Microsoft is targeting Apple’s iPad with a new Surface Go tablet.
The Surface Go, which Microsoft unveiled on Monday, comes with a $399 price tag. And Microsoft is calling it the “smallest and most affordable Surface yet.” And at just 1.15 pounds and 8.33 mm thick, it’s hard to argue with the company’s belief that its tablet really is easier to carry around that most options on the market.
Microsoft’s new tablet comes with a 10-inch screen and works with the company’s Surface Pen stylus. According to Microsoft, the digital pen is capable of recognizing up to 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. On the software side, the tablet is running on Windows 10.
Since the Surface Go is such a cheap slate, you shouldn’t expect too much power from it. And since it’s designed to be cheaper than most other tablets, Microsoft’s base model ships with just 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Its Intel Pentium Gold processor will get the job done for web browsing and word processing, but don’t expect it to handle more sophisticated tasks like video encoding. It might also have some trouble on sophisticated video games.
Still, if you want to pay more for some power, Microsoft will accommodate you. It’s also selling a version with 128GB of storage and double the memory for $549.
Microsoft’s new Surface Go is available for pre-order starting today. It’ll hit store shelves on Aug. 2.
