Go.

Display size
Surface RT
10.6-inch
Surface Go
10-inch

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

Surface Go Price
New Microsoft Surface Go 2 - 10.5" Touch-Screen - Intel Pentium - 4GB Memory - 64GB - Wifi - Platinum (Latest Model)
New Microsoft Surface Go 2 - 10.5" Touch-Screen - Intel Pentium - 4GB Memory - 64GB - Wifi - Platinum (Latest Model)
By Microsoft
$285.03
Microsoft Surface Go (Intel Pentium Gold, 8GB RAM, 128GB) (Renewed)
Microsoft Surface Go (Intel Pentium Gold, 8GB RAM, 128GB) (Renewed)
By Microsoft
$197.99
Microsoft Surface Go 2-10.5" Touch-Screen - Intel Pentium - 8GB Memory - 128GB SSD - WiFi - Platinum (Latest Model) (Renewed)
Microsoft Surface Go 2-10.5" Touch-Screen - Intel Pentium - 8GB Memory - 128GB SSD - WiFi - Platinum (Latest Model) (Renewed)
By Microsoft
$256.09
$269.00 5% OFF
Surface RT Price
Microsoft Surface RT (32GB)
Microsoft Surface RT (32GB)
By Microsoft
$210.00
Microsoft Surface RT 32GB (Renewed)
Microsoft Surface RT 32GB (Renewed)
By Microsoft
$89.95
Microsoft Surface RT 64GB
Microsoft Surface RT 64GB
By Microsoft
$319.99

Availability

Surface GoSurface RT
Released20182012
Release Date
  • Introduced: July 10, 2018
  • Pre-ordered: July 10, 2018
  • Released: August 2, 2018
  • Introduced: June 18, 2012
  • Not available for pre-ordered
  • Released: October 26, 2012
PricingSurface Go for Consumer
  • $399 - 4 GB | 64 GB | W10 S-mode
  • $549 - 8 GB | 128 GB | W10 S-mode
Surface go for Commercial
  • $449 - 4 GB | 64 GB | W10 Pro
  • $599 - 8 GB | 128 GB | W10 Pro
Surface RT
  • $499 - 2 GB | 32 GB
  • $599 - 2 GB | 64 GB
Surface RT with Black Touch Cover
  • $599 - 2 GB | 32 GB
  • $699 - 2 GB | 64 GB
Generations

Exterior

Surface GoSurface RT
Dimensions9.6” x 6.9” x 0.33” (245 mm x 175  mm x 8.3 mm)
Width: 9.6” (245 mm)
Height: 6.9” (175 mm)
Thickness: 0.33” (8.3 mm)
10.81” x 6.77” x 0.37” (275 mm x 172 mm x 9.4 mm)
Width: 10.81” (275 mm)
Height: 6.77” (172 mm)
Thickness: 0.37” (9.4 mm)
Weight
  • Surface Go: 1.15 lbs (522 g)
  • Surface Go with LTE: 1.17 lbs. (532 g)
  • Surface Go Keyboard: 0.55 lbs (249 g)
1.5 lbs (680 g)
Colors
Platinum
Dark Titanium
Keyboard and Trackpad
  • Surface Type Cover
    • Not included
  • Keyboard:
    • Full-size mechanical backlit keyset with 1 mm of key travel.
  • Trackpad:
    • Precision glass trackpad.
    • Trackpad size: 101 mm x 56 mm
    • Supports a five-finger multitouch gesture.
  • Surface Type Cover
    • Not included
  • Keyboard:
    • Activation: Moving (mechanical) keys.
    • Layout: QWERTY, full row of function keys (F1-F12).
    • 4 directional keys; Windows and Media Controls Keys.
  • Trackpad:
    • Two-finger multitouch gesture trackpad.

Display

Surface GoSurface RT
Size10 Inches10.6 Inches
Info
  • Resolution: 1800 x 1200 (2.1M Pixels)
  • Density: 217 PPI
  • PixelSense™ Display
  • Contrast ratio: 1500:1
  • Aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Inking: designed together with Surface Pen
  • Touch: 10 points multi-touch
  • Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
  • Resolution: 1366 x 768 (1M Pixels)
  • Density: 148 PPI
  • Aspect ratio: 16:9
  • ClearType HD Display
  • Touch: 5 points multi-touch

Ports

Surface GoSurface RT
Surface Go Ports
Image Source: Microsoft
  • 1 x USB Type-C 3.1 Gen 1
    Supports Power Delivery and DisplayPort.
  • 1 x Surface Connect™
    Supports charging and docking station.
  • 1 x Headset jack
  • 1 x microSD™ card reader
  • 1 x Type Cover port
  • 1 x Full-size USB 2.0
  • 1 x microSD™ card reader
  • 1 x Surface Charging Port
  • 1 x Headset jack
  • 1 x Micro HDMI video out port
  • 1 x Cover port

Internal Specs

Surface GoSurface RT
Processor
  1. 7th Gen Intel® Pentium® Gold 4415Y
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.60 GHz, 2MB SmartCache, 6W
  1. NVIDIA Tegra 3
    4 cores, 1.30 → 1.40 GHz, 1MB Cache,
Integrated Graphics
  1. 7th Gen Intel® Pentium® Gold 4415Y
    Intel® HD Graphics 615
    24 Execution Units, 300 → 850 MHz
  1. NVIDIA Tegra 3
    NVIDIA GeForce ULP graphics
    12 Graphics Cores,
Memory
4GB 8GB
1866 MHz LPDDR3 RAM
2GB of RAM
Storage
  • 64GB
    eMMC
  • 128GB 256GB
    SSD
  • 32GB 64GB
    Storage

Connectivity

Surface GoSurface RT
Wi-Fi
  • Wi-Fi 5: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac compatible.
  • Wi-Fi 4: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n compatible.
Bluetooth
  • Bluetooth Wireless 4.1 technology
  • Bluetooth 4.0 low energy technology
MoreOptional LTE
  • Nano SIM Tray
  • 4G LTE Advanced (22 Bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66)
  • GPS/GLONASS: Standalone and Assiste
  • GNSS, accuracy up to 3 meters
-

Battery

Surface GoSurface RT
Size26.12 Wh31.5 Wh
Battery LifeUp to 9 hours of video playbackUp to 8 hours of video playback
Power Supply
  • 24W proprietary Surface Connect power supply
  • 24W proprietary power supply

Software

Surface GoSurface RT
OS
  • For Consumer: Windows 10 in S-mode
  • For Commercial: Windows 10 Pro
  • Windows RT
  • Upgradeable to Windows RT 8.1 Update
Built-in AppsMicrosoft Office 365 30-days trialMicrosoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT

Camera & Audio

Surface GoSurface RT
Camera
  • Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing)
  • 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p Skype HD video
  • 8.0MP rear-facing autofocus camera with 1080p full HD video
  • 720p HD LifeCam front-facing camera with TrueColor Technology
  • 720p HD LifeCam rear-facing camera with TrueColor Technology
Audio
  • Single microphone
  • 2W Front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby® Audio™ Premium
  • Dual microphones
  • Stereo speakers

Misc

Surface GoSurface RT
InkingSupports Surface Pen
4096 levels of pressure
Tilt sensing
Best in class latency
Paper feel
magnetic storage
-
Sensors
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Accelerometer
  • Gyroscope
  • Magnetometer
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Accelerometer
  • Gyroscope
  • Compass
Security
  • HW TPM 2.0 chip for enterprise security
  • Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello face sign-in
-
In the box
  • Surface Go
  • Power supply
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Safety and warranty documents
  • Surface RT
  • Power supply
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Safety and warranty documents
Warranty
  • One-year limited hardware warranty
  • One-year limited hardware warranty
More
  • Mechanical features: Signature unibody magnesium design with hidden perimeter venting
  • Kickstand with a full-friction multiposition hinge to 165 degrees
  • Magnetic attach for keyboard fold stability
  • Physical buttons: volumes, power
  • Casing: VaporMg
  • Kickstand: 1 position at 22°
  • Physical buttons: volumes, power

Key Features

Surface GoSurface RT
At Glance
Released in Mid
2018
3:2 1.8K
10”
1200p 60Hz
Weight
1.15 lb
0.52 kg
Powered By
Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y
2C/4T, 1.60 GHz
Geekbench 5
356
Single Core
Geekbench 5
855
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® HD Graphics 615
24 Execution Units, 300 → 850 MHz
Configurable up to
8GB
1866 MHz LPDDR3
Surface Go Ports
Released in Mid
2012
16:9 HD
10.6”
768p 60Hz
Weight
1.5 lb
0.68 kg
Powered By
NVIDIA Tegra 3
4C/1.30 → 1.40 GHz
With integrated
NVIDIA GeForce ULP graphics
12 Graphics Cores
2GB
DDR3 Memory

Comparison Summary

Surface Go vs. Surface RT

Microsoft has released the Surface Go, a 10-inch machine, in mid-2018. It is powered by a dual-core Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y. The laptop has an integrated graphics option up to Intel® HD Graphics 615 (24 Execution Units, 300 → 850 MHz).

On the other hand, we have the 10.6-inch Surface RT was introduced by Microsoft about six years earlier in mid-2012. It comes with a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 with a boost clock speed up to 1.40 GHz. It has an integrated graphics option up to NVIDIA GeForce ULP graphics (12 Graphics Cores).

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Surface Go1
7th Gen Intel® Pentium® Gold 4415Y356100.00%
Surface RT0356

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Surface Go1
7th Gen Intel® Pentium® Gold 4415Y855100.00%
Surface RT0855

The Surface Go has a 10-inch display which is slightly smaller than the 10.6-inch Surface RT. In addition, The Surface Go weighs 1.15 lbs. about 30% lighter than the 1.5 lbs. Surface RT. Moreover, measured at 9.6” x 6.9” x 0.33”, the Surface Go is slightly more portable than the Surface RT at 10.71” x 6.77” x 0.37”.

Surface GoSurface RT

Moving over to upgradability, you can't make any upgrades on both devices. All major components including memory and storage are soldered on to the motherboard. So make sure you get the specs that work best for your current and future workload.

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