Microsoft Surface Go 4 for Business Hands On: The Littlest Surface Goes Commercial

pcmag.com:

Originally aimed at consumers searching for a Windows alternative to the Apple iPad, the Microsoft Surface Go is a diminutive tablet with a 10.5-inch screen that failed to impress when it debuted, but improved considerably with a revision in 2020.

The fourth generation of the Surface Go, unveiled at Microsoft’s fall Surface launch event Thursday, was buried a bit in the announcements that were dominated by AI integrations and Copilot. Still, Microsoft remains committed to serving the niche that is entry-level, compact Windows tablets, one that other OEMs have failed to service consistently. The typical use case for these tablets was originally people surfing the web on their couches and doing basic Windows tasks. But over the generations, Microsoft has seen that market morph into IT departments deploying fleets of these tiny tablets for specialized front-of-house or point-of-sale tasks; schools adopting them for little hands and touch input; and businesses using them as flexible, pass-around devices used by multiple people at different times.

We spent some time with the new Go 4 tablet at the event, now dubbed the Surface Go 4 for Business, and found that while it is definitely a niche product, a few under-the-hood improvements over the consumer-focused Surface Go 3 make it worth a look for interested institutional buyers. (Microsoft notes that the Surface Go 3 will continue on and co-exist with the Go 4 for Business.) Here are our first impressions. 

The Surface Go 4, which starts at a palatable $579.99, is essentially a little brother to the larger, more powerful, and more expensive Surface Pro 9 Windows tablet. The device can be used by itself, with no accessories, as a tablet whose main interface is its touch screen.