The Surface Laptop Go 2 is finally official after many months of rumors. The new budget-friendly Surface is now up for pre-order and is set for release on June 7 with an improved webcam, as well as a jump in processing power thanks to Intel’s 11th-generation CPUs.
As a follow-up to 2020’s Surface Laptop Go, Microsoft hopes that this latest member of the Surface family can offer you a “signature premium design in an ultra-portable format.” Yet despite that phrasing, the physical aluminum and polycarbonate design of the product has not changed at all.
Microsoft is offering the Laptop Go 2 in a new “Sage” color. The new color offers “green and gray notes with a hint of blue,” according to Microsoft. That adds to the Ice Blue, Sandstone, and Platinum options that already existed.
The addition of Intel’s 11th-generation processor on board the new Surface Laptop Go 2 is the biggest change. It makes this the first Intel-based secure core PC in the Surface lineup. The original model had 10th-generation processors, so the addition of the Intel Core i5-1135G7 should bring the performance benefit of Intel’s Iris Xe graphics. This is the lone CPU option.
Microsoft claims that this combo can help you get up to 13.5 hours of battery with typical usage. RAM on the laptop can be configured with either 4GB or 8GB, and there’s a 16GB option on the commercial unit. Storage goes up to 128GB or 256GB. The SSD is removable, but only by authorized technicians.
As for the webcam, it is getting an improvement. Along with the dual microphones, that means “you’ll look and sound your best when making video calls,” according to Microsoft.
Surface Laptop Go 2 keeps the same screen and keyboard as the original. You’ll get a 12.4-inch, 3:2 aspect ratio screen tuned to the resolution of 1536 x 1024 or 148 PPI. There’s still no support for the Surface Pen. With the keyboard, you’ll get a deck that offers 30% more key travel than a MacBook Air.
There’s also a built-in fingerprint reader on the power button on select models. Microsoft still hasn’t added backlighting on the keyboard, however.
Ports are also unchanged between generations. The mix still includes USB-A, USB-C, and a headphone jack, as well as the Surface Connect Port.
Surface Laptop Go 2 starts at $600. It is now available for pre-order at BestBuy.com, as well as Microsoft Store.com.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.
After spending years with touchscreen Windows laptops, I've become rather accustomed to reaching out and tapping the screen if I just want to interact with something quickly. It's a small convenience, one that feels natural as soon as you get used to it. But whenever I use a MacBook for a bit, I inevitably find myself reaching for the screen before realizing that Apple has never offered this feature for its notebooks.
Apple has resisted touchscreen Macs for years, but that might finally change. The company is reportedly preparing to introduce its first touchscreen MacBook Pro, complete with an OLED display and a redesigned interface that accommodates touch input. Not to be confused with the new $2,000 M6 MacBook Pro, which just launched with minimal updates over its predecessor.